Just imagine how the Rethug pundits would have reacted if Joe Biden had used Sarah Palin's debate tactics. Just think what they'd be saying if Joe had said, "I'm not going to answer your stupid questions, Ms. Ifill, because they're not what the American people hear from me. They want to hear my canned, rehearsed soundbites instead."
"Joe Biden ought to be ashamed of himself. Anybody who's so scared he can't even try to answer softball questions from Gwen Ifill doesn't deserve to be Vice President. In contrast, Sarah Palin used the clever ploy of actually answering the questions, proving her mettle and demonstrating her clearly superior knowledge of the issues that a person who will be a heartbeat away from the presidency must possess." David "Babbling" Brooks
"Joe Biden proved that liberal Democrats always cut and run. If he has to duck questions from Gwen, just imagine how much he'd be ducking if he had to face real incoming fire." Pat "The Rat" Buchanan
"In all my decades of political punditry experience, I've never seen anything like this. By resorting to generic talking points whenever he couldn't figure out how to answer a question Joe Biden deprived the American people of their right to hear candidates answer thoughtful, challenging questions from an impartial moderator. Shame on you, Joe Biden." David "Dean of the Pundits" Broder
"Disgusting! Joe Biden's nothing but a chicken! And a cheater! Never plays by the rules. But what would you expect from a LIBERAL from the Blue Hen state." Bill "Baba" O'Reilly
Yes, imagine the outrage. We wouldn't be hearing about Spunky Sarah and her clever debate tactics. We'd be hearing about an incompetent, unworthy candidate, afraid he'd be revealed as an empty suit. Their hypocrisy is staggering. But that's no surprise.