Sarah Palin: useless Hood Ornament on the Straight-talk express

Well, wouldn't want anyone to actually TALK to her. She's basically designed to be a carefully controlled cypher for the party. But hey, at least she's a strong, AMERICAN, mouthpiece.

In 8 days we've heard:

1 convention speech and 1 stump speech (condensed version of the convention speech) - written by other people.
0 questions asked and answered by press

WTF is this chick's problem?

"Some Washington pundits and media big shots are at a frenzy over the selection of a woman who has governed rather than just talked a good game on the Sunday talk shows and hit the Washington cocktail circuit." - Fred Thompson

Everyone knows that campaigning is completely scripted. It's about staying on message. Political jujitsu is all about being able to take whatever question is posed and turning it into one of your own talking points. Obama and Biden know this...they've been campaigning for the past 18 months.

Lionel Mandrake: WTF is this chick's problem?

She's a token meant to attract PUMAs and evangelicals. If she were to actually start speaking her own mind the McCain campaign would start hemorrhaging independent supporters in every state.

Be vewwy, vewwy quiet. Hockey mom is hunting mooses.

MorrisBird: Be vewwy, vewwy quiet. Hockey mom is hunting mooses.

*giggle*

First question on Meet the Press:

"Governor Palin, would you explain your position on teenagepregnancytroopergatemoosekillerWHAARRRGLEBAARGHLE??"

Lionel Mandrake: WTF is this chick's problem?

Well, considering the instant turn-off to independents that any reasonable question and answer session would cause...I'd say she's going to be kept underwraps as much as possible.

The VP debate will be forced to be moderated in a certain way. She'll get 10 talking points to stick to and she'll be told to just stick to those and not stray from repeating them.

McCain is in full "close your eyes and hope for the best" mode.

bulldg4life: The VP debate will be forced to be moderated in a certain way. She'll get 10 talking points to stick to and she'll be told to just stick to those and not stray from repeating them.

I would be surprised if there is a VP debate. Biden is a pretty clever guy, and if all she is doing is echoing a couple of talking points he is going to make her look like a tool.

DarthBrooks: First question on Meet the Press:

"Governor Palin, would you explain your position on teenagepregnancytroopergatemoosekillerWHAARRRGLEBAARGHLE??"

Because no other politician has been asked about their scandals on Sunday talk television before, right?

I doubt they'll find a way to cancel the debate. I mean, that would completely validate every "unprepared" comment from every person. The backlash from that would be unbelievable. It would completely destroy McCain's hope of winning independents and moderates.

If they keep her on a strict talking points line, then McCain can hope for Biden to hang himself and they can always pump the "Biden was a bully" the next morning.

The FOX show is all about projecting that idealized image the GOP wants you to believe. You don't think they'll have anyone critical of her in their little show, do you?
She's a character in a soap opera.
Moose Hunting Hockey Mom Maverick played by Sarah Palin starring in How the GOP Spins.
She'll appear on TV when she's told to and she'll do a good job of reading her script.

Lionel Mandrake: In 8 days we've heard:

1 convention speech and 1 stump speech (condensed version of the convention speech) - written by other people.
0 questions asked and answered by press

WTF is this chick's problem?

She talks like a fag, and her shiats all retarded?

bulldg4life: Lionel Mandrake: WTF is this chick's problem?

Well, considering the instant turn-off to independents that any reasonable question and answer session would cause...I'd say she's going to be kept underwraps as much as possible.

The VP debate will be forced to be moderated in a certain way. She'll get 10 talking points to stick to and she'll be told to just stick to those and not stray from repeating them.

McCain is in full "close your eyes and hope for the best" mode.

Yeah, I love how this bold, independent, moose-hunting, westerner is afraid to face questions (from reporters AND lawyers), but we're supposed to take her seriously as a candidate.

"Keep the mean reporters away from me, but don't you worry, I have what it takes to be President!"

I'm gonna jump on the "there will be no VP debate" bandwagon. She'll pull out.

DamnYankees: She'll pull out.

Those fundies and their last acceptable method of birth control. Shouldn't they have learned by now that the result of the pull out method is teenage pregnan . . . oh wait.

She'll probably make the debate. I predict she'll be wearing a secret ear-piece (ie. the Bush-Kerry debates) and that she'll have concise and self-contradicting talking points, not to mention scripted personal attacks. She may fake cry as a ploy for sympathy.

MorrisBird: Be vewwy, vewwy quiet. Hockey mom is hunting mooses.

Musn't...spew...coffee....

bulldg4life: I doubt they'll find a way to cancel the debate.

Cancel what debate? Has one been scheduled or even agreed to?

ExJerseyGirl: bulldg4life: I doubt they'll find a way to cancel the debate.

Cancel what debate? Has one been scheduled or even agreed to?

Yes, there is one VP debate on I believe October 2.

ExJerseyGirl: Cancel what debate? Has one been scheduled or even agreed to?

I was wondering this, myself.

Just an FYI:

Obama will also be on "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" on MSNBC, Monday at 8 PM.

Rascal King: She's basically designed to be a carefully controlled cypher siren for the party.

fix'd

The Fox News show, An American Woman, will give us sufficient background on her. Good for her for not stooping to appearing on the Sunday morning liberal "news" shows.

PSA:

First presidential debate
Friday, September 26
The University of Mississippi, Oxford, Miss.
Jim Lehrer
Executive Editor and Anchor, The NewsHour, PBS

Vice presidential debate
Thursday, October 2
Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.
Gwen Ifill
Senior Correspondent, The NewsHour, and Moderator and Managing Editor, Washington Week, PBS

Second presidential debate (town meeting)
Tuesday, October 7
Belmont University, Nashville, Tenn.
Tom Brokaw
Special Correspondent, NBC News

Third presidential debate
Wednesday, October 15
Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y.
Bob Schieffer
CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent, and Host, Face the Nation

Each debate will begin at 9:00 p.m. EDT.

ExJerseyGirl: The Fox News show, An American Woman, will give us sufficient background on her. Good for her for not stooping to appearing on the Sunday morning liberal "news" shows.

Are you kidding me? Rupert Murdoch has honed Fox News into his own special GOP cheer leading squad.
Meet the Press, This Week in Washington ant other like NEWS shows asks real questions and address top issues with neutrality.

It's like your saying if you ask the candidates tough questions then you must be a liberal.

Lionel Mandrake: PSA:

First presidential debate
Friday, September 26
The University of Mississippi, Oxford, Miss.
Jim Lehrer
Executive Editor and Anchor, The NewsHour, PBS

Vice presidential debate
Thursday, October 2
Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.
Gwen Ifill
Senior Correspondent, The NewsHour, and Moderator and Managing Editor, Washington Week, PBS

Second presidential debate (town meeting)
Tuesday, October 7
Belmont University, Nashville, Tenn.
Tom Brokaw
Special Correspondent, NBC News

Third presidential debate
Wednesday, October 15
Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y.
Bob Schieffer
CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent, and Host, Face the Nation

Each debate will begin at 9:00 p.m. EDT.

Thanks. I am glad that Gwen gets to moderate the VP debate.

bulldg4life: I doubt they'll find a way to cancel the debate.

They could pray for another well-timed hurricane.

ExJerseyGirl: Cancel what debate? Has one been scheduled or even agreed to?

Here, I'll help you out.

Vice Presidential Debate 2008 main page (new window)

November 19, 2007 - Commission on Presidential Debates Announces Sites, Dates, Formats and Candidate Selection Criteria for 2008 General Election (new window)

Mark Farner's wild, shirtless lyrics, the bong-rattling bass of Mel Schacher, and the competent drum work of Don Brewer frown on Fox News documentary shenanigans.

/ kaminariko beat me to it.

Lionel Mandrake: PSA:

Vice presidential debate
Thursday, October 2
Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.
Gwen Ifill
Senior Correspondent, The NewsHour, and Moderator and Managing Editor, Washington Week, PBS

All-right! That's about the time the TrooperGate investigation report should be released, no?

I wish I could be there live and bring popcorn. As it is, I'll still have time to get home from work and make popcorn. If she doesn't chicken out or have a "family emergency" or something, I predict this will be the most entertaining thing on TV this fall.

Lionel Mandrake: In 8 days we've heard:

1 convention speech and 1 stump speech (condensed version of the convention speech) - written by other people.
0 questions asked and answered by press

WTF is this chick's problem?

She doesn't have any answers to any questions yet. She's probably undergoing some serious media training and getting a crash-course in domestic and foreign policy.

I would have loved to ask her a pointed question on the conflict between Georgia and Russia in South Ossetia after I saw a clip of her bringing it up in her speech, or her feelings on the fragile political alliance in the Ukraine. And when people would start saying "But the Vice President doesn't need to know those things!" I could remind them where our current Vice President just was, and the states he was just speaking in.

ExJerseyGirl: The Fox News show, An American Woman, will give us sufficient background on her. Good for her for not stooping to appearing on the Sunday morning liberal "news" shows.

So you have no problem with the VP candidate not answering a single question?

GAT_00: So you have no problem with the VP candidate not answering a single question?

I'm almost certain ExJerseyGirl was trolling. Maybe not, though. I'm a little hungover and my troll-o-meter might be malfunctioning due to lack of coffee.

Hender: I would have loved to ask her a pointed question on the conflict between Georgia and Russia in South Ossetia after I saw a clip of her bringing it up in her speech, or her feelings on the fragile political alliance in the Ukraine. And when people would start saying "But the Vice President doesn't need to know those things!" I could remind them where our current Vice President just was, and the states he was just speaking in.

The problem is she will learn enough sounds like she know what she's talking about in the debates. And what will happen is that everyone will be so impressed that she sounds like she's heard of these issues, they won't care if she's *right* about them.

The very fact that she'll be able to use the word Al-Anbar and Sunni and Sakhashvili will bed the story, not the fact that her policies on them are nonsensical. It's the basic expectations game which is ruining political discourse in this country.

Hender: I'm almost certain ExJerseyGirl was trolling.

I'm going to agree with you, and I'm all coffee'd up.

Hender: She doesn't have any answers to any questions yet. She's probably undergoing some serious media training and getting a crash-course in domestic and foreign policy.

No she doesn't HAVE to answer any questions at all. But if she doesn't, it won't stop questions from being asked, or other people answering them.

Her ex-brother in law was already interviewed on CNN. I don't think the "shield her from the press" strategy is a wise one.

smeegle: ExJerseyGirl: The Fox News show, An American Woman, will give us sufficient background on her. Good for her for not stooping to appearing on the Sunday morning liberal "news" shows.

Are you kidding me? Rupert Murdoch has honed Fox News into his own special GOP cheer leading squad.
Meet the Press, This Week in Washington ant other like NEWS shows asks real questions and address top issues with neutrality.

It's like your saying if you ask the candidates tough questions then you must be a liberal.

I read an editorial comment from a reader in the NY Post about McCain. He basically said about how McCain mentioned that he was a POW 43 times and how McCain is no maverick in the least. He said that McCain would be harmful for the nation's security and the nation as a whole.

My first thought: 'How the hell did this make it into the NY Post?'

Lionel Mandrake: No she doesn't HAVE to answer any questions at all. But if she doesn't, it won't stop questions from being asked, or other people answering them.

Yes it will. The GOP will complain about bias because the media will go so hard on Palin. This will frighten the media and turn the conversation from "What about Palin" to "Are we biased against Palin?"

DamnYankees: The problem is she will learn enough sounds like she know what she's talking about in the debates. And what will happen is that everyone will be so impressed that she sounds like she's heard of these issues, they won't care if she's *right* about them.

The very fact that she'll be able to use the word Al-Anbar and Sunni and Sakhashvili will bed the story, not the fact that her policies on them are nonsensical. It's the basic expectations game which is ruining political discourse in this country.

Using words and knowing what they mean are two very different things. If you asked her about her feelings on Sunni militants in South Ossetia and their relationship with Georgian President Dmitry Medvedev, she's probably answer instead of saying "Um, there aren't any Sunni militants in South Ossetia, and the Georgian President is named Mikhail Sakhashvili."

Hender: Using words and knowing what they mean are two very different things. If you asked her about her feelings on Sunni militants in South Ossetia and their relationship with Georgian President Dmitry Medvedev, she's probably answer instead of saying "Um, there aren't any Sunni militants in South Ossetia, and the Georgian President is named Mikhail Sakhashvili."

No she won't. She's not stupid. She'll recite incredibly simple talking points which merely repeat what the GOP already believes. There will be no depth, but it won't be non-sensical, and the media will eat it up.

Joe Biden will need an utterly masterful performance to win this debate. And I mean masterful.

DamnYankees: It's the basic expectations game which is ruining political discourse in this country.

Yeah, if she's expected to go down like the Titanic and merely pulls a Hindenburg, the "liberal media" will say "she knocked it out of the park!!"

Lionel Mandrake: No she doesn't HAVE to answer any questions at all. But if she doesn't, it won't stop questions from being asked, or other people answering them.

She's running for a position where she would be an official representative of the United States of America, both here and overseas. She'll be in a position to influence policy. She better have answers to all the goddamn substantive policy questions she's asked, because if they trot out any answer that sounds like "She'll say what we tell her to say," then it doesn't matter who is in the job as long as they can memorize a speech.

DamnYankees: Lionel Mandrake: No she doesn't HAVE to answer any questions at all. But if she doesn't, it won't stop questions from being asked, or other people answering them.

Yes it will. The GOP will complain about bias because the media will go so hard on Palin. This will frighten the media and turn the conversation from "What about Palin" to "Are we biased against Palin?"

All media for two months? I don't think so. I can see your scenario happening (it already has to some extent), but I don't see it lasting.

DamnYankees: No she won't. She's not stupid. She'll recite incredibly simple talking points which merely repeat what the GOP already believes. There will be no depth, but it won't be non-sensical, and the media will eat it up.

Again, this is why I said I'd like to have asked her one question, and one follow-up. The follow-up would inevitably be used as "Could you actually answer my very specific question? You didn't answer it."

So far, I feel like that I, a well-informed and fairly well-read citizen, knows more than her. Shielding her from the press is only going to continue this feeling for me.

Lionel Mandrake: All media for two months? I don't think so. I can see your scenario happening (it already has to some extent), but I don't see it lasting.

You're more of an optimist than I am. Last night was the first time I've ever seen a host of a show on TV use the word "lie". Took this long, and that was Rachel Maddow.

I have zero faith in the media.

I think the McCain camp has already choreographed the Veep debate beautifully. "The press is just going after her because she's a woman. Sexist, nasty, nasty press! Joe Biden is the biggest sexist of them all. OOOOHHH, look at the mean, long-winded senator going after our poor hockey mom." The GOP (Geriatric Old Party) will eat it up with a spoon and ask for more.

DamnYankees: I have zero faith in the media.

As do I. I put a lot of faith in members of the media, however.