"What it's like to debate Sarah Palin"

[orleans]

I know firsthand: She's a master of the nonanswer.

I should know. I've debated Governor Palin more than two dozen times. And she's a master, not of facts, figures, or insightful policy recommendations, but at the fine art of the nonanswer, the glittering generality. Against such charms there is little Senator Biden, or anyone, can do.

~snip~

Palin is a master of the nonanswer. She can turn a 60-second response to a query about her specific solutions to healthcare challenges into a folksy story about how she's met people on the campaign trail who face healthcare challenges. All without uttering a word about her public-policy solutions to healthcare challenges.

In one debate, a moderator asked the candidates to name a bill the legislature had recently passed that we didn't like. I named one. Democratic candidate Tony Knowles named one. But Sarah Palin instead used her allotted time to criticize the incumbent governor, Frank Murkowski. Asked to name a bill we did like, the same pattern emerged: Palin didn't name a bill.

And when she does answer the actual question asked, she has a canny ability to connect with the audience on a personal level. For example, asked to name a major issue that had been ignored during the campaign, I discussed the health of local communities, Mr. Knowles talked about affordable healthcare, and Palin talked about ... the need to protect hunting and fishing rights.

(more)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1001/p09s01-coop.html

[Journeyman]

1. Oh, yes, she's been very successful with that tact in all her recent interviews. . .

"I'll have to get back to you on that" just isn't going to cut it in a national forum.

[connecticut yankee]

4. But you've got to admit

she is "adorable."

NOT!

[KansDem]

5. I agree...

...just isn't going to cut it in a national forum.

She tried this folksy "charm" on Gibson and Couric and it failed...miserably. I think she and the GOP know that what worked up in Alaska isn't going to work in the lower 49. I think that's the reason for the extensive debate prep at McCain's ranch in Arizona...

[juno jones]

2. She is an empty bag of hair. n/t

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

12. How can an empty bag also be full of hair? *

* This is a "gotcha" journalism question.

[juno jones]

18. HAH, you're absolutely right!

Don't blame me, I stole it from Pravda a week or so ago. It seemed to sum her up so well. :)

[TroglodyteScholar]

19. It didn't say "full of hair"

"Empty bag of hair" could also mean a bag made out of hair that has nothing inside. :P

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

20. Riddle me this, Sherlock Matlock:

If a bag made of hair contains nothing else, and is closed and laid flat, does the bag not contain hair, even though the bag itself is made of hair? Does this not imply that the bag contains hair?

[TroglodyteScholar]

25. Hm...

:fuddletude:

[blisteringcold]

3. She's still over her head

When it's time to debate Biden she's just going to look like a blubbering idiot. People may accept nonanswers when you're running for governor or mayor but when your running for vp the stakes are much to high and I think she knows that.

[orleans]

10. i agree. welcome to du. n/t

[blisteringcold]

14. Thanks =D

[KitSileya]

30. I wish I had as much faith in the American electorate as you do.

I think they'll accept nonanswers quite willingly - we're talking about the people who nearly voted Bush** into office twice, you know.

[MoJoWorkin]

6. Biden is more than her equal in ability to tell riveting personal stories, but he also

has a wealth of knowledge on every subject under the sun---something Palin cannot obtain in a few days, a few years, or her lifetime.

Still, I do worry that the low info voter will be lured by her "charms."

[arikara]

7. I've heard she did alright in debates

I know people are looking forward to this debate to see what she'll come out with and do so hope that their expectations are met. However I've heard she does ok in debates and the bar is set pretty low.

[ColbertWatcher]

8. So, she's a troll? Biden should rickroll her then.

Come on.

Palin sounds like every freeper we've ever encountered on these, the internets.

Easily dispatched.

[Jim__]

9. I wonder if there are tapes from her debates.

Watching the tapes would probably help Biden.

[ThoughtCriminal]

13. Yes - here's one

Not sure how to get a direct link, but here's one example courtest of MWB's World and Blip TV:

http://mwbworld.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah-palin-2006-debate.html

[dhpgetsit]

26. "Democracy is more than two wolves and a sheep deciding what to have for dinner"

Nice one!

[Jim__]

29. Thanks. Interesting debate.

I'm not sure she won that debate. The 2 men were on the same side of each issue and she was on the opposite side; so she gets all the people that agree with her, and the men divide the people who disagree with her.

She sounds like she's very natural in a debate. I think for the Couric interview she was forced to fall back on canned answers by the people running the McCain campaign. I hope they demand the she stays with their canned answers for this debate. It will hurt her performance.

[davepc]

17. there are lots of clips on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Palin+Alaska+debate&search_type=&aq=f

[ThoughtCriminal]

11. It can be hard to get a hndle on someone like that

But old tricks are not working so well in this election. We have real problems that have nothing to do with shooting wolves and oil dividend checks.

[Blue_In_AK]

15. Andrew Halcro's blog has been very informative.

He's been a consistent critic of hers since before the election in 2006, and I always appreciate his viewpoint since, as a former Republican, he can't be accused of political bias. A direct link is here.

http://www.andrewhalcro.com/blog/admin

It should also be pointed out that Andrew was the first to quesstion Sarah's firing of Walt Monegan. We in Alaska owe him a debt of gratitude for being so persistent.

[many a good man]

16. BEST QUOTE OF THE CAMPAIGN:

"On paper, the difference in experience on both domestic and foreign policy is like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing a bullet."

[pnwmom]

21. She terrifies me. I'm afraid she'll come across as a young Reagan.

And half the country will be duped again.

And I was right about her convention speech. Despite the taunts of many here, her speech was very well received by the larger public.

[DeepModem Mom]

22. A word-of-warning K&R.

[Ichingcarpenter]

23. I think its an informative article... I don't underestimate her ability

to use sound bites and ignore the questions.

I know Joe will do fine, he has one the greatest minds and debaters in the Democratic Party
helping him prepare. I'm sure they already know this and have seen all the videos and articles
on her.

[dhpgetsit]

24. Biden is a shrewd debater

Even though he is well known for saying the wrong thing from time to time, I think he is going to stand in stark contrast against her.

He will use anecdotes as well as she can, but in doing so, he will display a vastly superior knowledge of the issues.

People who are only looking for a folksy churchy hocky mom won't be disappointed in her, but people who are looking for meaningful answers to difficult questions will.

[lunatica]

27. Our lowered expectations will be met. Ego, Palin wins!

Biden will be too brainy, too elite, too educated, not connecting with the masses, too old, too talkative, too knowledgeable, too caught up in facts... and figures. Too historical, too cool, too warm, too specific, too full of useless information, too stale, too grown up, too smiling, too accurate and too pedantic.

Palin, on the other hand will be just right. Like Goldilocks!

[alcibiades_mystery]

28. This is big fish in small pond type stuff

Alaskans are likely willing to put up with such fluff in the sinecure that is the Alaskan governship, which is really little more than a distribution center for oil funds. That's like Single-A ball. People will tolerate a little incompetent eccentricity, because the stakes are fairly low.

BuT Sarah Palin is playing in the majors now. You have to be able to hit the fastball, no matter how much you dance and carry on with the mascot in between innings.