Had Sarah Palin called Bosnians "Bosniacs" when would we hear the end of it? When you have a "D" next to your name, you don't have to worry about every verbal gaffe and stumble. Their strengths? Biden spoke with authority. Palin spoke with authenticity. Their weaknesses? Biden spoke wonk. Palin spoke platitude. This latter fault was most pronounced in the Republican nominee's closing statement, which was a bunch of nice-sounding phrases strung together meaning absolutely nothing. Biden's used-car salesmen slickness wore most thin on his brazen lie that he didn't vote for the war. Palin undercuts her small-government rhetoric by standing by her man's vote for the $700 billion corporate welfare bill. The Republican ticket, in other words, has negated the most powerful argument for its election. They ain't called the stupid party for nothin. You can spot a bad umpire by noticing his presence. I noticed Gwen Ifill a lot last night. Biden is a flaming liberal. He wants bankruptcy courts to adjust the principle on loan contracts. He seeks military intervention in the Sudan (If there is a place where we have less of a national interest to be in, I don't know it). His solution to the energy crisis is windmills and solar panels. He believes there should be "no distinction" between same-sex unions and traditional marriage. The debate reminded me of the Obama-McCain meeting, with the roles reversed for the VPs-to-be. Biden may be the superior debator, but Palin is far more likeable ("Can I call you Joe?").
I told my wife that I thought that Biden "won" and she didn't believe me. Biden often used some of his time to step over the rigid border and comment on soemthing Palin said, kinda--but not quite--like what you would do in a real debate. In addition Biden knew that people would elect Obama or McCain, so he stayed on message: McCain, McCain, McCain.
I think that Palin would have won hands down if she would have said the following. "Senator Biden talks a lot about how John McCain voted for this or against that. That's because John McCain has a history of votes that we can go by. And like everyone with a history, none of us probably would have made all his decisions--and none of us would probably fee that he didn't make a mistake here or there. I would like to have the same opportunity to talk about what Barak Obama has voted for--or bills he has authored--or significant decisions he has made, but we can't reconstruct Senator Obama's voting history that well, because he doesn't have one."
Had she made that point, every time Biden talked about what McCain had done here or not done there, it would just amplify her point to some observant independents.
There was a lot of talk leading up to the debate about her being embarrassing or even taking down McCain's campaign. Now that all seems to be groundless. She did well. It's just that in the presidential what-passes-for-debates (it looks more like quiz bowl where you make up your own answers) not of that "relating" crap means anything to me. It's all about who took who on. And although she confronted Biden on enough things to make her credible, Biden made more points.
Of course it doesn't matter to me, I'm voting for Chuck Baldwin--and I don't even care if Castle would have come off like Stockdale.
Apparently despite sounding ludicrous "Bosniacs" is a correct term for Serb or Bosnian Muslims:
It does make Biden look like a pedantic ass though.
From my perspective, Palin did not win it last night. Biden is so arrogant and bad that she didn’t lose but she had opportunity upon opportunity to show the country how flawed (and dangerous) both Democratic candidates are and she didn't. This "taking the high road" from McCain's perspective will lead to him becoming Bob Dole II.
Among many highlights, a few things stood out. When Biden talked about some guy who could not afford to fill his gas tank (when Scranton Joe was pumping his own gas at the local station), Palin could have hammered the Dems on their 30 year obstruction of domestic energy production. The other was when she takes the McCain and the Dems party line on Global Warming which most thinking people recognize as a big boondoggle. And she took the party line (both parties, that is) on that “Greedy Wall Street” interpretation of our current fiscal abomination. Truth is, they’ve always been greedy. It’s the bad mortg@ge paper due to Democratic policies of allowing for loose loan qualifications that led to this foolishness. She could have put him in a corner on that as well.
Bottom line? The debate, from the GOP perspective, was too nice. The ticket had a chance to expose the weaknesses of the Democrats and they didn’t.
I like your line that "The Republican ticket, in other words, has negated the most powerful argument for its election."
However, I think they did this already when they chose McCain. I don't think McCain will become a Bob Dole II b/c of his tactics, it will happen b/c the GOP establishment handpicks who wins nominations and rewards he who tows the line best and who is "next in line" for a chance. That is what they did w/ GHB and Dole and now McCain. Also, Dole didn't and McCain doesn't have a winning strategy to define themselves against their opponent b/c they do not disagree with their opponents on much of anything.
Man I miss Ron Paul. It is nice to see the Dr. getting a good bit of airtime though since he was clearly right on the economy. He was mocked and ignored when he could have been allowed to have influence on the direction of the country but now when he is no longer a threat more media treat his ideas respectfully. What a crock.
I think the FDA should re-examine the saftey of Botox. IMO, based on limited data, it appears to shrink the brain or kill brain cells in vast quantities.
Proof, Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi.
Biden is a legend in his own weak mind. He is worse than a Beverly Hills trust fund chick.
He has bad hair plugs and is a botox junkie. Then the guy has the nerve to talk about being a blue collar guy, with blue collar values, straight from Scranton,PA. He blows smoke about being a gun owner and hunter.
Last time I checked, I haven't seen many blue collar guys with hair plugs and so much botox in the skin,it appears to be made of plastic.
The guy is a fraud,who claims to be the sharpest kinife in the kitchen, when in reality,he is closer to a soup spoon.
If I were McCain and Nobama insists on claiming he would amount to a third Bush term, I would counter with calling an Obama administration as an extension of communist and Obama mentor Frank Marshall Davis, Billy Ayers, Benadine Dohrn, as well as radical socialist Saul "Red" Alinsky.
Then maybe it will be an administration loaded with American haters, Jerimiah Wright, Louis Farrakahn.
It could even be a more corrupt administration than that of Bill and Hill Clinton, when you look at his friends, convicted felon Tony Rezko and assorted memnbers of the corrupt Daly, Chicago political machine.
If Nobama wishes to frame the debate around McCain's alliances, then I say bring it on! Obama would cry like a baby.
like mclies isn't surrounded by crooks and questionable associations. I think I see an oily lipstick mark on his collar.
You champion the fact that palin doesn't have these types of associations, but look what it comes with, she doesn't even know were Kosovo is.
Why should Americans care where Kosovo is? It has zero to do with us and is of absolutely no importance to our common good or the rule of law in America.
Hell, General Wesley Clark, doesn't know where Kosovo is,especially considering he and the Clinton administration were so INTIMIDATED by casualties, he had US bombers flying at such high altitudes,they bombed the Chinese embassy (which I didn't mind,however,I am certain Clinton cried like a baby,since the Chinese were giving him so much money,illegal donations,BTW.).
If the supreme commander of NATO, couldn't locate Kosovo,then how and why should Palin expected to know.
BTW, she wouldn't assist Bosnia set up Islamic terrorist cells, in the same manner as Clinton,Berger,and Nobama's cowardly and weak security advisor Tony Lake.
The scary thing is, Biden thinks he is a foreign policy expert, which makes me shudder at his potential advice to a clueless, appeasement-minded Obama.
The Islamic barbarians know they have nothing to fear from an Obama administration.
Terrorism will once again be treated like a bank robbery or other crime.
George "The Nazi collaborator" Soros owns Obama and he believes terrorism shoild be handled by worthless organizations like the UN and International Hauman Rights Court. In other words, do nothing except threatened the barbarians with meaningless words,resolutions,and indictments.
"Why should Americans care where Kosovo is? It has zero to do with us and is of absolutely no importance to our common good or the rule of law in America."
IDIOT! That was the mentality before 9/11 and now all the sudden we care about Afganastan. Welcome to globalization, we need to pay attention to all nations.
"his potential advice to a clueless, appeasement-minded Obama."
since when does talking to someone mean appeasment. There is a difference in appeasment and being diplomatic. More clearly, but I think you get confused with is that there is a difference between being diplomatic and being a stubborn hard nosed brat about how you try and control the whole world.
LOL Dot, Palin doesn't know where Kosovo is, Biden doesn't know which article of the Cons, deals with the executive branch.
Spin it!
Worse yet, Biden thinks there was television in 1929.
That's ok though. His boss thinks there are 57 states.
The men who would be Kings. Oy.
