Sarah Palin has been struggling in her own debates -- with network anchors. While the Alaska governor hardly drew rave reviews for her interview with Charlie Gibson, her sit-down with Katie Couric last week opened the floodgates of criticism, even from conservatives.
Palin was halting, repetitive and occasionally stumped on basic questions. And the worst moments -- boasting again, Tina Fey-like, of Alaska's proximity to Russia -- have been endlessly replayed on other networks and the Web.
It may have been a turning point for Couric, who was persistent without being overbearing, in shedding early doubts about her ability to be a commanding presence in the CBS anchor chair. And the worst may be yet to come for Palin; sources say CBS has two more responses on tape that will likely prove embarrassing.
While some journalists say privately they are censoring their comments about Palin to avoid looking like they're piling on, pundits on the right are jumping ship. MSNBC's Joe Scarborough says Palin "just seems out of her league." National Review Editor Rich Lowry called her performance "dreadful." Dallas Morning News columnist Rod Dreher described the interview as a "train wreck." Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker urged Palin to quit the race, saying: "If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street herself."
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The interview is drawing extraordinary attention because of the McCain campaign's calculated decision to shield Palin from reporters. No vice-presidential nominee in modern history has been this inaccessible to the media, reinforcing the perception that she can't hit major-league pitching. When the networks balked at recording Palin's photo ops with foreign leaders at the U.N. last week unless journalists were allowed in -- and a CNN producer was granted access for all of 29 seconds -- the no-press dictum degenerated into farce.
Palin was buoyed for weeks by negative and sometimes unfair coverage, particularly about her family situation, that turned her into a sympathetic figure. But the Couric and Gibson interviews were the first real test of whether she could do more than read a punchy speech off a prompter. And even many of her supporters are no longer trying to spin her performance.
09-29-2008
Anti.Hero
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
If she doesn't win she doesn't win. She can just go back to beautiful Alaska away from all these pathetic people.
Reps get what they deserve.
09-29-2008
DarrinS
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
How many of us, with 143 days of on-the-job experience, would suddenly get promoted to CEO of our company?
That's basically what's happened to Barak Obama.
09-29-2008
Anti.Hero
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
But he's a polished politician.
Polished politicians are just what America needs right now.
09-29-2008
monosylab1k
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrinS
How many of us, with 143 days of on-the-job experience, would suddenly get promoted to CEO of our company?
That's basically what's happened to Barak Obama.
If people think you're capable, why not?
09-29-2008
Findog
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrinS
How many of us, with 143 days of on-the-job experience, would suddenly get promoted to CEO of our company?
That's basically what's happened to Barak Obama.
Whether you agree with him or not, Barack Obama makes sense when he talks.
Quote:
COURIC: Why isn’t it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries? … Instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?
PALIN: Ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up the economy– Oh, it’s got to be about job creation too. So health care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions.
09-29-2008
Bartleby
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrinS
How many of us, with 143 days of on-the-job experience, would suddenly get promoted to CEO of our company?
That's basically what's happened to Barak Obama.
Given the bang-up job some of America's most powerful CEO's have done lately (many of whom probably have decades of experience), I'm not sure that analogy really works.
That said, if I were in the position of hiring the CEO of a major corporation and I had only the resumes of Obama and Palin in front of me, the choice of Obama would be obvious, despite his lack of "executive experience."
09-29-2008
Anti.Hero
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Findog
Whether you agree with him or not, Barack Obama makes sense when he talks.
Until you apply his words to educated reasoning skills.
If you do not possess such things, yeah he does sound good.
The American people want someone to smile and pat them on the bottom. They will get it.
09-29-2008
Ms.TeenSouthCarolina
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
I think that job creations is what are the South Africa and Iraq and Sarah Palin that knows about maps and job creation is are the economy and US Americans are with maps of Iraq.
09-29-2008
Findog
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anti.Hero
Until you apply his words to educated reasoning skills.
If you do not possess such things, yeah he does sound good.
What are "educated reasoning skills"? Because Obama got it right on the transcendent foreign policy issue of our time, and McCain got it wrong. And listening to McCain and Palin talk about the economy makes me want to stab my ears with hot pokers. There's a reason Obama is where he is, and it's not because he's just another pretty face.
09-29-2008
monosylab1k
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anti.Hero
The American people want someone to smile and pat them on the bottom. They will get it.
Americans have wanted, and gotten, that since 1776.
09-29-2008
Thunder Dan
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Obama atleast went to a prestigious college and graduated #1- so you know the brain is there
Palin was in beauty pageants and lives closer to Russia then we all do
I've always said this, I would take a smart man over a man with experience all the time. I see 'experience' as a)being out of touch with the real world and b) knowing how to screw over the system and having to scratch the backs of people from years prior
09-29-2008
Findog
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
For all of McCain's "experience," he is recommending failed policies. And Palin killed the GOP's experience argument against him. :lol
09-29-2008
Findog
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
In any event, I wonder what CBS is sitting on that is worse than this:
Quote:
COURIC: Why isn’t it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries? … Instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?
PALIN: Ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up the economy– Oh, it’s got to be about job creation too. So health care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions.
Or this:
Quote:
COURIC: You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?
PALIN: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and on our other side, the land-- boundary that we have with-- Canada. It-- it's funny that a comment like that was-- kind of made to-- cari-- I don't know, you know? Reporters--
COURIC: Mock?
PALIN: Yeah, mocked, I guess that's the word, yeah.
COURIC: Explain to me why that enhances your foreign policy credentials.
PALIN: Well, it certainly does because our-- our next door neighbors are foreign countries. They're in the state that I am the executive of. And there in Russia--
COURIC: Have you ever been involved with any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?
PALIN: We have trade missions back and forth. We-- we do-- it's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where-- where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is-- from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to-- to our state.
Somebody feel free to post an interview where Obama comes across as developmentally disabled.
09-29-2008
JoeChalupa
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
All she has to do is survive Thursday night.
09-29-2008
Findog
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeChalupa
All she has to do is survive Thursday night.
That ain't good enough. She has to prove she's competent enough for the job. I'm pretty sure Biden will be the nice guy.
09-29-2008
Findog
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
The rumor is that she was asked what is the worst thing Cheney ever did, and she said it was shooting his friend in the face. And then she supposedly said it doesn't matter what she thinks or says, or how much she knows about the issues, because she was put on the ticket to be window dressing.
I got that from dailykos, so take it with a huge grain of salt:
But I thought they edited the interviews to make her look bad, not to make her look less stupid.
09-29-2008
Findog
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bartleby
But I thought they edited the interviews to make her look bad, not to make her look less stupid.
In that dkos thread they say CBS is airing parts 3 and 4 tonight and tomorrow. I certainly hope so. I learned long ago to wait until other media outlets verify what dkos commentators say.
09-29-2008
Shastafarian
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
So she doesn't know McCain's stances on issues. BFD. You liberals are so desperate to hate on her it's hilarious. She has more experience than Obama and she's smarter too. I smelled her farts once. They smelled of rose water.
- whottt
09-29-2008
Findog
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Findog
What are "educated reasoning skills"? Because Obama got it right on the transcendent foreign policy issue of our time, and McCain got it wrong. And listening to McCain and Palin talk about the economy makes me want to stab my ears with hot pokers. There's a reason Obama is where he is, and it's not because he's just another pretty face.
I'm sure Obama is more intelligent than Palin. I have no doubt about it.
Obama is not an expert in economics, health care, foreign policy. How could he be? He's just had a really long time to memorize his lines. And he usually remembers them -- well, usually.
09-29-2008
DarrinS
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Findog
Somebody feel free to post an interview where Obama comes across as developmentally disabled.
See my last post.
09-29-2008
Findog
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
I heard that in one of the answers Sarah Palin quotes in great detail the step by step process for manufacturing and packaging methamphetamine for sale. The oddest thing about the answer is that Katie Couric’s question was about whether Sarah believed she could effectively perform the duties of the Vice Presidency despite having a special needs child.
09-29-2008
Extra Stout
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
So it turns out that Sarah Palin is a charming, witty, clever political candidate with a fair amount of common sense. However, none of that can make up for the fact that her knowledge of national political issues is quantitatively very close to zero, and her attempts to cover that up in interviews work about as well as the college student who hasn't studied all semester and then has to write an all-essay final. Not only does she not know the answers, she doesn't even understand the questions.
I guess McCain threw his Hail Mary and crossed his fingers that she would be a quick study. Apparently she's not quick enough. Now McCain has to deal with the fallout of using his vast experience to select a running mate who simply is out of her league, and what that reflects about his judgment.
I have resolved to begin preparing for four years of Hope and Change.
09-29-2008
Findog
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shastafarian
So she doesn't know McCain's stances on issues....
BFD. You liberals are so desperate to hate on her it's hilarious...
She has more experience than Obama and she's smarter too....
I smelled her farts once.... They smelled of rose water.
- whottt
Elipses and paragraph breaks for every sentence, my friend. That's how you parody whottt.
09-29-2008
Shastafarian
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Findog
Elipses and paragraph breaks for every sentence, my friend. That's how you parody whottt.
Thanks I'm still learning. What's that thing he loves to use when people prove him wrong? Oh yeah, misdirection.
09-29-2008
Findog
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
The healthcare of we have to maverick situation is not terrorism of course tax relief must be a model maverick rears his head never again I’m a dummy, situation healthcare.
09-29-2008
Findog
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
I'm most offended by their co-opting the term "Maverick." Maverick used to mean a talented basketball team that couldn't get it done in the clutch. Now it means being unable to walk and chew gum at the same time.
09-29-2008
DarrinS
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Findog
I'm most offended by their co-opting the term "Maverick." Maverick used to mean a talented basketball team that couldn't get it done in the clutch. Now it means being unable to walk and chew gum at the same time.
Can someone name one Obama accomplishment in government that's NOT defeating Hillary in a primary?
09-29-2008
Findog
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrinS
Can someone name one Obama accomplishment in government that's NOT defeating Hillary in a primary?
The online checkbook thing that Palin was talking about was already introduced and enacted into law...at the behest of Coburn and Obama.
Obama doesn't have a long list of "accomplishments." I'll take his judgment and intelligence over McCain's shitty "experience" any day of the week.
09-29-2008
DarrinS
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Findog
The online checkbook thing that Palin was talking about was already introduced and enacted into law...at the behest of Coburn and Obama.
Obama doesn't have a long list of "accomplishments." I'll take his judgment and intelligence over McCain's shitty "experience" any day of the week.
It that it?
09-29-2008
Shastafarian
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrinS
It that it?
He co-sponsored a vastly hailed ethics reform bill. He "reached across party lines" for that one too.
09-29-2008
Findog
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrinS
It that it?
If we're always railing against Washington and Beltway insiders, what's the harm in not spending 26 years of your life in the Senate there?
Obama has the intelligence and physical stamina to do the job. McCain doesn't. How do you feel about Sarah Palin being a 72-year-old skin cancer survivor's heartbeat away from the Presidency?
09-29-2008
DarrinS
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shastafarian
He co-sponsored a vastly hailed ethics reform bill. He "reached across party lines" for that one too.
Man, you're more knowledgeable than a fellow senator from Texas.
09-29-2008
Bartleby
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Findog
I'm most offended by their co-opting the term "Maverick." Maverick used to mean a talented basketball team that couldn't get it done in the clutch. Now it means being unable to walk and chew gum at the same time.
Actually, they've done a pretty good job of co-opting Obama's whole game plan.
They picked a VP whose popularity (initially) rocketed her to instant celebrity status.
They, too, are using the whole "change" mantra.
They, too, are railing against eight years of a Bush WH.
And in the debate McCain frequently repeated the same charge that Obama has been using against him: that he "doesn't get it."
09-29-2008
Findog
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bartleby
Actually, they've done a pretty good job of co-opting Obama's whole game plan.
They picked a VP whose popularity (initially) rocketed her to instant celebrity status.
They, too, are using the whole "change" mantra.
They, too, are railing against eight years of a Bush WH.
And in the debate McCain frequently repeated the same charge that Obama has been using against him: that he "doesn't get it."
Yeah, but the problem for them is that the GOP is the incumbent party and it's easy to show how many more times he's agreed with Bush than not. And by adopting the "change" ethos instead of continuing with the experience theme, they're fighting this election on Obama's turf.
09-29-2008
DarrinS
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Findog
Yeah, but the problem for them is that the GOP is the incumbent party and it's easy to show how many more times he's agreed with Bush than not. And by adopting the "change" ethos instead of continuing with the experience theme, they're fighting this election on Obama's turf.
Obama's business card should read:
Have pulse. Not Bush.
09-29-2008
Bartleby
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Palin's should read:
Have bush, not brains.
09-29-2008
Mr. Peabody
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bartleby
Palin's should read:
Have bush, not brains.
:lmao
Nice.
09-29-2008
DarrinS
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bartleby
Palin's should read:
Have bush, not brains.
:lmao
09-29-2008
Shastafarian
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrinS
Man, you're more knowledgeable than a fellow senator from Texas.
I guess I should run for US Senate.
09-29-2008
PixelPusher
Re: What's the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom?
