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Pulitzer Prize winner Clarence Page began his career in journalism as editor for the Middletown Journal and Cincinnati Inquirer, and received his ...
Read more about By Clarence Page, Tribune Media Services.
Pulitzer Prize winner Clarence Page began his career in journalism as editor for the Middletown Journal and Cincinnati Inquirer, and received his ...
Read more about By Clarence Page, Tribune Media Services.
It Was Palin's Night To Avoid Losing
By Clarence Page, Tribune Media Services
Sen. Joe Biden won, yet Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin did not lose.
That's because the bar was set so low for this year's only vice presidential debate. All either candidate had to do was walk across it. Scoring would be based on which candidate would make the fewest mistakes.
Democrat Biden, long known for excessive gab and occasional gaffes, exceeded expectations in a debate for which expectations were exceedingly low. He won on substance. That was no surprise. He's been in the Senate since Palin was in grade school. He knows a lot of stuff.
But substance is not enough to win presidential debates that essentially are television shows, largely aimed at persuading still-undecided voters. Many of these voters choose candidates based less on detailed issues than on which one seems "just like me, only maybe not quite as cool."
As a result, despite having "Washington Week in Review" host Gwen Ifill as its moderator, this TV show felt more like a political version of "Jeopardy." A Democrat with a reputation for talking too much meets a Republican with a reputation for knowing too little.
That was Palin. She had something to prove, even to Republicans, after her stumbles in national TV interviews. The world wanted to know not only how she would answer questions but also whether she could.
Palin had to prove she was worthy of remaining Sen. John McCain's running mate, despite her awkward answers and non-answers to interview questions.
In her interview with CBS anchor Katie Couric, for example, she said she read newspapers but, when pressed, could not name one.
When asked which Supreme Court decisions she opposed, besides the Roe v. Wade abortion rights decision, she rambled without mentioning any. Maybe it was simply nerves that caused her to forget the Supreme Court decision about the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. She criticized that in TV interviews only a few months ago. Still many wondered if the young governor was ready for the national spotlight.
Between Couric and debate night in St. Louis, someone must have reminded the former TV sportscaster and Miss Alaska runner-up of an old broadcast industry adage: People may not hear all that you say, but they'll always remember how you said it. This time she turned on her 40-megawatt smile powerfully enough to charm the rust off a minivan.
She put a twinkle in her talk with sprinkles of aw-shucks cutesy folksy nuggets like, "I betcha" and "heck of a lot" and "Main Streeters like me" what she and McCain were "gonna do" when they get to Washington.
Mainly she cheerfully repeated the same basic talking points, barely rephrasing them each time. The key words included "maverick" to describe McCain and herself and "same old politics" to describe Obama and Biden. Her cheerful responses, punctuated by eyewinks once or twice, had an oddly poll-tested flavor to them.
When she did not have a rehearsed answer, she simply ignored the question Ifill or Biden asked and responded to some other question she preferred to ask herself.
Not that she didn't warn us. She announced with bold audacity at the outset that she just might not respond to Ifill or Biden because she was "gonna talk right to the American people." You betcha.
In the end, she sounded pleased with her hijacking of the agenda. "I like being able to answer these tough questions without the filter, even, of the mainstream media kind of telling viewers what they've just heard," she said to a mainstream-media television camera.
"I'd rather be able to just speak to the American people like we just did," she said. Sure. Who wouldn't like to govern without having to answer to those pesky reporters and their pesky follow-up questions.
Next to Palin's game-show perkiness, Biden seemed almost quaint and old-fashioned. He actually stuck to issues. He waged a withering attack on trickle-down economics and eloquently eviscerated McCain-Palin's "maverick" pose as skillfully as she might kill and field dress a moose.
He outlined encouraging proposals to bring economic recovery and affordable health care, at long last, to middle class Americans. He avoided gaffes and excessive gab and articulated his party's sense of purpose. But this was Palin's night to win or, at least, avoid losing.
For all the hoopla surrounding vice presidential debates, history shows they don't have much effect on the guys or, someday, women at the top of their tickets. This year could be different. Whether she wins the White House for McCain or not, she gave his supporters a little less reason to feel embarrassed.
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E-mail Clarence Page at cpage(at)tribune.com, or write to him c/o Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY 14207.
(c) 2008 CLARENCE PAGE DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
This news arrived on: 10/05/2008
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Posted Comments:
10-07-2008 04:07
ed wrote:
You know I too would be right on the economy if I stood on both sides of the fence, if I didn't make a stand. Where was Obama when the Democrats (Barney Frank etc) pushed to lessen the requirements for home loans? Where was he when Congress was debating the bailout? Could it be because he has no clue as to where he stands?
As for the comment about finally, affordable health care for the middle class. If you're in the middle class, presumably you have a job and your employer helps meet those financial obligations there. I am currently living in England where healthcare is universal. I will tell you, it is TERRIBLE. It's free; it's available to everyone, but the care is WAY below US standards. What's the incentive for someone to better their life if everyone gets the same benefits, take home pay due to excessive taxes for the higher earner? The Democratic party is for the lazy, freeloading dreamers.
As for the comment about finally, affordable health care for the middle class. If you're in the middle class, presumably you have a job and your employer helps meet those financial obligations there. I am currently living in England where healthcare is universal. I will tell you, it is TERRIBLE. It's free; it's available to everyone, but the care is WAY below US standards. What's the incentive for someone to better their life if everyone gets the same benefits, take home pay due to excessive taxes for the higher earner? The Democratic party is for the lazy, freeloading dreamers.
10-06-2008 22:02
SNOOKIE wrote:
Palin
Palins "Joe, six pack". hockey Mom, cutesy,folksy attitude is nauseating to say the least- and a VP winking to the crowd? Give me a break- She should audition in Hollywood as she sure can present prescripted words and act the part- But as a VP choice? Cannot even believe that McCain could stoop that low to put our country in such danger should something happen to him, should he be elected-They have tutored her well and she can deliver the desperate attempt to smear Obama just like they did to Kerry- How low can the republicans get to be spouting the downright lies about Obama- Their desperation is beginning to show-I hope the American people can see through this tactic that has seemed to work for the past 2 elections- How sad for our country and for us, the American hard working people if they believe all these lies- We have a chance to help turn this country around by voting for Obama/Biden-
10-06-2008 15:42
Fireshark81 wrote:
Critism of Clarence Page
Did those of you who are criticizing the author not realize that his views represent the Left?? And would you not expect him to be liberally biased then?? And if you look at the column headings for the other writers, you might just notice they say From the Right. So, in other words, if a writer agrees with you, then that is perfectly fine...but if they disagree, then they have bias??
And as for Ms. Palin not answering questions she didn't like, it sounds like a typical politician sidestepping uncomfortable issues or perhaps a politician who doesn't know the answers?? In over her head? A debate should be an opportunity to get information about how a candidate stands on the issues, not an opportunity to talk about anything they want... That does nothing to help voters make an informed decision about whom they want to vote for.
And as for Ms. Palin not answering questions she didn't like, it sounds like a typical politician sidestepping uncomfortable issues or perhaps a politician who doesn't know the answers?? In over her head? A debate should be an opportunity to get information about how a candidate stands on the issues, not an opportunity to talk about anything they want... That does nothing to help voters make an informed decision about whom they want to vote for.
10-06-2008 11:54
Orminon in North Carolina wrote:
Palin's Night
From this Independent's point of view, Clarence Page hit the nail on the head!
Gwen Ifill would make a far better VP then Sarah
Palin could ever dream of being.
Palin's perky one liners and the personable winks confirmed her crowd charming abilities, but didn't hide her ignorance on important issues and how far out of her league she is with world class governance.
The scary part is that this uninformed, grinning cheer leader would be so close to the US presidency.
John McCain has shown a disturbing lack of judgement in his VP choice.
Joe Bidden behaved in the debate like the true statesman that he is.
Bidden displayed his ability to understand and discuss relevant facts.
Even when Bidden realized that "may I call you Joe?" had been a set up by Palin, for a later punch below the belt, he reacted with a poise he has rarely shown before.
Barack Obama's choice for VP, his correct calls on the economy, and sticking to the issues, show his wisdom and global political savvy.
McCain's poor judgement was demonstrated more recently in his knee jerk reaction to the economic crisis, and now his choice to avoid issues and to distort facts about Obama.
The country clearly needs a change to more intelligent leadership. Obama/Bidden can provide it, McCain/Palin cannot.
Gwen Ifill would make a far better VP then Sarah
Palin could ever dream of being.
Palin's perky one liners and the personable winks confirmed her crowd charming abilities, but didn't hide her ignorance on important issues and how far out of her league she is with world class governance.
The scary part is that this uninformed, grinning cheer leader would be so close to the US presidency.
John McCain has shown a disturbing lack of judgement in his VP choice.
Joe Bidden behaved in the debate like the true statesman that he is.
Bidden displayed his ability to understand and discuss relevant facts.
Even when Bidden realized that "may I call you Joe?" had been a set up by Palin, for a later punch below the belt, he reacted with a poise he has rarely shown before.
Barack Obama's choice for VP, his correct calls on the economy, and sticking to the issues, show his wisdom and global political savvy.
McCain's poor judgement was demonstrated more recently in his knee jerk reaction to the economic crisis, and now his choice to avoid issues and to distort facts about Obama.
The country clearly needs a change to more intelligent leadership. Obama/Bidden can provide it, McCain/Palin cannot.
10-06-2008 11:22
Connie wrote:
It was Palin's night to avoid losing
Shame on you, Clarence Page, for using your position to attempt to destroy the most refreshing, honest- speaking candidate the poliical world has seen in decades. Your bias is embarassingly evident.
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