Biden: Lay Off Bristol Palin

[Hope And Change]

Biden’s Comments in Florida

Says in his Florida town hall when asked about Palin and the controversy surrounding her:

“I don’t know the governor…I know people worry about Biden-style talk, but the truth is I simply don’t know. I take her on face value. She’s a governor, that’s no mean feat and she seems to have a strong personal story.”

Also says “children are off limits.”



http://thepage.time.com/bidens-comments-in-florida/

[vanderBeth]

1. Biden's a gentleman.

;)

[gateley]

2. I'm looking forward to his addressing her "qualifications and experience".

This was a nice say-nothing statement, maybe at the direction of the campaign.

[blondeatlast]

3. The daughter is; but Joe, don't disrespect Secessionist Sarah by holding back on HER.

Apparently she is your professional equal (as the McSame/PNC would have us believe) so do to her what you would do to Romney, Pawlenty, Hickabee, etc.

Politics is gloves off. HRC can take it, we should take nothing less from Secessionist Sarah.

[nc4bo]

5. A-men! nt

[bdamomma]

4. the focus should be on the issues not this 17 year old.

aren't we tired of this? ENOUGH.

[Iris]

16. And one of the issues is abstinence only education. It doesn't work in the same way that letting

"the market" take care of citizens during a natural disaster doesn't work.

The bottom line is, Bristol's pregnancy didn't have to happen in the first place. Now 3 lives are going to be very, very difficult thanks to conservative family values.

[progressivebydesign]

6. I see nothing but PITY for Bristol, frankly.

I feel so sorry for her that she's dragged into a marriage while in high school, just to satisfy the family's honor. Don't they do that in Pakistan?

[Symarip]

7. Biden's the man. I listened to his whole Florida speech.

Biden's speeches are a different breed than Obama's hope speeches. Where Obama is goal oriented (however intangible they may seem), Biden has an ability to draw upon that hope with a self searching fervor that makes it seem not only possible, but more in the area of probable. His angle is very introspective.

In short, they work well with each other.

[kwolf68]

8. Dont expect any debates

Between Joe and Palin....the night of the debate Palin will be in a myserious car accident. She'll be Ok of course, but sadly the debate with Biden will never happen.

[MarjorieG]

9. Mark "help the GOP" Halperin picking this up says Joe made the right call.

[madrchsod]

10. why would anyone but dumb fucks go after a 17 yr old?

... i feel sorry for this child because most of the pictures i have seen she does not look happy. she baby`s dad does`t want kids and i bet nothing to do with her. but to save mommy`s ass there maybe a "wedding". maybe sarah will get sent back to alaska to face her problems of her own making.


sarah threw her 17 yr old daughter under the bus to save her ass
sarah is a self centered bitch who will say and do anything to get her way...

[graywarrior]

11. We don't need the children to prove she's not qualified for VP

[cwydro]

12. Exactly.

I wish people would stick to the real issues. There are plenty of them.

[graywarrior]

13. It just makes us look like a tabloid.

[cwydro]

15. Even worse.

It makes us look weak, I think.

And I hate the rationalization I've seen in other threads whining that the Republicans do it, so we should do it too.:eyes:

[graywarrior]

23. Yes. And cheap. And easily distracted.

I say keep focused on the prize and do it with dignity.

[cwydro]

24. I've been trying to make that point to a fellow

in another thread. He continues to call me Rove. And I have plenty of hair, thank you.

But I despair. Oh well.

I think I'm going to go sit outside, crack a beer and enjoy the fact there is not a hurricane going on in my yard today.:hi:

[graywarrior]

25. Have fun and remember, you can't push the river.

[glancingthefuture]

14. Thanks Biden. Obama needed this follow up.

[depakid]

17. Typical loser talk

Praise the "governor" and her "personal story" in order to look like a "nice, reasonable guy" and throw away the chance to form the campaign's own narrative by drawing attention to Palin's positions on abstinance only education (among other things), so voters can connect the dots.

There's the reason Democrats lose in a nutshell.

Republican strategists must laugh to themselves every time the Dems behave like this.

[RaleighNCDUer]

18. We can address Palin's hypocrisy without attacking the kid. nt

[depakid]

19. Oh, please- did you EVEN READ the comment?

or are you part of the knee jerk "don't ever attack _____" brigade?

Biden didn't have to "attack the kid" -but he ALSO didn't have to PRAISE Palin and REINFORCE the Republican narrative- and he also could have put forth something in support of our (supposed) agenda.

Psychology Professor Drew Westen puts it this way:

Obama is now poised to break 50 percent in the polls. Whether he does so, and whether he wins or loses in November, will likely depend on whether he, his campaign team, and the Democrats learn the lessons of this convention, or whether they backslide in debates and public statements into the politics of meandering, dispassionate prose; failure to demonstrate toughness, resolve, and, yes, aggression where appropriate; and failure to understand that the best time to shape the public discourse is before the other side has had a chance to "sell" its version of truth to the American people.

Decades of research in social psychology have demonstrated that two of most important principles of persuasion when people have a choice between options are to get there first--to tell your side of the story--and to inoculate against what the other side is likely to say. Democratic consultants need to read that research--tonight--and stop relying on the same intuitions that have proven wrong in election after election.

We are supposed to be the party of science, yet we constantly practice political creationism.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/drew-westen/brand-first-equivocate-la_b_122855.html

[mzmolly]

21. I say we let our surrogates "shape the discourse."

And our candidates should remain above the fray.

[depakid]

26. If the campaign doesn't take the lead

and show that it understands how to play this game, surrogates won't be able to carry the water. Moreover, even if they try to- "creationist style" campaigns will simply backpeddle or worse- undercut or backstab them.

I guess we'll have to wait & see, but my prediction is that if they keep this sort of thing up- keep "taking the Dukakis high road," it'll be President elect McCain on November 5th.

[mzmolly]

27. I don't think we win by making Bristol Palen the game or the issue.

Sarah Palin has troubling stances on many issues that are of more concern:

http://www.ontheissues.org/Sarah_Palin.htm

If we make this election about Sarah Palin "the every woman" vs. Sarah Palin the radical, out of touch, Conservative, we lose.

The McCain camp just played the victim card by pulling an interview with CNN.

[depakid]

28. For crying out loud- it's NOT Bristol Palin, per se

but Bristol Palins are what we get with abstinance only and anti-choice anti-birth control policies. Lots of them.

Of course the McCain camp's going to play the victim card- Republicans invariably do that when Democrats are assertive.

AND of course there are tons of other issues- but the overriding pattern of timidity has been the same with most all of them

[mzmolly]

29. Why do you suppose they leaked this story BEFORE the convention?

I suggest it's so they can make it about "Bristol Palin" and her victimization at the hand of "angry/hypocritical Democrats."

Let's kick their arse on the issues. I don't suggest we be timid.

[RethugAssKicker]

20. Agreed... We're such wussies !

[zulchzulu]

22. The words "lay" and Bristol Palin should not be used in the same sentence

:rofl: