Thread: Biden-Palin debate: gaffe potential?

Biden-Palin debate: gaffe potential?


The televised vice-presidential debate between Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Sarah Palin will be the first and only time the two meet face-to-face.
Based on their past performance, each has potential to make blunders that could expose their respective presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, to criticism or attack.


Here we gather some of the past comments that have invited the scrutiny, ridicule or incredulity of commentators and the public.




JOE BIDEN

• Asked by CBS presenter Katie Couric on 22 September about plans to rescue the US financial system, Mr Biden said: " When the stock market crashed, Franklin D Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened'." Observers were quick to point out that the US president at the time of the 1929 stock market crash was Herbert Hoover and that there were no TV sets yet in Amerian homes. FDR did appear on radio in a "fireside chat" when he took office in 1933,
• In February 2007, Mr Biden commented on Mr Obama - at that point a rival for the Democratic nomination - saying: "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy, I mean, that's a storybook, man."
• Responding to a voter who disliked Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire last month, Mr Biden said: " Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice-president of the United States of America... She's easily qualified to be vice-president of the United States of America and, quite frankly, it might have been a better pick than me, but she is first-rate."
• In 2006, Mr Biden faced criticism over a video clip of him saying: " You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent . I'm not joking." His office later said he admired the growing Indian-American community in the state of Delaware and was talking about how new families were benefiting the local economy by taking over small businesses.
• Arguably his most famous blunder came during Mr Biden's first run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1987, when he plagiarised without attribution a speech UK Labour leader Neil Kinnock had given a few months earlier. He lost credibility and his campaign imploded.

SARAH PALIN

• Asked repeatedly in a TV interview by CBS's Katie Couric to give examples of John McCain supporting financial regulation, Mrs Palin eventually said: " I'll try to find some and bring them to you ."
• In the same CBS interview, Mrs Palin was asked how Alaska's proximity to Russia boosted her foreign policy credentials. She replied: "We have trade missions back and forth, we do. It's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our state."
• When asked why she was not more accessible to reporters, amid complaints from the media that the McCain campaign was keeping her under wraps, Mrs Palin said: " I am so happy to talk to reporters . My life is an open book, happy to do it and very happy for more opportunities to do so."
• Before she became the vice-president nominee, when asked in an interview for CNBC in July about that possibility Mrs Palin said: "As for that VP talk all the time, I'll tell you, I still can't answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day ?"
• Speaking to graduating students at her former Wasilla Assembly of God Church in June, Mrs Palin suggested a natural gas pipeline project had divine backing. "I can do my part in doing things like working really, really hard to get a natural gas pipeline, about a $30bn project that's going to create a lot of jobs for Alaskans and we'll have a lot of energy flowing through here. And pray about that also. I think God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas pipeline built , so pray for that."

Story from BBC NEWS:
BBC NEWS | Americas | Biden-Palin debate: gaffe potential?

I think there will many hand-covering-eyes moments for viewers, whether Palin or Biden are sawing the gob.
Interesting difference in debate approaches: watched the French debate for Canada's PM last night and the whole tone and atmo was so different. Very well-informed candidates and little grand-standing (but the Green Party tree-hugger chick, immigrant from the US I might add, did sound awful when she did get a chance to spew). What to watch tonight? English debate or US VP?

Can't watch any of them, unfortunately, but I look forward to reading about it tomorrow.
What bothers me most is that my innate cynicism about politicians is all coming true.

It just goes from bad to worse.

Enough to make a person turn to drink.

Now there's an idea...........

^ Can't you watch it on Inet? I did last week. FOX usually have streaming vid. Maybe even CSPAN.

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

Can't you watch it on Inet? I did last week. FOX usually have streaming vid. Maybe even CSPAN

Possibly, but sleeping is an option as well.

Well, watch it when you wake up and THEN turn on TD.

But when will I wake up? I never know. I might not and then? Oh, lord life's so hard.

I am also interested in how the moderator will serve. She's writing a book on Obama that is to be released on Inauguration Day (these Dems love their days -- ie, BO acceptance speech on anniv of Dr King's "Dream" speech).

I don't know this journalist, but if she worked for NYT (now at PBS) then she's lefty biased. Hopefully, she will have integrity and moderate non-partisan motives (still, hard for a NYT robot to know what those are, IMO).

A few strories to peruse.

In mid-August, shortly after the Commission on Presidential Debates named Gwen Ifill of PBS as a moderator of the coming vice-presidential event, she wrote an essay in Time magazine that identified her as the author of a coming book, “The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama.”
Election Guide | More Politics News

Jeff Haynes/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Gwen Ifill is the moderator of the vice-presidential debate.



A couple of weeks later, an article in The Washington Post about her moderating duties described the book as focusing on “the Democratic nominee and such up-and-coming black politicians as Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and Newark Mayor Cory Booker.”
But on the eve of the debate, Ms. Ifill and her book became the fresh object of outrage on conservative talk radio, blogs and cable news after a right-leaning Web site, WND.com, posted an article late Tuesday with the headline, “VP debate moderator Ifill releasing pro-Obama book.”
The expressions of shock that met the headline were almost instantaneous, starting with the Drudge Report, which devoted a huge two-line headline to the article: “VP Debate Moderator Releasing ‘Age Of Obama’ Book On Inauguration Day.”

more from the left...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/02/us...341&ei=5087%0A
And some from the right:

Some Conservatives Want PBS’s Ifill Out as Debate Moderator

Susan Davis reports on the presidential race.
Some conservatives are calling for the ousting of PBS’s Gwen Ifill as the moderator for Thursday’s vice presidential debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden because she is writing a book, “The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama”, that is slated to hit bookstore shelves on Inauguration Day.


Gwen Ifill appears at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis. (AP/The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer)



...John McCain says,
“I think Gwen Ifill is a professional and I think she will do a totally objective job because she is a highly respected professional,” he said, “Does this help…if she has written a book that’s favorable to Sen. Obama? Probably not. But I have confidence that Gwen Ifill will do a professional job.”
Wow! I heard him say Professional so many times on the news last night. Here, it's 3 times! Something is going on...
Conservative commentators like Michelle Malkin, however, have raised questions about her role as moderator. “My dictionary defines ‘moderator’ as ‘the nonpartisan presiding officer of a town meeting,’” Malkin wrote on her Web site today. “But there is nothing ‘moderate’ about where Ifill stands on Barack Obama. She’s so far in the tank for the Democrat presidential candidate, her oxygen delivery line is running out.”


Whoosh!
Washington Wire - WSJ.com : Some Conservatives Want PBS's Ifill Out as Debate Moderator

What's fair? Gotta get a Canuck to moderate I guess, seeing as how we cannae vote, but that doesn't mean one of our pinko libbies wouldn't try to skewer Palin.

Nice teeth though.

^ It ain't gonna be pretty or fair, Booners.

It's not a fair match- but you can't blame the Dems for that.

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

She's writing a book on Obama

no, she's not.

No, the moderator is not writing a book on Obama. It's on black politicians, and BO will be included in it.

As for the moderator. Yes, she should disclose it and anything. But she will be scrutinized in her questions and follow ups. Millions will be watching her.

Both candidates will try to play it as safe as possible. Kind of like a football (soccer) team that is sitting back and playing on their feet.

Originally Posted by panama hat

She is thick as a brick . . . how embarrassing for her children

they must be laughing as always, everytime she says anything,

McCain is the man we have to leave . . . Palin . ..


There is too much to quote here about her idiocy

she exceeded expectations (which couldn't have been lower), so it will probably be perceived as a draw by the media.

Originally Posted by raycarey

she exceeded expectations (which couldn't have been lower), so it will probably be perceived as a draw by the media.

I don't know how it will be spun. I watched it. No big mistakes.

Will polling data change as a result of this debate?

I suppose we'll wait a couple or few days to find out.

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

I am also interested in how the moderator will serve. She's writing a book on Obama that is to be released on Inauguration Day (these Dems love their days -- ie, BO acceptance speech on anniv of Dr King's "Dream" speech).

Um,, no she's not, but don't let the truth get in the way of a Jet story . . . again

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

she's lefty biased.

Sure she is . . . making excuses before the first word is uttered?

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

What's fair? Gotta get a Canuck to moderate I guess,

Yes, one like you who so clearly is unbiased . . .

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

I'll bet those questions ain't far off. The Media is so in the tank for BO it makes me wanna hurl...

Why is it that neo-cons and reactionaries still see 'reds under the beds' at all times?
Finding excuses for one particularly semi-literate 'debater' before anything is known simply belies the little faith you have in your 'mentor's' choice of running mate.

Honestly, do you believe she could be a good president or even VP? And can you honestly say that she is the best that a country of 300million can come up with?

I would say that palin uttering that 'teacher's would get their reward in heaven' was ever such a slight gaff.


did she actually answer any of the questions??

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

The debate did not change my view.

of course it didn't.
nothing would.

Vice-Presidential Debate Liveblog #2: Live From Wash U.

10:06 CDT: [Nate] The CBS poll of undecideds had Biden winning the debate 46-21, with 33 percent calling it a tie. But few votes were moved as as result. Among the undecideds, 18 percent committed to Obama, and 10 percent committed to McCain, but 71 percent remained uncommitted.