The "Official" Vice Presidential Debate thread

[Flash G]

Ok... let's keep it clean and based on issues and facts, not about which candidate is "drunk", "mentally challenged" etc... Those pejoratives only taint a decent discussion.

If you feel that you're adult enough to participate, let's hear it. Who do you think will come out on top on Thursday?

My opinion:

I think that there's no way Palin can lose this debate and no way Biden can win.

The expectations have been set so low for Palin that as long as she "appears" to have any sort of comprehension of current issues, she will win no matter how strained or nervous she looks.

Biden has been placed on a short leash. His specialty is "gutting you with a smile". But he can't do that in this debate, or the pundits will call him "mean" or "condescending". It's a no win for Biden.

Thoughts?


.

[pla_time]

Originally Posted by Flash G

I think that there's no way Palin can lose this debate and no way Biden can win.

The expectations have been set so low for Palin that as long as she "appears" to have any sort of comprehension of current issues, she will win no matter how strained or nervous she looks.

Biden has been placed on a short leash. His specialty is "gutting you with a smile". But he can't do that in this debate, or the pundits will call him "mean" or "condescending". It's a no win for Biden.

Thoughts?


.

You may be right, but it would be a sad day for our country and for women's rights if Biden had to pull his punches in a vice presidential debate because he is debating a woman.

Perhaps we should rewrite the famous phrase attributed to Harry Truman so that it now reads "If you can't stand the heat, get back INTO the kitchen."

[...m...]

...the first time discussion strays beyond palin's flash cards, she'll careen off in the same cringeworthy circumlocutious trajectory toward irrelevant coached talking points which have characterised her performances to date; expect beauty-pageant-level discourse...

...demographic apologists will latch onto every unfumbled phrase they can, though, and i won't be terribly surprised if she comes out on top by the same token bush did: appeal through commonfolk identification...

[ivan1]

that didnt take long

[Kjakk]

I predict that Palin will do a lot better than most people think. Then all the talk afterwards will be about how she did so well, but only because everyone expected her to suck.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Kjakk

I predict that Palin will do a lot better than most people think. Then all the talk afterwards will be about how she did so well, but only because everyone expected her to suck.

I think that is a very accurate assesment.

Doesn't it bother anyone that the moderator of the debate has a book about Barak Obama set to hit the shelves at about the same time our next President will be inaugurated?

[tcnohead]

I am not too sure about Palin. I fear she will sound much like the Teen USA contestant from South Carolina. Her past interviews have been horrible. If she can prove herself capable of getting back on the horse, I think that will look well on her.

[evomind]

Originally Posted by Ian

I think that is a very accurate assesment.

Doesn't it bother anyone that the moderator of the debate has a book about Barak Obama set to hit the shelves at about the same time our next President will be inaugurated?

i guess not. nobody seems to care. and where is all this foriegn money coming from that hes getting?
the favoritism is so unbridled im at a loss for words.
i keep reading newspaper articles where the author states if someone doesnt vote for obama, its purely because they are racist.
some of dont think he has been around long enough or done enough to make him president maybe.

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by evomind

i guess not. nobody seems to care. and where is all this foriegn money coming from that hes getting?
the favoritism is so unbridled im at a loss for words.
i keep reading newspaper articles where the author states if someone doesnt vote for obama, its purely because they are racist.
some of dont think he has been around long enough or done enough to make him president maybe.

Lots of Obama constituents are throwing the race card around. This is a cheap tactic intended to stifle any rational discussion and debate of their candidate, and to try and shame people into voting for their guy. Actually, "cheap" is an understatement.


I think Palin will be OK in the debate. Nothing earth-shattering. I mean, we have Joe "I'm my own worst enemy" Biden on the other podium. I hope he debates Palin as he would anyone else, and doesn't take it easy because she's a woman. That would be a disappointment. He should go after her as hard as he can.

As far as the bar being set low, I feel that is a creation of the media because

A. The media is in the tank for Obama

and

B. in reality, they are afraid of Palin being able to get McCain the support he needs.

If you keep repeating a fairy tale long enough, people start to believe it, especially when they want to.

[Kjakk]

Originally Posted by Cardinal

If you keep repeating a fairy tale long enough, people start to believe it, especially when they want to.

How about the fairy tale of the 'liberal media'?

[NCZ06]

Originally Posted by ...m...

...demographic apologists will latch onto every unfumbled phrase they can, though, and i won't be terribly surprised if she comes out on top by the same token bush did: appeal through commonfolk identification...

Exactly. The tactic of appearing to be simple-minded worked wonderfully for Bush. I am not so sure it's an act with Palin though.

[Brennon]

Originally Posted by Kjakk

How about the fairy tale of the 'liberal media'?

+1

I don't believe the media is liberal or (neo)conservative. I believe that various groups and our administration 'own' different media outlets. Former secretary of the press had some very interesting things to say about that as far as the Bush administration providing talking points to Fox news.

[ivan1]

Of course there is a high likelihood there will be bias....but that is nearly the entire media these days. I never thought I would see an election in this country so influenced by the media.....tragic really....

WASHINGTON: Gwen Ifill, who is moderating Thursday's vice-presidential debate, is releasing a book on Barack Obama and other young black politicians who are "forging a bold new path to political power."

Questions are being raised about the objectivity of Thursday's vice presidential debate moderator after news surfaced that she is releasing a new book promoting Barack Obama and other black politicians who have benefited from the civil rights struggle.

Ifill's book, "The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama," is due to be released about the same time the next president takes the oath of office.

In her book, Ifill contends that the black political structure of the civil rights movement has cleared the way for post-racial politicians to ascend to new heights.

[tcnohead]

I agree that this moderator may have some issues now because of this news however...

Don’t all moderators swing to one side or the other? Additionally, these mod's are under the microscope of the American people and they in turn must be aware of the fact that any biased actions as a moderator would be scrutinized.

[Brennon]

Originally Posted by ivan1

Of course there is a high likelihood there will be bias....but that is nearly the entire media these days. I never thought I would see an election in this country so influenced by the media.....tragic really....

WASHINGTON: Gwen Ifill, who is moderating Thursday's vice-presidential debate, is releasing a book on Barack Obama and other young black politicians who are "forging a bold new path to political power."

Questions are being raised about the objectivity of Thursday's vice presidential debate moderator after news surfaced that she is releasing a new book promoting Barack Obama and other black politicians who have benefited from the civil rights struggle.

Ifill's book, "The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama," is due to be released about the same time the next president takes the oath of office.

In her book, Ifill contends that the black political structure of the civil rights movement has cleared the way for post-racial politicians to ascend to new heights.

The previous debates were absolutely filled with Loaded questions--particularly the republican debates. Certain candidates were interrogated rather than asked actual questions, e.g. "Congressman Paul: if you were to lose this election, would you run as a third party?". The debates are a joke. Maybe they'll ask Palin if she prefers diamonds or pearls like they did with Hillary.

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by Kjakk

How about the fairy tale of the 'liberal media'?

If you honestly believe that the media as a whole is unbiased, then there's nothing I nor anyone else can say that would lead to a worthwhile exchange on the subject. I guess you and I see something different when we turn on anything but Fox News. It comes down to interpretation.

I am still waiting for a major news outlet (besides Fox) to say anything negative about Obama or his campaign. CNN certainly never would. They're too busy spinning the non-passing of the bailout bill as a campaign nightmare for McCain, which is insane.

[Kjakk]

It's off topic for the thread, but Google 'liberal media myth' and see what you come up with. To make a sweeping generalization like 'the media is in the tank for Obama' is just plain wrong.

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by Kjakk

It's off topic for the thread, but Google 'liberal media myth' and see what you come up with. To make a sweeping generalization like 'the media is in the tank for Obama' is just plain wrong.

Google results don't change what I see on a daily basis.

I googled "liberal media bias" and got even more hits, but I wouldn't expect that to change anyone's mind.

[mikester]

I'd agree with many here that the expectations have been set so low, that she'll probably end up doing pretty well.

The format has been set up in her favor - a 90-second time limit on responses, so I'm sure McCain's people have been working with her on little 90-second mini-speeches.

[Ol'Racer]

If you checked Palin's backround, she became Governor running against some political heavyweights. Not to mention clowns from her own party. This doesn't mean she's Mensa level, but she isn't lame-brained.

It's a political GAME. She's been told not to F'... things up, by saying the wrong thing. That's why she has been so dicey on some questions thrown at her. If she is personally attacked...watch out. She will rip. But that most likely won't happen.

Since I believe politics is a big game. Let's look at any pro basketball team. How about the Lakers? How many times have you seen a crucial game get blown in the last 4-5 minutes even though they were up by 15+points? Does that mean that they suck? Hell no, it means that they were either told by Phil to play defense and make sure the offense didn't turn the ball over. Over many years, I've seen the game lost or won in the last 30 seconds.

Palin is straddled with being a "team" player who knows not to turn the ball over.

Her only chance of winning is if Biden attacks or makes one of his "Bidenish" faux pas.