opinion
She succeeded by discussing whichever topic suited her
Slate Oct 3, 08 10:27 AM CDT
(Newser)
-
Sarah Palin made last night's debate work for her by answering whichever questions she wanted, not the questions she was asked, writes Christopher Beam in Slate. The Republican seemed to barely notice her opponent and the moderator, at one point telling Joe Biden, "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."
More »
OPINION
Noonan: She's a
little transparent but
still very effective
Wall Street Journal Oct 3, 08 10:05 AM CDT
(Newser)
-
Sarah Palin starred in her own political "infomercial" last night and once again revived John McCain's flagging campaign, writes Peggy Noonan of the Wall Street Journal. Palin looked "not petrified but peppy," her style far more suited to a debate than a cerebral interview. Biden seemed to be waiting for her to make a fool of herself. She didn’t. Instead, she talked straight to the people in a baldly populist, if transparent, pitch to “soccer moms” and “Joe Six-Pack.”
More »
OPINION
Moderator did nothing
to keep debate from being an infomercial
Atlantic Monthly Oct 3, 08 8:55 AM CDT
(Newser)
-
Last night's debate will provide "no fundamental change" in the race, writes James Fallows in the Atlantic, which is much better news for Obama than McCain. Here are some other quick takes from Fallows: Moderator Gwen Ifill was "terrible." She seemed not to care at all about "looking for ways to follow up the unanswered questions or self contradictory answers."
More »
Viewers say Biden better-prepared, Palin more likeable
CNN Oct 3, 08 8:38 AM CDT
(Newser)
-
Joe Biden won last night’s debate, polls from CNN and CBS show, but Sarah Palin held her own, improving her image with many responders. Some 51% of viewers polled told CNN that Biden did “the best job,” compared to 36% who preferred Palin. In the CBS poll, uncommitted voters—who may have a preference but aren’t settled on a candidate—said Biden performed better by more than two-to-one.
More »
ANALYSIS
Proving herself hampered her ability
to attack Obama
New York Times Oct 3, 08 6:37 AM CDT
(Newser)
-
Sarah Palin acquitted herself at last night's debate with her charm and a show of basic coherency, writes Adam Nagourney in the New York Times . Her face-off with Joe Biden didn't prove to be a point of no return for the faltering McCain campaign, but neither was it the decisive blow against Barack Obama that McCain needed.
More »
OPINION
Ready to lead with 'unnerving mix of cutesy platitudes'
Washington Post Oct 3, 08 2:40 AM CDT
(Newser)
-
Sarah Palin worked her perky just-plain-folks act to the nauseating end in yesterday's debate, Dana Milbank grumbles in the Washington Post. It promised to be "long night" when Palin, "wearing a glittery flag pin, blew a kiss to the audience." But Palin "had no problem meeting exceptionally low expectations" at her "public IQ test," notes Milbank.
More »
CNN Oct 2, 08 9:05 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
Joe Biden and Sarah Palin squared off tonight in a cordial but high-stakes debate, largely sticking to party talking points as they defended their running mates. On the economy, Biden sought to link John McCain to Bush's policies and called him "out of touch" on the issue and on the concerns of everyday Americans, CNN reports. "A maverick he is not." Palin, who reached out to "hockey moms" and "Joe six-packs" and sprinkled her responses with folksy phrases, characterized McCain as a reformer who tried to sound an early alarm about the crisis.
More »
Poor by Senate standards, VP candidate lives large
New York Times Oct 2, 08 2:46 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
On the campaign trail, Joe Biden gives the impression that he’s a normal, middle-class guy taking the train to and from work each day. But the home he’s commuting to happens to be a four-acre estate worth almost $3 million, the New York Times reports. Biden isn’t precisely wealthy—especially by Senate standards—but his high profile has given him access to resources and relationships beyond the grasp of most Americans.
More »
ANALYSIS
Plans for window before Jan. 20 also diverge
Slate Oct 2, 08 11:49 AM CDT
(Newser)
-
With the VP hopefuls girding for tonight's debate, it's natural to wonder what would become of their respective tickets should either presidential candidate die or otherwise become incapacitated before Nov. 4. Each party has its own protocol, explains Nina Shen Rastogi, writing for Slate, but in neither case does the running mate automatically get the nomination.
More »
Ifill's book on black politics has been reported for months
New York Times Oct 2, 08 9:40 AM CDT
(Newser)
-
When the two presidential campaigns agreed that Gwen Ifill would moderate tonight's VP debate, it was already known that she was writing a book on contemporary black politics. But yesterday the right wing blogosphere erupted with claims that Ifill is biased toward the Democrats and should pull out. As the New York Times reports, however, strategists on both sides think that bashing the moderator is a tactic to encourage Ifill to go easy on Sarah Palin, or to mitigate a possible bad performance.
More »
Ex-beauty queen Michigan gov putting Biden through paces in practice debates
Wall Street Journal Oct 2, 08 7:03 AM CDT
(Newser)
-
The biggest challenge that awaits Joe Biden tonight is not to appear sexist and condescending when he faces off against the far less experienced Sarah Palin, reports the Wall Street Journal . Biden plans to avoid the pitfall by emphasizing issues rather than attacking his opponent, said aides. He's preparing for the showdown by debating Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm in practice sessions.
More »
opinion
Christian Science Monitor Oct 1, 08 8:40 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
Joe Biden will trump Sarah Palin tomorrow night with facts, analysis, and a senatorial track record that leaves her looking green. In other words, he doesn't stand a chance. Take it from Andrew Halcro, a former Alaska state rep who debated Palin dozens of times. "She's a master, not of facts, figures, or insightful policy recommendations, but at the fine art of the nonanswer, the glittering generality," he writes in the Christian Science Monitor .
More »
Associated Press Oct 1, 08 5:53 PM CDT
(AP)
-
After 2 years of stories about bad ratings and an uncertain future, Katie Couric is in the news for a positive reason, the AP reports—her work. Her CBS Evening News interviews with Sarah Palin, Joe Biden, and John McCain have brought the broadcast unprecedented buzz even though, as the New York Times reports, the ratings payoff has been modest at best.
More »