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Re: Palin flunks mock debates
The McCain campaign moved its top officials inside Gov. Sarah Palin's operation Sunday to prepare for what is certain to be the most important event of her vice-presidential campaign: her debate on Thursday with Democrat Joe Biden.
Additionally, at the urging of the Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain, Gov. Palin will leave late Monday for his Arizona ranch to prepare for the high-stakes debate.
The moves follow several shaky performances by Gov. Palin last week and come amid concern and grumbling from Republicans, and even a few queries from her husband, Todd Palin, according to campaign operatives and Republican officials.
McCain campaign manager Rick Davis and senior adviser Steve Schmidt are planning to coach the candidate ahead of the debate, according to senior advisers. They traveled Sunday to meet the Republican vice-presidential nominee in Philadelphia. After her appearance with Sen. McCain at a rally in Columbus, Ohio, these top officials plan to fly with her on Monday to Sen. McCain's ranch in Sedona, Ariz., which they hope she will find a comforting place to prep, these people said.
More broadly, the McCain campaign aims to halt what it sees as a perceived decline in the crispness and precision of Gov. Palin's latest remarks as well as a fall in recent polls, according to several advisers and party officials.
McCain officials denied any problems inside the campaign. "The nature of political campaigns, with all their ups and downs, is for insiders and outsiders and no-siders to register complaints, often anonymously," said Tucker Eskew, a counselor for Gov. Palin. "We all in this campaign understand that, and we're not distracted by it, even as we welcome well-intentioned and good advice."
Some prominent Republicans and senior members of Congress have expressed worries about certain facets of the Palin campaign, particularly that Gov. Palin may be "overprepared" and not encouraged to be herself, an adviser said.
"She hasn't had the time or inclination to question the judgments of the people telling her to hit her marks," said one Republican strategist. "Gov. Palin is a team player, but the campaign needs to adjust to a game plan that works for her."
For his part, Mr. Palin has worried about the frequent separation of his wife from her family, friends and Alaska staff, an adviser said. Accordingly, her family will be with her in Sedona during this week. Also, a key Alaska staffer joined the Palin operation Sunday.
Meanwhile, the more experienced advisers assigned to her by the McCain campaign are accustomed to working with seasoned candidates, not someone "completely green on the national stage," one strategist said. Several Republican backers have griped that the campaign has put the candidate in difficult situations, from sitting for high-profile television interviews to popping into meetings with foreign leaders, some of whom made sexist remarks, said several officials.
"It's time to let Palin be Palin -- and let it all hang out," said Scott Reed, a Republican strategist.
From her campaign's perspective, Gov. Palin isn't getting media attention for her contributions. For example, with foreign leaders last week, she had detailed conversations about the national-security and global implications of the energy crisis, one adviser said.
Since her selection nearly a month ago, the 44-year-old governor has excited the party's conservative base with huge crowds and newfound fund raising. She remains popular in many areas, and last week drew 60,000 people to an event near Orlando, Fla.
But in recent days, Gov. Palin flubbed quasi-mock debates in New York City and Philadelphia, some operatives said. Finger-pointing began, and then intensified after her faltering interview with CBS anchorwoman Katie Couric. However, she performed better when she took questions from the press after touring Ground Zero and remarked about her parents' visit there after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Her performance also sparked negative responses from some conservative pundits, and she has slipped in some polls. Last week, nearly half the respondents in a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll said she is unqualified to be president, while one in three said they were "not at all" comfortable with the idea of Gov. Palin as vice president, up five points from a poll in early September.
Until the weekend, the highest levels of the McCain campaign were focused on Sen. McCain's response to the financial crisis and his own debate against Sen. Barack Obama.
The McCain campaign has put in place several other well-regarded advisers to Gov. Palin, including head of vice-presidential operations Michael Glassner, who has worked for former Sen. Bob Dole, and Mr. Eskew, who worked for President George W. Bush's campaign and administration.
Amid the heavy scrutiny in a close campaign, Gov. Palin is under considerable pressure to make Thursday's debate a "game changer," advisers said. The campaign is sending in Sen. McCain's debate coach, Brett O'Donnell, to help with her preparation, advisers said. Though he always was expected to help out after Sen. McCain's debate Friday in Oxford, Miss., Mr. O'Donnell now needs to "undo" much of her previous debate prep, which has resulted in occasional "rote" responses, one adviser said.
"We've got four days," another adviser said Sunday. "People love Sarah Palin and she's got a unique personality and presence we need to bring out -- not shut down." Aides will work with her this week to be certain her responses use "her words," this adviser said.
Re: Palin flunks mock debates
If Katie Couric can own her, Joe Biden.... this is gonna be like Palin having a wrestling match with The Undertaker.
I really don't see her coming out of this without getting absolutely chokeslammed by Biden.
And I like this woman. She's just way out of her league, and if McCain can't even take down Obama in a debate... she doesn't stand a chance against Joe Biden. The only way I see Biden falling is if he sabotages himself with that mouth of his and calls her the B-word or makes some comment on how good her ass looks in that red dress.
THAT could happen, because Biden is a fool, but if he puts his 'filter' on his mouth - this will be a cakewalk.
Re: Palin flunks mock debates
I'm still in shock the Republicans forced her upon McCain instead of his original choice, Sen. Joe Leiberman. Considering, they'd have Palin in their back pocket to drill the fuck out of Alaska anyways, why not go with the Democrat line crosser? Leiberman would destroy Biden in a debate. Palin would be more effective doing ads for a McCain/Leiberman ticket than she is actually running for VP. But whatever, no matter who is elected, they're gonna drill the fuck out of Alaska.
Re: Palin flunks mock debates
She would have been a genius pick and a shoe in on the road to victory.......in 4 to 8 years. That's whats so terrible about this mess she is in. They forced her in, and her debut on the national scene which caused shock waves has been squandered because she wasn't ready.
She cant cause shock waves again. If she runs in 2012 or 2016, the general reaction will just be, "Oh, I remember her. The Alaska chick". She is gonna have to work her ass off if she wants a future on the national stage.
I understand why liberals got obsessed with her and almost smeared her to death. She was a HUGE threat to the status quo. Hell, she was a threat to the survival of the democratic party. Anyone who will deny that needs to go watch her speech at the convention again. She had that crowd on fire and almost the whole country was watching that. Unfortunately for her she was unable to capitalize on her massive buzz because she wasn't ready.
People are crazy to label her stupid, simple minded,etc. She just wasn't ready for national politics. If she was, she would still be wiping the floor with Obama's ass. Obama better be thanking the Lord that Palin was unable to truly be involved in a national campaign. It had turned into a Palin vs Obama race and was on the verge of blowing up in their faces. Not long after that, it became painfully obvious that this wasn't her time and Obama was able to breathe a sigh of relief and go back to his safety net of "change change change change, Bush Bush Bush Bush Bush" garbage.
Had Palin been "ready for prime time", this election would already be over.
- tejastech08
- Rep: 194
Re: Palin flunks mock debates
James, stop the whining. The smears she dealt with weren't as bad as what Obama's dealt with. Unless you consider racial and religious smears to be minor shit. LOL.
- tejastech08
- Rep: 194
Re: Palin flunks mock debates
I don't call footage taken at a racist church he went to for 20 years a smear. I call it a fact.
I'm not talking about that. I'm talking all the bullshit that was being spread by conservatives for months before the Wright thing. "Obama's a Muslim. Scary black Muslim...ooohh!!!!"
And let me ask you something. Do you have proof that Wright has ever tried to kill a white person or put them at the back of the bus? Because I'm pretty sure Wright lived through that shit decades ago and has actually helped whites, not tried to hurt them. He blames whites for the problems in the black community. That is irresponsible but I don't see how it's possible for someone who has no history of racism to actually be a fucking racist. The man helped save LBJ's life in the operating room. You do realize this of course? The man is a conspiracy theorist nutjob. Not a racist. Ask Bill Clinton if he thinks Wright is a racist. Ask LBJ if he thinks he's a racist.
Now let me ask you this question. I've seen pictures of you and I know you're in your 30's and white. If you grew up when Wright did and dealt with racism, would you forget it? What's that old saying, "Forgive but never forget"? Well it seems Wright is one of those who not only won't forget but won't forgive either. He's a shitty ass pastor, along the lines of Falwell. Religion should not be politicized, but yet Mr. Wright chose to do that style of preaching for decades.
As for Obama, his affiliation with that church was strictly political in my opinion. He was always viewed as an outsider in the black community due to being half-white and Harvard-educated. He needed to gain credibility in Chicago with the black community, so he joined an activist black church. The irrational fear that he would somehow put whites into slavery or something is pretty laughable when you look at the people who actually surround him. It's mostly white Democrats from the Bill Clinton administration (ahem...not exactly "change we can believe in" eh?). For all intents and purposes as a politician, Obama is no different than a typical white Democrat in his policies.
Re: Palin flunks mock debates
Clinton wouldn't admit it anyways(Wright blamed Clinton for some of the problems in the black community), and LBJ is dead. As far as the Muslim shit, he admits he's from a muslim background. Hell, awhile back CC smited me because I mentioned Obama being a crack head. The dude admitted it in his own book.
Of course I don't know if he tried to kill a white person. You cant be a racist unless you try to kill someone?
The depths people will go to defend this stuff is unreal.
God Damn America!
Re: Palin flunks mock debates
Now let me ask you this question. I've seen pictures of you and I know you're in your 30's and white. If you grew up when Wright did and dealt with racism, would you forget it? What's that old saying, "Forgive but never forget"? Well it seems Wright is one of those who not only won't forget but won't forgive either. He's a shitty ass pastor, along the lines of Falwell. Religion should not be politicized, but yet Mr. Wright chose to do that style of preaching for decades.
There's a big difference between not forgetting and becoming a racist obsessed with wackjob philosophies.
This isn't the same, but when I was in 2nd grade I was in a school for half the year where I was one of only 3 white kids in the school. It was a fucking nightmare. Worst experience I've ever had in school. I was shunned the whole time I was there.
Did it make me hate black people? No. I've never had many black friends I'll admit that, but I've fucked a few black chicks in my life and wasn't going on racial tirades while doing so.
There's no excuse for Obama sitting in that church for 20 years. Politics or no politics. Was that the only black church in the area? I find that pill hard to swallow.
- tejastech08
- Rep: 194
Re: Palin flunks mock debates
No, my point here is that he's never actually promoted a racist agenda. He's worked with whites and under whites his entire life. A racist has to believe that his/her race is superior. It's kind of strange for someone who has been discriminated against and is blaming a government that once discriminated against him to then be accused of being racist because he's a conspiracy theorist. Put yourself in his shoes. It'd be pretty fuckin' easy to blame the government for everything if it literally was the damn problem for half of your life. It makes it very easy for someone in that position to fall into nutjob paranoia. That's the bottom line. He's insanely paranoid and just won't let go of the past. It's fucking shameful as hell that he's been spewing such crap to his parishioners though. That's the type of shit he should just keep to himself or at the very least stop using such an influential place as the pulpit to spread his message. Write a damn book or whatever, but stop spewing conspiracies to kids and poisoning their minds.
