In retrospect, Tim Kaine’s debate was a masterful lesson in campaign strategy

[applegrove]

In retrospect, Tim Kaine’s debate was a masterful lesson in campaign strategy

by Scott Salmon at qz.com

http://qz.com/803659/election-2016-in-retrospect-tim-kaines-debate-was-a-masterful-lesson-in-campaign-strategy/

"SNIP.............


How many people do you think saw the debate? Right now, estimates say approximately 36 million people, which, while significant, is a major drop off from the 51 million that watched in 2012, and the lowest since 2000. The vast majority of voters did not watch the debate; their only exposure is the post-debate spin.

Let’s be clear: Pence won the debate. While vapid and wholly without any policy details, he was calm and presidential to Kaine’s frenetic and unpolished demeanor. He simply looked the part. But his victory is pyrrhic, because Kaine’s strategy and execution will win the election.


Kaine’s goal was simple: get as many of Donald Trump’s quotes on the record as possible, and force Pence to either defend them, or abandon them. Either situation here was a win/win. The end plan was to use these scripted quotes in television ads that will be seen by a far larger audience than the debate itself, from now until the end of the election.

Kaine didn’t care that he looked like an attack dog instead of the excited puppy he normally is; people are voting for Clinton and Trump, not Kaine or Pence. In two days, people will forget his tone and tenor, but you know what they will remember? Pence pretending the past year never happened, Pence either being woefully uninformed about his own ticket or intentionally lying on national television. But Pence can deny reality all he wants; too many people have heard Trump say exactly what Pence refused to acknowledge.


...............SNIP"

[Lucinda]

1. Yep. It was quite clear to me that it was intentional and strategic.

And i still contend that you don't "win" a debate by lying your way through it...

[Donald Ian Rankin]

2. The only meaningful definition of "winner" is "the person who gets a poll boost afterwards".

In this case, I'd call the VP debate a draw, edging to Kaine - Clinton has gone on pulling ahead in the polls, at about the same rate she was beforehand.