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October 3, 2008 - 6:26am.
Updated 10/4/08 - Despite the pronouncement that she wants to expand the role of the vice president, don't look for that to happen if McCain wins. Instead she'll become the Lucy to Ricky Ricardo in the presidential twosome. She'll provide lots of yuks and a bottomless well of inanity for Tina Fey to spoof.
Those media pundits who I watched last night and watched this morning seemed to be trying to be balanced. They lamely gave the benefit of the doubt to Sarah Palin. "She didn't stumble and she did well" says Democrat Harold Ford on Morning Joe. Mika Brzezinski says it would have been a disaster if she had stumbled, and she didn't. By my book, not answering a direct question is worse than a stumble, it's falling flat. Andrea Mitchel says that "she gave a strong performance" explaining what this means as her not being as substantive as some people might like, programmed, rehearsed, folksy and smart and having no hits, no runs, no errors. Talk about redefining the meaning of what constitutes a strong performance. Talk about lowering the bar! Republican pundits and spinners are praising her methinks too enthusiastically. Patrick Buchanan, immediately after the debate, was so effusive in his praise I thought he'd been watching the debate after a dinner of psilocybin mushrooms when he bellowed "Sarah Palin was sensational tonight, she regained that magic she had at the convention!" Either he was earning his pay as counter-point to Rachel Maddow or he needs Thorazine to bring him down from his magic 'shroom trip. Maddow's comeback to Buchanan was classic: "Boring but right versus exciting and wrong -- that's America's choice?" This morning Buchanan calls Palin "my girl". It's LSD or a crush on the Wasilla winker. Even Tom Brokaw seemed a bit smitten if not delusional. He said that at least she didn't come across as Tina Fey. Is he kidding? The Saturday Night Live writers won't have to embellish their skit with a single word as Palin gave them ample material. On the issues, Palin was both over-scripted and insubstantial. While I found her annoying and likened her presentation to various television characters from Lucy to Chrissy on Three's Company, I know some voters find her folksy-by-a-factor-of-three style engaging. I just can't get beyond disbelieving that anyone in their right mind would wants a vice president whose sentence structures make Bush look like an English teacher representing the United States on the world stage. The only world leader I can see her sitting down with is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad because in his own way he's just as cartoonish. She'd bewitch him with her Elizabeth Montgomery - Samantha Stephens magical nose twitch. Gwen Ifill and Joe Biden let her get away with ignoring questions presenting her cutsy face and giving a repetitious memorized speech to eat up her time. After the first McCain - Obama debate I said that our Westies slept through it. Not this debate. My wife kept startling them awake with her shouts of incredulity. Vice president is one thing, but a doggone winking you betcha president with average intelligence? That is utterly terrifying to contemplate. As a psychotherapist, I don't think it is wise or prudent to glorify Joe Six-Pack image of someone who down the entire six-pack in a few hours. That makes him an alcoholic. Non-alcoholics would be falling down drunk if not unconscious after downing six beers. Aside from viewing her complementary Joe Six-Pack references from the point of view of a therapist, I agree with Bob Cesca who wrote that she's "a bonafide hooplehead -- so dangerously out of her depth and so delusional -- perhaps blinded by ambition -- that she is in total denial about the real-world ramifications of her ineptitude. Instead, she's excusing her embarrassing television interviews and farcical candidacy as an historical breakthrough for "normal Joe Six-pack Americans." If you didn't see the video of Palin attacking Katie Couric, the former high school cheerleader who was often called America's sweetheart when she presided over The Today Show, take a look-see here. Is it really wise for Palin to select, of all newscasters to blame for the public's negative view of her, Katie Couric? Is it really wise to get into a "mirror mirror on the wall" face off with Katie?
Consider:
I haven't finished reading the major OpEds, but so far I think E. J. Dionne, Jr. in "Hockey Mom on Thin Ice" has an accurate assessment. Winning being defined as "not imploding" is the journalistic version of certifiable insanity. Here's another good one from Forbes' Suzanne Garment . Referring to the cultural divide in our country, which often has nothing to do with intelligence and explains why my inlaws who are very bight former farmers without college educations loved her debate performance. Here's part of what she writes:
The former of Vermont Governor Madeline Kunin of doesn't add much to the dialogue about Palin but I liked her title "Sarah Palin's Debate Performance: Fake It 'Til You Make It". Arianna Huffington hits her with both barrels and agrees with me and others that Palin didn't know what the reference to Achilles' Please read and adhere to the posting rules of Capitol Hill Blue and the additional rules and guidelines for commenting on this column here.
Capitol Hill Blue's columnists, blogs and reader comments Capitol Hill Blue is an independent, non-partisan news site that belongs to no political party and subscribes to no political or philosophical point-of-view. Our columnists are welcome to their opinions but readers should understand that their views do not necessarily reflect the editorial policies of this web site. We also welcome comments to selected opinion columns and in our popular ReaderRant discussion forum. Please remember, however, that we believe in civility on this web site and comments may be reviewed, moderated or removed if we feel they contain obscenities, racism, bigotry, anti-Semitic remarks or attack other posters. Our goal is reasoned discussion on issues facing this nation and we do not feel that goal is served by personal attacks and by seeing how many cute adjectives you can attach to an elected official or politician's name. Copyright © 2008 Capitol Hill Blue
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I'll say it straight out, Joe Biden won the debate hands down by any measure except the bewitching performance perko-meter. If you counted winks, as someone quoted in a 
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RichardKanePA Yes I agree
Submitted by RichardKanePA on October 3, 2008 - 6:40am.RichardKanePA
Yes I agree Biden won, especially for those who actually watched the debate and who were capable of changing their minds but she inspired the base, and she Ronald Reagan style stated harsh policy in a very sweet way. The excepts the news media and McCain takes up will be much more important than the debate.
I fear her legacy will be similar to Raegan's sweet memories with all the pain she caused known only to some of those who she will make suffer.
For what I think we should do about it see,
http://capitolhillblue.com/cont/node/11465
Very good analysis, Mr.
Submitted by Malibu on October 3, 2008 - 6:46am.Very good analysis, Mr. Brown. I noticed that she did not pause to contemplate any question before answering and that confused me. She was properly prepared like a "Stepford" politician. She has all the Conservative rhetoric memorized which may not be as good these days as America is fed up with Bush Conservatism. Bush was so corrupt in his actions that he literally stained the GOP to look very bad to the voters.
I believe we need two sides on all our congressional decisions and the liberal side of the coin is going to be the choice of Americans. The GOP coin is nearly worthless at this time. As they say. the brand has lost its power. For the good of the country, the fiscal responsibility of the old Republican Party must be located. We may need a third party to bring it back.
Malcolm
Sorry Hal, I think Palin and
Submitted by pollchecker on October 3, 2008 - 8:35am.Sorry Hal, I think Palin and McCain are more like the characters from Green Acres except that Eva Gabor had a much better accent.
There's an old commercial about Dean Witter (I believe) that goes....when they speak, everyone listens.
Well, when she speaks I just want to reach for my nearest shoe and throw it at the television.
She's not a VP candidate...she's more like a cartoon character.
And what's with that condescending attitude?
The sound bites they play make her sound like a mother scolding a child except that Senator Biden is nothing like a child.
I am reminded of a scene from Mr Mom where Terri Garr's character is cutting her bosses meat for him. I can just see that scene playing out between her and McCain on his private plane.
PS -- I finally figured out some of her answers and gestures last night. They were Beauty pageant answers. I guess she associates debating for the 2nd highest office in America with Miss USA.
I loved Palin's comments
Submitted by sherry on October 3, 2008 - 8:12am.I loved Palin's comments regarding Obama-Biden team eternally looking back. It's true.
Biden certainly had a command of the issues. Would Palin be ready for presidency on day one? Of course not.
The scary part is that neither would Obama.
Say what you will about Palin, she has a state with a budget surplus. Personally, I would like to have someone who has balanced a budget.
Even if she does say "doggone it"
On the Alaska balanced
Submitted by Hal Brown on October 3, 2008 - 9:17am.On the Alaska balanced budget.
To her credit she took on the oil companies and imposed a windfall profits tax. In the debate as I recall she avoided answering the question whether she disagreed with McCain on his NOT supporting a national windfall profits tax on big oil.
Sherry, any politician who
Submitted by snargle on October 3, 2008 - 9:32am.Sherry, any politician who couldn't balance Alaska's budget is worse than incompetent. Almost 70% of Alaska's budget comes directly from oil company royalties. And add into that $13,000 per capita in federal handouts (third largest in the nation after Louisiana and Mississippi...remember Katrina?) Now, if Palin was able to balance the budget in Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Michigan, then I might have some respect for her skills.
Hal, perhaps Palin could
Submitted by sherry on October 3, 2008 - 9:36am.Hal, perhaps Palin could show Johnny Mac how to balance a budget.
No one wants to do the windfall profits tax. Big oil owns congress and I am not just talking Bush. Look at Jay Rockefeller. Do you think it is an accident EXXON got all those tax breaks?
As Biden so eloquently
Submitted by Pablo on October 3, 2008 - 1:08pm.As Biden so eloquently said,
"The past is prologue". The past is extremely relevant when one is presenting themselves as something their actions have repeatedly shown they are not.
I kept closing my eyes while
Submitted by gazelle1929 on October 3, 2008 - 8:55am.I kept closing my eyes while Sorry was speaking and I kept seeing the image of Marge Gunderson in the movie Fargo.
A dog-and-pony extravaganza.
Submitted by griff on October 3, 2008 - 9:28am.A dog-and-pony extravaganza. I'll let the reader decide which is which.
I didn't watch it. I
Submitted by Elmo on October 3, 2008 - 9:40am.I didn't watch it. I expected that she would stick to talking points regardless of what question was asked and from everything I've heard, watching the curse of the Billy Goat work on the Cubs again was a much better use of my time.
Hal Brown is attempting to
Submitted by ErnestoCHB on October 3, 2008 - 11:42am.Hal Brown is attempting to "spin" this victory into a defeat. He made no mention of Joe (Overbite) Biden's lie about "10 years for drilling to get to market"...TOTAL MALARKEY of anti-drill PRO $700 Billion and jobs shipped out of USA crowd. Shameless lying not even rebuked is STILL shameless lying. Repeat the mantra...NO DRILLING...TAKES 10 years...NO DRILLING...rather have tanker spills than environmentally safe drilling and jobs for Americans keeping $700 Billion in oil revenues HERE. Shame on YOU Hal Brown and Shame on your Democrat Collegues who propagate this "DRILLING WILL DO NO GOOD" Lie!
DRILL HERE! DRILL NOW! FIRE Obstacle compromise politicians NOW! Chambliss and other 4 are STILL anti-drilling...need to be FIRED!
Ernesto Ramos PhD
Personal reference removed
Submitted by pollchecker on October 3, 2008 - 11:50am.Personal reference removed by moderator ... about drilling offshore for oil.
As someone who grew up in the oil business, it is absolutely NOT malarky when they say it will take at least 10 years to go from obtaining the title to producing a well.
And quite frankly, any oil & gas man will tell you we cannot drill our way out of this mess.
Even people like Mr. Pickens understands this show. The only people who profit from offshore drilling are the CEO's at corporations like Exxon/Mobil whose profits are obscene and who are taking home enough money to run a small country.
Poll, you do realize that
Submitted by sherry on October 3, 2008 - 6:29pm.Poll, you do realize that Pickens owns a ton of natural gas wells and this is what he is pushing. I mean, you didn't really think this guy was soley concerned for energy independence did you?
I know very well who he is
Submitted by pollchecker on October 4, 2008 - 9:31am.I know very well who he is and how he got his money. The fact that he is diversifying should tell you something.
I'd like to see Exxon go
Submitted by CheckerboardStr... on October 3, 2008 - 7:06pm.I'd like to see Exxon go ahead and RUN a small country.
Then we could declare war on them.
Checker, what a FANTASTIC
Submitted by sherry on October 3, 2008 - 11:27pm.Checker, what a FANTASTIC idea!!
Energy inefficiency ....
Submitted by Pablo on October 3, 2008 - 1:22pm.Energy inefficiency .... ...
Ad hominen reference removed by moderator, next time the enitre post will be deleted. ... the majority of americans drive vehicles that are extremely energy inefficient, huge vehicles they usually don't need, unless impressing the neighbors with their insensitivity towards conserving resources for future generations is a 'need'. I would expect an intelligent, educated person could see that our first logical step towards energy independence is to conserve. THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED! But no, proponents of drilling won't even mention conservation unless they are cornered.
Shame on anybody that proposes drilling in environmentally sensitive areas when the society has not even attempted conservation! Those areas should be left alone not only for environmental reasons, but also as a stockpile that could be used in a time of ABSOLUTE need. Our SUV culture is far from need, unless gluttony is need. Not in my book!
If we keep on pillaging and plundering with no regard for future generations, we will go down as the most shameful, gluttonous, selfish generation in history, the ones who saw the shipwreck coming and did nothing to change course. It's conservation time folks, not pillage and plunder what little is left time.
Moderator's advisory: I
Submitted by Hal Brown on October 3, 2008 - 6:57pm.Moderator's advisory: I added an update to the posting rules for my columns as follows:
While I always appreciate it when posters use their real names, if they do so with an advanced degree, if their field of expertise isn't obvious, it should be included along with the degree.
Posters should never use the name of someone else. Since in almost all cases others share one's name, when you use your own name you should make certain you identify exactly who you are.
On the above post, more of a guideline than a rule, try to avoid unnecessary personal reference such as "shame on you".
deleted
Submitted by sherry on October 3, 2008 - 11:38pm.deleted
My apologies Hal and
Submitted by Pablo on October 4, 2008 - 2:27am.My apologies Hal and Ernesto.
Palin taxed big oil in
Submitted by Ardie on October 3, 2008 - 12:04pm.Palin taxed big oil in Alaska. She even managed to give every Alaskan $1,200 to help with rising energy costs. And now she decries Obama's plan to impose a windfall-profits tax of big oil and use the money to give each American $1,000 to help offset the pain at the pump. Priceless!
Please stop referring to
Submitted by Walter F. Wouk on October 3, 2008 - 12:08pm.Please stop referring to Sarah Palin as a "conservative." There's nothing conservative about her. She's a Bible thumping,
right-wing reactionary who's itchin' to burn a few books.
I found myslef screaming at
Submitted by gazelle1929 on October 3, 2008 - 12:26pm.I found myslef screaming at my poor television set last night over what Sorry Palin flippantly said about the proposal to give every family a $5K tax credit for health insurance premiums. I am not going to quote her because it's a lot of gut-wrenching to watch her again, but she said words to the effect of: Well, at least there's not direct cost to the Government.
Let me see. 100 million families. $5,000 tax CREDIT! Oh my. That comes out to $500 billion. With a B. Is that a B for Bozo? A half a trillion dollars per year. What the hell are we going to run the country on? Her looks?
And this woman wants to be a heartbeat away from sitting behind that big desk in the Oval Office! Hell, she'd probably carve her initials on the desktop.
It's really simple:
Submitted by Pablo on October 3, 2008 - 1:27pm.It's really simple:
The decrease in revenue will be paid for by making bush's tax cuts for the wealthy permanent.
2 + 2 really does equal 3 don't you know!?
Hal, You gave me the best
Submitted by KayT on October 3, 2008 - 4:36pm.Hal, You gave me the best laugh of my day. I never thought that I would see the words psilocybin mushrooms and Pat Buchanan in the same sentence. That was hilarious.
My real concern with the McCain/Palin ticket is that she makes other women look foolish. If you just watch her and don't listen to her words, she looks like she is running for her middle school vice-presidency. All of the cutesy winks and nods were too much. When you add in her folksy language, she came across as rather immature. I think that this nomination has put the women's movement back. I think because of her it will be a long time before a woman is on a major ticket in this country.
Thanks KayT, it's hard to
Submitted by Hal Brown on October 3, 2008 - 7:22pm.Thanks KayT, it's hard to find humor in thinking about the prospect of her as vice president. Tina Fey is pure therapy.
I get the impression you don't think the Wasilla winker isn't the best female candidate McCain could have found. There are lots of Republican politicans far better qualified, even my own state's former governor, who I have been quite critical of, Jane Swift.
McCain's "Viva La Barracuda
Submitted by Hal Brown on October 3, 2008 - 7:09pm.McCain's "Viva La Barracuda Ha Ha"
and that's a quote...
just saw him absolutely beside himself with joy and laughing over what a barracuda she was, how he almost felt sorry for his friend Joe Biden. He thinks it's a complement.
Notice to everybody Please
Submitted by Hal Brown on October 3, 2008 - 7:34pm.Notice to everybody
Please don't make me do this again. I just went over the posts put on during the four hours we went for a lovely walk along the ocean. In that period I found several posts that I violated my strict rules - from posters on each side of issues.
In some cases I deleted entire posts and in others just sections of posts.
In the future I doubt I'll have the patience to edit out just portions of your posts. So don't give me a reason to. Please read the rules and guidelines and follow them.
Is is my intention to make the comments section of my columns among the most intelligent and civil on the web.
I am impressed with your level of intelligence and most of you are good writers, but some of you persist in disappointing me as far as online etiquette goes. If you want to engage in insulting other posters there are many moderated or barely moderated forums where you can do so.
If anyone feels they have been baited or another post violates the rules, since we don't have a feature to flag or report a post, just put a reply asking me to review it and I will.
If you want to be a part of this community, mind your manners.
Do not respond to this post here. If you have comments put them on the Miss Martin's Rules column. I review it once a day and will respond there.
Arianna Huffington hits her
Submitted by Hal Brown on October 3, 2008 - 8:12pm.Arianna Huffington hits her with both barrels and agrees with me and others that Palin didn't know what the reference to Achille's Hell meant.
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