If the running mate doesn't matter, then why did Obama think Biden would shore up his sorely lacking foreign policy credentials?
Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com
i'm waiting to hear palin articulate even one old idea. any idea!
Posted by Turkana at October 1, 2008 02:10 AMI just love it when she talks about abortion and how it's such a personal issue and she would choose life and she would counsel others to "choose life." So does that mean she's really pro-choice? Sounds like she wants others to "choose."
Also did anyone notice her answer (don't have the clip right now) about her Pakistan comment? She told Katie that a voter had yelled a question from across the room and imitated in a sort of mocking voice "what are you gonna do about Pakistan? You better have a good answer about Pakistan." That wasn't the question I heard on the clip, but nonetheless, she sounded like she was mocking this voter.
Posted by CG at October 1, 2008 04:13 AMpalin jokes biden's age but fails to note mc cain is 6 years older. palin believes humans walked with dinosaurs. she claims to be able to see russia from alaska, but has never been to little diomede island.
she's good with a catch phrase, but can she lead? does she have ideas for the country that does not include talking points? will she claim gwen ifil (sp?) is sexist with the questioning?
country first? i'm wondering who j. mac gave his 30 pieces of silver to in order to when the presidency?
Posted by anthony at October 1, 2008 06:09 AMLord, you guys, you know how this shit works by now.
At this point the Palin "expectations" have been set so low that if she doesn't drool all over herself and maintains bowel control over the 90 minutes she'll be declared to have "answered critics!" or be "Comeback Gal!" or some such shit.
Has ANYONE ever come into one of these things with lower expectations? No. So don't think that she will be allowed to fall flat on her face. And she has such a monstrous ego that she'll probabably think she's doin' just great up there.
Repub debate camp is working to prune away her "like, yes" and "guys n' gals, guys n' gals!" simpletonisms. (unless their polling has demonstrated that the rubes really like that crapola)
They can't make her really know anything beyond memorization, think logically or express anything deeper than a conserva-slogan. That's impossible. But properly-mouthed conserva-slogans is all she needs to do. "Gwen, I encourage our country to choose life! I did!" (cheers) "We'll tell Putin he's a dictator and we're spreadin' democracy!" (cheers) Etc.
We don't demand much from our leaders in the way of intellect---she'll be up to our demand for nothing.
Posted by euzoius at October 1, 2008 06:26 AMgo over to TPM and catch the Des Moines interview with McPOW...the reporter flat calls him on his lies, which he then lies about and as Josh points out, immediately goes to the "My service to the Country" line that, apparently, is his "Get out of Jail Free" card on every lie he speaks. The seething evident as he is confronted is plain scary. That reporter is lucky she wasn't called a c*nt. I'm not a psychologist, but he looked like a man very close to totally losing it.
Posted by T2 at October 1, 2008 06:29 AMCG, Couric pointed out that the two of them had different opinons on Pakistan, and before John could answer the question posed by Couric, Palin butted in and went on some long ridiculous tirade. Meanwhile, John sat there looking like an idiot. She might have waited until the head of the ticket respond first.
The question had to do with her response that the U.S. should absolutely launch cross-border attacks from Afghanistan into Pakistan to stop a terrorist attack. That's very close to what Barack Obama said and McCain ripped him for it.
McCain in defense of Palin: "In a conversation with someone who you didn't hear the question very well, you don't know the context of the conversation. Grab a phrase. Gov. Palin and I agree that you don't announce that you're going to attack another country."
Palin added that "as Sen. McCain is suggesting here, also, never would our administration get out there and show our cards to terrorists, in this case, to enemies and let them know what the game plan was."
Asked what she learned from the experience, Palin said: "That this is all about "gotcha" journalism. A lot of it is. But that's OK, too."
Well excuse me Ms. Palin, but you did say we should launch across-borders attacks. That is not "gotcha journalism," it's called quoting your own words. You know, it's called truth, something you seem to lack.
Posted by Judith at October 1, 2008 06:31 AMLooking good in Florida, Quinnipiac has Obama up 51 - 43 over McRube!
Posted by Seven of Six at October 1, 2008 06:38 AMHa-ha great stuff, T2. McRage especially doesn't like being called a liar by one of the little ladies!
McDoof is an old school chauvinist pig---how in the world could he NOT be? He's straight out of the 50s and 60s---in everything. And proud as hell of it.
Miss Alaska will be locked in a broom closet and never seen again after McRage wins. It will be a miracle if he doesn't call HER a c*nt in a cabinet meeting. Of course it'll be "a joke" or he was "tired"---it's always something.
Posted by euzoius at October 1, 2008 06:40 AMMcRage...that's a good one!
Posted by T2 at October 1, 2008 06:45 AMIn McCain/Palin's world "gotcha journalism" is apparently whenever a reporter asks a question. They shouldn't ask Palin anything, they should just let "Sarah be Sarah."
Posted by ann at October 1, 2008 06:49 AMEuzoius, I agree with much of your assessment of the upcoming debate with Palin. However, I would also suggest that the American people are in no mood for bullshit answers to serious questions right now. Americans are angry, and if she can't answer the serious questions, she will be thrown to the wolves (the ones she like to shoot from planes.)
Posted by Judith at October 1, 2008 06:54 AMthe Des Moines interview is getting quite a bit of play this morning on various sites, Kos, Politcal Animal, etc. It is juicy.
And on to Sarah's comments about being the candidate of change and excitement.....it was clear the moment she blurted out those phrases that she was, perfectly, describing the Obama campaign, not the McRage campaign. Do you think she'll repeat that tomorrow night in front of Biden? If she does, I'll bet that Joe will set her straight, he's probably polishing the line as I write.
Posted by T2 at October 1, 2008 06:55 AMPalin reminds me of George Bush. Illusions of grandeur, stupid and arrogant.
Posted by Judith at October 1, 2008 07:02 AM"Do you think she'll repeat that tomorrow night in front of Biden?"
T2, yes I think she will. All Biden has to do is remind people that her running mate voted 90% of the time with Bush, and since she and McCain agree on issues, then he isn't quite sure what she means by real change.
Posted by Judith at October 1, 2008 07:10 AMWell, up in old Alaska, it appears from testimony under oath that Palin was responsible for securing a new government contract in exchange for dumping Wooten from his Workman's Comp claim. A felon by any other name is just a republi-con candidate. Amazing how that works!
Posted by phidipides at October 1, 2008 08:00 AMThe Des Moines Register hired a journalist, with tough questions and everything? Wonders never cease!
Posted by idiosynchronic at October 1, 2008 08:20 AMas the debate closes in, more comments appear warning Biden not to take Palin lightly, as her "debate" style is deceptive. It doesn't seem deceptive to me. She is based on deception. She won't answer questions, instead responding with folksy platitudes, a wink and grin. She dismisses challenges and requests for specifics with folksy "aw, I don't know nothing but that's who I am" kinds of evasiveness. She tries to win by being cute. In short, she's permanently locked into Beauty Pageant mentality, with a Valley Girl stream of smokescreen blab. Three minutes of Couric will show you all you need to know about her debate "style", because that is her act, and that's all there is to it. She's like cotton candy..looks great on the stick, but once you bite into it, it disappears.
Posted by T2 at October 1, 2008 08:26 AMAll Biden has to do is remind people that her running mate voted 90% of the time with Bush, and since she and McCain agree on issues, then he isn't quite sure what she means by real change.
And that's when she goes to the line: "But John McCain is also a maverick.."
"Maverick" is supposed to reconcile his voting record with Bush, while pointing out his "difference" from Bush.
Where is Tom Cruise? I don't know if Scientologists vote or if they leave the process up to Xenu, but wouldn't you love it if Cruise put on his Top Gun "Maverick" gear and walked out at an Obama event?
Put this whole Maverick thing to rest once and for all.
Posted by MaskedVigilante at October 1, 2008 08:44 AMRead the article that Id links to.
That will tell you all you need to know about Palin's debating style.
People like her because "she is just like us!"
You know, I would not want anyone "like me" or "my neighbor" or any "normal folk" anywhere near the WH. Are you fucking kidding me?
We need to take back "elite." Americans like elitism when it comes to every single thing except government. Sports heroes, actors, CEOs, Race Car Drivers...you name it, they want "the best and the brightest."
Why not for POTUS?
I want someone with an exceptional intellect and intellectual curiosity. I want someone with an Ivy League education. I want someone who has exceeded in their previous endeavours. I want someone who is trained in the law. (For Christ's sake...these people are supposed to write the law, enforce the law and interpret the law, isn't it a good idea that we place people in these positions who are educated in the law?)
Enough of this dumbing down of our leaders because we want them to be "just like us." Next time I hear someone say that about Palin I am going to point to people around us and say "do you want him to be VP? how about her to be president?" That is essentially what they are doing with Palin; just pick any ole person and throw them into office.
How did we end up with such an ignorant populace?
Posted by Anjha at October 1, 2008 08:59 AMSpeaking of an ignorant populace.
I was listening to the SPAN this morning, people were calling in about the "rescue plan." (BTW have you noticed that the MSM just stopped calling it a "bailout" and now calls it "a rescue plan?")
A woman called in from the south.
She said, "I was fer this bill before, but now I'm aginst it."
SPAN: "What changed?"
Caller: "That Nancy Pelosi."
SPAN:"What about Speaker Pelosi, was it her speech?"
Caller: "Ya, her speech was most of it. And just look at her. She is reepin [sic] in money."
SPAN: "Her personal finances...what does that have to do with it?"
Caller: "Well, you know, she's got all that money and you know that means she's just been spending all our money."
Huh?
Seriously. Right Wing radio ought to be outlawed or they should require that these dumb asses pass a common sense test before they are allowed to listen to the propaganda. Jeesh.
Posted by Anjha at October 1, 2008 09:07 AM"Not my gay friend, but my BEST friend of 30 years made a different CHOICE than I did."
Did you gay folks have a meeting one day and decide to be gay? Why wasn't I invited?
Posted by TIKI AL at October 1, 2008 09:10 AMFrom Andrew Halcro:
I should know. I've debated Governor Palin more than two dozen times. And she's a master, not of facts, figures, or insightful policy recommendations, but at the fine art of the nonanswer, the glittering generality.
Will the people see through it?
I can only hope for more "Moose in the Headlights" moments!
7o6, the question for me is whether she is a "master of the non-answer" or whether that is just where she is intellectually. I have to confess, many politicians are great at talking lots and saying little, a learned trait that is useful politically. Just listening to Palin, I think it's more that she really doesn't know much, yet realizes she has to say something to fill the time. Just like a Beauty Pageant Q&A session. I think the word I'm looking for is "airhead".
Palin seems caught in permanent Pageant mode.
"How did we end up with such an ignorant populace?"
Anjha, you might enjoy Susan Jacoby's new book "The Age of American Unreason".
She gives many possible answers, but the explosion of idiot mass media and the resurgence of fundamentalist religion are the main two axis of our current cretinism, in her view.
The Palin situation is a perfect example and an absolute byproduct of this rise in junk thought. She makes Bush seem like a respectible candidate. But once you're on a bad trajectory, things just get worse.
Posted by euzoius at October 1, 2008 09:48 AMBoy, where are the trolls lately... muckdog, peter, jj, bagley, toby?
Hell, Obama gets up in the numbers... the RNC has no real leadership or talking points... the economy tanking... McRage's useless campaign... when the defecation hits the rotating device they flee for the hills.
Hilarious!!
Posted by Seven of Six at October 1, 2008 09:56 AMEuzious, snark recommended the same book. I better get it.
Lookit what the 'pro-lifers' said to Parker when she 'betrayed' them.
It seems Palin really likes her own secret clubs.
Watch the new PP ad. Excellent.
Posted by Anjha at October 1, 2008 10:18 AMOMG - I never knew that McCain pussied out on the Forrestal! This story needs to be run in the Navy times. He'd never get another vote from military people. They play the videos for every recruit in boot camp, or they used to, to show how bad a fire can be on a ship. My god, this is huge. McCain not only ran away to save his own ass, he told the media he was a hero, and then left the ship with the media. My loathing for him knows no bounds. He truly is a fucking coward! There's a link to the Rolling Stone story at the FDL link above.
Posted by iamcoyote at October 1, 2008 10:34 AMReading the article coyote linked to above from Rolling Stone. Pretty scathing.
Posted by CG at October 1, 2008 11:37 AM