Stephanopoulos: Biden Strategy Edges Palin Style

[jefferson_dem]

Stephanopoulos: Biden Strategy Edges Palin Style
October 03, 2008 8:04 AM

ABC News' George Stephanopoulos reports: Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin beat expectations last night and she may have gone a long way in stopping the slide in her souring poll numbers.

She didn't make any huge mistakes and didn't have any "deer in the headlights" moments. Her campaign has to be happy with her performance.

But Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden did something even more important. He executed the core strategy of the Biden-Obama campaign -- taking the fight to Republican presidential candidate John McCain, and tying him to President Bush. Biden did that in every single answer last night.

Palin was smiling, upbeat, and confident last note. But it came at a time when people are hurting. Her answer to Biden's attacks on McCain and Bush was to argue that the Delaware senator was looking to the past. But what she did not do effectively last night is explain how going forward McCain and Palin would be different -- a missed opportunity.

This debate last night probably didn't move many people to switch their votes. It likely only solidified partisan leanings and most of the instant polls that came in last night had a generally partisan response to the debate. If you came in liking Biden you thought he won, and if you came in liking Palin you thought she won.

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http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/10/stephanopoulo-3.html

[AndyA]

1. Claire McCaskill addressed Biden's looking back post debate.

She did it in response to a GOP operative who said Biden kept going back to the past, and McCaskill said that was the only way to look at a McCain/Palin ticket, as they're tied in with Bush, and they offer nothing new. She basically said all they have to offer is the past, despite what they're saying, because they aren't offering anything concrete that's new.

It was a good rebuff.

[Justice]

2. I thought when Palin said that, she looked ridiculous. Like a scolding mother,

I was surprised she didn't wag her finger at Biden. That might of worked if the last 8 years weren't full of lies and deception to a degree that we have never seen before.

Strange comment - but one that makes sense when you are trying to pretend you weren't a part of it.

[maseman]

3. I really like Claire McCaskill

She is so buttoned up and one of the best "debaters" when it comes to a smack-down on camera. She seems to love the camera and is smart and witty. Love her.

[Alter Ego]

4. Good response, but here's a better one.

The fact is that the past absolutely matters. Like Biden said: "Past is prologue". How do we learn from our mistakes if we petulantly refuse to examine how and why we made them? Palin doesn't want us to pay attention to the past because it reveals that the top of her ticket was complicit in the mistakes that got us where we were today.

Also, I think it's hilariously funny that the media was wrong YET AGAIN, and it was proven by the focus groups.