I wrote last night about how Palin vastly exceeded expectations in her performance during the vice presidential debate. It was widely presumed that she wouldn't be able to hold her own because -- let's face it -- she can't possibly have the depth or breadth of knowledge or experience to draw upon when articulating her responses. Yet she performed adequately by simply changing the game. She turned the debate into a game of personality and charm instead of a battle of wits and platform.

But let's be honest here. To the extent that Palin succeeded last night, she did so by essentially flirting with the American people. She used cutesy colloquialisms like "why doncha" and "doggoneit." She tossed her head and repeatedly winked at the camera. She answered every question with a wide smile and a twinkle in her eye. When you watch the replay, you get the impression that she still thinks she's a pageant contestant, answering that question about "how she'll use this role to impact the next generation" with some glossy but meaningless memorized schtick combined with perfect posture, a few head bobs toward the audience, and several well-rehearsed blinks.

So while Palin may be proud of her performance last night, the very means by which she succeeded can be used as a criticism against her. In fact, last night's debate highlights and/or exacerbates several problems for Governor Palin:

1. She's perceived as an intellectual lightweight. Her flirty tone and colloquial style of discourse were effective in distracting from Biden's experiential advantage, but they also serve to underscore this notion that Palin can't compete on substance alone. She can't sell her knowledge or experience, so she has to resort to selling herself.

2. She comes across as terribly shallow. Probably in part due to her pageant and television training, Palin went out of her way to smile and look genial throughout the debate. Frankly, she looked like she was having the time of her life. Unfortunately, this was true even when the discussion turned to topics like possible harm befalling Senator McCain and the loss of Senator Biden's. The impression is that she's not even intellectually engaged enough to realize what is going on around her and what an appropriate response is. She's flying in some kind of pre-programmed autopilot mode.

3. She's advertising her inexperience. Everyone knows she's inexperienced. McCain tries to spin this as a positive by referring to Palin as a maverick and an outsider. But last night Palin twice used her inexperience as an excuse in order to avoid answering questions.

IFILL: So, Governor, as vice president, there's nothing that you have promised as a candidate that you would -- that you wouldn't take off the table because of this financial crisis we're in?

PALIN: There is not. And how long have I been at this, like five weeks? So there hasn't been a whole lot that I've promised...

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BIDEN: Gwen, the governor did not answer the question about deregulation, did not answer the question of defending John McCain about not going along with the deregulation, letting Wall Street run wild. He did support deregulation almost across the board. That's why we got into so much trouble.

PALIN: I'm still on the tax thing because I want to correct you on that again. And I want to let you know what I did as a mayor and as a governor. And I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear, but I'm going to talk straight to the American people.

So Palin is excusing herself from asking certain questions because, "hey, I've only been at this five weeks." But this is a foolish and implicit admission on her part that she's frankly too inexperienced to have adequate knowledge of the issues at hand. And the jovial nature with which she delivers the line reinforces the sense that for her this is all some kind of game. She's just along for the ride. There's no indication that she appreciates the significance of her appointment or has any respect for the serious responsibility that is her potential office.

4. And finally, perhaps of the most concern for McCain/Palin, Palin is losing favor with women -- and fast. Poll after poll, most recently the one released by Time today, indicate that Palin's support among women is declining. Unfortunately for Palin, last night's performance will not help matters. (There are not yet any gender-specific reactions to the debate available. I will update as those numbers are released.) 

Last night's debate emphasized all the aspects of Palin that women find repulsive: that she cannot hold her own intellectually, that she's cute, that she's flirty, that she's willing to degrade herself and womankind in order to remain competitive. I would not be surprised if her support among women continues to slip this week.

Here's the problem for McCain and Palin. McCain is trying to sell this story that she's a strong female figure: a maverick reformer who holds her own in a man's world. And it's certainly possible to construct and market that mythology using elements of Palin's history. The only problem? Apparently McCain forgot to tell Palin the gameplan. She must have missed the memo about her new improved identity. So now with every public appearance Palin reveals more of her true self and consequently further belies this image McCain is trying to project. With every smirk, with every flirty toss of the hair, with every "youbetcha" and every wink, Palin proves that she's not the strong woman who makes it on her own terms; rather, she's just another shallow, self-absorbed girl who's willing to sell herself to make it to the top.

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