Saturday, September 27, 2008

The Palin Puzzle

There are "leaks" coming out, supposedly from McCain campaign aides helping Sarah prepare for the debate, saying that it is just awful and frantic about what to do.

I wonder if we're being set up? Sarah Palin's performance in interviews has been so pathetic, and expectations for her debate performance are so low, that we may be surprised. She may exceed those expectations, and then the news cycle will be all about her "surprising success."

The Obama camp seems to be concerned also. They're putting out the word that she really is a skilled debater and have sent out tapes of her debate performances in the Alaska governor's race, where she is said to have done very well against more experienced opponents.

Of course, debating foreign policy with Joe Biden, and trying to even talk sensibly about the economic crisis are very different matters from debating local issues in Alaska (even if you can see Russia.) And her interview with Katie Couric really is pathetic, and I don't believe she was faking it.

But we should never 'misunderestimate' the right-wing press and the public in judging debate performances, or in their ability to sell black as white.

Ralph

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

They've really got us looking for tricks everywhere. I wish it were paranoia, but I think it's because there really are "tricks" everywhere. I think Obama's greatest strength in the debate was his continuing to treat McNasty respectfully in spite of all the contempt coming his way. It was a "presidential" way of being - in stark contrast to McCain's [or Bush's] obvious lack of that quality.

Biden's Achilles heel is also his greatest asset. He knows a ton, and could bring off humiliating her with his experience and grasp of the details - he could actually do what McNasty was trying to do to Obama [unsuccessfully]. He would then look like McNasty - arrogant and contemptuous.

It was Obama's "carriage" that carried the day. Biden doesn't have Obama's "carriage," but he has a style of his own that would do fine - playfulness. But, at all costs, he must avoid contemptuousness, even if Sarah evokes it.

Palin's Achilles heel is that she answers questions by saying what McCain thinks. I hope Biden talks about what he [Biden] thinks, rather than trying to coat-tail like Sarah. If he wants to trip her up, the format allows them to talk to each other. So he could ask her questions that aren't ones she's been coached on how to answer. She died on the vine when Charlie Gibson or Katie Couric did that. She only shone on Hannity who stayed within her rehearsed script [to the point that it was very boring].

Ralph said...

I only disagree that she died on the vine when asked questions she hadn't been coached on.

Surely they must have tried to come up some better answer about the Neighbor Russia = foreign policy experience, and coached her on it.

But she was just as pathetic on that question.

Maybe there IS no answer, and they're just stuck with a major gaffe. But at least they should stop trotting it out, like McCain was still doing a couple of days ago.