Palin Scorned Biden's Tragedy

[torbird]

In the closing moments of the debate, Joe Biden opened up and made a very timely, very touching observation about life as a single parent. Why was he a single parent? He very sensitively and appropriately explained, without any maudlin dwelling on details, or pathos, that his wife and daughter were killed in a car accident. His two sons were also badly injured in the same incident.

Now, Joe Biden has talked about this before, and perhaps that was why Governor Sarah Palin, given a chance by moderator Gwen Ifill to respond to Biden on the challenges facing American families, instead completely ignored him and launched into an unrelated string of talking points, including what a maverick John McCain supposedly is, and how she governed Alaska, and how America has a bad economy.

But she couldn't even muster the simple decency or grace to acknowledge that Joe Biden had suffered a tragedy. A mere "I'm sorry, Senator, for your loss," would have sufficed before she began her irrelevant, wandering patter.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden have gone out of their way to note and applaud the humanity and sacrifice of John McCain and, to a lesser extent, Sarah Palin. But neither McCain nor Palin can conjure the strength to do the same. What is wrong with the Republican nominees that they are so tone deaf, so callous?

Or was Sarah Palin so busy frantically shuffling her cue cards looking for that last, unused talking point, that she just didn't hear Joe Biden at all?

[Debi]

1. She has NO heart.

There are plenty of words I could use to describe her right now.

[Window]

2. Cold.

[tblue]

3. That jumped out at me, too. She has no heart.

She missed an opportunity to prove she is not an ice bitch.

I started bawling when he got to that point -- and I am not one who cries much. And Sarah didn't miss a beat.

I do believe this will strike a visceral chord. People may not realize why they disconnected with her, but this will be the reason.

[kestrel91316]

4. Republicans do not consider Democrats human beings.

You hadn't noticed this until now? Sarah Palin cares no more about Joe Biden's family travails than she does the homey goings-on of a family of mice. Probably even less.

[RagAss]

5. True...we are animals to them..targets to be gunned down one day...

and we better wake the fuck up !!!!!!

[Cha]

6. palin couldn't get off script..that wasn't

in her cue cards..did not compute.

Sounds like a major gaffe.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

7. A sociopath with a low I.Q. and a surgically altered middle aged body nt

[kansasblue]

8. 'nothing happens in a vacuum'. That's what I tell speakers...

It reminds me of a wedding I was at. The bride told a very moving story about the loss of her Dad. She moved the crowd to tears. Next up was the band leader to kick off the entertainment. He just went on and announced the 'kick ass band' and started playing. He seemed like an ass. He should have paused. Said a kind word. You need to acknowledge the emotion.

Every time someone speaks they need to be aware of what was said or done before them and what will happen after.


I don't think Sarah intended to be mean she was just very wrapped up in the debate. But that's a missed opportunity show emotion and empathy. She looked cold.

[Kablooie]

9. Biden almost broke down and it was real.

I was completely deaf to anything Palin was saying because I was so moved by this.

[BrklynLiberal]

10. She was like a wind up toy with recorded answers. An off the cuff response

was not part of her pre-recorded answers.
If she had gone off script she would not have been able to find her place and get back to the right place in the talking points.

[vaberella]

11. I dont' want to talk about that...she disgusts me!! He almost cried. Did you hear it?! n/t

[bevoette]

12. OK, i honestly had a bit of a different take...

i think she was COMPLETELY caught off guard by that...and had absolutely no idea what she should say

she was so rehearsed, she had prepared for every question, even those she didn't know the answer to, she'd rehearsed her 'dodge and pivot' maneuver...

and THAT moment...nobody had planned for at all.


that's the only time all night i thought she actually looked PANICKED