so i was thinking (vp debate)
 

So i was thinking. We've all seen palin against couric and palin against charlie gibson and..well, she's been less than stellar. ..ok, so she makes dan quayle seem like a rhodes' scholar. Seriously, gaffes are one thing, but she was not prepped properly for this..

So, i'm thinking. The debates are thursday and expectations for her are so low that she could seriously show up, shout "USA USA" and she'll be declared the winner. No offense to the ladies, but if this were a man, he'd have been laughed all the way to a part of russia she can't see from alaska.

THEN, the republican campaign is trying to limit the freewheeling discussion on the new debate....

so..it looks like the debate has this as the requirement: Palin has to show up and appear, well..not oblivious and ignorant and biden will have to show up appearing like a savant. I don't see how this is fair treatment to anyone, the american public, palin or biden.

Next up: Biden and Palin debate in St. Louis - CNN.com
could you imagine if this were simply boring white guy vs boring white guy....

I'm starting feel like a paranoid conspiracy theorist. I mean she just can't be this ill informed, can she? What are the odds they've been working the media to lower expectations so low all she has to do is show up and sound half way intelligent, thus declared the clear winner?

that is pretty much what im trying to say. Seriously, she can't be 'this' ill informed...and the "1 instance in 26 yrs, what has mccain done' and a swarmy, "I'll look and get back to you on that"..

what ..the..hell. even bush didn't get that much of a slide

Something certainly doesn't smell right. And yes, "I'll get back to you." Seriously? You couldn't foresee that question coming up? And what's up with that answer about Putin and Russia? "Umm, like they, like are near us, like. And you know when they enter US airspace they, like, do it over Alaska, so you know like, whatever." No that's not the actually quote I'm too tried to look it up. Though if I did it might not sound any better... like.

Of course she's 'that' ill-informed. You don't need to be a master of current events, policy, or even geopolitics to be a mayor of Wasilla or Governor for less than 2 years of Alaska.

What we'll see from Palin: memorized party lines, poorly delivered. Also, equal parts confusion and trying to look cute (if only Kerry would have figured out that works).
What we'll see from Biden: a difficult job in trying to simultaneously wipe the floor with Palin while also not appearing mean to her at all. Why? Despicable, stupid, partisan people seem to think that even being in the same hemisphere of questioning Palin means that they need to scream "Sexism!" and jump to her defense. Like the job of VP rests comfortably on a bed of pillows and she'll only have to deal with puppies and flowers.

I can't wait for her to lose. Why? Ignorant hubris. Undeserved confidence puts me off like nothing else.

well, here's a funny thing. My old professor is currently mayor of the town of york in south carolina, about 20K people...he did this while teaching a full time load at winthrop U. seriously, he says it, i say it..running a small city is not exactly experience for running a walmart, much less a freaking country.

i'm amazed.

Dude, you are such a liberal hahahaha. Yeah that sounds about right except Will has his mind made up a bit more then me.

Yeah, see my post about Palin in the other one. It's something long the lines of "seriously guys, what the fuck? She's a joke. Go riot or some shit. JESUS!"

:lol: true.dat

I would be surprised if Palin doesn't do much better than her recent interviews. I think her advisors and media coaches have over done it and she is walking on egg shells so afraid to say something that might hurt the ticket that she reverts to memorized talking points no matter the question asked. I don't think she or they they will make this mistake again.

Unfortunately she has been put in the position of defending the "I stopped the Bridge to Nowhere" and "Foreign policy/Russian proximity to Alaska" nonsense because I believe the McCain campaign wrote that in her beginning speeches on her roll out. She probably went along with it in the excitement of the moment. I imagine they regret embellishing so much now.

My thoughts exactly.

yea, the damon clip is pretty apt.

Here is what i am thinking..she gets to the debates and blows EVERYONE away, speaking eloquently on foreign policy, the current economic crisis, the iraq situation, iran, russia, georgia, what to do about taxes, corporate taxes, the middle class, gas prices and how to avoid the hurricane disasters...She'll come out and wow everyone, blow biden away, never once use a 'talking point', speak off the cuff and candidly and never once 'stretch the realm' of reality....


yep....that's my new story

It ain't gonna be purty.

Looks like she got caught off-guard about Pakistan while buying a Philly steak. Why does McCain have to retract her words, why can't she?

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - McCain retracts Palin’s Pakistan comments - Blogs from CNN.com

I wouldn't be surprised if something happened to postpone the VP debate or cancel it. Last week McCain suspended his campaign and mentioned that it could be moved in place of the VP debate. There is no doubt this will be the most watched VP debate in history and will probably beat last Friday's debate.

Maybe the McCain camp should ask Tina Fey to appear instead...

that's just it, i'm beginning to think she is honestly getting confused on what the party lines are and what she's going to say. Sooooo, you have mccain out doing damage control....

she reminds me of college students at exam time..you crush so much info into one small head and everything gets jumbled....

Biden has already said he isn't going to put on the kiddie gloves or hold back.. he said it would be condesending to do so..and he's right. I don't think he'll need to do anything.

What I'm looking forward to is the spin room reactions after the debate. I want to see just how the McCain camp tries to spin things if she gets creamed.

Geraldine Ferraro has already said she looked bad on tv and doesn't think she'll do well.. she said it on Fox News of all places..

Not even college, really. Reminds me of my high school students when I would call on them to respond to the reading, which they hadn't done... and didn't want to admit it. Or when I would call a student on their blatant plagiarism, show them the internet page where I found the original writing, and they still refused to admit that they did it. Immediate F grade, would have been suspension if they were in college. Wish the VP would get the same treatment.

hrmm thinking along the lines of 'f' grade.. some conservatives and republicans are calling for her to step aside now. That's usually a bad mistake, but I can't help but think it's the only way for McCain to recover at all..

Wasn't this the same strategy from the Bush camp in y2k? All the media could say afterwards is that W "acquited himself". "Performed functorally".

The public got the message: see? he's not so stupid! There could be more to him than we, the evil media, have been telling you.

However, having said that, she makes W look like FDR.

Palin is clearly out of her league. Kathleen Parker who is generally a consrvative has called for her to resign by saying that she needs to be with her family and no one would fault her for that. It would save MCcain's campaign. Palin is not only uniformed, she can barely remember the talking points that have been given to her to use when needed. Instead, she runs all them all together in places where they don't fit into the coversation! She does not even have a point to her answers. Just listen to her response to Couric's question on the bailout plan and how it will effect the average US citizen. PATHETIC!! She cannot possibly be the leader of the free world. It would be like taking a high school student from the cheeleading squad and making them president. God help us all.

I hope he does it, and I hope it leads him to lose even more badly. :D

well looking at the county polls in the battleground states.. he has to do something to have a chance. He's losing ground and if you can find a electoral vote map poll.. (I'll try and link one soon) he just doesn't have the votes. He clearly lost the first debate ..no matter how the republicans try to spin it.. he lost.. and now.. unless Joe Biden lays a serious egg.. he's going to take a bigger hit after that loony woman gets done talking.

electoral map thingie: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...-gains-ground/

A month is an eternity in politics, McCain was able to really grab the spot light with the Palin pick. Who knows what they have planned for late Oct.

And Joe's more then capable of laying huge eggs. I like the guy but he's a walking talking gaff machine.

We shall see.

Well Biden is one of the reasons Obama hasn't really done so well in Ohio.. and yes he's capable of laying eggs.. but this is an unscripted debate.. Palin couldn't even handle the scripted interviews..

McCain grabbed the spotlight because it was an out in left pick and nobody really knew much about Palin. Now that people are starting to see her, they are starting to realize how crazy she is. The Obama/Biden camp is already using the "exceed expectations" strategy, by releasing statements that she's a leviathan of forensics and a great debater hoping to spin it even more into their favor. As long as he doesn't make a remark that is seen as sexist..he should be fine.

Yes a month is a long time in politics..but that's not necessarily a good thing for the McCain camp ..

Just think, if John Kerry would have acted like a dumb, adorable, suburban soccer mom, he could have rallied the Republican party. Hindsight, eh?

Most of you are pretty confident that she'll be an embarrassment but I'm much less sure.

Let me first say that I too am very skeptical and dismissive of her but this debate is too important for the campaign to be squandered. You never know what she'll pull out of the fire or what get's spun successfully. The onus is as much on Biden here not to blow it.

Perhaps she will use a Talk Radio debate style that successfully blocks, frustrates and flusters him. If she can successfully steer the debate into Flagpin territory then look out.

Or perhaps the questions will give her enough room exploit the pep-rally boosterism that served her so well at the RNC. The Democratc base sure won't buy this but if enough of the undecided do, well then that might just be enough.

Or perhaps she's a better study than we giver her credit for. You can bet she'll be rehearsing hard like a defendant for the stand right up until the date. Even if she's on the defensive for most of the debate that's not necessarily a failure. Certainly not a catastrophic one.

Do the candidates get to know the questions beforehand? Could they be leaked?

If the questions are leaked, the whole thing is compromised.

BTW, if I were in charge, I'd leak fake questions.

Yes Biden has to be careful.. but here's how I see this thing going..

"Governor Palin, what do you think about the situation in Iraq?"

"Well, I agree with John McCain."

"Is there anything you want to add?"

"I agree with John McCain.. and I use LIPSTICK!!!!"

So she'd be putting lipstick on a pig? :expressionless:

that'st he purpose of this thread, though: i"m thinking expectations are SO low on palin that the onus is completely on biden to either perform without flaw and absolutely perfectly with several just BAM moments..while palin will be ok saying "Yes...no..yes...no.."

I would like to point out (if it hasn't been already) that the VP debate rarely changes the election. In spite of the terrible performance by Dan Quayle his ticket still won. Maybe this election will be different since many do not expect McCain to last 4 or 8 years.

Rah Rah go team!! The democratic base won't buy it because all they want to know is where is my free stuff, free money, free education, free health care.

I would be willing to bet more than half the democratic base couldn't find Iran on a map much less pronounce it's presidents name.

The cult of personality, mtv party should win this one, and when they do, when they can not deliver all their promises, then what?

Don't answer, I know the answer, all shrubs fault, this mess could not possibly be cleaned up in one term. With both houses and the white house it should take 2 years tops to achive zen.

was there a point?

and umm..it did take over 8 yrs to get into this mess, do yu want it fixed tomorrow?

The Pew Center conducts studies of the public's knowledge of current affairs every few years.

From last year's report:

http://people-press.org/reports/images/319-2.gif

Oh my!

The most knowledgeable...viewers of the Daily Show and Colbert Report.

The least knowledgeable...viewers of Fox News (and the morning shows)

Gwen Ifill should start Thursday debate with the News IQ Quiz ....I wonder what Palin would score?

11/12 ...i blanked on kosovo...91.6%

11/12 - Wrong on Harry Reid.

Interesting that the O'Reilly Factor is in the upper informed group.

Wow I bet Pew goes into downtown Camden, Newark, or DC for that matter, please find a poll of the knowledgeable voters of the Democratic base, I think all you need to do is find the high school graduation rate of city areas that vote dem more than 80% you'll find your answer.

mike...the Democratic party has a wide and diverse base. :)

IMO, your comment is like suggesting that we go only to the most evangelical fundamentalists churches to poll the Republican base.

Really I read it as "I don't like the poll results, therefore I question the methodology." It's a lot like I don't like the news, question the source(s.)

No your wrong, I really do not think that most people who live in Camden, Newark, South Chicago, sit around watching the daily show, or Oberman.

It has nothing to do with the poll, and for just once I would love to hear one democrat admit that a good portion of their base, is uneducated, inner city urban dwellers.

gee mike, what ARE you implying with this quaint phrase "uneducated, inner city urban dwellers" who "live in Camden, Newark, South Chicago"?