McCain Campaign Press Release - What They're Saying About Governor Sarah Palin on Wash U. Debate: Volume 3

"Palin Stands Her Ground" -- "She's The Real Deal"

The Associated Press Headline: "Palin Stands Her Ground In VP Debate With Biden" (Liz Sidoti, "Analysis: Stakes High, Palin Tops Expectations," The Associated Press, 10/2/08)

The New York Times' Peter Baker: "Palin Meets A Test." (Peter Baker, "Palin Meets A Test," The New York Times' "The Caucus" Blog, thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com, 10/2/08)

NPR's Michelle Norris: "[S]he delivered a performance that filled in the resume and also helped people perhaps connect to her on a very visceral level." (NBC's "Vice Presidential Debate Coverage," 10/2/08)

CNBC's Larry Kudlow: "I Think She's Going To Be The Clear Winner In This." "I think she's going to be the clear winner in this, and oddly enough, it's directly symmetrical to what happened with McCain and Obama. In this case, she held her ground. She was informed and she was strong. ... And I'll tell you what, she made very strong distinctions on energy drilling for lower prices and lower taxes not higher." (CNBC's "The Big Idea With Donny Deutsch," 10/2/08)

The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire Blog: "A confident, folksy Sarah Palin attacked the Democratic presidential ticket on taxes and partisanship, holding her own against her senior vice-presidential rival." ("Who Won The Vice-Presidential Debate?" The Wall Street Journal's "Washington Wire" Blog, blogs.wsj.com, 10/2/08)

The Wall Street Journal's T.W. Farnam: "Joe Biden tried to critique Sarah Palin's call for using successful techniques from Iraq and moving them to Afghanistan, but her response seemed to leave him uncharacteristically at a loss for words." (T.W. Farnam, "Palin Gives Biden Pause On Afghanistan," The Wall Street Journal's "Washington Wire" Blog, blogs.wsj.com, 10/2/08)

NBC's Savannah Guthrie: "She really played to her strengths saying in words and demeanor, I'm one of you, and she was not afraid to go on the attack." (NBC's "Vice Presidential Debate Coverage," 10/2/08)

National Review's Andy McCarthy: "She's the real deal." (Andy McCarthy, "Sarah," National Review Online's "The Corner" Blog, www.nationalreview.com, 10/2/08)

National Review's Mark Levin: "I have been involved in and observed politics for a long time. Governor Palin is a truly unique national figure. She is down to earth, personable, and smart as hell. That's right. She has been on the national scene for a little over a month, she has been campaigning everywhere, she has had to bone up on all kinds of national issues, and she has shown class throughout. Too often too many are persuaded by the mainstream media's opinion and react to that. This should be another lesson in that regard. As for some of her populist views, she cannot openly campaign against the positions of her presidential running mate. She is the bright light in this campaign from my perspective." (Mark Levin, "Palin Tonight," National Review's "The Corner" Blog, corner.nationalreview.com, 10/2/08)

NBC's Ron Allen: "The [Obama-Biden] campaign was saying today she's a very skilled debater, and that's what they got." (NBC's "Vice Presidential Debate Coverage," 10/2/08)

Democratic Strategist Paul Begala: "Sarah Palin's strategy was to defend Sarah Palin and repair her damaged image and I think she did pretty good job of that." (CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360," 10/2/08)

The Washington Post's Charles Krauthammer: "I am speaking as the resident Palin, and representative of the effete Eastern establishment, I thought that she did extremely well. ... I think over all, as an impression, she left a very good one" (Fox News' "Vice Presidential Debate," 10/2/08)

CNN's Alex Castellanos: "[W]hen you look at Sarah Palin, you saw America, you saw outsiders, you saw Main Street, not Wall Street. The Republican brand needed to see that tonight and they got it." (CNN's "Debate Coverage," 10/2/08)

• Castellanos: "There were two debates, the first on economy and energy. I thought Palin won that. In that, she established herself as a legitimate contender for the vice-presidency of the United States." (CNN's "Debate Coverage," 10/2/08)

National Review's Kathryn Jean Lopez: "AND THE WINNER IS ... Sarah Palin is the breath of fresh air on the political scene so many hoped she is. And she'll be honored to beat the guy who's been in the Senate since she was in the second grade." (Kathryn Jean Lopez, "And The Winner Is," National Review's "The Corner" Blog, corner.nationalreview.com, 10/2/08)