ABC/ADAM TAYLORMaybe she had to go home and watch the Presidential Debate?
After getting eliminated on tonight's Dancing With the Stars, Bristol Palin refused to talk to any press after the show. That's a first!
But we did catch up with partner Mark Ballas—here's what he had to say:
"She's preparing for the schedule that lays ahead," Mark said about his partner's absence. Mmhmm.
So how is she doing?
"It's tough, man," responded Ballas. "I'm sure it's alarming. I'm just really proud of her. For someone like that with zero entertainment experience, she didn't go down without a fight."
"Definitely more vocal about what she wants and how she wants to approach things," Mark Ballas said about how Bristol has changed from their first season together. "I really tried my best here. There's not much more I could have done."
Aside from their "one little bicker" a week ago, Mark said he and Bristol got along fantastically through this whole journey.
Ballas also said if he had to put money on it he thinks Shawn Johnson and Derek Hough will take home the mirror ball.
—Reporting by Will Marfuggi
(Originally published Oct. 16, 2012, at 8:34 p.m. PT)