Anchorage, Alaska - When he faces off against Sarah Palin Thursday night, Joe Biden will have his hands full.
I should know. I've debated Governor Palin more than two dozen times. And she's a master, not of facts, figures, or insightful policy recommendations, but at the fine art of the nonanswer, the glittering generality. Against such charms there is little Senator Biden, or anyone, can do.
On paper, of course, the debate appears to be a mismatch.
In 2000, Palin was the mayor of an Alaskan town of 5,500 people, while Biden was serving his 28th year as a United States senator. Her major public policy concern was building a local ice rink and sports center. His major public policy concern was the State Department's decision to grant an export license to allow sales of heavy-lift helicopters to Turkey, during tense UN-sponsored Cyprus peace talks.
On paper, the difference in experience on both domestic and foreign policy is like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing a bullet. Unfortunately for Biden, if recent history is an indicator, experience or a grasp of the issues won't matter when it comes to debating Palin.
On April 17, 2006, Palin and I participated in a debate at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks on agriculture issues. The next day, the Fairbanks Daily News Miner published this excerpt:
"Andrew Halcro, a declared independent candidate from Anchorage, came armed with statistics on agricultural productivity. Sarah Palin, a Republican from Wasilla, said the Matanuska Valley provides a positive example for other communities interested in agriculture to study."
On April 18, 2006, Palin and I sat together in a hotel coffee shop comparing campaign trail notes. As we talked about the debates, Palin made a comment that highlights the phenomenon that Biden is up against.
"Andrew, I watch you at these debates with no notes, no papers, and yet when asked questions, you spout off facts, figures, and policies, and I'm amazed. But then I look out into the audience and I ask myself, 'Does any of this really matter?' " Palin said.
While policy wonks such as Biden might cringe, it seemed to me that Palin was simply vocalizing her strength without realizing it. During the campaign, Palin's knowledge on public policy issues never matured – because it didn't have to. Her ability to fill the debate halls with her presence and her gift of the glittering generality made it possible for her to rely on populism instead of policy.
Palin is a master of the nonanswer. She can turn a 60-second response to a query about her specific solutions to healthcare challenges into a folksy story about how she's met people on the campaign trail who face healthcare challenges. All without uttering a word about her public-policy solutions to healthcare challenges.
In one debate, a moderator asked the candidates to name a bill the legislature had recently passed that we didn't like. I named one. Democratic candidate Tony Knowles named one. But Sarah Palin instead used her allotted time to criticize the incumbent governor, Frank Murkowski. Asked to name a bill we did like, the same pattern emerged: Palin didn't name a bill.
And when she does answer the actual question asked, she has a canny ability to connect with the audience on a personal level. For example, asked to name a major issue that had been ignored during the campaign, I discussed the health of local communities, Mr. Knowles talked about affordable healthcare, and Palin talked about ... the need to protect hunting and fishing rights.
So what does that mean for Biden? With shorter question-and-answer times and limited interaction between the two, he should simply ignore Palin in a respectful manner on the stage and answer the questions as though he were alone. Any attempt to flex his public-policy knowledge and show Palin is not ready for prime time will inevitably cast him in the role of the bully.
On the other side of the stage, if Palin is to be successful, she needs to do what she does best: fill the room with her presence and stick to the scripted sound bites.
Deja vu.
Edit: I bolded a bunch. Just read the whole damn article.
Hyping Palins non answer ability doesn't help her. Honestly we've seen her 3 interviews the woman just doesn't answer questions and showcasing more of that will not be good for her or her campaign. The numbers haven't fallen because of voodo.
Preacher on
I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.
Anchorage, Alaska - When he faces off against Sarah Palin Thursday night, Joe Biden will have his hands full.
I should know. I've debated Governor Palin more than two dozen times. And she's a master, not of facts, figures, or insightful policy recommendations, but at the fine art of the nonanswer, the glittering generality. Against such charms there is little Senator Biden, or anyone, can do.
On paper, of course, the debate appears to be a mismatch.
In 2000, Palin was the mayor of an Alaskan town of 5,500 people, while Biden was serving his 28th year as a United States senator. Her major public policy concern was building a local ice rink and sports center. His major public policy concern was the State Department's decision to grant an export license to allow sales of heavy-lift helicopters to Turkey, during tense UN-sponsored Cyprus peace talks.
On paper, the difference in experience on both domestic and foreign policy is like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing a bullet. Unfortunately for Biden, if recent history is an indicator, experience or a grasp of the issues won't matter when it comes to debating Palin.
On April 17, 2006, Palin and I participated in a debate at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks on agriculture issues. The next day, the Fairbanks Daily News Miner published this excerpt:
"Andrew Halcro, a declared independent candidate from Anchorage, came armed with statistics on agricultural productivity. Sarah Palin, a Republican from Wasilla, said the Matanuska Valley provides a positive example for other communities interested in agriculture to study."
On April 18, 2006, Palin and I sat together in a hotel coffee shop comparing campaign trail notes. As we talked about the debates, Palin made a comment that highlights the phenomenon that Biden is up against.
"Andrew, I watch you at these debates with no notes, no papers, and yet when asked questions, you spout off facts, figures, and policies, and I'm amazed. But then I look out into the audience and I ask myself, 'Does any of this really matter?' " Palin said.
While policy wonks such as Biden might cringe, it seemed to me that Palin was simply vocalizing her strength without realizing it. During the campaign, Palin's knowledge on public policy issues never matured – because it didn't have to. Her ability to fill the debate halls with her presence and her gift of the glittering generality made it possible for her to rely on populism instead of policy.
Palin is a master of the nonanswer. She can turn a 60-second response to a query about her specific solutions to healthcare challenges into a folksy story about how she's met people on the campaign trail who face healthcare challenges. All without uttering a word about her public-policy solutions to healthcare challenges.
In one debate, a moderator asked the candidates to name a bill the legislature had recently passed that we didn't like. I named one. Democratic candidate Tony Knowles named one. But Sarah Palin instead used her allotted time to criticize the incumbent governor, Frank Murkowski. Asked to name a bill we did like, the same pattern emerged: Palin didn't name a bill.
And when she does answer the actual question asked, she has a canny ability to connect with the audience on a personal level. For example, asked to name a major issue that had been ignored during the campaign, I discussed the health of local communities, Mr. Knowles talked about affordable healthcare, and Palin talked about ... the need to protect hunting and fishing rights.
So what does that mean for Biden? With shorter question-and-answer times and limited interaction between the two, he should simply ignore Palin in a respectful manner on the stage and answer the questions as though he were alone. Any attempt to flex his public-policy knowledge and show Palin is not ready for prime time will inevitably cast him in the role of the bully.
On the other side of the stage, if Palin is to be successful, she needs to do what she does best: fill the room with her presence and stick to the scripted sound bites.
Deja vu.
Edit: I bolded a bunch. Just read the whole damn article.
I disagree on the "bully" thing. When Palin dodges a question, he can get away with smirking and noting how she didn't answer.
Biden isn't there to be liked. Obama has enough charisma to carry that part. Biden's role is now to show that he is competent and a "Serious Person" and to demonstrate Sarah Palin is dangerously unqualified.
gah... at least with Cheney, if he was going to destroy the planet, you know it would be on purpose. With Palin, I can completely see her doing it through gross incompetence.
Sentry on
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
wrote:
When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
Seems to me like Palin's gift for the non-answer has fallen apart now that she's out of her comfort zone. Running for mayor or governor it's easier to stick to local issues that you're well-versed in. She's shown time and time again that she knows jack squat about any issues outside of Alaska.
Hunting and fishing rights isn't going to cut it here, not if she wants to attract voters outside states that are already solidly red.
Running for mayor or governor it's easier to stick to local issues that you're well-versed in. She's shown time and time again that she knows jack squat about any issues outside of Alaska.
you spout off facts, figures, and policies, and I'm amazed. But then I look out into the audience and I ask myself, 'Does any of this really matter
I'm not sure she even became mayor because of local issues.
So, re-registered today in my school's county so I don't need to drive back home to vote. I could have done absentee, I suppose, but I prefer to vote in person. And I have the day off, but I don't want to risk weather being a factor. Sucks, because this means I won't be able to spend the evening with the wife watching the results come in...but then, I have class the next day in the morning anyway so that probably wouldn't have worked either way.
I noticed they're pushing hard on my campus as far as voter registration goes. I can't remember the last day I didn't walk by at least one table registering people, if not two.
So, re-registered today in my school's county so I don't need to drive back home to vote. I could have done absentee, I suppose, but I prefer to vote in person. And I have the day off, but I don't want to risk weather being a factor. Sucks, because this means I won't be able to spend the evening with the wife watching the results come in...but then, I have class the next day in the morning anyway so that probably wouldn't have worked either way.
I noticed they're pushing hard on my campus as far as voter registration goes. I can't remember the last day I didn't walk by at least one table registering people, if not two.
Sounds like people are slacking at your school. We've gotten to the point at CU where people will be asked if they need to vote 5 times while walking through campus. I think we've gotten to the point of being the annoying campaign.
CommunistCow on
No, I am not really communist. Yes, it is weird that I use this name.
The only good thing about a McCain-Palin presidency is that The Daily Show would have more material than ever.
You monster.
(I remember when he appeared on Crossfire in 2004, and he slapped them around when they asked if he was secretly hoping for a Bush win so he could get more material, saying that no, his concern for his job did not outweigh his concern for his country.)
You know looking at the photos of bush in the past with the supposed wireless reciever, I wonder was he wearing suspenders? That looks like the outline of suspenders.
Preacher on
I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.
So, re-registered today in my school's county so I don't need to drive back home to vote. I could have done absentee, I suppose, but I prefer to vote in person. And I have the day off, but I don't want to risk weather being a factor. Sucks, because this means I won't be able to spend the evening with the wife watching the results come in...but then, I have class the next day in the morning anyway so that probably wouldn't have worked either way.
I noticed they're pushing hard on my campus as far as voter registration goes. I can't remember the last day I didn't walk by at least one table registering people, if not two.
Sounds like people are slacking at your school. We've gotten to the point at CU where people will be asked if they need to vote 5 times while walking through campus. I think we've gotten to the point of being the annoying campaign.
Well, in fairness it's not like it's a time-critical issue here. We have at-the-poll registration for anybody who fails to take care of it beforehand.
mcdermott on
0
Options
deowolfis allowed to do that.Traffic.Registered Userregular
edited September 2008
Who wears suspenders with a belt? Aside from my boss.
Who wears suspenders with a belt? Aside from my boss.
Yay! I'm so happy I knew this one...
Old, fat, mid-western lawyers...
Sentry on
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
wrote:
When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
Who wears suspenders with a belt? Aside from my boss.
Yay! I'm so happy I knew this one...
Old, fat, southern lawyers...
Darrow was from Ohio, though. And Bryan from Illinois.
fixed
Sentry on
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
wrote:
When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
Anchorage, Alaska - When he faces off against Sarah Palin Thursday night, Joe Biden will have his hands full.
I should know. I've debated Governor Palin more than two dozen times. And she's a master, not of facts, figures, or insightful policy recommendations, but at the fine art of the nonanswer, the glittering generality. Against such charms there is little Senator Biden, or anyone, can do.
On paper, of course, the debate appears to be a mismatch.
In 2000, Palin was the mayor of an Alaskan town of 5,500 people, while Biden was serving his 28th year as a United States senator. Her major public policy concern was building a local ice rink and sports center. His major public policy concern was the State Department's decision to grant an export license to allow sales of heavy-lift helicopters to Turkey, during tense UN-sponsored Cyprus peace talks.
On paper, the difference in experience on both domestic and foreign policy is like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing a bullet. Unfortunately for Biden, if recent history is an indicator, experience or a grasp of the issues won't matter when it comes to debating Palin.
On April 17, 2006, Palin and I participated in a debate at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks on agriculture issues. The next day, the Fairbanks Daily News Miner published this excerpt:
"Andrew Halcro, a declared independent candidate from Anchorage, came armed with statistics on agricultural productivity. Sarah Palin, a Republican from Wasilla, said the Matanuska Valley provides a positive example for other communities interested in agriculture to study."
On April 18, 2006, Palin and I sat together in a hotel coffee shop comparing campaign trail notes. As we talked about the debates, Palin made a comment that highlights the phenomenon that Biden is up against.
"Andrew, I watch you at these debates with no notes, no papers, and yet when asked questions, you spout off facts, figures, and policies, and I'm amazed. But then I look out into the audience and I ask myself, 'Does any of this really matter?' " Palin said.
While policy wonks such as Biden might cringe, it seemed to me that Palin was simply vocalizing her strength without realizing it. During the campaign, Palin's knowledge on public policy issues never matured – because it didn't have to. Her ability to fill the debate halls with her presence and her gift of the glittering generality made it possible for her to rely on populism instead of policy.
Palin is a master of the nonanswer. She can turn a 60-second response to a query about her specific solutions to healthcare challenges into a folksy story about how she's met people on the campaign trail who face healthcare challenges. All without uttering a word about her public-policy solutions to healthcare challenges.
In one debate, a moderator asked the candidates to name a bill the legislature had recently passed that we didn't like. I named one. Democratic candidate Tony Knowles named one. But Sarah Palin instead used her allotted time to criticize the incumbent governor, Frank Murkowski. Asked to name a bill we did like, the same pattern emerged: Palin didn't name a bill.
And when she does answer the actual question asked, she has a canny ability to connect with the audience on a personal level. For example, asked to name a major issue that had been ignored during the campaign, I discussed the health of local communities, Mr. Knowles talked about affordable healthcare, and Palin talked about ... the need to protect hunting and fishing rights.
So what does that mean for Biden? With shorter question-and-answer times and limited interaction between the two, he should simply ignore Palin in a respectful manner on the stage and answer the questions as though he were alone. Any attempt to flex his public-policy knowledge and show Palin is not ready for prime time will inevitably cast him in the role of the bully.
On the other side of the stage, if Palin is to be successful, she needs to do what she does best: fill the room with her presence and stick to the scripted sound bites.
Deja vu.
Edit: I bolded a bunch. Just read the whole damn article.
This reminds me of a point made about the difference between college and pro sports. At the college level, the talent pool is still thin enough that a single skilled player can make or break a game because the skill differential can fluctuate so wildly. But once you get to the pros, you have just the elite players, the best of the best, and the differential is significantly smaller. The result is that pro teams cannot just rely on talent like college teams can.
Palin may have been able to use non-answers in the Alaska debate to throw off her opponents, but she's not facing the local competition - she's in the big leagues now. If she tries the "do the figures really matter?" routine against Biden, all she will accomplish is to give him a MASSIVE opening in which he will illustrate why they do, in fact, matter. Trying to fill the room with her presence is going to be hampered by the fact that her opponents aren't just other locals who aren't as polished, but a senior statesman who has his own brand of gravitas that he brings to the lectern.
She got by in the AK debates with some fancy moves that wowed the field there. They're not going to wow Biden, and he's going to show her what playing at the top really means.
Edit: The more I think about it, the more I think that this metaphor is appropriate, because there are even tiers in the collegiate ranks. Palin would have been eaten alive in the CA, NY, or IL political scenes (which are the political equivalents of the major conferences.) It's basically like watching a star from Conference USA suddenly getting put into the pros, and with about the same results.
One of the simplest and best pieces of propaganda I've seen:
Someone else is reading the fark thread on the debates...
Farker through and through. Been going there for years, only started submitting recently though. 8 greenlights, 3 front page. Hell, I'm a member of Farkistan in Cybernations. Fun crew, that.
One of the simplest and best pieces of propaganda I've seen:
Someone else is reading the fark thread on the debates...
Farker through and through. Been going there for years, only started submitting recently though. 8 greenlights, 3 front page. Hell, I'm a member of Farkistan in Cybernations. Fun crew, that.
Nice I'm more of a lurker over there, because of the rabid cesspool of stupid. boobrabideu and phil herup are definately cutting edge retards.
Preacher on
I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.
I just got my Absantee ballot, for the general and for Florida. Does anyone understand these amendments thoroughly?
I got mine today as well. I haven't looked at all the amendments yet. I know Amendment 2 is the super anti-gay civil unions thing that Obama, Clinton, and Wexler/other Florida Dems have come out against. It's apparently going to fuck up a lot more than the scary gays though and affect a lot of living arrangements, including various seniors who could lose various benefits.
I'm gonna start my research into the amendments this week. I can post in this thread any links I find for you to make up your own mind or just shoot you a PM. Just keep in mind some of the more local things are horrendous to actually find info on if 2004 and 2006 were any indication.
I just got my Absantee ballot, for the general and for Florida. Does anyone understand these amendments thoroughly?
I got mine today as well. I haven't looked at all the amendments yet. I know Amendment 2 is the super anti-gay civil unions thing that Obama, Clinton, and Wexler/other Florida Dems have come out against. It's apparently going to fuck up a lot more than the scary gays though and affect a lot of living arrangements, including various seniors who could lose various benefits.
I'm gonna start my research into the amendments this week. I can post in this thread any links I find for you to make up your own mind or just shoot you a PM. Just keep in mind some of the more local things are horrendous to actually find info on if 2004 and 2006 were any indication.
Now that one I know. I don't want my Theatre major brother to get lynched.
On the topic of ballot measures and such, would any of the California people be interested in making a separate thread so we could talk about them (or perhaps a general "ballot measures" thread where any given state's members can talk about theirs). I haven't finished reading up on all of the ones which are in CA's, but some of the arguments for/against the ones in this year's are weird.
Then it's off to the McCain campaign plane, where CBS News was invited up front to ask a handful of questions. Couric asked Palin whether she considers herself a feminist.
"I do," Palin said. "I'm a feminist who, uh, believes in equal rights and I believe that women certainly today have every opportunity that a man has to succeed, and to try to do it all, anyway. And I'm very, very thankful that I've been brought up in a family where gender hasn't been an issue. You know, I've been expected to do everything growing up that the boys were doing. We were out chopping wood and you're out hunting and fishing and filling our freezer with good wild Alaskan game to feed our family. So it kinda started with that."
Couric: And when it comes to establishing your worldview, I was curious, what newspapers and magazines did you regularly read before you were tapped for this to stay informed and to understand the world?
Palin: I've read most of them, again with a great appreciation for the press, for the media.
Couric: What, specifically?
Palin: Um, all of them, any of them that have been in front of me all these years.
Couric: Can you name a few?
Palin: I have a vast variety of sources where we get our news, too. Alaska isn't a foreign country, where it's kind of suggested, "Wow, how could you keep in touch with what the rest of Washington, D.C., may be thinking when you live up there in Alaska?" Believe me, Alaska is like a microcosm of America.
Couric: What's your position on global warming? Do you believe it's man-made or not?
Palin: Well, we're the only Arctic state, of course, Alaska. So we feel the impacts more than any other state, up there with the changes in climates. And certainly, it is apparent. We have erosion issues. And we have melting sea ice, of course. So, what I've done up there is form a sub-cabinet to focus solely on climate change. Understanding that it is real. And …
Couric: Is it man-made, though in your view?
Palin: You know there are - there are man's activities that can be contributed to the issues that we're dealing with now, these impacts. I'm not going to solely blame all of man's activities on changes in climate. Because the world's weather patterns are cyclical. And over history we have seen change there. But kind of doesn't matter at this point, as we debate what caused it. The point is: it's real; we need to do something about it.
Couric: If a 15-year-old is raped by her father, do you believe it should be illegal for her to get an abortion, and why?
Palin: I am pro-life. And I'm unapologetic in my position that I am pro-life. And I understand there are good people on both sides of the abortion debate. In fact, good people in my own family have differing views on abortion, and when it should be allowed. Do I respect people's opinions on this. Now, I would counsel to choose life. I would also like to see a culture of life in this country. But I would also like to take it one step further. Not just saying I am pro-life and I want fewer and fewer abortions in this country, but I want them, those women who find themselves in circumstances that are absolutely less than ideal, for them to be supported, and adoptions made easier.
Couric: But ideally, you think it should be illegal for a girl who was raped or the victim of incest to get an abortion?
Palin: I'm saying that, personally, I would counsel the person to choose life, despite horrific, horrific circumstances that this person would find themselves in. And, um, if you're asking, though, kind of foundationally here, should anyone end up in jail for having an … abortion, absolutely not. That's nothing I would ever support.
Couric: Some people have credited the morning-after pill for decreasing the number of abortions. How do you feel about the morning-after pill?
Palin: Well, I am all for contraception. And I am all for preventative measures that are legal and save, and should be taken, but Katie, again, I am one to believe that life starts at the moment of conception. And I would like to see …
Couric: And so you don't believe in the morning-after pill?
Palin: ... I would like to see fewer and fewer abortions in this world. And again, I haven't spoken with anyone who disagrees with my position on that.
Couric: I'm sorry, I just want to ask you again. Do you not support or do you condone or condemn the morning-after pill.
Palin: Personally, and this isn't McCain-Palin policy …
Couric: No, that's OK, I'm just asking you.
Palin: But personally, I would not choose to participate in that kind of contraception.
Couric: Do you believe evolution should be taught as an accepted scientific principle or as one of several theories?
Palin: Oh, I think it should be taught as an accepted principle. And, as you know, I say that also as the daughter of a school teacher, a science teacher, who has really instilled in me a respect for science. It should be taught in our schools. And I won't deny that I see the hand of God in this beautiful creation that is Earth. But that is not part of the state policy or a local curriculum in a school district. Science should be taught it science class.
Palin: Well, it matters though, Katie, when the media gets it wrong. It frustrates Americans who are just trying to get the facts and … be able to make up their mind on, about a person's values. So it does matter.
But what you're talking about, I think, value here, what my position is on homosexuality and you can pray it away, because I think that was the title that was listed on that bulletin. And you know, I don't know what prayers are worthy of being prayed. I don't know what's prayers are going to be asked and answered. But as for homosexuality, I am not going to judge Americans and the decisions that they make in their adult personal relationships. I have one of my absolute best friends for the last 30 years happens to be gay, and I love her dearly. And she is not my "gay friend," she is one of my best friends, who happens to have made a choice that isn't a choice that I have made. But I am not going to judge people.
As we’ve seen a lot that takes place on Wall Street comes from perception as well as real numbers so I think it was a smart move for Obama to ask that the FDIC insurance on our bank accounts get raised to 250K. It gives people confidence in their banks and will ease a little tension there. What would happen if everyone withdrew their money from from their bank out of fear? Talk about a nightmare. He needs to lead on the economy and this is a good step.
“The majority of American families should rest assured that the deposits they have in our banks are safe,” Obama said in a statement put out by his presidential campaign.
“That is why today, I am proposing that we also raise the FDIC limit to $250,000 as part of the economic rescue package - a step that would boost small businesses, make our banking system more secure and help restore public confidence in our financial system.”
The FDIC has joined in:
The chairman of the House Financial Services Committee has told lawmakers that a federal bank regulator will seek authority to increase the deposit insurance limit to a level above its current $100,000, said a source familiar with the chairman’s thinking.
Representative Barney Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat, has told lawmakers of his committee that Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, will soon request the authority to boost the level of insured deposits, the source said.
Posts
Deja vu.
Edit: I bolded a bunch. Just read the whole damn article.
pleasepaypreacher.net
Biden isn't there to be liked. Obama has enough charisma to carry that part. Biden's role is now to show that he is competent and a "Serious Person" and to demonstrate Sarah Palin is dangerously unqualified.
QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
Hunting and fishing rights isn't going to cut it here, not if she wants to attract voters outside states that are already solidly red.
I noticed they're pushing hard on my campus as far as voter registration goes. I can't remember the last day I didn't walk by at least one table registering people, if not two.
pleasepaypreacher.net
Bringing new meaning to the phrase "quick and dirty", Preacher, ladies and gentlemen.
What silly liberals don't understand is that that's not lipstick. That's blood. She's already devoured the moderator; Biden's next.
That is a future I am interested in being a part of.
Sounds like people are slacking at your school. We've gotten to the point at CU where people will be asked if they need to vote 5 times while walking through campus. I think we've gotten to the point of being the annoying campaign.
She is the joker!
Man why does everyone got to hate on a little growth, some of us don't like our women to look like they are 12 down stairs.
pleasepaypreacher.net
You monster.
(I remember when he appeared on Crossfire in 2004, and he slapped them around when they asked if he was secretly hoping for a Bush win so he could get more material, saying that no, his concern for his job did not outweigh his concern for his country.)
If the Vice President accidentally kills the President in a hunting accident, what happens?
pleasepaypreacher.net
Well, in fairness it's not like it's a time-critical issue here. We have at-the-poll registration for anybody who fails to take care of it beforehand.
You want a fashion statement but your pants are too loose? Honestly I have no idea.
pleasepaypreacher.net
Yay! I'm so happy I knew this one...
Old, fat, mid-western lawyers...
Darrow was from Ohio, though. And Bryan from Illinois.
Oh man that's some excellent stuff right there.
Juxtaposition and timing and so on.
Someone else is reading the fark thread on the debates...
pleasepaypreacher.net
fixed
This reminds me of a point made about the difference between college and pro sports. At the college level, the talent pool is still thin enough that a single skilled player can make or break a game because the skill differential can fluctuate so wildly. But once you get to the pros, you have just the elite players, the best of the best, and the differential is significantly smaller. The result is that pro teams cannot just rely on talent like college teams can.
Palin may have been able to use non-answers in the Alaska debate to throw off her opponents, but she's not facing the local competition - she's in the big leagues now. If she tries the "do the figures really matter?" routine against Biden, all she will accomplish is to give him a MASSIVE opening in which he will illustrate why they do, in fact, matter. Trying to fill the room with her presence is going to be hampered by the fact that her opponents aren't just other locals who aren't as polished, but a senior statesman who has his own brand of gravitas that he brings to the lectern.
She got by in the AK debates with some fancy moves that wowed the field there. They're not going to wow Biden, and he's going to show her what playing at the top really means.
Edit: The more I think about it, the more I think that this metaphor is appropriate, because there are even tiers in the collegiate ranks. Palin would have been eaten alive in the CA, NY, or IL political scenes (which are the political equivalents of the major conferences.) It's basically like watching a star from Conference USA suddenly getting put into the pros, and with about the same results.
Farker through and through. Been going there for years, only started submitting recently though. 8 greenlights, 3 front page. Hell, I'm a member of Farkistan in Cybernations. Fun crew, that.
Nice I'm more of a lurker over there, because of the rabid cesspool of stupid. boobrabideu and phil herup are definately cutting edge retards.
pleasepaypreacher.net
I got mine today as well. I haven't looked at all the amendments yet. I know Amendment 2 is the super anti-gay civil unions thing that Obama, Clinton, and Wexler/other Florida Dems have come out against. It's apparently going to fuck up a lot more than the scary gays though and affect a lot of living arrangements, including various seniors who could lose various benefits.
I'm gonna start my research into the amendments this week. I can post in this thread any links I find for you to make up your own mind or just shoot you a PM. Just keep in mind some of the more local things are horrendous to actually find info on if 2004 and 2006 were any indication.
Now that one I know. I don't want my Theatre major brother to get lynched.
pleasepaypreacher.net
I am now doubting whether she reads newspapers regularly. That shouldn't be possible.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/09/30/obama-wants-to-raise-the-fdic-limit-to-250k/