Palin's Steady Act All GOP Could Ask For

CBSNews.com Analysis: Alaska Governor Turns In Strong Performance After Shaky Weeks But Biden, Democrats Retain Edge

(CBS)  This analysis was written by CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs.

---

Even from the far away campus of Washington University, the sighs of relief from John McCain’s campaign headquarters in Virginia were almost audible. At the end of a high-stakes vice presidential debate, their candidate had passed - if not with flying colors, then at least with a solid grade.

The blank slate that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has remained for many voters since she was picked out of obscurity was filled in with surprising depth here tonight. After weeks of being sequestered from the media and a series of embarrassing stumbles in the interviews she did grant, Palin shared the stage with Democrat Joe Biden and his 36 years of experience in the United States Senate and, for the most part, held her own.

While there were two candidates on stage, all eyes were fixed squarely on the political newcomer who has energized McCain’s presidential campaign at times, and threatened to help drag it under at others. She turned in a steady performance that should help stabilize a Republican Party that has displayed concern in some quarters about her selection.

Palin relied heavily on her campaign talking points, at times flatly ignoring the direct questions tossed her way. She signaled that would be her approach early on, when after being pressed about McCain’s record on deregulation by Biden, she said, “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 and let them know my track record.”

But, in the midst of growing questions about her base of knowledge, Palin proved herself to be a quick learner, if nothing else. She demonstrated an ability to thrust and parry on a variety of subjects, at times putting Biden on the defensive. And she did it with the folksy, hockey mom touch that played so well at the Republican convention, but seemed to be laid on a bit heavy for a one-on-one debate.

At times it was effective. At one point in the midst of a foreign policy discussion, Palin allowed, “it's so obvious I'm a Washington outsider. And someone just not used to the way you guys operate. Because here you voted for the war and now you oppose the war. You're one who says, as so many politicians do, I was for it before I was against it or vice-versa.” But more often, with her facial expressions and aw-shucks asides (she even winked at the camera at least twice), it seemed out of place.

But Palin didn’t need to hit this one out of the park, she just needed to be steady and mistake-free, and she largely succeeded.

If Palin was steady, Biden was strong. There aren't many who doubt the Delaware senator’s knowledge on most issues but there have been nervous Democrats who worry about his tendency to go on for too long and step into gaffes in the process. He sometimes seemed conscious about those problem areas, mentioning twice that his allotted time was close to expiring, almost as if to remind himself to stop talking.

But Biden stuck to the Democratic script. He hammered away at McCain on taxes, on the Iraq war and on his connection to President Bush. Both candidates appeared genuinely impressed with one another and the senator avoided one big fear among his backers - coming across as condescending to Palin. Instead, the two all but tripped over one another to shovel out the compliments while keeping their heavy fire concentrated on the tops of the tickets.

And that’s the major reason Biden walked away with the edge in this debate. He showed much more mastery on the issues, but that’s not always a guarantor of success - just ask Al Gore. Biden’s not-so-secret weapon is the fact that voters agree with Democrats on more of the issues than with Republicans, regardless of which candidate is doing the talking. Especially on the economy, the dominant issue of the day.

Not unexpectedly, strategists for both campaigns took to the “spin room” to underscore how pleased they were with their candidates. For Democrats, it was all about keeping the status quo in the campaign, which by all indications favors them.

“We’ve had two debates now,” Obama campaign manager David Plouffe told reporters, “and I think Joe Biden talked a lot about how the middle class is being left behind and Governor Palin, just like John McCain Friday night, offered no new ideas, no real, clear sense of how things are going to change.”

For Republicans, it was about Palin proving herself.

“Winning, for us... is to show that Sarah Palin is a together person who has the understanding of where Senator McCain wants to take the world and the ability to go to Washington to bring about change,” South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said. And McCain campaign manager Steve Schmidt said Palin did “a tremendous job” because “the American people got to see a Washington outsider who’s ready to be Vice President of the United States, who understands what they’re going through, who’s fluent and conversant on national security, who understands what America’s role in the world is.”

At the very least, Palin’s solid performance should halt the stream of suggestions from Republicans, even some conservatives, that her selection was a mistake. And for a campaign swimming against a strong tide of events and voter sentiment, that’s all they could have asked for Thursday night.

[harbinger09]

The GOP might want a steady act--the rest of us don''t want any act--we want a reliable, knowledgeable leader--not an actor or actress who can read a script and deliver one liners.

[dennoe85]

Its unbelievable what a few days and a lot of coaching can do. I don''t know if Americans are supposed to believe the act Palin put on to prove her''s and McCain''s campaign point of continued deception. That was a plastic image and what we need to see is the real person before they are elected and get us deeper into a pit that we are already having problems climbing out of.

[memerider]

I thought both did well. There were few surprises. Remembering Obama''s responses to questions early in his campaign, I''d say Palin is a quick study and held her own. I doubt it changed any minds.

[dennoe85]

Its unbelievable what a few days and a lot of coaching can do. I don''t know if Americans are supposed to believe the act Palin put on to prove her''s and McCain''s campaign point of continued deception. That was a plastic image and what we need to see is the real person before they are elected and get us deeper into a pit that we are already having problems climbing out of.

[lucasnico]

Oh, so you''''ll vote for the man who has to carry a teleprompter around with him, cans every answer he gives, and flat out lies most of the time?

Posted by StormyTexan at 01:09 AM : Oct 03, 2008

Nope....won''t vote for that guy.....will vote for Obama!! (and changing your name doesn''t make you any smarter..... look both ways before taking off in that golf cart of yours)

[laverniorlan]

stormy texan,harbinger09 you have ears I''m assuming,but yet you do not hear. Also, you must be living the american dream. Must be nice. As for me I making less now than I did in 1990. My company only made 20Million a year hear but, thanks to McCain they went to China to make 80 million and the hell with the 400 middle class americans

[Regensburger]

Sarah really outdid herself this time, didn''t she? (wink, wink)

[erasmus81]

"Palin Blew it out of the water." Posted by BIGJJ29 at 01:18 AM : Oct 03, 2008

Really? How did you come to that conclusion?

[unity811]

The GOP did a good job on prepping her. Someone needed to call Palin on her BS and ask some follow up questions. I bet if Katie Couric was allowed to moderate, she wouldn''t allow Palin to recite her vague canned answers without digging a bit further. We need real solutions! Sorry Sarah Palin, but we need more than smiles and pixey dust to get out of this mess we''re in.

[politicalbuf]

Wow, that was quite a debate. Sarah Palin was much better than we expected. Anyways, if you want to watch upto the minute videos and compare the candidates on issues that matter to you, visit http://debate1on1.com. Enjoy!

[boomchuck]

Palin''s comment that she wasn''t necessarily going to answer the questions from the moderator or Biden said a lot, and really reflected how she handled the debate. While I felt like Biden answered all the questions, even if the answer was short and then he went off on a tangent, Palin completely ignored a number of the questions and wandered off into energy topics when that clearly was not what the question was about. It''s not difficult to speak intelligently when you get to pick the topic you''re going to talk about. Actually answering questions is much tougher.

Biden was definitely the winner. The real shame was that they didn''t allow the candidates to question each other the way McCain and Obama did in the first debate. That would have been disastrous for Palin.

[rckstrdave]

Biden won (duh). Palin is still clueless (duh), but a little better rehearsed. She didn''t implode, but Biden wasn''t allowed to address her.

McCain is a crazy and corrupt, like a cardboard cutout of Bush and Nixon''s illegitimate child. But faulty voting software will probably get him elected. I''d offer an obligatory link to the company robbing us of this election, but you''d just think I''m another nut. Which I am. So do some research, somebody! CBS wont do it.

[jsilver2th]

Come on- she didn''t even know the name of our General in Afghanistan- If it wasn''t a VP debate and Biden''s job would have been to go after her she wouldn''t have scored a point- there was major questions that she completely ignored because she didn''t know how to answer them- I will grant you she avoided major blunders but this was only because the expectations were low- if Obama, McCain or Biden would have given those answers you would think they were drunk

[virgilj1]

The comment gives energy independence for America a low priority. Palin is the gold nugget from Alaska that will make America rich. And she walked the talk where others merely talk, and talk is cheap.

Palin is what America needs.

[praiseallah1]

Bill O''Reilly freaks out at Congressman Barney Frank over his role in the Fannie/Freddie scandal which caused our current economic crisis! It''s HILLARIOUS!

Go watch these videos documenting the fraud of our elected officials http://wallstreetmarketnews.blogspot.com

[nkirv]

I''m amazed that there aren''t more news articles in an uproar over Palin''s ONE unrehearsed answer that actually attempted to answer the question: about whether the V.P. is in the executive or legislative branch. She obviously has no clue about what principles our democracy is founded on and gave an ignorant answering, thinking she sounded gutsy wanting to be "flexible" and expand the V.P.''s powers. She was basically unaware of the importance of the separation of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches for a system of checks and balances. She didn''t remember this from high school, obviously. If people vote that ignoramus into power, it will be the blind leading the blind. She''s another Bush: likable at a barbeque but clueless about the weight of power and easily brushing aside the law. Please, not again!

[nkirv]

Remember the early days of the Bush Presidency? Expectations were so low, that finally there was a front page New York Times article praising the President for being able to conduct an interview ALL BY HIMSELF without Cheney answering for him. Ugh, we need seriously to beef up public education in this country. It''s the blind electing the blind.

[billreef]

The fact that this woman could be our next VP and the 2nd most powerful person in the worls is an insult to the intelligence of the human race. I know why she doesn''t believe in Evolution. It is because the survival of the "fittest" doesn''t apply here. Here is a person who has been able to climb the political ladder solely based on her looks and her ideology. She is as dumb as we have allowed American politics to become. We once required the best and brightest to become our champions, now we settle for someone who can mouth soundbites. This woman had to attend 5 colleges to get a BA. She makes the girl from SC in the beauty pageant look mainstream. And we wonder why we keep racking up debt. We are too stupid as a country to figure a way out. All this BS about the US is ther greatest country in the world is history. We come in at number 37 in test scores. That puts us below other past failed civilizations like Italy and Spain.

[mh4cbs1]

Amazing the Corporate Media Spin.

So Palin didn''t look like a Moose in the headlights, and thus she had a "Steady Act".

I''m sorry but that doesn''t cut it for someone who could quite possibly end up as our President. Face it, Palin was evasive, rambling, spoke in slogans and generalities. She persisted in perpetuating the total distortions of Obama''s and Biden''s views and record.

Biden did a great job in stressing the need for change after 8 years of GOP DISASTER.

Also ---- Gwen asked about "class warfare".. How come its not class warfare when the wealth of our nation is sucked out of the middleclass to fund tax cuts for the billionares? Or bail out Wall Street? Or fund a trillion dollars for a Needless War in Iraq? Folks it HAS BEEN CLASS WARFARE on Working Families since 1980 when Reagan took office. But the media only calls it class warfare when the middleclass says enough is enough!!

[nkirv]

Re the V.P. power being "flexible."
She''s another Bush: likable at a barbeque but clueless about the weight of power and easily brushing aside the law. And it''s "nuclear," not "nucular." Please, not again!

[anya136]

yah. I dont think Palin did enough to make up for the disastrous interview with Couric.

She showed she could stand up, stay standing up and repeat learning by rote.

She didnt answer the questions because she couldnt.

She played up her folksiness to a cringe-degree.

It would be dangerous to have this person one heartbeat away from the presidency.

It would be dangerous to have McCain who doesnt understand the economy or international diplomacy in the presidency

[jlsm57]

Is Palin related to George W.? Every single time she said "nuclear" tonight, she pronounced it "nucular". Listening to her is sad and scary all at the same time.

[misha128-2009]

Gov Palin''s choice to ignore questions to provide obviously canned answers will extract a price. Voters that found those questions important will be casting votes for candidates willing to address THEIR (the voter''s) important issues. Gov Palin''s arrogance in not answering is a direct connection to the arrogance of the Bush administration as well as the arrogance and fits of temper being displayed by Senator McCain and clearly do not indicate either party on the Republican ticket has any real dedication to bi-partisan rule. Senator McCain has made dictator references on several occasions and clearly intends to rule in such a manner. The ultimate MORE OF THE SAME we do not need.

[viamarina]

"But in the midst of growing questions about her base of knowledge, Palin proved herself to be a quick learner if nothing else."

What? It was all memorized in the last 5 days. She knows not what she speaks.

"If Palin was steady, Biden was strong. There aren%u2019t many who doubt the Delaware senator%u2019s knowledge.."

That''s the problem with American politics. The author buried this point in the second half of the story. Knowledge is clearly not as important as folksiness.

Bottom line: Why was Palin''s shallow performance the lead? Biden was strong, well-informed, answered the questions and proved to be very human and sensitive. It''s a pity that an "American Idol" moment trumped substance.

[kimb54]

I must admit Palin was very articulate in her performance tonight. Her uncanny ability to completely ignore the question and proceed into a diatribe of off base talking points was disappointing. She made no major flubs in her programmed responses even if her responses were not what the moderator %u201Cwanted to hear%u201D, but I think she forgot it was what America wanted to hear! Her adviodance of answering questions in the last month and tonight has left me at least with no clue of her positions (except missionary!)

[bigjj29]

Palin blew it out of the water. Biden came off like your typical DC flip-flop money grabber. Check out PitbullPalin.org to see some "Show your Vote". I hope the Maverick and Pitbull can pull it off

[linfinster]

"And McCain campaign manager Steve Schmidt said Palin ..... who understands what they%u2019re going through, who%u2019s fluent and conversant on national security is, who understands what America%u2019s role in the world is.%u201D

fluent and conversant?? Sound more like a smart parrot.

Wake up and see the politics behind the politics.

[hispanic88]

Palin failed again, not in like with the interview with Katie Couric, but she didn''t demostrative the leadership neither the capacity to occupied the second most important office in the nation. With an old and sick man running for President, I don''t want this crazy b..... be in a position to become president. She is cute and hot......but not good for VP. Sorry babe, I won''t give you my vote. You need to read and learn more.

[bluecard1]

Why is it that we value expertise, experience, and education in our doctors, dentists, teachers, and other professionals and yet remain skeptical about it in a U.S. president or Vice President? I don''t find Sarah Palin''s approach cute or appealing or reassuring. In her recent interview, she said that what she knows about national affairs came from reading. Then why couldn''t she name one book or periodical that has informed her? Please!!

[blueskypie]

Anybody who says they would like to "give a shout out" in a nationally televised debate for the second highest job in America is just plain ghetto. This woman cannot even speak proper English, and it is funny to see the media trying to act like this woman is even remotely qualified or even competent for that matter. If she were a person of a different race, religion or ethnic background, she would have been crucified long ago. Talk about double standard! Since when did sounding trailer or ghetto pass as folksy??? America needs to get a clue.

[willubemyfrd]

Joe Biden''''s 14 Lies IN VP DEBATE

1. TAX VOTE: Biden said McCain voted %u201Cthe exact same way%u201D as Obama to increase taxes on Americans earning just $42,000, but McCain DID NOT VOTE THAT WAY.

2. AHMEDINIJAD MEETING: Joe Biden lied when he said that Barack Obama never said that he would sit down unconditionally with Mahmoud Ahmedinijad of Iran. Barack Obama did say specifically, and Joe Biden attacked him for it.

3. OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING: Biden said, %u201CDrill we must.%u201D But Biden has opposed offshore drilling and even compared offshore drilling to %u201Craping%u201D the Outer Continental Shelf.%u201D

4. TROOP FUNDING: Joe Biden lied when he indicated that John McCain and Barack Obama voted the same way
against funding the troops in the field. John McCain opposed a bill that included a timeline, that the President of the United States had already said he would veto regardless of it%u2019s passage.

5. OPPOSING CLEAN COAL: Biden says he%u2019s always been for clean coal, but he just told a voter that he is against clean coal and any new coal plants in America and has a record of voting against clean coal and coal in the U.S. Senate.

READ THE REST AT THE FOLLOWING LINK:

http://www.johnmccain.com/McCai
nReport/Read.aspx?guid=343ba934-6417-4b6
5-ac9e-92348acb5e97&rating=5

[blueskypie]

register to vote and save America from itself, vote democrat. We need competent leaders in the White House, like Obama/Biden. Because where you go to school really does matter.

[palin0808]

Anybody who says they would like to "give a shout out" in a nationally televised debate for the second highest job in America is just plain ghetto. This woman cannot even speak proper English, and it is funny to see the media trying to act like this woman is even remotely qualified or even competent for that matter. If she were a person of a different race, religion or ethnic background, she would have been crucified long ago. Talk about double standard! Since when did sounding trailer or ghetto pass as folksy??? America needs to get a clue.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by blueskypie

Oh please, Obama is a white hatting american hatting liberal. there is more to people then how well they read off a teleprompter. She related better then anyone else has in the whole election, including hillary in the primary. She dominated Biden who sounded dull and boring just listing off facts, some that were not eve true!

[blueskypie]

ucantflme, it doesn''t matter about that rhetoric you are tossing out, Biden is MUCH smarter than Palin. She could not name any major cases in America not even ones affecting Alaska which she commented on, or maybe the "first dude" commented for her. Palin doesn''t even read newspaper publications... She is clueless.

[blueskypie]

palino8noway, Obama is half white and he loves every bit of his whiteness, get a clue. Palin seems nice but just plain ghetto, sorry her grasp of English is plum embarrashing.

[michaelm07]

Hey bluseskypie,

"It matters where you went to school", "This woman cannot even speak proper English..." Thanks for demonstrating what a snob you are. I recall listening to your boy Obama stutter, "um" and "er" his way thru anytime he does not have a teleprompter and yet he is so well educated. As a successful business owner who never attended college and I could run circles around some supposedly educated people who haven''t an ounce of common sense but can talk things to death without ever actually saying anything. Ivy League doesn''t mean what it used to.
Palin did fine and Biden obviously doesn''t remember a lot of things because as confident as he sounded he was wrong about some of his claims and it showed.
Obama might win next month, I hope he does not and I don''t think he is any more qualified than Palin. So when you claim she isn''t qualified, although she has more or the same qualifications as Obama, what does that say about your candidate?

McCain / Palin

[blueskypie]

Biden may be boring, but I''ll take a boring intelligent attorney any day over a bumble bee beauty queen airhead. She''d be perfect as activities coordinator, but I shutter at the thought of that woman trying to run this Country which is already in a skunk hole thanks to the repubs. We owe China 500 billion dollars, Iraq has told us to get lost, we are broke, and in a recession and the last thing we need is beauty and the beast trying to liberate parts of the world who do not want to be liberated, China included.

[michaelm07]

There you go again Blueskypie with the Biden''s "smarter" garbage. What''s your claim to fame professor, I''ll take common sense over your definition of "smart" any day of the week.

[michaelm07]

Blueskypie wrote:

We owe China 500 billion dollars, Iraq has told us to get lost, we are broke, and in a recession and the last thing we need is beauty and the beast trying to liberate parts of the world who do not want to be liberated, China included.
______________________________________________________

Yes we owe China and both Republicans and Dems are at fault, and this ridiculous pork filled bailout just made it a bigger chunk - gee thanks Chris Dodd, Barney Frank and Hank Paulson. Hey, how about Franklin Raines for Treasury Secretary in an Obama administration and John Edwards for Attorney General.

Iraq hasn''t asked us to get out, I thought you were smart? Within the last couple days Iraq says they don''t want us to leave yet and their troops are now doing a majority of the fighting and dying. Obama would rather surrender and smart people like you think that''s okay.

Ha ha, the Beauty and Beast analogy is cute. So you would prefer Obama who takes all sides of an issue and later says, "I said that" choosing whatever version suits him at the time and Biden and steps on himself almost daily. I think none of us have yet heard what Obama thinks but we know very well what David Axelrod thinks, every time Obama opens his mouth. Talk about a parrot?!

[blueskypie]

malconm7, yes, yes I''ll live with the snob label. I want a prsisent who sounds smarter than my next door neighbor in a time of crisis. I want a president who know foreign and domestic policy more than Larry King. I am not looking for snoop dog to run for President of the United States, but I am certain he gives a cool "shout-out". That is why we go to school, and that is why we demand our leaders to go to the top schools and graduate at the top of their class.

[michaelm07]

Blueskypie, I am sorry but I will have to leave now, I only like to debate smart people and sadly you are sub par.

McCain / Palin ; maybe not the best educated by liberal standards, but at least they have some common sense and I''d much rather have that in the White House than elitest snobs.

[blueskypie]

Malcomm7, they want us out. I have family in Iraq, they do not like Americans very much, they believe we destroyed their country. You are living "the viva loca" thinking that the citizens of Iraq love Americans. Besides it''s time for them to stand on their own feet, and time for us to stop spending 10 billion a month.

[grammawhamma]

To all you Palin critics out there. If your main man, Obama, is so great and Palin, only a VP pick, is so horrible...why does she scare you so much?

[blueskypie]

Snobs hear the bell and know when the party is over, ghetto/billys stick around ignoring all hints to get the heck out. Gosh, the party is over and the bell is ringing.

[michaelm07]

Blueskypie,
I would agree the American''s are not well liked over there and I would imagine many Germans and Japanese thought the same about American troops in 1946.
So according to you and your family in Iraq, you were better off with Saddam and long for the good old days, eh?
Again, your actual intelligence level is showing thru. Where did you go to school?

[michaelm07]

The party isn''t over and the bell doesn''t ring until Novemeber 5th. Don''t pop the cork just yet sweetheart.

[hangbush]

"To all you Palin critics out there. If your main man, Obama, is so great and Palin, only a VP pick, is so horrible...why does she scare you so much?" - GrammaWhamma

Because giving the supreme power of Vice Presidency to a total BIMBO is just retarded, and it seems 30% of american are obviously retarded enough to believe in a Bimbo to be a vice president, is just unbelievable.

[grammawhamma]

But HangBush...you didn''t answer my question. Obama supporters think he already has this election all sewn up. So why do you feel threatened by Sarah Palin...who is a VP candidate?

[blueskypie]

Michael, common sense would lead a person of average intelligence to conclude that Palin is clueless. Regarding Iraq, we opened Pandora''s box, thought we could influence that part of the region, but we thought like Caesar, we thought our tails were icecream freezers. The point is, imperalism never worked very well for the British, and in 2003, we found out it still doesn''t work very well. At a minimum, where are those weapons of mass destruction?? None you say??? Really none???? Now look, the entire region is unstable.

[blueskypie]

Michael, common sense would lead a person of average intelligence to conclude that Palin is clueless. Regarding Iraq, we opened Pandora''s box, thought we could influence that part of the region, but we thought like Caesar, we thought our tails were icecream freezers. The point is, imperalism never worked very well for the British, and in 2003, we found out it still doesn''t work very well. Where are those weapons of mass destruction?? None you say??? Really none????