Biden and Palin debate rapid response reaction
On Palin:
- One story dominates for Palin: she easily exceeded expectations. This pauses the the string of negatives for the McCain camp and is an opportunity to try to relaunch the campaign on firmer footing.
- Palin was more aggressive than expected in trying to discredit Biden’s credibility. She has some success when repeating although factually incorrectly her traditional mantras about big government and taxes, and whiffed completely when she attempted to correct the senator on how to chant about oil drilling.
On Biden, with a more complicated mission in hand, a couple more comments:
- Biden also avoided a humiliating gaffe. He looked authoritative, in great command of the facts, while also showing a human, and open side of him. His opening up when talking about his son after the car crash, is probably the most memorable moment of the debate.
- Biden’sdiscipline was inconsistent although given his reputation he could have done much worse. Early on he was right on message talking about the middle class and the economy, but then inexplicably got bogged down talking at length about issues voters are not likely to connect with like Bosnia and Darfur. Early on he brought up Obama on message but later in the debate he seemed to get carried away off message.
- While the idea of Biden as advisor and witness to Obama’s character was credible after the debate, it is not clear that Palin will convince America of her role as partner in reform. Her folksiness probably will reinforce doubts about her.
- Biden just dropped the ball on explaining that domestic hydrocarbons supply is an insufficient answer to energy independence. He started using basic numbers but then got got lost instead of making the basic case that new exploration will not soon enough will be a drop in the bucket. This was a missed teachable moment for are the viewers. Instead we heard catch phrases like “all of the above”. Given the centrality of energy in the country future, this was a large omission.
- Finally Biden showed great elegance in the way he handled debating a young, attractive, folksy and fiery woman. This was was delicate task, but was handled confidently and will not be a source of distraction in the post debate analysis. I think women viewers will be reassured and comforted by it, and men will be all too ready to identify with the way Joe Biden handled himself.
Tags: Alaska, election 2008, gaffe, Joe Biden, Sarah Palin, vice presidential debate
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