Palin, Biden walk tightropes in sole VP debate
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/palin-biden-walk-fine-lines/story.aspx?guid={004E449C-93E5-4648-98F2-B0575C85EAB9}
Republican seeks to arrest criticism, Democrat can’t look condescending
By Russ Britt, MarketWatch
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) - When Joe Biden and Sarah Palin take the stage in St. Louis tonight, look for the two vice-presidential hopefuls to walk their own tightropes when moderator Gwen Ifill grills them.
What’s clear is that while Republican Palin will seek to bounce back from some recent public gaffes, Democrat Biden is expected to dance around the PR landmines that could make him appear too condescending if he pounces too hard on his opponent. The question is how high above the fray will each candidate be stepping.
Palin, the Alaska governor, will need to further cause of Sen. John McCain while Biden, a U.S. senator from Delaware, tried to boost the fortunes of Sen. Barack Obama when the vice-presidential candidates meet at Washington University in St. Louis.
Experts from throughout the political spectrum agree that Palin’s recent missteps in interviews and elsewhere on the campaign trail all have helped to set the bar low for her. And they all agree that if Biden is the only one truly on the high wire, then he shouldn’t look down.
“I think he’s doing better in this situation if he attacks John McCain vigorously,” said Richard Edwards, author of “Competitive Debate: The Official Guide” and communications professor at Baylor University. “I think she has a great chance, personally, to do well because the expectations are so low.”
Most eyes, though, will be focused on Palin, who commanded the spotlight for some time after McCain named her as his running mate Aug. 29. Since then she committed a series of gaffes during infrequent interviews and on the campaign trail.
A recent poll from Quinnipiac University said McCain has slipped in the critical states of Pennsylvania, Florida and Ohio, mostly due to the deteriorating economy but somewhat because of Palin’s falling star. Highly favored in all three states just 20 days ago, the poll showed Palin got unfavorable ratings in two states and broke even in a third, Ohio.
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Glenn Beck bashes McCain on voting for bailout:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/10/02/tsr.beck.hits.mccain.cnn
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:19 am
Thanks, Doug, for this MARVELOUS link of Wolf Blitzer interviewing Glenn Beck on the game-changing decision McCain made to vote for this earmarked bail-out bill.
The pork is beyond stupid. How can the senate present this bill to America with straight faces?! I AGREE with Beck when he stated: “They’ve proven themselves to be thieves.”
Beck is also right when he said that America wants someone who says what they mean and means what they say!