Tired and Correct vs. Energetic and Imprecise: Reaction to the Biden and Palin debate

It shouldn't matter, but Joe Biden looked tired and, apart from looking a little nervous, Palin was full of energy. Biden debated the points better, but Palin connected with the camera and likely with average people...unless....unless Palin's dodges were frustrating for viewers. Whether by deliberate strategy or by instict, Palin continued to answer questions she wanted to and not the ones posed by Gwen Ifill.

On grounds of merit, Biden won. But context is everything. In making up the most ground, Palin scored big. Some pundits are already saying that her foreign policy answers were scripted. That's no shock. But she knew which ones to marshal, and that's a departure from the interviews.

Setting aside the issue of who won the debate and turning to GLBT issues, our community won't be completely satisfied with either candidate's answers. Biden outlined areas of protection that will appeal to GLBT voters such as hospital visitation. Palin indicated that John McCain wouldn't oppose those. But it was clear that she was uncomfortable discussing the issue, so she turned that discomfort to a discussion of the diversity of her friends and tolerance. Both campaigns reaffirmed their opposition to same-sex marriage.

Sarah Palin unplugged

Atheist Sam Harris discusses how unsettled he has been about the candidacy of Sarah Palin--a feeling that was recently soothed somewhat when he saw her performance in the interview with Charlie Gibson:

Let me confess that I was genuinely unnerved by Sarah Palin's performance at the Republican convention. Given her audience and the needs of the moment, I believe Governor Palin's speech was the most effective political communication I have ever witnessed. Here, finally, was a performer who—being maternal, wounded, righteous and sexy—could stride past the frontal cortex of every American and plant a three-inch heel directly on that limbic circuit that ceaselessly intones "God and country." If anyone could make Christian theocracy smell like apple pie, Sarah Palin could.

Then came Palin's first television interview with Charles Gibson. I was relieved to discover, as many were, that Palin's luster can be much diminished by the absence of a teleprompter. Still, the problem she poses to our political process is now much bigger than she is. Her fans seem inclined to forgive her any indiscretion short of cannibalism. However badly she may stumble during the remaining weeks of this campaign, her supporters will focus their outrage upon the journalist who caused her to break stride, upon the camera operator who happened to capture her fall, upon the television network that broadcast the good lady's misfortune—and, above all, upon the "liberal elites" with their highfalutin assumption that, in the 21st century, only a reasonably well-educated person should be given command of our nuclear arsenal.

Apparently, though, the McCain campaign is worried precisely that more people will take Harris' view and see Palin as unable spontaneously to handle tough questions. The New York Times is reporting that, whereas the Obama-McCain debate will be more back-and-forth between the candidates, the Biden-Palin debate will be more structured:

At the insistence of the McCain campaign, the Oct. 2 debate between the Republican nominee for vice president, Gov. Sarah Palin, and her Democratic rival, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., will have shorter question-and-answer segments than those for the presidential nominees, the advisers said. There will also be much less opportunity for free-wheeling, direct exchanges between the running mates.

McCain advisers said they had been concerned that a loose format could leave Ms. Palin, a relatively inexperienced debater, at a disadvantage and largely on the defensive.

In a year in which we are hearing the words "most watched" to describe every new speech and announcement, these debates will likely fall into the same category. Biden, who is said to have been comfortable with just about any proposed format, is clearly the more experienced policy debater. He's also been a part of several of the debates among Democratic candidates. But one might expect, despite Palin's inexperience, for the McCain campaign to be a bit less cautious. If Palin sticks to her points and keeps a cooler head than Biden, which may not be hard given his penchant for overstatement and offensive gaffes, she could conceivably hold her own with him and possibly set a trap he could walk into, whatever the format. With so many people watching and with so much at stake in this election, it's a shame we won't see a more authentic exchange between Biden and Palin.

As it stands with the more staid format, if Biden keeps a cool head, it's hard to imagine him being bested by Palin. The media commentary around the debate will provide constant reminders of the fact that it was set up to protect Palin.

Saturday night with the Dems

Sorry. I don't know where it came from, but I found it here.

Joe Biden to speak at Human Rights Campaign dinner

Senator Joe Biden will give remarks at the annual Human Rights Campaign national dinner on October 4.

A large contingent from Nashville will be heading to D.C. for the dinner. We'll have to check in with them to see how things go.

Joe Biden on Meet the Press

Joe Biden gave a good performance on Meet the Press today in the face of particularly strong questions about the influence of MBNA and lobbyists on his work in the Senate. The build up to that particular question went on forever and Biden patiently waited through quotation after quotation to respond. He was also strong on details when he spoke about the Iraq surge and bringing reconciliation among that country's factions.

What the interview revealed is that the Obama campaign is finding its voice on how to deal with Sarah Palin. Biden, who lately has had the problem of calling Palin "good looking" and referring to his wife as "drop-dead gorgeous" (and then remembering that she's smart), has become more focused on referring to "tough, smart women." He used the phrase several times today.

But more substantively he went on the attack without seeming angry. He said that he didn't know her policy positions. He specifically pointed out that he hasn't heard a policy position in which Palin is in agreement with Hillary Clinton. And he went further in saying, "Her silence on the issues is deafening."

He also made clear the reason why we don't know her policy positions. The McCain campaign has "sequestered" her, in his words. At the end of the interview, Tom Brockaw reminded the viewers that Meet the Press would like to have her on the program. Some are already charging that the McCain campaign is trying to stall access to Palin:

Since her debut in Dayton, Ohio, the McCain campaign has been receiving about 80-100 requests a day from news organizations around the world, according to spokesman Ben Porritt, who said interest in an interview was "through the roof" and that the campaign was going through them now.

"There's no doubt in my mind that the McCain campaign would like to run out on the clock on this," said David Chalian, political director for ABC News.

Update: Sarah Palin to be interviewed. ABC gets the prize.

Ohio woman tells Bredesen she supports Biden

An Ohio paper catches up with Governor Phil Bredesen while he's stumping and stomping around the Buckeye state for Barack Obama. Prior to being publicly named as Obama's vice presidential pick, Biden received the strong endorsement of one voter Bredesen came across:

Linda Love, a retired Chillicothe Telephone employee, spoke with Bredesen Friday about her strong feelings Obama should choose Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

Biden is one of three presumptive vice-presidential front-runners - Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana and Virginia Gov. Tom Kaine also are on that short list.

"I told him if Obama picks Biden, I'll vote for him," Love said. "Otherwise, I'll not vote. I'm not stupid enough to vote for a Republican. Most of us were for (Hillary) Clinton, but when Obama got it, we had to switch gears."

Love feels 65-year-old Biden has the experience Obama lacks and Bayh, 52, and Kaine, 50, are too young.

"We need someone now who can do something. Our country is such a mess," Love said.

Biden messaging already in place

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has already updated its fundraising script. I got a call this afternoon touting Obama's choice of Senator Joe Biden as his running mate.