Comments on: Biden Wins Debate As Palin Avoids Answering Questions

By: Caroline Kennedy and Sarah Palin - Liberal Values - Defending Liberty and Enlightened Thought

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:07:36 +0000

[...] extremism of her views. Palin repeatedly showed her lack of knowledge both in interviews and in her debate against Joe Biden. While Palin showed a lack of understanding of Constitutional issues, Kennedy has [...]

By: Palin Annoyed By Couric, Wants More Power Than Cheney - Liberal Values - Defending Liberty and Enlightened Thought

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:51:05 +0000

[...] events and outreach to the far right should McCain be elected. She elaborated on her statement during the debate regarding wanting more power for the vice president: CAMERON: Would you change any of that, [...]

By: cognitive dissident

cognitive dissident — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 23:41:34 +0000

even more debatable…

Here are a few fact-checks of Palin’s performance last night: Palin: “we also have John McCain to thank for bringing in a bipartisan effort people to the table so that we can start putting politics aside, even putting a campaign……

By: Ron Chusid

Ron Chusid — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:06:56 +0000

come on,

I don’t disagree that being likable matters, and can even determine the result of an election. It is only in the case of this debate where likability didn’t make Palin win as her negatives in terms of knowledge were too great. It also didn’t help her that she is on the wrong side of so many issues.

This also doesn’t mean that likability wasn’t a factor. It is possible that without likability her poll numbers after the debate would be much lower. It is hard to tell on that one as there is a certain percentage in each party who will back the candidates of their party regardless of how bad they are. Palin’s numbers are getting down towards that level.

By: Ron Chusid

Ron Chusid — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:52:51 +0000

We can also add Fox into the mix: Fox: Biden 61 Palin 39 Hardly close, and conservatives can't even use their usual cries of liberal bias here. Plus the internals of the polls add even more signs of how badly Palin lost on many measures.

By: come on

come on — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:51:23 +0000

Well said, Ron.

I wasn’t advocating that’s it is “right” to chose a likeable candidate–only that it does happen, as you seem to confirm. I’m also not pro-Palin– mainly ambivalent. In my opinion, she humbled Biden a little, which I enjoyed.

By: Ron Chusid

Ron Chusid — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:42:40 +0000

It was not narrow at all. Check out the actual polls, with links in the post. It wasn’t close. Independents favored Biden by a large margin. Likability is not enough in the face of someone as incompetent as Palin. Maybe many voters even learned a lesson from voting for Bush based upon likability.

As for partisans, that is the one area where I have been writing here that choosing Palin helps McCain. By bringing out more conservative voters who might have stayed home, Palin might help McCain avoid losing in a blow out. The problem is that putting Palin on the ticket also makes McCain lose too many independents, probably preventing him from being able to win in many swing states.

By: come on

come on — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:28:13 +0000

“large majority”? I know that this is a liberal forum, but let’s not give into exaggerations. I’ve seen no poll that supports that statement.

Palin likely lost a scored debate NARROWLY to a 30+ veteran Washington insider with plenty of baggage. Neither candidate gave a performance that would sway many independents over the other. Likeability gets partisans to the polls who might otherwise stay home on election day out of disinterest or simple laziness. Likeability is important in a VP to many Americans– don’t kid yourself.

By: Ron Chusid

Ron Chusid — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:07:04 +0000

The post-debate polls contradict your analysis. People might have liked her, but independents also thought she was not qualified to be vice president. Likability might put some politicians over the top, but not when a large majority does not believe they have the minimal competence necessary for the position.

Palin lost badly, with independents agreeing by a large margin that Biden won and that Palin is not qualified to be VP.

By: come on

come on — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:01:47 +0000

Too bad debate “scores” are meaningless. Televised debates are pure salesmanship directed at the voting public.

Don’t assume a politcally-savvy (or even engaged) electorate. Televised debates are about likeability, not points scored (provided you don’t make a jerk of yourself). Palin won huge on that score. She’s like your favorite sassy aunt, and Biden is as likeable as Dracula.

Nice going, Sarah.

By: Ron Chusid

Ron Chusid — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:09:50 +0000

Gary,

That is not true. Three post debate polls have also showed that independents felt that Biden won by a large margin.

Anyone who cared about whether the candidates could actually answer questions coherently felt that Biden won.

By: Gary Rumpman

Gary Rumpman — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:07:30 +0000

Hey guess what? The real winner was whomever you were cheering for. If you were liberal, Biden won. Conservative? Palin won, there is no doubt. The only things elections teach me is that 90% of the population should not vote, but should rather should just immerse themselves in their interests like retardation (also known as watching professional sports) and/or whining about why they aren’t getting their way when they are obviously right and everyone else if wrong.

By: Ron Chusid

Ron Chusid — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:07:09 +0000

The above track back is from a conservative blog which thinks liberal blogs are wrong about the debate. Despite his views, Sarah Palin is no Ronald Reagan.

Besides differences in experience and political ability, Ronald Reagan did a respectable job in debating Jimmy Carter. Palin wasn’t even in the debate, and post debate polls show that independents agree with liberals that Biden won.

By: View From The Ridge...

View From The Ridge... — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:52:06 +0000

The ‘Pre-Determined Order Of Things’ Was Upset By Palin…

Somehow, after being bludgeoned with Ronald Reagan for eight years in California as Governor, and again for an equally long period of time with President Reagan, one almost expects the liberals to have learned their lesson. It really does seem improbab…

By: Angellight

Angellight — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:46:41 +0000

Even though McCain Camp sucessfully neutered Gwen Ifil by a predebate attack on her credibility, we should not be fooled by Palin’s Acting/ sparring abilities (although she had her Notes with her) to sucessfully weave and bob and her canny ability not to answer questions she does not like in contradiction to her also not being able to intelligently answer complex questions on the spot! It seems as if she feels the American people have no need to be given intelligent, thoughtful answers to the pressing questions of today, and that we would rather be winked at and called hockey moms and Joe Sixpacks while our economy is in ruins! We need our candidates to present truth, not lies and talking points of lies which have nothing to do with reality. We have been lied too enough in this country. We need leaders who are of high moral character and who think their word is thier bond.
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Starting to question McCain’s mental fitness
McCain’s interviews have become increasingly angry, hostile and unhinged. He seems to be on the verge of some kind of mental collapse. A big part of McCain’s erratic behavior is due to Obama having gotten deep, deep, deep inside his head. If McCain’s brain was x-rayed, it would reveal Obama sitting comfortably upon McCain’s cerebral peduncles. But, it is more than that. I believe McCain’s increasing instability is being caused by the stress of the campaign and his 72 year old body not being able to get the rest that it requires to function properly. That isn’t ageism—that is a simple fact of life. I wondered how McCain, being in advanced years, would respond under the grueling pace of a general election. I think we are all beginning to find out and it really isn’t a pretty site. He is on the verge of some kind of mental collapse.
http://www.progressivedailybeacon.com/?p=1986