What idiotic fearmongering... Don't you know the first thing about basic metaphysics and how the universe works? I'm so sick of all this, "Ooooh, scary Palin debater!" bullshit. She's an idiot. She may not fall flat on her face, but she can never rise above idiot. Which planet are you living on?? No way in hell will she come across as ready to be president, no matter how well anyone thinks she does in the debate. She may reassure the base, but that's all.

And personally, I think she's going to make a terrible, terrible spectacle of herself, that it will actually be quite tragic in personal terms.

Gotcha Journalists...NOT one of the Top 50 Swing Voter Demographics in 2008.

Do you know the Top 50 Swing Voters?

#50 - Hockey Moms
#47 - People with STDs
#44 - Women with Unfortunate Muffin Top Tattoos
#41 - Predatory Lenders
#40 - ???

http://swingvoters.wordpress.com

First!

The Lady, or The Tiger.

being that the media is just looking for those “sound byte” moments

Hi --

you keep using that phrase 'sound byte'. It isn't one.

I believe the phrase you are looking for is 'sound bite'.

This post sounds like the Mainstream Media!

Biden needs to mop the floor with her!! WTF is all this double speak and spinning??

Bottom line, she is a joke he needs to make the PUNCH LINE!!!!

Here’s a Debate Zinger for Joe Biden
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=3642

"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. Against such charms there is little Senator Biden, or anyone, can do."

The problem is she is in the big league now and she will ultimately choke, even though expectations for her abilities are low. It has become oh so obvious that the McCain campaign is going for the "bubba" vote. those voters who want a Presidential or V.P candidate to dumb it down or not be any more informed than the average american voter like Palin. It does not seem that this strategy (sarahs only strategy) is not working.

One strategist on Chris Matthews encouraged Sarah to reach through the T.V. screen and let those sitting in their living rooms that she is one of them. Now if she can pull this off she may pull in a few more votes. But if Biden is clear, concise, and respectful (even though she is clearly not qualified) he will pull it off. If Biden is inclusive and calls out the issues and how these issues effect us all Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike he will crush her. Democratic Governor Strickland of Ohio called out to all thinking Republicans, and Independents by being inclusive and focusing on the critical issues, he took 30% of the Republicans in Ohio's votes. If Biden demonstrates his in depth understanding of foreign policy issues with grace and dignity...he will mop up the floor with Palins hair.

The only let me repeat the only way Palin or McCain can win is by appealing to the stupidity of some American voters which McCain did by choosing Palin as his running mate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24433134-23109,00.html

Obama builds widening lead - poll

From correspondents in Washington

October 01, 2008 09:05pm
Article from: Agence France-Presse

DEMOCRAT Barack Obama is building widening leads in battlegrounds Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, in new polls released today in the trio of states that could be the key to victory on November 4.
New surveys by Quinnipiac University found Obama boosted by his performance in Friday's presidential debate, the sliding popularity of Republican John McCain's running mate Sarah Palin and his handling of the economic crisis.

"It is difficult to find a modern competitive presidential race that has swung so dramatically, so quickly and so sharply this late in the campaign," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac polling institute.

The surveys show that Senator Obama leads McCain by a gaping 54 per cent to 39 per cent after the debate in Pennsylvania, compared to 49 per cent to 43 per cent before the debate.

He is up 51 per cent to 43 per cent in swing state Florida, compared to a 49 to 43 per cent lead before Friday's first of three high-stakes presidential debates.

And in Ohio, Senator Obama is up eight points, 50 per cent to 42 per cent, after having led by 49 per cent to 42 per cent before the clash in Mississippi.

She can't speak in specifics because she doesn't know anything, just fundie right wing platitudes.

Biden, nail her down with specifics. Refer to shit she'll never know about. Leverage your time in Congress to make her look like a idiot freshman in college.

Call her lack of foreign policy experience dangerous for the United States.

Call her a risk.
Call her bluff at every turn.
Be like the kindly father lecturing his clueless teenage daughter.

I don't see her coming out of this with a draw, unless it's a make-believe draw created by spinmeisters and overly "balanced" TV pundits. The woman can't talk her way through a short interview without sounding like an idiot. She'll be armed with plenty of "there he goes again" jibes and conservative talking points, but nobody's going to buy it except the hardcore faithful. And when all is said and done it won't matter anyway. I predict it will have no real effect on this election no matter how it turns out.

On NPR this morning McCain said he had received advice from her on energy, including oil policy in the Middle East. That's comforting; Joe Lieberman can take a hike because Sarah Palin is on the job.

I think Biden needs to avoid attacking Palins inexperience and her lack of qualifications. Everybody already knows shes not even remotely qualified.

He also should leave his ego at home and avoid the temptation to boast about his own record and his 30+ year experience in the senate just to humiliate Palin. Thats what McCain tried to do and I think McCain is hoping Biden will do the same. To shift focus to the experience argument. This is not and shouldnt be an experience contest. And this is not about Palin or Biden. Focus on the issues focus and the last eight years of failed policies and McCains support for them.

It's going to be difficult, as any focus on Palin's inability to speak in coherent sentences will be blasted by critics as 'unfair' and 'harsh.'

I think the greatest risk is Biden trying to debate Palin at her worst. I mean, she's twice been at the plate with softballs lobbed by Katie Couric, and it's one-two-three-yer OUT! How do you even approach that cognitive train wreck? It's like trying to play Twister on a minefield.

However, if Palin transforms into a polished, scripted debater, then the sensible thing is to force her off her script and make her be extemporaneous.

So on to the drinking game:

- A shot every time Palin says, 'gonna,' 'y'know,' or 'well, like'.
- A shot if she repeats the Bridge to Nowhere line.
- A shot if she repeats any of the debunked claims from her RNC speech.
- A shot any time she goes off the rails and mangles a sentence.
- A double if she says, 'John McCain is his own man.'
- A double if she credits, 'God's Will' for anything, or suggests the American people should pray for something.

... any others?

If Biden sticks to facts, he will win. Plain and simple. Palin can't handle facts. When she starts stammering and says "all of them" (no matter the question), he just needs to stick to the facts and keep hammering her there.

Biden will win, hands down.

I wouldn't underestimate her. Some say a V.P. Candidate is only important on three days. The day they are announced. The Convention Speech. And the V.P. Debate. She has nailed the first two. She took the attention completely off of Obama's historic speech in Denver. She nailed the prompter reading at her Convention in Minneapolis. That's two out of three.

We'll see.

Juan del Llano @ 2:

What idiotic fearmongering... Don't you know the first thing about basic metaphysics and how the universe works? I'm so sick of all this, "Ooooh, scary Palin debater!" bullshit. She's an idiot. She may not fall flat on her face, but she can never rise above idiot. Which planet are you living on?? No way in hell will she come across as ready to be president, no matter how well anyone thinks she does in the debate. She may reassure the base, but that's all.

And personally, I think she's going to make a terrible, terrible spectacle of herself, that it will actually be quite tragic in personal terms.

You know, people talked like this about McCain before the presidential debate. "Oh he's just an angry war monger. He'll lose his temper and embarrass himself. Yada yada yada." That didn't happen. And that's the danger of that attitude: when you snidely set the bar too low, you make it easier for the other side to jump over it. And you risk tripping over it yourself.

In case this hasn't filtered through yet, the point of setting the bar high for your opponent is **NOT** because you're scared. It is because you are deliberately setting up the other side to fail. The Obama camp are trying to create the narrative of "Palin the Monster Debater" so that she can not possibly live up to the heightened expectations. And the McCain camp is doing the same thing to Biden. That's why Palin was so complimentary toward him the other day, when she claimed that she'd been watching him make speeches since she was seven. The trick is to get people to think that the other side is really good, so that when their performance does not meet expectations, *you* look even better by comparison.

And conversely, when you deliberately set the bar low for the other side, and they easily exceed your lowered expectations, they look pretty good. And you suffer in comparison, even if you did really well.

Say, isn't pity one of those liberal emotions that makes a neocon want to rip a bleeding heart right out of someone's chest? Since that's the way they feel, why should anyone fall into the trap? Better to go down kicking ass and raising hell than to do it whimpering.

Yeah, she..

avoids questions she doesnt like and talks gibberish
gives short answers and doesnt use her full time
plays folksey

Will she get away with it? Probably.

Bitter Bud Hussein @ 33:

Shadowgm Hussein @ 26:

It's going to be difficult, as any focus on Palin's inability to speak in coherent sentences will be blasted by critics as 'unfair' and 'harsh.'

I think the greatest risk is Biden trying to debate Palin at her worst. I mean, she's twice been at the plate with softballs lobbed by Katie Couric, and it's one-two-three-yer OUT! How do you even approach that cognitive train wreck? It's like trying to play Twister on a minefield.

However, if Palin transforms into a polished, scripted debater, then the sensible thing is to force her off her script and make her be extemporaneous.

So on to the drinking game:

- A shot every time Palin says, 'gonna,' 'y'know,' or 'well, like'.
- A shot if she repeats the Bridge to Nowhere line.
- A shot if she repeats any of the debunked claims from her RNC speech.
- A shot any time she goes off the rails and mangles a sentence.
- A double if she says, 'John McCain is his own man.'
- A double if she credits, 'God's Will' for anything, or suggests the American people should pray for something.

... any others?

Drink the whole bottle if she says "All of them"

You forgot "maverick"...

Oops, sorry 'bout the triple-quote there!!!

[FIFY-Sitemonitor]

ysbaddaden @ 37:

Have ya'll noticed their last names rhyme?

Actually, they don't.

Palin: pay-lin

Biden: buy-den

30 Orangutan.

We're misunderestimated her?

I didn't know I've mated with her at all

I musta drank too many Moose Farts.

I wonder if she's been fakin' the 'awh shucks' dear-in-the-headlights thing all this time to fake out not only the media, but the Obama campaign. I wonder if during the debate, she'll be as sharp as a tack and totally on her game.

Just wondering.

Don't sweat this - Mr. Biden could stand mute for the entire debate and still mop the floor with her.

The "base" is going to vote for her no matter what - they've already demonstrated their inability to discern truth and choose leaders wisely,and their notion of 'patriotism' is no more than the half-bright hoots of the home-town crowd.

The rest of the country (and world) already knows she's not even remotely qualified to be VP, let alone President (God forbid). Unlikely she's even qualified to be Governor of Alaska - should have remained mayor of that bible-thumping back-woods rape camp of a town - seems about right for her.

Dave @ 11:

She is fine when talking about her beliefs on issues, which is what most of the Alaska debate was about, but when she has had to talk policy or global issues she is inept at best. I can talk to great length and be well versed on my personal beliefs, but I doubt that makes me qualified for the VP position.

Maybe she can talk about her war record, being held as a POW, in a Moose Lodge?

Linny @ 27:

Oh please tell me we aren't asking another dem. candidate to put on kid gloves when dealing with a moron. It didn't work for Gore. It didn't work for Kerry. And it is not going to work for Biden. All of this, "look out or we'll insult Palin and the rest of her screwy base" is getting tiresome. I am so tired of everyone pulling their punches just to be "politically correct" and not insult this waste of skin, air pirate Palin. She is not ready to lead. She is not qualified to lead. And it is disconcerting that someone even dumber than Bush might actually end up leading this country just because people are afraid to insult her with the truth about her non-experience and proud ignorance. All this "common man" bunk is just that. Look, I love my mechanic and he's a very intelligent guy who gets along with everyone. I just don't think I'd want him to become the leader of this country just because people want to have a beer with him every now and then. What has this country come to when intelligence, knowledge and honesty become liabilities and we are supposed to embrace and enable dishonesty and ignorance?

Very well said. I couldn't agree more and so should everyone who has watched this Democratic Congress cave in time and time again to the most unpopular, immoral president in history. The Dem leaders need to grow a pair and stand up for us and themselves against these dimwitted, unethical phonies. They and the press have allowed the Republicans to set the rules of behavior so that any deviation from them seems like a deviation from American values. The Roves and Limbaughs and O'Reillys and Hannitys and their screaming minions have been allowed to have their way for far too long. Let's see some courage and some leadership. I hope Biden does what he does and lets the chips fall where they may. No special treatment just because she's a woman and an idiot. If I see Joe pulling punches and staying on the defensive I'm going to want to vomit. This debate won't matter in the polls, but it will matter to me to see a little of the Democratic fire that has been extinguished for so long. I think a lot more people in this country are watching for Palin to finally and completely implode than are rooting for her to somehow shine.

I just wonder if she uses duuuushe on that fish pot she call a snatch?

MinMN @ 43:

Why sit back? Biden is going to be seen a being too tough and intellectually elite no matter what he does, so why not knock her out with it? Put her lack of experience and intellect on display for the whole world to see. When she says something stupid ("I can see Alaska from my porch and that gives me foreign policy experience"), call her out on it. "Good God woman, do you really belive that?"

I say, knock her down, beat her up, make her cry in front of her grampa. Just don't gloat about it because it would be like Mohamed Ali pounding the heck out of an Elmo doll.

Whats the point? Palin is irrelevant. And so is Biden. Its Obama vs McCain. No need for Biden to go boasting about his experience just to crush this clueless nobody. That will only give the McCain campaign a bunch of Biden soundbites to prove how important experience, how Biden should be nr 1 on the ticket and Obama is too inexperienced and risky to be president.

And Palin is perfectly capable of making a fool of herself without outside help.

Juan del Llano @ 2:

What idiotic fearmongering... Don't you know the first thing about basic metaphysics and how the universe works? I'm so sick of all this, "Ooooh, scary Palin debater!" bullshit. She's an idiot. She may not fall flat on her face, but she can never rise above idiot. Which planet are you living on?? No way in hell will she come across as ready to be president, no matter how well anyone thinks she does in the debate. She may reassure the base, but that's all.

And personally, I think she's going to make a terrible, terrible spectacle of herself, that it will actually be quite tragic in personal terms.

Idiots do surprisingly well in politics.

Juan del Llano @ 2:

And personally, I think she’s going to make a terrible, terrible spectacle of herself, that it will actually be quite tragic in personal terms.
____________________________________________________________

Actually, I thought that was what sarah wore, terrible, terrible spectacles.

ysbaddaden @ 60:

Juan del Llano @ 2:

And personally, I think she’s going to make a terrible, terrible spectacle of herself, that it will actually be quite tragic in personal terms.
____________________________________________________________

Actually, I thought that was what sarah wore, terrible, terrible spectacles.

I was reminded of a Nana Mouskouri, except without the class, intelligence, poise and her beautiful speaking and singing voice.

Shadowgm Hussein @ 26:

It's going to be difficult, as any focus on Palin's inability to speak in coherent sentences will be blasted by critics as 'unfair' and 'harsh.'

I think the greatest risk is Biden trying to debate Palin at her worst. I mean, she's twice been at the plate with softballs lobbed by Katie Couric, and it's one-two-three-yer OUT! How do you even approach that cognitive train wreck? It's like trying to play Twister on a minefield.

However, if Palin transforms into a polished, scripted debater, then the sensible thing is to force her off her script and make her be extemporaneous.

So on to the drinking game:

- A shot every time Palin says, 'gonna,' 'y'know,' or 'well, like'.
- A shot if she repeats the Bridge to Nowhere line.
- A shot if she repeats any of the debunked claims from her RNC speech.
- A shot any time she goes off the rails and mangles a sentence.
- A double if she says, 'John McCain is his own man.'
- A double if she credits, 'God's Will' for anything, or suggests the American people should pray for something.

... any others?

Here's another: If she's asked a question and she goes blank for more than 3 seconds. Deer in the headlights. Lights turned off in her brain. Brain freeze moment. If that happens definitely do one shot.

But what are we drinking? Silver Petron tequila? Pinch? Yaggie? Grey Goose? Ever hear of acute alcohol toxicity? Prognosis? Death.

If we play the game during this debate and don't cheat it could kill all of us, then where would C&L be? Crickets???

But in all seriousness, now that we know Gwen Ifil is an Obama supporter and is releasing her book on Inauguration Day about the strides African-Americans have made in electoral politics etc., and considering that today the McCain camp is whining because they claim they didn't know that the moderator of tomorrow nights debate has a built in bias for Biden, regardless of how drunk we all get on this thread, McCain will be screaming that the whole thing was a set-up to disgrace poor Sarah.

Memo to Biden: Keep your answers short and sweet, and do not under any circumstances interrupt Palin while she's speaking. Let her hang herself with her own stupid words.

I have no doubt that Palin can perform when given a limited range of topics and adequate preparation time. This is what you would expect from a beauty queen. In this case however, the range and depth of knowledge that must be mastered is clearly beyond the range of a journalism major who can't name a newspaper. Unless all her questions are tee-ball questions she's going to fall back on her SOP's and start mumbling unrelated talking points. All Biden has to do is present a knowledgeable but not overly nuanced view of world affairs and she'll be totally exposed.I just hope they ask her about the situation in Kafiristan.

If Biden wins he'll be accused of bullying.
If Palin survives and the debate is forgettable it'll be an overwhelming victory for the McCain camp.

As one strategist on Chris Matthews said the only way Palin can win is if she reaches out and grabs the voter and convinces them that she is one of them The McCain campaign has clearly been going after the Bubba voter, the voter who is intimidated my someone who actually knows more than they do about foreign policy and other critical issues (who in their right mind would vote for her?)

If she goes up against Biden and his in-depth understanding of the issues he will mop up the stage with Palins head of hair.

Just great. All we're hearing is how Biden, with an intellect that towers over Palin's by at least 200% and how her borderline personality will defeat him.

I'd say the topic is a problem. And it's fucking irritating.

If Palin is anything less-than-perfect, it will be a GOP disaster.

She has just this 1 debate to prove she is worthy.
She HAS to remove all doubt about her lack of qualifications.

If she leaves ANY doubt remaining, she is toast.
And so is the GOP.

She's got a tall orderahead of her tonight.

All Biden has to do is come off as a natural guy, cool-headed,
experienced & polite.
Easy for him.

It is PALIN who has got something big to prove tonight.
Or NOT.

Sorry, that's tomorrow night.

Orangutan. @ 30:

I wouldn't underestimate her. Some say a V.P. Candidate is only important on three days. The day they are announced. The Convention Speech. And the V.P. Debate. She has nailed the first two. She took the attention completely off of Obama's historic speech in Denver. She nailed the prompter reading at her Convention in Minneapolis. That's two out of three.

We'll see.

Is this serious or tongue in cheek? Sorry to be so blunt, but get real. This woman is a complete embarrassment to the McCain campaign. They've gotten any positive mileage they're going to get out of her and now she's turned into a negative. She'll continue to be propped up by the hardcore base and the Republican propagandists, but everyone has seen that the empress has no clothes, and she doesn't have the skill, the experience, or the intelligence to turn that ship around now. She's officially a national joke.

The Very Bitter Ceci Hussein @ 65:

I think what Biden has to do is to drain the emotion from the debate. Keep it strictly an intellectual enterprise in which he sticks to the facts. Sarah doesn't do well with facts or reasoning. She'll flunk when she's neutralized from repeating the talking points that they give her by interrupting the conversation.

Biden also has to keep it simple and short. It is imperative. He also has to highlight her ability to lie.

It's clear that the GOP plays on people's emotions. And, Palin is going to use just that to get people to be endeared to her and her message.

And when Sarah acts out, stand there and let her show her behind just like McCain did during the debates.
The public is getting increasingly fed up with their vicious, arrogant and ignorant behavior. I say, just let them act like true a-holes in public.

Then, all Biden has to do is stay on point, be gentleman-like and assertive. There's no other way around it. If he acts as patronizing as McCain that could be a strike against him. He has to appear as if he and Sarah (am I truly saying this?????) are equals despite the fact that this woman is not the brain trust in any stretch of the imagination.

With that being said, I hope Biden has been watching tape of this woman during her gubernatorial debates.

Good points, all.

Emotion favors Palin.

This is a classic confrontation between cerebrum (Biden) vs Snake-brain (palin)

Logic, knowledge and calm-headedness in the debate clearly favors Biden.

Kathleen@70, you said:
"If she goes up against Biden and his in-depth understanding of the issues he will mop up the stage with Palins head of hair."

Forget now where I saw this, but I laughed my head off when Palin's head of hair was described as "a strange mop freshly groomed by monkeys".

Does it matter who wins?

Well, watch the Senate vote for the 700 billion bailout on C- Span2 and see they are on the same team to screw you.

There is your change.

If Biden doesn't "Do HER"...
And I mean knock her out (with a lace whip of course),
Then I can't wait for the tag team match with Putin and Medvedev.

How's this for a not so distant scenario?

Bitter Divorce?

Breaking News
July 4, 2011

This just in…

Commander in Chief Palin insists that she will be forced to send troops into the breakaway republic (state) of Alaska today; citing her determination to end “once and for all” the Secessionist Ideology of her former husband, and now leader and head of the AIP (Alaskan Independence Party), Todd (first dude) Palin.

As POTUS, Palin insisted that this was not in the MSA (marital settlement agreement).

While speaking in front of a highly screened audience of PARTY MEMBERS, and former moose and aerial wolf hunters turned Blackwater contractors, Palin hinted at using the ultimate weapon that can be evoked in a crisis of this magnitude.
She suggested that she might brainwash and use her children against the former “first dude”.
When asked about the legality of the her proposed tactic,
She simply reminded the press that signing statements will cover her ass.
And then misquoted those famous lines from the movie The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, saying;
“badges?… we (I) don’t need no stinking badge(s), we (I) are (am) the law!”
She then continued;
“Besides, where I’m from, we rely on brainwashing our children early, so they won’t be able to think for themselves and revolt against our hypocritical ideology.”

Todd (former “first dude”) Palin cites his states close proximity to Russia; and the fact that most Native Alaskans (Inuit) have relatives living on both side of the Bearing Straight, as a driving forces in their desire to return to the Bosom of Mother Russia.
“Besides we like the way the Russian passports look.
And Russia is rich and the USA is broke.”
He added; “I have looked into the eyes of Putin and seen his soul… besides that, I lost a bet over a snowmobile race with him.”

While admitting that she was all for the idea of succession during her reign as mayor of Wasilla, and then Governor of Alaska; she told the audience that “things have changed for me, and my ideology since becoming The Supreme Decider.”

“It might have been nice when I was Governor of Alaska to secede from The Union, but that all seems like small potatoes now that I have a whole nation to reign over.”

But her own secessionist roots run deep; and it has been rumored that she will have legislation brought before Congress; requesting that the North American Continent be allowed to secede from the Earth.
With further contingency plans for the Earth to secede from the Solar System…

Ouch that’s gonna hurt!

nikto @ 80:

Good points, all.

Emotion favors Palin.

This is a classic confrontation between cerebrum (Biden) vs Snake-brain (palin)

Logic, knowledge and calm-headedness in the debate clearly favors Biden.

Thank you. If anything, emotion is what Palin runs on. Take that away and she has nothing.

You're also correct in noting that logic and intellect (which is one of the principles of debate anyway) does favor Biden. Also people should keep in mind that what Palin says is rehearsed. If she has to create something out of thin air, she can't do it. She can't think on her feet. She even stumbles upon what her handlers tell her.

Let's face it, Sarah has the potential of sullying any traditional occasion that they can get their hands on.

The GOP isn't any different.

It's a tricky one. Dammed if you do dammed if you don't. Biden should focus on what does Mrs Pantywaist actually stands for, try to really get at the core of it, then reastate it. 'You mean you would start up a Cold War with Russia? Unlike Couric, dont stop asking her to explain, keey\p on asking her, keeping nailing her. Say Mrs Palin, I don't understand what you mean, if I don't understand what you mean how do you expect the country or the rest of the world to understand you. Echoes of McCain's 'Obama doesn't understand.' she will have a set diatribe to spout, Biden has to break her rhythm and completely flummox her, with a calm even voice.

Reagan won and there was no substance there.
George H. Bush won and there was little substance there.
George W. Bush won (twice) and there was nothing there.

So, historically speaking, there's no reason why the McCain/Palin team couldn't win based on a total lack of substance. As long as they spew mindless patriotic talking points and come across as sincere a lot of Americans will vote for them. As George Burns once said, "Sincerity is the key to success, and if you can fake that then you've got it made."

This debate puts Biden in a tough situation. I'd love to see him mop the floor with her and go after her and McCain at every turn but I don't envy his role. I do believe this will be an very important moment for both sides. I can't imagine that this one will be able to end in a wash for both sides. I'll keep my fingers crossed for Joe.

Kathleen @ 63:

J.C. @ 52:

Linny @ 27:

Oh please tell me we aren't asking another dem. candidate to put on kid gloves when dealing with a moron. It didn't work for Gore. It didn't work for Kerry. And it is not going to work for Biden. All of this, "look out or we'll insult Palin and the rest of her screwy base" is getting tiresome. I am so tired of everyone pulling their punches just to be "politically correct" and not insult this waste of skin, air pirate Palin. She is not ready to lead. She is not qualified to lead. And it is disconcerting that someone even dumber than Bush might actually end up leading this country just because people are afraid to insult her with the truth about her non-experience and proud ignorance. All this "common man" bunk is just that. Look, I love my mechanic and he's a very intelligent guy who gets along with everyone. I just don't think I'd want him to become the leader of this country just because people want to have a beer with him every now and then. What has this country come to when intelligence, knowledge and honesty become liabilities and we are supposed to embrace and enable dishonesty and ignorance?

Very well said. I couldn't agree more and so should everyone who has watched this Democratic Congress cave in time and time again to the most unpopular, immoral president in history. The Dem leaders need to grow a pair and stand up for us and themselves against these dimwitted, unethical phonies. They and the press have allowed the Republicans to set the rules of behavior so that any deviation from them seems like a deviation from American values. The Roves and Limbaughs and O'Reillys and Hannitys and their screaming minions have been allowed to have their way for far too long. Let's see some courage and some leadership. I hope Biden does what he does and lets the chips fall where they may. No special treatment just because she's a woman and an idiot. If I see Joe pulling punches and staying on the defensive I'm going to want to vomit. This debate won't matter in the polls, but it will matter to me to see a little of the Democratic fire that has been extinguished for so long. I think a lot more people in this country are watching for Palin to finally and completely implode than are rooting for her to somehow shine.

If Palin attacks Biden he should politely take her out with his in depth understanding of the issues. Otherwise Biden just needs to answer the questions and allow Palin to take herself out.

She is more than likely going to knock herself out.

Likely true. Nobody likes to see a helpless idiot get beat up, but Joe probably won't even have to raise a glove.

I think Palin is used as a bait. Biden could easily destroy and humiliate her but he shouldnt because I think thats in a way what the McCain campaign is hoping for. They are sacrificing Palin to get to Obama. They hope Biden will go on and on about his record and his long experience like McCain did and forget that its Obama not he who is first on the ticket.

That way McCain can turn Bidens argument around and attack Obama. Make the election a contest about experience instead of judgment and change of policies. "McCain knows experience is super important and Biden agrees" "Obama is too inexperienced to be president" "Palin is only VP and will learn the job next to McCain. Obama doesnt have that luxury." "We cant risk an inexperienced president in these desperate times."

There isn't much room for strategy in this appearance, really. I say "appearance" rather than "debate" because the rules for this thing strictly preclude debate (no follow up questions, no addressing the other candidate, etc.). Palin will spout a few empty slogans and be done. Not much room for failure, and her idiot fan base isn't literate enough to see the difference between political salesmanship and real discussion.

If this *were* a real debate, however, my suggestion to Biden would be to go all out. Put her on the spot and demand she answer certain questions specifically. Say the country deserves a Vice President who is actually qualified. Ask if the nation really expects a beauty pageant contestant to go up against Putin. Say her very presence on the stage is an absurd insult to the intelligence of the country. Make her cry.

Lest we forget Gwen Ifill moderates this debate and philosophically and unabashedly one of those thugs full of strategy and little comprehensible reasoning.

So Biden, who likes women generally will be facing two of them who are not quite on the human level Biden exists on day-to-day. Suggesting this is why they chose Ifill and bet the questions go toward personal ain't that cuteness (even tho people like us would like to grab her by the neck and bang her head against the wall repeatedly at her unrelenting ignorance which is neither feminine nor cute) to save Palin from demonstrating her abysmal lack of intellect.

Recall McCain debate performance? That little dickens spewed out a stream of rehearsed names and places dropped in one paragraph and nothing more was asked of him. Bet Palin uses the same tactic to make it "appear" as actual knowledge.
Just watch Ifill impoverish this debate, spotlight Palin and steer topics away from intellect and Biden's gravitas.

Remember how we were told that bush was preparing for his debates and how awful he was. We were told it took longer to prepare him than they had thought and all the other bs.

Once again they are trying to lower the bar so low that if she remembers her name they will say she pulled off an amazing victory. Also, bush was about as clueless as she is at that time but for whatever reason, a lot of American people voted for the dickhead that they would like to have a beer with. Now she is describing herself as Joe Sixpack and saying that is what America likes about her, she is one of them.

I would like to think our country has matured over the past eight years, but some things make me think that hasn't happened as much as it should have. Be ready for any possibility.

The right is already preparing a shield for Palin by claiming Ifill's new book to come out on election day is biased against McCain. Truth is the book is about all black politicians and how far they have come. But that doesn't stop the right from crying foul even before the debate occurs.

Why won’t Palin ever give a Press Conference? It’s been 33 DAYS since her selection, 33 DAYS!

Why is Palin stonewalling the Troopergate investigation?

Why won’t Palin release her Tax Returns and Medical Records?

What is Sarah Palin covering up? WHAT IS SARAH PALIN HIDING?!

Where is her “Reform, Accountability and Transparency in Government” she keeps talking about?

The debates should go back to being handled by the highly-ethical and non-partisan League of Women Voters, who always asked tough questions that were designed to explore the campaign platforms, no frills, no softballs, and certainly no candidate control over the format and questions.

I REALLY resent the McCain camp butting its nose in how the debates are run, so they'll benefit but others won't.

ysbaddaden @ 99:

82 crazytown Says: Kathleen@70, you said:
“If she goes up against Biden and his in-depth understanding of the issues he will mop up the stage with Palins head of hair.”

Forget now where I saw this, but I laughed my head off when Palin’s head of hair was described as “a strange mop freshly groomed by monkeys”.
___________________________________________________________

They're still belchin' and pickin' their teeth.

If this were a fair game of football or some other sport, Biden would be able to just take her out based on his skill, grasp of foreign policy, intelligence, and domestic issues. Just based on knowledge and experience he would knock her out.

This game is far more complicated and unfair.

Walrus@92, you said,
"Reagan won and there was no substance there.
George H. Bush won and there was little substance there.
George W. Bush won (twice) and there was nothing there."

This concept, this IDEA that a debate is WON is not rational to begin with!
There is NO set of objective guidelines to measure the winning of a debate unless it is the color of someone's tie. They are PURELY SUBJECTIVE, like a kid's mother on the panel of judges in a beauty contest. Who's going to win that contest? We have a bunch of MSM liars "judging" debates that Einstein himself would lose.
The whole premise is a dead function and where the hell do you find objective reasoning. Please.

(just as an aside, did anyone once hear a word about McCain turning away from Obama during the entire debate, or never looking at Obama, and the fact that McCain said "horseshit" under his breath TWICE during that debate? I have the link if anyone would like to see that overlooked little thin-skinned response by McCain).

Walruss@22, if you are talking purely about why they won and not the debates you already know the answer: ignorance and theft.

FrankDufeck@112,
(quote option not functioning)

At least this could buy us time. Don't forget the pug-faced Newt has designs on the presidency in 2012.

Kathleen @ 108:

The Very Bitter Ceci Hussein @ 91:

Kathleen @ 85:

It is true that she is so much better on her own than repeating the Rove/McCain talking points. Much better. But she does not have a grasp of foreign policy issues, she can not fake that. Although they should let her go with her own style.

If she goes with, I am the mother of five, have worked my way up the ladder , please feel sorry for me and give me a chance. This may appeal to enough folks to sway a few votes..

I hope Biden keeps bring up CHENEY CHENEY CHENEY and link McPalin to the dark side

I agree. But I also stand by the fact that a debate on foreign policy and domestic issues doesn't mainly center upon that fact. If she uses that excuse, it might seem like a fake play for attention--especially when there has been a public who has seen the Couric/Palin interviews.

That "fake play" is her own play. She does not have and in-depth understanding of foreign policy or domestic issues. She may understand some things about Alaska. That's it.
Playing the American voters who want her elected because she knows as little as they do is the only folks she can play to. She does not stand a chance on the issues. She can only try to reach out to those voters. Other than that we are going to watch her be backed into a corner by her own lack of real knowledge ..and if Biden allows her she will self inflict the “rope a dope”. She will knock herself out.

I hope so.

But I also hope those very same Americans realize that the problems in this country are much bigger than just having someone like themselves in office. We've had that for eight years. And that time is over, if we want to fix our country.

I'm, for one, tired of poseurs. They've done us nothing but harm.

J.C. @ 79:

Orangutan. @ 30:
Is this serious or tongue in cheek? Sorry to be so blunt, but get real. This woman is a complete embarrassment to the McCain campaign. They've gotten any positive mileage they're going to get out of her and now she's turned into a negative. She'll continue to be propped up by the hardcore base and the Republican propagandists, but everyone has seen that the empress has no clothes, and she doesn't have the skill, the experience, or the intelligence to turn that ship around now. She's officially a national joke.

She's had a week to memorize McCain's policy positions, and the debate format favors 2-minute canned answers with little time for the flowing back-and-forth McCain and Obama shared. She isn't going to be winging it like her horrid interviews. I expect her debate performance to be much like McCain's: propose a few policies and take a juvenile swipe at your opponent (though watching her obsess about earmarks would be a fantastically dissonant moment)

Orangutan. @ 30:
Is this serious or tongue in cheek?
____________________________________

Which set?

After all this drillin' from mcgramps, sarah's likliest reaction come debate day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0Rzukj53ro

viola @ 42:

People are still living in this lie because sometime ago, dumb was made the new smart. and all the dumbasses thought they had a right to the prize.

Stupid people think stupid people are kwalified to lead, and only the
poor stupid people (p-s-p) can be convinced that it'd be better for
them to have a genius running the show instead of an idiot. But the
American lifestyle has ostracized them, why should they go out of
their way to vote? Others there (99-44/100% non-elite republicans)
will just sneer at them for their poverty, and who needs that? These
people KNOW shame.

In the meantime, the not-so-poor stupid people (n-s-p-s-p) think it's
all a game that they can play to win and winning is all that matters.
They don't care if you know they're stupid because theyre WNNERS
DAMMIT - burn the world down. This group votes, remember, they were
at the polls sneering at the p-s-p in the previous paragraph. These
people know NO shame.

The end result is the n-s-p-s-p elect people just like them, connivers
blind with greed who have raped America. I blame it all on freakin'
Rush Limbaugh because he was the first to get rich working to get the
n-s-p-s-p all fired up in order to manipulate them.

There's also the bigot factor. Anyone that hates Obama for his race,
is gonna be someone that wants at least as big an asshole as they are
in control.

If she gives a non -answer in the form of attacking Biden with, what else, false accusations, Joe can retort quickly with, "I am not going to spend my alotted time defending false accusations from Ms Palin. False accusations which she used to avoid answering the question put forth to her. I will cede the remainder of my time back to her if she uses it to answer the question."

IndridCold @ 126:

I got a really bad feeling about this debate. No way they should have accepted a debate format like this, and quite frankly I can't believe the Obama campaign fell for this one.

Here's my prediction: Palin has just rehearsed a number of ready-packaged non-sensical answers for the 90 seconds sound-bite bull sh*t marathon tomorrow. She's going to do just that and the corporate media is going to go wild at her "impressive" performance. The cristo-fascists are going to come out of the woordworks again and we'll all have to take a bite of the ensuing sh*t sandwitch.

IMO, no debate would have been better than a debate like this.

I still think that Eric's strategy has some legs to it.

First of all it would eliminate any facade Sara has of the appearance of knowing a specific subject. Secondly if Sara were to refuse the extra time that Biden offers then he could elaborate on the subject and pose further questions to her making it really look like she doesn't know what the hell she was talking about.

I would say this specific strategy would be a win-win for Biden because Palin's grasp of world affairs is apparently as thin as the skin on her teeth.

Even in the event Sara did take the extra time offered Biden could still use this strategy and keep her on the offensive...

In other words make Sara sweat it out and lose this debate....

Liberal_Whimps_SellOut_America @ 131:

Go McCain / PALIN, FIGHT>>>FIGHT>>>>FIGHT to the finish and RISE THE VICTOR!!

Liberal sissy whimps of America need to be REBUKED and turned away so they go back to hollywood with the rest of their
spineless snake homies.

Ha! Good luck with that.

She’s obviously a skilled speaker. We expect she’ll give a great performance next Thursday.” Just one who doesn't speak very well!

The media is always in the tank for someone. This election, however, it would be nice if they weren't supporting the crooks! I'm sure Palin's plan of action is to do what she normally does ... say absolutely nothing for 20 minutes a stretch where we all shake our heads in disbelief that no one called her on it.

Debate? What debate? The Biden-Palin encounter is a structured, controlled PR gab-fest run by coporatist shills and sycophants. What's the resolution for debate? Why aren't the teeming unwashed PERMITTED (??????) to ask unscripted and vetted questions to these two potential representatives of the electorate? What has happened to LANGUAGE since the special interest groups/image jerk-offs/spinners/lobbyists have been allowed to fill the public space? It's very, very depressing that the media are allowed to steamroll the citizenry with words that don't mean what they have alwas meant (and a pre-emptive "fuck you" to the hemeneutics/critical theorists/Foucalt-Derrida shitheads who want to do away with all meaning in communication!).

132 Liberal_Whimps_SellOut_America Says:
__________________________________________________

Actually, I'm a Texan Air Force, Top Secret Clearance, Honorable Discharge veteran. And I'm practically related to half our Founding Fathers, Scottish Lairds, the Plantagenets, French Barons, and German Counts.

Three of my ancestors of note were Nathan Hale, "I regret that I have one life to give for my country," but the one was enough for the English officers, as well as being related to Henry Clay and William Seward.

Another three, who share share my last name so I won't give their names were repectable figures of Scotland and England buried in Westminster Abby.

Two words: Admiral Stockdale.

Even money he looks better in retrospect after tomorrow night.

Biden can be a nice-guy dad type, if he acts dumb and fatherly, Palin will look like the attacking angry one and Biden might pick up some pity points himself.

Repugs will accept whatever the leadership (who's that?) shoves in front of them as a candidate totally without question. A monkey would be TOTALLY acceptable to ANY of them as long as it has a (R) after the name. "Heckofajob, Brownie".. What a shame. "OH, she's SO GREAT" reading lies and other bullshit someone else wrote for her from a teleprompter. Hell, I can do that! I only have a GED.(How's THAT for experience ?)
Would these jerks be so totally accepting and praising Sarah Palin if she had a (D)
after her name? It would be a disaster for the (D)'s.

She only does well here because of her familiarity with the topics. Before this debate she lived and breathed the issues being disucssed on a daily basis, perhaps for several years.

When it comes to Iraq, Foreign Policy in general, the financial liquidity crisis, her knowledge is not there and so she babbles. She doesn't read international or even national newspapers, she doesn't read major periodicals like vanity fair, new yorker, newsweek and she certainly won't help herself by saying what she believes about religion, homosexuals or sex education and abortion because the national character is differet from the Alaskan character. Basically she's screwed unless she can really memorize her lines and stick to them no matter what. Even then she risks looking like an idiot on a followup when people start noticing she is repeating herself. Did I mention she's screwed?

By the way, Vladimir Putin called. He wants Sarah Palin to stop staring at Russia - it's making them uncomfortable.