Last Night/This Morning - the Debate

Palin claims that a good barometer for economic climate is a kids soccer game. I must have missed that chapter in economics. 

Palin - Predator Lenders...who deceived the public and there is greed on Wall Street

Joe Six Pac and Hockey Mom's banding together, who demand strict oversight. It is not the American peoples fault that the economy is hurting.

Really? Cause I think that the American People did not think about spending and the future.

Biden - McCain did not know about sub-prime mortgages. Called for more deregulation. Wants to deregulate the health care industry.

He is doing exactly what he should be doing, attacking McCain. Palin has not said a single new idea just regurgitating McCain sound bites.

The buzz word for the night. Palin will not comment on it but will continue to hammer away on the idea that Obama-Biden support higher taxes. 

Taxes are certainly a divide tonight. Biden is calling the tax increase on people making more than $250,000. That is more than the middle class is making by far.

After what Palin has already has said I have to drink.

Wow Biden can't speak

Blog Later

Cheers

So those were last night's posts.  I stand by them.  Anyway I thought the debate went well for everyone but McCain.  Palin was able to demonstrate that she is more than just a pretty face.  Biden kept the spot light on McCain and his failed policies, while able to defend and promote Obama.  Palin was not able to explain why McCain was the right choice for the country.  It was interesting to hear Palin debate because she frequently refused to answer the question.  I don't think it really did much to persuade people but maybe I am wrong.

Strategy for Palin and Biden

The debate is tonight and everyone is giving their two cents.  Well here is mine:

Palin

• Time to demonstrate that you are in fact smart, charming, and an agent for change.  Brush off the interviews as strategy for lowering expectation for the debate.  Use Biden's past against him.  He has been in Washington longer than McCain.  If Obama really wants change why did he pick such a safe choice?  For all of his foreign policy credentials, he voted for the war in Iraq.  Try to paint him as out of touch with working class Americans, who embrace you.  You are a tough woman, who scores well in the key states of Ohio and Iowa.  Take those two states and the election is once again too close to call.  Also Biden is known for his gaffes, if he says one tonight, Jump on it.  

Biden

• You are a six term senator, head of the foreign relations committee, you helped create the Violence Against Women Act and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, you served as head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and seem to be an otherwise decent guy.  What does all this matter?  This woman is not fit to hold your papers.  You have been at this far longer than she even be remembered.  You have experience and facts on your side. You have authored more and better legislation than McCain has.  You should focus on McCain and his problems.  Do what Obama has not been able to do, hit McCain and Palin hard and often.  Don't shy away or look down.  Ask the questions millions of Americans are asking: how the hell can you claim that the war is a success, what is your solution for the economy, and what the fuck makes you think you are prepared to take office, you were barely able to run a town the same size as my high school?  Don't worry about coming off as elitist or talking down to her, you are going to be painted that way no matter what.  Might as well take advantage of it.

Palin's Strategy

Sarah Palin plans to go on the attack in tonight’s debate, hitting Joe Biden for what she will call his foreign policy blunders and penchant for adopting liberal positions on taxes and other issues, according to campaign officials involved in prepping her for tonight’s showdown. 

The Palin camp is projecting surprising self-confidence in the pre-debate hours, despite the vice presidential nominee’s uneven — and, at some points, peculiar — performances in recent television interviews, the officials say. Top advisers to John McCain privately say Palin’s recent CBS interview was a borderline disaster, especially since it played out in several segments over several days. Tonight will be different, they say. 

“This is going to finally put her back into a position where we see her like we saw her the first couple weeks,” a McCain official said. “She was herself. She was authentic, and people related to that. ... Tonight, she’ll get into a rhythm. You’re going to see her in a way that you haven’t seen her yet.”

By contrast, Biden plans what an aide calls "a just-the-facts, prosecutorial approach laying out the case against McCain and defending Obama." The aide said Biden will be "keeping the eye on the target, which is McCain."  Read Article Here.

VP Debate - Social Issues

It seems unlikely that social issues will be discussed this debate with all the economic and foreign turmoil going on currently.  If they are discussed though it should be interesting.  Slate has gathered up past answers Biden and Palin have provided on gay marriage, abortion and more.  Check it out here.

Palin and the Debate

Yet a review of Palin's experience during her 2006 campaign for governor, when she engaged in a long series of debates with her opponents, suggests she is a more formidable adversary than is widely thought.

Unlike her opponent Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, who has considerable presidential-level debate experience, Palin has never been involved in a debate where the questions were national and global in scope.

But she is familiar operating in a high-stakes debate environment against older, more seasoned pols who seemingly have better command of the issues.

In 2006, with no experience as a statewide officeholder, Palin ran what amounted to a debate gauntlet, beginning in the Republican primary against incumbent Gov. Frank Murkowski and former state Sen. John Binkley, and then in the general election, against former Democratic Gov. Tony Knowles and former state Rep. Andrew Halcro, an independent.

Against that experienced opposition, Palin proved herself to be a comfortable and confident debater, not exactly deeply versed in the issues but unusually adept at dodging controversy and quick to take advantage of opponents' missteps. Not one to throw an unnecessary punch, Palin took a patient approach, waiting for her rivals to expose their weak points - and then striking fast.  Read Article Here.

At this point, I think I know more about Palin than Biden.  The media has focused on Palin but largely ignored Biden.  I know that Biden has lots of foreign policy experience, has been in Washington almost as long as McCain and is a Senator from Delaware, other than that I do not know much.  He is a big reason why I am watching the debate.  I want to see what he brings to the table.