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[Fragamemnon]

I've long been expecting him to pull a Bob Dole and quit the Senate.

Arizona has a Democratic governor (Janet Napolitano), if McCain retired they wouldn't be able to get the special election on the ballot this November, and she'd appoint a Democrat to replace him. With Democrats surging in the Senate and with a outside shot at hitting 57 or 58 seats, I don't think that McCain retiring would be looked on fondly by the rest of the GOP.

 

[Particle Physicist]

i think palin will do OK in the debate. I think Biden will actually try to avoid blowing her out of the water just so this is one of those ambiguous debates where nobody really changes their mind, seeing as to how obama's doing great and they just need to run out the clock, more or less.

thats a good point. i dont think biden will go out full force on her, because he doesnt really need to.. if he does, he risks creating a gaffe when a huge percentage of the population is actually paying attention, and possibly being viewed as condescending. obama and biden are in the lead right now.. a tie in the debate will have no overall affect on the campaign..

 

[TDG]

Biden just needs to sit back and let her stumble on her own words.

Yeah, he shouldn't go after her, he should just sort of prod her a little bit with a few jabs, set some traps for her, and let her stumble over herself. For advice on this tactic in debating, the Obama/Biden campaign can examine some old Bill Clinton debates.

 

[Cyan]

I don't think that McCain retiring would be looked on fondly by the rest of the GOP.

Well, McCain has never been elected Miss Congeniality by the rest of the Republicans.

 

[CharlieDigital]

Well, McCain has never been elected Miss Congeniality by the rest of the Republicans.

:lol another act of mavrick-ness

 

[The Librarian]

:lol another act of mavrick-ness

Don't hate.

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

PHOTOS: Obama today in Detroit

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., and his wife Michelle Obama bump heads before addressing a rally in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008.
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., addresses a rally in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., left, with Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., right, with their wives Michelle Obama, second from left, and Jill Biden wave at a rally in front of the Detroit Public Library in Detroit, Mich. Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., his wife Michelle Obama, and vice presidential running mate Sen. Joe Biden's wife Jill Biden are given Detroit Red Wings jerseys before addressing a rally in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., his wife Michelle Obama, vice presidential running mate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., and his wife Jill Biden, arrive for a rally in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

 

[Fragamemnon]

Biden will spend his time in the debates appealing to the angst of working class voters ( something he does very well) and ripping apart McCain. Palin just has to prove that she isn't dumber than a sack of hammers, which is hard since she obviously is.

As an aside, I think that having Gwen Ifill moderate the debate is a boost for Obama/Biden. She clearly wasn't used to addressing a question from a woman (Couric) as she was a man (Gibson, though). Least that's how I saw it watching both interviews.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Two notable comments in the pollup update on fivethirtyeight.

This lead might not sound like that much, but it's fairly significant: we've been through two conventions and one debate, voters have dug their heels in, and Obama's position in the Electoral College is extremely robust. Trimming away a 4-5 point lead isn't that difficult over the summer months -- in fact, McCain accomplished exactly that in July and August -- but it's a steeper hill to climb after Labor Day. And if anything, our projection may be lowballing Obama slightly, as the aforementioned national tracking data (which incorporates one day of post-debate interviewing) has Obama's lead in the range of 5-8 points; the model will need Obama to hold those numbers for another day or two before it catches up to them.

If the tracking polls hold, Obama's lead will grow fast in the next couple days.

There is almost no action at the state level today. Mason-Dixon has John McCain ahead by 16 points in Tennessee and 12 in Kentucky; SurveyUSA has Obama up 16 in Connecticut. Among these results, the only remotely interesting one is Kentucky, and then only because it suggests that Obama might be able to avoid a complete disaster in Southern Ohio.

:eek

That's just plain adorable.

 

[Zaraki_Kenpachi]

PHOTOS: Obama today in Detroit

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., his wife Michelle Obama, and vice presidential running mate Sen. Joe Biden's wife Jill Biden are given Detroit Red Wings jerseys before addressing a rally in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

That's it I'm not voting for obama now!

 

[CharlieDigital]

As an aside, I think that having Gwen Ifill moderate the debate is a boost for Obama/Biden. She clearly wasn't used to addressing a question from a woman (Couric) as she was a man (Gibson, though). Least that's how I saw it watching both interviews.

I haven't considered this aspect, but what if she has some sort of negative psychological response to being questioned by smart, highly intelligent women? Maybe she's so used to using her charm as a weapon, that she feels less empowered when answering to other women.

 

[Juice]

Do I see Florida and Ohio slightly blue?

I'm. So. Happy.

Called my Michigander mother yesterday and she went from her previous position of absolutely being anti-Obama to saying, and I quote, "either candidate would be a huge improvement over where we're at today." She also has gone from a Palin fanatic to laughing at the thought of seeing her in the debate after the Couric interview.

She's always been an excellent indicator of what the average evangelical 40-something white woman in Michigan thinks, so when I got off the phone I was convinced that Michigan is now much more firmly in Obama's camp.

 

[Rhindle]

I think the lessons of Friday's debate were:

1. You can get away with deflecting questions and falling back on vaguely-related talking points.

2. Going after your oponent does NOT go over well, no matter how much the moderator encourages it. The debate is won on likability, more than anything else.

With that in mind, Palin could do OK if she just has a good couple of minutes of talking points memorized for each major topic area, and just delivers them coherently. That assumes that Ifill's questions are as predictable as Lehrer's.

Biden needs to chill the fuck out. Attack McCain if he must, and avoid any remarks about Palin at all costs.

 

[The Chosen One]

Does anyone know the exact format of the VP debate?

After the Gibson interview, I thought Palin could still do decent in the bates. But after watching the Katie Couric interview which was just last Tuesday/Wednesday, the debate could very well be a disaster. I was really surprised that she wasn't prepared for the "Russia/Alaska" question. In fact, it was pretty easy to anticipate almost all of Couric's questions.

 

[Barrett2]

I think the lessons of Friday's debate were:

1. You can get away with deflecting questions and falling back on vaguely-related talking points.

2. Going after your oponent does NOT go over well, no matter how much the moderator encourages it. The debate is won on likability, more than anything else.

With that in mind, Palin could do OK if she just has a good couple of minutes of talking points memorized for each major topic area, and just delivers them coherently. That assumes that Ifill's questions are as predictable as Lehrer's.

Biden needs to chill the fuck out. Attack McCain if he must, and avoid any remarks about Palin at all costs.

This. Biden's best bet is to basically pretend like Palin isn't even there. He should just hammer McCain the entire time, and Palin will be reduced to a side-show, spouting her nonsense for two minutes, followed by Biden viciously attacking McCain, not Palin.

 

[Tamanon]

Arizona has a Democratic governor (Janet Napolitano), if McCain retired they wouldn't be able to get the special election on the ballot this November, and she'd appoint a Democrat to replace him. With Democrats surging in the Senate and with a outside shot at hitting 57 or 58 seats, I don't think that McCain retiring would be looked on fondly by the rest of the GOP.

Plus, come on, he's already quite the Senate in spirit.

 

[The Chosen One]

As for Biden, I'll quote mysellf from yesterday on what he should do:

For Biden, it's like a grown man playing basketball one-on-one with a 6 year-old. If he swats every ball and dunks and hangs on the rim with his nuts on her face, then he'll come off as big bully and a jerk. He just needs to play very passive defense. Don't even put his hands up. Just let her airball her own shots. Then when he gets the ball just make some nice easy layups and mid-range jumpers like it's no thing.

If he does that, he'll breeze through the debate without any incidents.

 

[thekad]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ctgw9VyV_0

Obama's VA speech yesterday. Probably one of his best stump speeches.

Wow, his best speech in a long while.

 

[Pakkidis]

Because they will not be allowed to challenge each other as much in the VP debates that means there are going to be a lot more questions.

I summed up Palins views on a variety of topics

Foreign Policy

-America=good guys, Foreign country= bad guys

- we hunt terrorists and walk into any country we want without questions

-Putin rears his head in Alaska


Economy

-shoring up jobs, and create jobs therefor bailout is good


Energy

-Lets produce more

 

[Trakdown]

This. Biden's best bet is to basically pretend like Palin isn't even there. He should just hammer McCain the entire time, and Palin will be reduced to a side-show, spouting her nonsense for two minutes, followed by Biden viciously attacking McCain, not Palin.

If he works the debate like he works his press interviews, he should be fine.

 

[MaddenNFL64]

Lehrer asked them to talk to eachother, not attack. Obama continuously tried to have a straight back-and-forth with McCain, but he would not have it.

A hard response to a question, and going after your opponent is good. Obama got high marks for "attacking" McCain on going into Iraq. Just don't be a dick. That's the lesson.

 

[Pakkidis]

Attacking ONLY McCain when Palin is there with you may be very condescending because he is not even acknowledging her. Biden already said he is going to speak with the people more than anything else.

 

[Fragamemnon]

Plus, come on, he's already quite the Senate in spirit.

Don't get me wrong, he'll retire in 2010. He's only been in the Senate for the past three terms to run for President.

 

[Ether_Snake]

Well, McCain has never been elected Miss Congeniality by the rest of the Republicans.

I swear I heard him say that for the 100th time at the debate and sitll have no idea what the fuck he is talking about, like most Americans I presume.

 

[The Librarian]

I think the VP debate is going to be more exciting than any of the presidential debates. Palin is going to embarrass herself.

 

[Fragamemnon]

Loving this image, pass it around.

Regarding McCain and Miss Congeniality, it's a weird sort of thing to say given that the Senate functions as a result of its institutional congeniality.

 

[ryutaro's mama]

At the risk of sounding tinfoil hattish, anyone else out there concerned Palin will get a tiny earphone and be feed the "answers" to the debate questions, making her come off to the viewers as knowledgable?

 

[Fragamemnon]

At the risk of sounding tinfoil hattish, anyone else out there concerned Palin will get a tiny earphone and be feed the "answers" to the debate questions, making her come off to the viewers as knowledgable?

Not too worried about this-I think it would just generate more chaos for her as he tries to figure out what to say based on her debate prep versus what she is hearing in her ear.

 

[Clevinger]

Attacking ONLY McCain when Palin is there with you may be very condescending because he is not even acknowledging her. Biden already said he is going to speak with the people more than anything else.

He can always say, "McCain and Palin plan do to this."

Refer to both of them when criticizing.

 

[Clevinger]

At the risk of sounding tinfoil hattish, anyone else out there concerned Palin will get a tiny earphone and be feed the "answers" to the debate questions, making her come off to the viewers as knowledgable?

Was that box bulge on Bush's back real in the 04 debates, or just a shop? And was his performance any better than usual?

 

[thekad]

At the risk of sounding tinfoil hattish, anyone else out there concerned Palin will get a tiny earphone and be feed the "answers" to the debate questions, making her come off to the viewers as knowledgable?

http://www.236.com/video/2008/sarah_palin_gets_instructions_9171.php

I think they should fake Palin's murder.

And frame Barack.

 

[devilhawk]

At the risk of sounding tinfoil hattish, anyone else out there concerned Palin will get a tiny earphone and be feed the "answers" to the debate questions, making her come off to the viewers as knowledgable?

OMG Biden could be doing that too!!!!!

 

[Learn2read]

OMG Biden could be doing that too!!!!!

Biden been shown to have that gift known as "speaking complete sentences"

 

[Snaku]

Attacking ONLY McCain when Palin is there with you may be very condescending because he is not even acknowledging her.

Yeah, if he does that he risks replicating McCain's debate performance, and we know that doesn't poll well.

 

[adamsappel]

P.S. More businesses failed during the 80s than any other period in U.S. history.

Eh, that can also be spun to be "More businesses were started in the 80s than any other period in U.S. history," since most businesses do fail.

 

[Extollere]

I honestly am not expecting Palin to crash and burn during the debate. Interviews can be tricky because I think you're less likely to know what to expect, and can walk into territory you know nothing about, or at least haven't practiced a response to. With the debate I'm sure she's getting lectured on every possible type of question, and what types of responses to pull off. If Biden can throw some unexpected questions her way he might be able to catch her off gaurd so we can see the bumble again, but I'm not expecting this to happen. I'm sure she will be fine, not expecting huge ownage, but would love to see it.

 

[Ether_Snake]

#1- I think McCain's camp will try anything they can to delay/cancel the VP debate.
#2- I think people here who say she will do fine are saying that out of some sort of superstitious mindset where they think that saying she will fuck up big time raises the chances that she'll do well. Fact is she is completely incompetent and the population (other than right-wingers who could be frozen till the election for all it matters) is starting to accept that thanks to SNL, Letterman, the media not bending over just to be nice, etc., so whatever she might answer people will not be as interested in what she has to say, most people's mind about her is made up, every one by now knows she doesn't know her stuff and will just repeat what she was told to repeat, she is a poor speaker and that will not change.

So there, she is fucked and McCain's camp knows there is no way she can help their cause at the debate.

The interview with Couric had predictable questions and she was just sitting on a couch. Now she will be against an opponent in front of a bunch of people, live.

 

[Odrion]

http://kools.ytmnd.com/ this is the best ytmnd ever

 

[devilhawk]

Biden been shown to have that gift known as "speaking complete sentences"

It was sarcasm. I was just giving him shit for his Palin paranoia.

 

[Stoney Mason]

Fuck, I'm tearing up watching this man.

The close ups are especially amazing....

That was a pretty moving and emotional version of his stump. He should turn that into a campaign ad. I like the yes, community organizing. Still blows my mind that republicans thought it was a good idea to make fun of grassroots organizing.

 

[Ether_Snake]

At the risk of sounding tinfoil hattish, anyone else out there concerned Palin will get a tiny earphone and be feed the "answers" to the debate questions, making her come off to the viewers as knowledgable?

She would screw up even more.

 

[StoOgE]

I honestly am not expecting Palin to crash and burn during the debate. Interviews can be tricky because I think you're less likely to know what to expect, and can walk into territory you know nothing about, or at least haven't practiced a response to. With the debate I'm sure she's getting lectured on every possible type of question, and what types of responses to pull off. If Biden can throw some unexpected questions her way he might be able to catch her off gaurd so we can see the bumble again, but I'm not expecting this to happen. I'm sure she will be fine, not expecting huge ownage, but would love to see it.

So you are saying asking her about the bailout, her stupid Alaska/Russia foreign policy angle, and what to do with Israel were trick questions she should not have seen coming?

Those are all pretty easily anticipated questions.

I think the real problem is she is being coached into answers and instead of understanding the issues is trying to give the talking point and is failing miserably.

 

[Ether_Snake]

So you are saying asking her about the bailout, her stupid Alaska/Russia foreign policy angle, and what to do with Israel were trick questions she should not have seen coming?

Those are all pretty easily anticipated questions.

I think the real problem is she is being coached into answers and instead of understanding the issues is trying to give the talking point and is failing miserably.

That. Instead of having her learn about the issues they are too busy carrying her around the country for photo ops. Really, she has no chance of becoming acquainted with the issues in a few days, certainly not to the point where she could debate on said issues. Biden has been dealing with all that since forever. Her political life has been; Alaska.

 

[Stoney Mason]

There is no way the vp debate is being cancelled or delayed. The mccain camp knows they would be crucified by the media and public. No reason to even speculate on it.

 

[LuCkymoON]

Palin will not have a teleprompter during the debate though.

omfg!
what if the GOP gives her HUD glasses???:lol
I'm now going to look closely at her glasses to make sure I don't see any scrolling going on.

 

[Ether_Snake]

There is no way the vp debate I'd being cancelled or delayed. The mccain camp knows they would be crucified by the media and public. No reason to even speculate on it.

I agree, but at the same time the McCain camp has been terrible and at this point they are screwed if they do and screwed if they don't.

 

[mj1108]

There is no way the vp debate I'd being cancelled or delayed. The mccain camp knows they would be crucified by the media and public. No reason to even speculate on it.

I hope they try it...and fail... for the lulz.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

There is no way the vp debate is being cancelled or delayed. The mccain camp knows they would be crucified by the media and public. No reason to even speculate on it.

Here's the thing though: they already tried it.

 

[Zaraki_Kenpachi]

Wow, just finished watching obama in virginia from yesterday and he's one hell of an orator.

 

[Stinkles]

omfg!
what if the GOP gives her HUD glasses???:lol
I'm now going to look closely at her glasses to make sure I don't see any scrolling going on.

She had a cribsheet during the Couric interview. watch her eye movements.