10.22 pm. Biden's answer about his kids, the moment when he clearly choked up, was emotionally very powerful. I expect it will resonate more with women.

10.18 pm. Biden's response on Cheney and the constitution was devastating. His authority against her chatter really told. And that is what is slowly happening in this debate. She started by dazzling people with sheer velocity and energy and gimmicks. But as the debate goes on, her cutesy soundbites actually begin to unnerve. And his authority comes through. This is now a tie, as Biden is gaining fast in the closing stretch. Classic tortoise and hare.

10.17 pm. The unraveling on the veep constitutional role continues. Oy.

10.12 pm. "Doggone it." "Say it ain't so, Joe." "God bless her." A shout out to her home town school. A total ramble of nothing on education. Total ramble. She has begun to unravel once substance is actually required.

10.08 pm. Biden's summary of how he would continue Obama's agenda was superb. He's regaining his footing and now winning this thing.

10.04 pm. Her answer on the Iraq war was just awful. Her running mate voted for the war and then became one of the strongest critics of its execution. So her notion that you cannot change your mind in the face of the facts runs against the core record of her running mate! No amount of blather can overcome that lack of knowledge or wisdom or judgment.

10.01 pm. Is she reading notes? On foreign policy, as the debate slows down Palin's manic soundbites, Biden is gaining. in fact, I'm shifting in my view of this debate. Biden's authority is beginning to pierce the rat-a-tat-tat of Palin's Bush-style soundbites. The debate feels like a replay of the last five weeks. You begin by being dazzled by the style of this chipper little cheer-leader. But as time goes by, you wonder if there's any wisdom behind the blather.

9.58 pm. Biden uses Petraeus against Palin on the silly notion of a "surge" in Afghanistan. Devastating. His comparison between Iraq and Afghanistan is also very telling. Palin's soundbites on this sound alarmingly like George W. Bush.

9.57 pm. Palin's answer on nuclear proliferation is weird, strange and very disconcerting.

9.56 pm. Biden nails McCain's foreign policy as identical to George W. Bush's. His finest moment. He's coming back hard. Because he actually knows his stuff and her schtick is wearing thinner as the debate goes forward.

9.53 pm. Biden is very commanding on Israel. He's regaining control of this debate - making it about issues rather than rapidly delivered soundbites. My worry is not that she is winning the argument. It's that she is just chattering along.

9.51 pm. Biden is finally warming up. He has authority on diplomacy and international relations and finally it shows. Her goal is just to chatter and barrel forward.

9.49 pm. Palin says that Iran has no right even to peaceful nuclear energy? But it's clear that she and McCain are clear on launching a pre-emptive war against Iran. And I don't believe that Palin can call anyone else dangerous.