Palin sends the cringe meter off the dial

[cal04]

By Leonard Doyle in Oxford, Mississippi
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/palin-sends-the-cringe-meter-off-the-dial-944774.html

No one will be more relieved than John McCain if a major crisis erupts on Thursday to overshadow the debate between the vice-presidential candidates, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden.

Alaska's one-term governor is hugely popular with voters, but she is also a liability for the Republican ticket, as her painful-to-watch interview last week with Katie Couric of CBS News showed. Her woeful inexperience and the yawning gaps in her knowledge of basic issues reminded voters of McCain's advanced age at 72, and sparked questions about what sort of president she would make. Her performance prompted one right-wing commentator, Kathleen Parker of the 'National Review', to call on her to quit. "Only Palin can save McCain, her party, and the country she loves," she wrote. "She can bow out for personal reasons, perhaps because she wants to spend more time with her newborn."

That explains why the McCain campaign did not want his running-mate anywhere near Friday's presidential clash in Oxford, Mississippi. Instead, Palin watched it on TV in Philadelphia, while Senator Biden gave countless interviews in the media "spin room" outside the Obama-McCain debate.

However, the CBS interview was buried under a torrent of news about the Wall Street bailout plan. In fact, running-mate debates rarely matter: in 1988 the Democratic candidate, Lloyd Bentsen, smacked down Dan Quayle, telling him, "You're no Jack Kennedy", after the Republican tried to don the mantle of the assassinated President. But the evening was declared a success for Quayle, and the Republicans won the election.

[maddezmom]

1. No one will be more relieved than John McCain if a major crisis erupts on Thursday

pretty sad but likely true. K&R

[morillon]

11. I bet someone pulls the fire alarm.

I remember people doing that in high school and college to get out of taking a test or just generally to screw around with things. It wouldn't surprise me at all if some kind of weird emergency happened that caused the debate to be "postponed."

[madaboutharry]

2. Why are the Brits saying Palin is "hugely" popular?

Were are they getting this crap, from Murdock rags in the UK?

[billyoc]

3. Spiro Igloo sucks the joy from my very soul.

[Demeter]

4. "Alaska's one-term governor is hugely popular with voters?"

In what respect, Charlie?

[snappyturtle]

5. Thanks for the laugh! It's super funny to me....1 of my cats is named Charlie! nt

[billybob537]

6. Yeah but your cats smart!

[snappyturtle]

9. That he is.....right now he wants his din-din....nt

[Tarheel_Dem]

7. Good question. KO said last night that her popularity in Alaska had taken

a 14 pt. dip since she was chosen as McCain's running mate. One could argue that 68% is still pretty high, but she's dropped from 82% just a few weeks ago.

[Demeter]

8. When the Cat's Away, The Mice Can Say What They REALLY Think About Her

[Tarheel_Dem]

10. How true. While she's running for VP, who's running the state?

I mean, besides the McCain campaign? I think Alaskans are real put out that their inquiries are being directed to McCain camp headquarters.

[BaracudaCrusher]

14. I'm not sure Palin actually WAS running the state...

Read that she played hooky so much that legislators were wearing, "Where's Sarah" buttons.

Article about it at Politico. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13736.html

[Cresent City Kid]

13. Follow the money

She presided over an oil fueled budget surplus. How would she perform in tough times, say in the white House?

[hay rick]

12. McCain's dilemma

He has two options, but only one real choice IMHO.

1. Admit he made a mistake, dump Palin, and pick up somebody like Romney, Huckabee, or Crist. This would have the advantage of showing that he is able to recognize his mistakes and correct them without charging blindly off into catastrophe.
2. Pretend he didn't screw up and hope that enough disengaged voters hop on the old Straight Talk Express anyway.

I think the McCain camp calculation is that they can't afford to dump Palin. Dumping Palin would make the rashness of his judgment undeniable and also alienate a large part of his base. Expect they might try to sabotage the VP debate.

[4lbs]

15. What are the odds that Bush will tell Chertoff to declare a high-threat level for St. Louis on Oct 2

effectively killing the VP debate for that day?

[jules1962]

16. I emailed Keith O about this

I think he needs to start a countdown clock until the VP debate. He could take bets from his guests on what time Palin will back out of the debate.With this on the air every night, it would make it harder for Palin to back out. They would realize that we are on to them and that we expect them to do this considering their past endeavors. The winner could send the prize money to Defenders of Wildlife or HSUS to air more ads against Palin. What cha think?:nopity:

[mwb970]

17. Is Keith still donating money to charity every time she lies?

He's not paid enough to keep that up for long, methinks.