The debate last night was, if anything, an exercise in memorization and cramming. It was so crucial for the "gotcha" media "attacked" Palin to redeem herself after her last appearances to the public. Both the Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric interviews were beginning to cause even the most moose-eatin', you go girl! types to waver. Cram cram cram - key talking points and words- "government back on the side of the people" - "maverick" - "small town folks, like me and my family" -"maverick" - "Washington outsider"-"maverick" - "lower taxes" - "lower taxes" - and oh yeah, "maverick"
Some pundits are claiming that the most recent television interviews were orchestrated and intended to paint Palin as somewhat uninformed and hesitant. Supposedly, they think, it was all a ploy (a la Karl Rove?) to get even more people to watch the debate to really see her tank - but wait! by that point, she will have memorized key talking points and names (well sort of, she flubbed the US commander in Afghanistans name). Palin was reserved and held back in her one on one interviews only to surprise everyone during the debates that she is not that dumb afterall... Dumb, maybe not totally, but fed key lines and phrases for memorization, yes. Not sure if that so-called strategy worked (or if that is even true) but it did make for not to miss TV. I felt like I was watching a Nascar race - just waiting for the ultimate crash and burn.
Palin was mediocre. She made it through the debate. That's all I can make of it. I'm afraid that her folksy attitude and phrasing - with all of her "heck of a lots," "gosh darn its" might have resonated with the rest of the American public that actually want to have a mooseburger with this woman. And to that, I have to say, we get what we deserve. If that's the place where most American's are voting from (their feelings about a person's likability and not their core values and judgement) well then we are lost, doomed - and maybe need to look into that little patch of land in a country that is truly READY for progressive change (or already there).
And of course, there was that very scary moment - when she agreed with Dick Cheney's idea to increase VP power even more. Joe Biden succinctly summed up Cheney as "the most dangerous vice president we've had probably in American history." All the more reason to think that Cheney and Rove are pulling the strings to this former sportscaster/beauty queen.
On a note of the debate as a whole, Biden did a much better job of actually answering the questions put forth by the moderator. I think he did a good job of speaking to the American people - small town and all in between. He had very real moments in talking about the loss of his wife; in aligning McCain with Bush; and in stripping McCain of his "maverick" title. And, he answered the questions. Even Palin herself said, "I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear, but I'm going to talk straight to the American people." Um, okay. You are excused - yet again. You are allowed to cut the line - we will allow you to avoid a real answer - because you winked at us, because you 'are like us' because, as Amy Pohler said in her wacky depiction of Katie Couric, "when you are cornered, you seem to get increasingly adorable."
What a joke that she is painting herself as an agent of change- she and her 72 year old running mate. She is trying to take the steam out of Obama's engine of looming change. The decision to place Palin in this role was, ultimately, a smart one. McCain could not go up against the force of Obama and his decree for change. So, select someone even younger, even more 'inexperienced' so to say - and gosh darn it, make it a woman... let's throw them totally off. It will backfire, if not slowly. And it won't be through horrible media interviews (although they might help). It will be (hopefully) when the enlightened American (wherever he or she may be hiding) looks at both McCain and Obama, side by side, closes her eyes and thinks about the future - I mean, really thinks about the future.
If the last 8 years are any indication what a Republican government can do for the "Amercian people" then anyone with any conscience at all, must vote against the Republican machine. Dressed in Reformers garb won't do the trick - we can see through the disguises. At least I hope so.
Please vote on Nov. 4th. Unless you are voting for McCain, then you can stay home.
Thanks to Michael Moore and his website www.michaelmoore.com for the above picture.
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