Rhetorical question: How should Biden handle veep debate?
Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee for vice president, will be in St. Louis today, a standard stump stop that will serve as a precursor for his weightier visit here on Oct. 2,
where he will debate his Republican counterpart at Washington University.
With the “game-changing” pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on the GOP ticket, the Wash U. event has gone from consolation prize — the school hosted top-of-the-ticket debates in 2000 and 2004 — to an hors d’oeuvre that could potentially beat the meal itself.
Although Biden, who became a U.S. senator in his late 20s at age 30, is by far the more experienced orator, Palin’s gender presents an intriguing obstacle: If Biden unleashes all of his rhetorical arsenal, he risks coming off as overbearing or boorish, something both campaigns will no doubt be sensitive to as they continue to court women voters.
Biden doesn’t want to come off like former New York Senate candidate Rick Lazio, who in 2000 torpedoed any chance he had of defeating Hillary Clinton by strutting over to her in a debate, demanding that she sign a campaign-finance pledge, a tactic some viewed as menacing.
What Biden needs to do to avoid that pitfall was the topic of a piece yesterday in the online magazine Slate, one of many that will likely come out as the debate draws nearer.
In an open “letter” to Biden, Slate editor Dahlia Lithwick, a former college debater herself, says:
Everyone expects you to win the debate, and to trounce her on the substance. But the rules for debating Gov. Palin are different. If you lecture her, you’ll be seen as a sexist bully. If you act too smart, you’ll be seen as a sexist bully.
Lithwick then offers this advice:
The best way for you to approach Sarah Palin will be to forget that she is a woman. Tell yourself that she is a machine in 3-inch heels that has been programmed to make you look brutish and aggressive. She will attack, and you will smile.
So — what do you think? Should Biden tone down the attacks to avoid pulling a Lazio? Or does a restrained game plan have the potential to backfire?
Lithwick is right. Let her attack, and smile while she does it. Then remind the voters that soundbytes do not make for good policy and commence the lecture.
What do I think?
I think Jake Wagman needs to learn to use spell check.
‘Was’ only has one ’s’.
Seriously, where are your copy editors?
“Senator Biden, can you help me get a lower credit card rate from your political Sugar Daddy —- MBNA ??”
Anyway he wants to.
I wouldn’t think any less of Biden if he tried to rip Palin apart in the debate. His job isn’t to be nice. His job is to win the election. If that means verbally smacking a woman around, so be it.
Same goes for Palin. She can do whatever the hell she wants in the debate. She will get no sympathy from me if Biden is mean. If she holds her own, the election will be a landslide of Mondale proportions and there will be 4 more years of the same pissed off democrats.
Such a shame the Joe Biden or any man must handle Sarah Quaylin with kid gloves. If she cannot handle the intensity or glaring spotlight of a debate then how is she prepared to handle (God FORBID!) the presidency?
Joe Biden should prepare, be authoritative, not countenance any smug sniping or condescending statements from the twit, and just let her have it!
Short answer: carefully
Longer answer: Try not to be like Joe Biden
Darren01: “…remind the voters that soundbytes do not make for good policy” What is the Obama campaign if not sound bites?
“Hope” “Change” Hello?
gaydem: Please get that message though to Biden… tell him to ‘take her apart’ Start with; “well little lady…” go ‘downhill’ from there.
Make sure to belittle everything she has ever done… insult her and her career and family. NO PRISONERS!
Want me to tell you how that will turn out?
Perhaps VP nominee Palin needs to understand that delivering one-liners to opponents for mayor and governor in Alaska does not necessarily make her a “brilliant” orator or a good politician.
“What is the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? The pit bull has more teeth. The pit bull has fewer concussions. The pit bull has a more pleasant personality. The pit bull ….
Some political philosophy: “Lipstick and guns.”
Let’s see what we know about Palin…she lies about her support for the Bridge, she lies about trying to get her brother-in-law fired as a trooper, she tried to ban books in the local library and tried to get the librarian there fired, she loves taxes, she loves earmarks, is a parent who (according to Bill O’ Reilly) is a pinhead, she hates abortion and believes in speaking in tongues.
Oh, and she’s a “hockey mom” who wears lipstick.
Where does one start with an idiot like this?
But never underestimate the lunacy of the right. The same people who gave us Bush for two terms are more than willing to turn him out for a third time around.
I put lipstick on my pitbull last week. Got calls from the McCain people to see if she was qualified for thier VP spot. After I advised them that my pitbull was spayed I was told that would not go over well with the GOP conservative base. I guess Sarah Palin is their type of pitbull.
I think JoaPla should listen to dahlia, keep underestimating Palin, rest assured that you will win.