What Joe Biden might be up against in the vice presidential debate
Jed Lewison over on HuffPo has written a piece on Sarah Palin’s debating skills and compiled this video of some of her answers during gubernatorial (new favourite American word) debates in Alaska:
The press is full of compliments about Palin’s debating skills right now; and Lewison similarly argues that on Sarah’s past form, he expects she “will do just fine”.
And while I don’t doubt for a second that Palin will excel at what Lewison calls “values-oriented language” tomorrow night, I do doubt that she will do well based on those Alaskan debates. Because while one may or may not agree with her stances in the footage above, say, she clearly knows what she’s talking about in terms of Alaskan issues and politics.
All her interviews thus far, however, have shown that she has no clue when it comes to big national issues and international affairs. Despite, y’know, reading all those papers that are put in front of her. “All of ‘em”.
If the VP debate focuses on these two big issues, I think Biden will do just fine – and Palin will hopefully come across as the clueless no-hoper she is. And if she goes on the attack, and Biden keeps cool and generous (as Obama did in the face of McCain’s sneers and body language), then hopefully she’ll receive as negative a public reaction as McCain did. And either way: if she just keeps talking for her 90 seconds without pausing for breath – as she seems to do above – then maybe America will just be sick to death of the sound of her voice by the end of the debate, and be unable to contemplate four more years of it? (In simple oratorial, cadence tones, McCain and Palin are an utter nightmare compared to the voices of Obama and Biden).
Ah well. Not that any of the above matters, really – because I doubt Sarah Palin’s performance one way or the other will have much of an effect on actual votes. People needed to see and hear Obama to be turned on to him – and many were. Most people, however, have made up their minds – very strongly – one way or the other about Sarah Palin. And tomorrow night, as they say: I’m sure that people who like that sort of thing, will find that they like that sort of thing.
Tags: barack obama, debate, Joe Biden, Sarah Palin, vice presidential debate
October 1st, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Please don’t take this the wrong way, but a friend has recommended that I reach out to you about a problem that you may be having but may not be aware of: Have you ever considered whether your ostentatious support for Senator Barack Obama is really a disguise that hides a deeply anchored form of racism towards Black-Americans?
Racism comes in many forms, and there is a significant possibility that your sponsorship of Senator Obama is really an obsessive compulsion to prove to yourself, and to others, that you are not a racist. Have you looked within yourself and examined your motives?
Sure, we can turn it all into a joke, like some have: an Obama lawn-sign is the yuppy status-symbol du jour; a hip and shiny accessory, this season’s iPhone. “But dear, every Volvo in the Whole Foods parking lot has an Obama sticker on it!”—that’s yet another parody of White property-owning affluence as described by stuffwhitepeoplelike.com
Have you really considered why you are so fixated by Senator Obama? How important was the pigmentation of Obama’s skin in spurring your interest? Do you really believe that he, or anyone else for that matter, is more qualified to run for the presidency than Senator Hillary Clinton? C’mon, let’s be honest with ourselves; that’s the first step in the healing process.
Isn’t making a big deal out of Obama’s skin color just another form of racism?
Unfortunately, Senator Obama and his team have approached this question in a very cynical way. Can anyone really brand former President Bill Clinton a racist? After all he had done for Black people? Well, the Obama campaign did. Can anyone accuse the Rev. Jesse Jackson of being a racist against Blacks? The Obama campaign almost did.
You should be absolutely certain that you are not being carried over to the voting booth upon a guilt trip. You should take this opportunity to look deeply within yourself and ask, “Why did I fall for Obama? Why am I, after all that we have accomplished on racial issues, still feeling guilty? Am I an unconscious racist? Am I any better than those who pretend not to stare at an inter-racial couple?”
I’m sorry to tell you that voting for Obama does not absolve you of racism, it may even confirm it. You may be besotted by Obama because he’s the least-black, half-Black politician out there. Did you catch yourself thinking that Obama is remarkably “clean” and “articulate,” as Senator Joe Biden condescendingly said?
I beg you to visit http://www.instituteforhealingracism.org, and allow the healing process to begin. Cleanse your soul of the last vestiges of racism, and come over to a better world of hope, understanding and self-awareness.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Thanks for your comment – but I don’t think we’ve ever mentioned Barack Obama’s skin colour on here. And I am not once suggesting that anybody votes for him because he is black.
And personally, I and the other contributors to this site won’t be “carried over to the voting booth upon a guilt trip” because we’re British. So we can’t vote.
I think I can safely say that my admiration and support for Barack Obama is not led by his skin colour. Certainly, his has achieved great things as a black man, and therefore a member of an oppressed group – there is no denying that, and I am fascinated to learn his own thoughts and explorations on the issue of race in his book Dreams From My Father, which I’m currently reading.
No, my admiration and support for Barack Obama come from the fact that he is clearly a supremely intelligent, brilliant, thoughtful, compassionate, talented, caring and liberal man. And if he was white and had all those qualities I’d love him – and want him in the White House – just the same.