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The Vice Presidential Debate

Submitted by Jon Henke on Fri, 10/03/2008 - 00:18
in

Post debate thoughts...

  • In debates, candidates seem to follow Monty Python's rule for How Not To Be Seen: Don't Stand Up. 

  • The Democrat's Economic message: "Somebody, somewhere is rich.  And you're not.  Torches and pitchforks for everybody!"

  • Megan McArdle:
    Joe Biden launches immediately into complaining that the current mess is all the fault of the Bush administration.  Number one, this is not true.  Number two, is there any more exquisite irony than watching Senator Joe Biden (D-MBNA) complain about financial deregulation?

  • Shockingly, the Right is convinced that Sarah Palin won, while the Left is convinced that Joe Biden won.  For the Chatterati to reach any other conclusion, I think one of the candidates would have had to admit, on camera, "you sure kicked my *** up here tonight!".

  • Face it, Biden did well.  He was serious, fluent, he had gravitas.  He didn't pull a Biden.  And yet, Biden reinforced the real problem he represents for the Obama campaign: whatever he may be, Senator Biden is not "Change".  In a campaign built around a Change brand, Biden is a jarring reminder of the traditional Democratic establishment.

  • Gov. Palin did one thing very well and one thing poorly:
    • GOOD: She didn't make any major mistakes.  In that regard, Palin beat expectations soundly.  She did get some facts wrong, but she didn't have The Gaffe and without that Moment on which all future attention focuses, impressions will largely be shaped by the personalities of the people involved. Fortunately for her, Sarah Palin is likable.  However...

    • BAD: Sarah Palin was speaking, but other people's words were coming out of her mouth. She was clearly trying to cram in as many talking points as possible.  As a result, she talked too fast, she talked too much and she sounded more like a scripted politician than a charismatic reformer.
  • Ironic, I think, that Biden was speaking in modest measures, while Palin was speaking in run-on paragraphs.

  • Why do people take the cable channel focus groups seriously?  They've become a debate standard for cable channels, but they violate a pretty basic rule: you can't effectively measure people who know they are being measured.

 

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Comments

Her own words on a campaign theme

Submitted by Freedoms Truth on Fri, 10/03/2008 - 00:40.

"Sarah Palin was speaking, but other people's words were coming out of her mouth. She was clearly trying to cram in as many talking points as possible. "


I think that is unfair inasmuch as there is NO 'palin' answer to Biden making a factually false claim about a general saying the surge concept wont work in Aghanistan. but there was a Palin way of inserting it, and the way she did, by politely asking "can we go back to Afghanistan for a second" making the point.

She used her own speaking style and did fine on that score. If anything I wanted more meat and potatoes from her, but if she didnt push the campaign points (which is pretty much what Biden did as well), she'll be left there mute on her #1 job, to sell Senator John McCain and make clear their common agenda and approach.

... McCain will need to more to define Obama. The McCain campaign is behind the 8 ball on the 'definition' score. Obama is change and Obama needs to be redefined quickly and seriously as too left-liberal, too dangerous, too extreme, and out-of-touch from mainstream American values. He IS all that and more.

Good Analysis

Submitted by JayPe on Fri, 10/03/2008 - 01:21.

Thats a good summary Jon. At the end of the day both parties did what they set out to do. The good news for the GOP is that Sarah reversed the awful coverage of the last couple of weeks. The good news for the Dems is that there was no game-changer, in a race which is starting to look like Obama's.

Facts Checked?

Submitted by Contratimes on Fri, 10/03/2008 - 06:53.

I heard Fred Thompson immediately after the debate comment that he was quite sure Joe Biden had gotten several important things wrong. I have spotted only one blogger thus far this morning who has tried to factcheck Mr. Biden. Perhaps some of you have seen other reports.

I thought this blog post was interesting, although a bit bare-boned. Anyone have any thoughts?

Peace.

 

 

After an unsuccessful

Submitted by jimmy on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 05:20.

After an unsuccessful campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Alaska in 2002, she chaired the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission from 2003 to 2004. She was elected Governor of Alaska in November 2006. Palin is the first female governor of Alaska and the youngest person elected governor of that state

 

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She coulda, woulda, shoulda...

Submitted by spartacus on Fri, 10/03/2008 - 14:40.

But somehow she didn't.  I'm a fan - and will vote Mc-Cain/Palin, but I was expecting her to scream confidence and bite harder. She did both to a certain extent, but on a more tepid level. I felt she didn't answer some of the questions very directly and when she got a little frazzled, she tended to talk to much but not say anything new.

What Biden didn't do was leave me with a message. What was his point? Wasn't the debate about Biden versus Palin? Why was his message so strongly peppered by what Obama would do and not about what he would do? 

On the whole I liked how it ended - I knew what her message was and had a clear understanding of how she felt should impact the presidency. And I agree and support that.

 

 

certain extent, but on a more

Submitted by davidvilla on Mon, 05/25/2009 - 06:07.

certain extent, but on a more tepid level. I felt she didn't answer some of the questions very directly and when she got a little frazzled, she tended to talk to Life Experience Diploma much but not say anything new.

What Biden didn't do was leave me with a message. What was his point? Wasn't the debate about Biden versus Palin? Why was his message so strongly peppered by what Obama would do and not about what he would do? GED Schools

I would say that this debate

Submitted by tolo87 (not verified) on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 03:26.

I would say that this debate was kinda cool. Mike

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post and comments like those found here

Submitted by mnmod on Fri, 10/03/2008 - 20:06.

reasure me that people can be partisan with out being blind to reality. I like to think I maintain this ability to a significant degree.

I'm curious about when is the time to bring out the pitch forks for class warfare.  The stat in my memory is that CEO pay has gone from 30 times that of the entry level  worker to 300+ times the salary of his /her employeesover the past 20-30 years of Reaganomics.  Looks like a clearcut case of  greed gone wild to me.  Tax the rich!  My mid thirties teachers salary leaves me lacking financial means to pay college tuition for my kids,  but double my salary  or pay their college costs and I would be wanting for nothing.  Except I would still have many concerns-(i.e  universal  access to health care,  climate change, and global extreme poverty)

US Vice-President Joe Biden

Submitted by johnnybe (not verified) on Mon, 05/25/2009 - 13:30.

US Vice-President Joe Biden has voiced strong support for Lebanese democracy and independence during a visit 16 days ahead of key legislative elections.

 

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What was his point? Wasn't

Submitted by 112 on Tue, 03/24/2009 - 09:35.

What was his point? Wasn't the debate about Biden versus Palin? Why was his message so strongly peppered by what Obama would do and not about what he would do?  Keystone realtor

 

Hold long enough to read this

Submitted by jimmy on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 14:38.

Hold long enough to read this new title before the foot comes down, stays in shot long enough for voice over to say

 

great,

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Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr.,

Submitted by johnnybe (not verified) on Wed, 05/20/2009 - 10:00.

Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr., was born November 20, 1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the first of four siblings.

 

thanks,

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Thank goodness for Vice

Submitted by johnnybe (not verified) on Fri, 05/22/2009 - 14:34.

Thank goodness for Vice President Joe Biden. In one of the few amusing parts of the Wanda Sykes comedy routine at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, she said: "God forbid that Joe Biden falls into the hands of terrorists....We're done.

 

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I thought they both did well.

Submitted by jakslime (not verified) on Fri, 06/05/2009 - 14:06.

I thought they both did well. I was impressed. Now, if only the presidential candidates were watching, and show the same passion and skill as these two. regards, Weightloss Blog

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Biden will be at the event at Loy Norrix High School at 10:45 a.m. Friday. A limited number of tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday at the school’s main office.

 

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where on earth did he get the

Submitted by seth33 on Tue, 07/28/2009 - 14:37.

where on earth did he get the idea that sara palin was a good running mate.  it just looks like he picked a republican out of the had that was a woman!

 Cheers,

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