So here’s the debate: has any politician ever looked worse in a shorter amount of time than Palin does here?
I don’t know, but I’ll try to find you some and I’ll bring 'em to ya.
Upon further reflection, I think Bush’s “Fool me once, shame on me…” thing might qualify.
I hear that, in a gesture of bi-partisan comity, the Obamistas are urging that it be rebroadcast. Several times. They’ve even offered to pay!
Bush throwing up on that chinese guy, maybe?
Ford falling down?
Carter and the rabbit?
Read my lips?
Well, there was that one time Millard Fillmore was caught on the White House lawn getting the old “Hottentot Handjob,” but that’s a pretty high bar to get over…
I posted this in a different thread, but this is a more appropriate place:
Are interviews really as hard as Palin is showing them to be? I’ve never been interviewed on TV, but it seems like lots of people make it look so much easier than Palin is making it look. Is that my bias, something specifically about her, or just a function of her being a complete tyro?
Would other governors seem to be this far behind by now? Would (to pick another female governor from a distant state) Linda Lingle be having the same issues as she tried to cram for the “test”?
I can understand how hard a debate would be. Even seasoned politicians get burnt in debates. But these interviews aren’t unusual and she (at least to my eyes) is flailing.
It’s comity gold, Sarah!
I think the most obvious answer is right there…she is unqualified to be VP or God Help Us President. But that brings McCains judgment into light…and his supporters don’t want to think about that.
Japanese. The Prime Minister, no less.
She is veering into Miss Teen South Carolina territory.
Any truth to the rumors that if McCain loses the electin then Palin and Harriet Miers are going to star in CHICAGO? (“Not just one unqualified nominee but two…”.)
Of course Hillary is most definitely a qualified candidate, but if she wants to leave the Senate I’d totally pay to see her as Velma Kelly to Palin’s Roxie.
Palin has quite a way to go before she catches up with the breathtaking stupidity of her gaffe-machine opponent, Joe Biden.
Here are just a few of his recent gems:
"When the stock market crashed, Franklin Roosevelt got on the television and didn’t just talk about the princes of greed. He said, ‘Look, here’s what happened’ " (I trust that no further comment is necessary.)
“You cannot go to a 7/11 or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I’m not joking.” (Had McCain or any other Republican said this, their political career would be over. No questions asked.)
“We are not supporting clean coal… no coal plants here in America. Build them, if they’re going to build them, over there (China).” (Oops! Here’s what Obama had previously said: “As president, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology and find ways to safely harness nuclear power.”)
Responding to a question about an ad claiming that McCain didn’t know how to use the internet, Biden told Katie Couric, “I thought it was terrible, by the way. I didn’t know we did it and if I had anything to do with it, we’d have never done it.” (Oops! The ad was “approved” by Barack Obama!)
And I haven’t even mentioned Biden asking wheelchair-bound State Senator Chuck Graham to “stand up” for a round of applause!
The man is an absolute moron. Obama must be kicking himself on a daily basis for choosing Biden as his running mate!
In another thread, I posted a vision I had of her going from Miss Teen SC into Jerry Lewis:
Yeah, I’ve seen the email you pulled those from, Stephe96. The vast majority of “gaffes” mentioned in it are basically just Biden disagreeing with Obama’s policies or otherwise going off-message. Frankly I think we can use a few more politicians who are willing to speak their minds instead of just sticking strictly to the approved talking points.
The FDR/television thing was pretty inexcusable, but is nowhere near the level of Palin not being able to answer a question about her running mate’s Senate achievements in the last 26 years. Come on.
I agree that Palin came off poorly in the Courick interview, even worse than the Matthews interview.
In another thread around here, someone linked to a video of her in a local round-table style debate from Alaska, 2006, and she seemed to me to do pretty well there.
The difference between Courick/Matthews and her older, Alaskan performance shows me she is far far out of her area of comfort and expertise on the national stage…
Hm. Joe “Gaffe” Biden put his foot in his mouth about a fact that will have no impact on whether he can govern should Obama not be able to run the country. Stupid thing to say? Yes. Anywhere near as embarrassing as Palin’s two network interviews? No.
Do you even want to get into a discussion of some of McCain’s off-color and offensive jokes and language? McCain’s said some offensive things, but contrary to your assumption, his political career is still going.
Disagreeing with your running mate on the issues is a lot better than not knowing where your running mate even stands on the issues. Obama even chose Biden for his “un-Yes Man” qualities.
Actually, you’re just spouting talking points from an email now. How you can call Joe Biden a moron and defend Sarah Palin’s few national media encounters is beyond partisan hackery.
I’ve listened to Biden enough that I think he’s a smart person who’s prone to slips of the tongue, probably because he’s thinking a few sentences ahead.
Palin, on the other hand, sounds either clueless and desperately trying to fake it, or else like she’s deciding what will sound best, regarless of its connection to reality or the truth.
(missed edit window)
The Courick interview was an awful interview. For example:
"Sarah Palin: My understanding is that Rick Davis recused himself from the dealings of the firm. I don’t know how long ago, a year or two ago that he’s not benefiting from that. And you know, I was - I would hope that’s not the case.
Katie Couric: But he still has a stake in the company so isn’t that a conflict of interest?
Palin: Again, my understanding is that he recused himself from the dealings with Freddie and Fannie, any lobbying efforts on his part there. And I would hope that’s the case because, as John McCain has been saying, and as I’ve on a much more local level been also rallying against is the undue influence of lobbyists in public policy decisions being made. "
She doesn’t know the who/what/when of one of her senior campaign advisor’s relationship with FM? Maybe she should ask him to clarify, or pick up a newspaper.
Or this:
"Palin: I can give you examples of things that John McCain has done, that has shown his foresight, his pragmatism, and his leadership abilities. And that is what America needs today.
Couric: I’m just going to ask you one more time - not to belabor the point. Specific examples in his 26 years of pushing for more regulation.
Palin: I’ll try to find you some and I’ll bring them to you. "
How embarrasing. I’m embarrased for her.
Responding to a request for clarification with the exact same memorized ‘talking point’ line (Rick Davis recused himself…x2) is sloppy. She’s not ‘thinking’, but ‘reciting’.
And, after volunteering to supply examples, we find she didn’t actually have any. She should bring some note cards.
Text of interview: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/...n4476173.shtml
Yeah - I didn’t think it would happen, but watching that I actually felt embarrassed for her.
MAN it must suck being that over your head.
I can only imagine the glee with which potential interviewers must prepare for her…
NB: The ability to give good (talking) head is in NO WAY indicative of an individual’s ability to be a good president or vice, but in today’s world it certainly goes with the job.