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October 03, 2008
What They're Saying About Gov. Sarah Palin About Debate
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What They're Saying About Governor Sarah Palin at Wash U. Debate
Source: McCain/Palin website
"She Was Every Bit His Equal"
The New York Times' David Brooks: "I thought she was every bit his equal. I thought she was fluid, confident, she struck her theme, just the regular old mom. But she handled the foreign policy issues. She did fine with Iraq. She did fine with Iran. She certainly hit energy often enough. I suspect Republicans are going to be quite pleased." (David Brooks, PBS' "Post-Debate Analysis," 10/2/08)
Brooks: "She could do policy, she did quite well on the gubernatorial issues and did quite well on mentioning John McCain all the time, much more than Joe Biden who scarcely mentioned Barack Obama, she did quite well with that. I thought was just that style of me versus Washington. I thought it was quite effective for her in general. I suspect most people, there are a few more hallmark moments, Norman Rockwell moments but I suspect most people will really like that." (David Brooks, PBS' "Post-Debate Analysis," 10/2/08)
"She's Articulate, Quick, Detail-Oriented" With "Everyday American Appeal"
ABC's Rick Klein: "[W]here has this Sarah Palin been? She's articulate, quick, detail-oriented tonight." (Rick Klein, "Live Debate" Blog, blogs.abcnews.com, 10/2/08)
Klein: "9:03 pm CT: 'It's so obvious that I'm a Washington outsider,' Palin says. Again, better done than said, but undeniable. This line of attack, driving a wedge between Biden and Obama, is legit, though it can seem forced at times." (Rick Klein, "Live Debate," ABC News' "Live Debate" Blog, blogs.abcnews.com, 10/2/08)
CNN's Bill Schneider: "Palin is going after Biden over his comments that the wealthy should pay more taxes as a patriotic move. The Alaska governor has come to this debate fully armed." (Bill Schneider, "Schneider: Attack, Counter Attack," CNN's "Political Ticker" Blog, www.cnn.com, 10/2/08)
The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza: "Palin to Biden: 'Can I call you Joe?' GENIUS." (Chris Cillizza, "Twittering The Showdown In St. Louis," The Washington Post's "The Fix" Blog, Washington Post Fix Blog, 10/2/08)
Cillizza: "Palin starts with a 'kids soccer game' story in regards the economy. Folksy -- playing to her strengths." (Chris Cillizza, "Twittering The Showdown In St. Louis," Washington Post Fix Blog, 10/2/08)
Cillizza: "State of Alaska...taking on oil companies...this is good ground for her. The more she talks about reform, the better." (Chris Cillizza, "Twittering The Showdown In St. Louis," Washington Post Fix Blog, 10/2/08)
MSNBC's Carrie Dann: "Here's that folksy, everyday American appeal right out of the gate with Palin's first answer. She says you can hear about the consequences of the tough economy just by asking parents at a hockey game on a Saturday afternoon ... 'You're going to hear some fear' about 'the few investments some of us might have,' she says." (Carrie Dann, "The Palin McCain's Been Talking About," MSNBC's "First Read" Blog, firstread.msnbc.msn.com, 10/2/08)
MSNBC's Domenico Montanaro: "Good start on the first question from Palin. She was crisp and went right to those ... soccer moms, if you will. She brought the economy to the middle class and said the barometer is how parents on the sidelines feel. There are likely a lot of nodding heads in some living rooms at home." (Domenico Montanaro, "Palin, Off To Good Start," MSNBC's "First Read" Blog, firstread.msnbc.com, 10/2/08)
NBC's Matthew Berger: "Those who have seen Palin debate in Alaska say she is very efficient, and you're seeing that now. She's taking Biden on directly, speaking at him and then turning to the camera to make her points." (Carrie Dann, "Palin's Efficiency," MSNBC's "First Read" Blog, firstread.msnbc.com, 10/2/08)
The New York Times' Katharine Q. Seelye: "Ms. Palin makes a grab to be more pro-Israel than Mr. Biden, which seems to tick him off." (Katharine Q. Seelye, "A Tense Moment," The New York Times, 10/2/08)
The Atlantic's Ambinder: "Palin is adept at keeping Biden on the offensive." (Marc Ambinder, "The Debate: Liveblogging I," The Atlantic's "Marc Ambinder" Blog, marcambinder.theatlantic.com, 10/2/08)
Commentary's Linda Chavez: "Palin is easier to listen to than Biden. First answer was, if not a home run, at least a double." (Linda Chavez, "VP Mom," Commentary's "Contentions" Blog, www.commentarymagazine.com, 10/2/08)
Commentary's Eric Trager: "Palin reminds Biden that he has often differed with Barack Obama on the Iraq war, and offers her respect for Biden's previous positions. 'I don't know how you can defend his positions now.' Brilliant." (Eric Trager, "Her Best Moment Yet," Commentary's "Contentions" Blog, www.commentarymagazine.com, 10/2/08)
Trager: "She calls Biden out on voting for the war before he was against it. Biden has only himself to blame for setting Palin up with a meek explanation of why he authorized the war without (supposedly) supporting it. This is the knockout punch of the night thus far." (Eric Trager, "I'm Such A Washington Outsider," Commentary's "Contentions" Blog, www.commentarymagazine.com, 10/2/08)
The Politico's Jonathan Martin: "She knows all the wedges between Biden and Obama, including their votes on troop funding, and even drops in a reference to that Jon Stewart interview where the Delaware senator said he'd be honored to run with his colleague from Arizona." (Jonathan Martin, "Palin Got Good Oppo Brief," The Politico's "Jonathan Martin" Blog, www.politico.com, 10/2/08)
Townhall's Amanda Carpenter: "Palin says Obama's vow to meet with foreign enemies goes 'beyond naivate, [sic] beyond poor judgment. Diplomacy is hard work by serious people' with guidelines and sanctions 'before any kind of presidential summit would take place.'" (Amanda Carpenter, "Palin's Smoking Obama On Foreign Policy," Townhall.com, www.townhall.com, 10/2/08)
Commentary's Jennifer Rubin: "Sarah Palin takes us back to the Bush-Cheney energy plan and reminds him that Obama voted for it. Then she goes back to her own record of getting tough with the oil company. Forget expectations, she might just be winning this. At least for now." (Jennifer Rubin, "Energy Plan," Commentary's "Contentions" Blog, www.commentarymagazine.com, 10/2/08)
Posted by Wild Thing at October 3, 2008 02:47 AM
Comments
yep--she did better than equal Joe Biden. She shined when she really needed to. And she's right about having to tell Big Oil that even though the President said it was okay, she was in charge in Alaska and she wasn't going to let business go on as usual. She had to babysit all those oil company CEOs through some very awkward times.
I hope her performance tells America not to write her off so quickly and not to judge her so fast. What Katie and Charlie did was to make her look bad and when it didn't work, the liberal weenies had to swing it, but she hung in there, didn't let it get to her and punched the media right in the mouth!!!!
Posted by: Lynn at October 3, 2008 04:22 AM
I also thought she came across very well. On the 3 cable news channels this morning it was being covered. It seemed to me that CNN and MSNBC were tending to spin it towards Biden. Fox seemed more balanced. I did not ctch any of the Networks.
Posted by: Bob at October 3, 2008 12:06 PM
Fox likes McCain\Palin, CNN is just a little more Democrat than Republican, and MSNBC hates Republicans and everything they stand for. I actually saw an Obama speech on Fox once which showed him struggling, as he usually does, to find the right words before he said them. I turned to MSNBC, and the SAME speech was on, but he wasn't struggling - they had actually edited the speech to make it look like he wasn't constantly grasping for the right words. Very effective - made him look like he was more on top of things. Either that, or Fox - and every other network - added the stuttering...
I think Palin did a great job. I was worried after seeing the clips of the Katie Couric interview, but I think Palin erased that last night. She's real, she's honest, and she's sincere - the exact opposite of how Biden came across. If the McCain campaign can emphasize the down-to-earth, honest, and genuine concern for the American people that both McCain and Palin have - and forget about the petty name-calling and finger-pointing that both parties are engaged in now - I think they just might win in November. So far, McCain and Palin have my vote.
And one more thing - I'm so sick of the media calling Palin to the carpet, and ignoring the fact that Biden did the same. Sure, she didn't answer every question directly, but Biden didn't either. What promises did the Obama/Biden ticket make that Biden doesn't think they'll be able to keep now? Who knows? He never answered. Does that mean he's skirting the issue because he doesn't think they'll be able to keep any of them?
Having said that, I *want* to like the Democrats - I wanted to vote for Obama - I want change, I think Bush is a disgrace, and I want to "go green". But I also want to see this country become great again, and to get the corruption out of office and out of our economy, and to have real people solve the real problems. Lately, Obama and Biden just don't fit that ticket. McCain and Palin do.
Posted by: Jason at October 3, 2008 04:29 PM
Lynn, I hppe so too. I was very upset with the Republicans for writing her off, not all but even the handful I heard about was just not right.
"I hope her performance tells America not to write her off so quickly and not to judge her so fast. "
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 3, 2008 07:39 PM
Bob, spin is right. Those that are pushing Obama will not give an inch even when it is obvious she did good. Very sad they can't be objective but they are lost souls to the messiah jerk Obama.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 3, 2008 07:42 PM
Jason I agree, I am sick of it. The media taking every word Palin says and analyzing it, every breath she takes...it is really tooooo much.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 3, 2008 07:44 PM
If Joe Biden was all that he thinks he is as well as the Obama MSM cheerleaders now say he is then Joe Biden would be the presidential candidate with Hillary Clinton as his running mate. Barack Obama would be an also ran. Fortunately, the Democratic primary voters knew better and didn't let Biden's campaign get off the ground.
Posted by: Les at October 3, 2008 08:41 PM
