Last Night’s Debate

Well it certainly could have gone a lot worse for Gov. Palin. Apart from the few awkwardly evaded questions and the wince-worthy slogans, she acquitted herself well, allaying fears that she would prove an inarticulate ignoramus. She probably hasn’t convinced the crucial swing voters that she’s fully qualified, but she has shown them that they wouldn’t be voting for a potential disaster.

A further comment: It was refreshing to hear Gov. Palin exhort Americans to embrace fiscal prudence. This is a new talking point the McCain campaign should give a lot more air-time. So far, Republicans and Democrats alike have spoken almost exclusively about the blame due to distant, impersonal actors, and opined on what distant, impersonal actors ought to do to fix it. Leaders of free people should encourage them to shake off the feeling of powerless suspense and take as much initiative as they can to secure their own interests.

Speaking of which, a promising young writer named R.J. Neuhaus gives David Blankenhorn’s timely book Thrift: A Cyclopedia an appreciative mention in the While We’re At It section of our October issue. The book seems like a sound investment.

And speaking of sound investments . . .