Game Plan for Palin Is Retooled Ahead of Debate

[EV_Ares]

The McCain campaign moved its top officials inside Gov. Sarah Palin's operation Sunday to prepare for what is certain to be the most important event of her vice-presidential campaign: her debate on Thursday with Democrat Joe Biden.

Additionally, at the urging of the Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain, Gov. Palin will leave late Monday for his Arizona ranch to prepare for the high-stakes debate.

The moves follow several shaky performances by Gov. Palin last week and come amid concern and grumbling from Republicans, and even a few queries from her husband, Todd Palin, according to campaign operatives and Republican officials.

McCain campaign manager Rick Davis and senior adviser Steve Schmidt are planning to coach the candidate ahead of the debate, according to senior advisers. They traveled Sunday to meet the Republican vice-presidential nominee in Philadelphia. After her appearance with Sen. McCain at a rally in Columbus, Ohio, these top officials plan to fly with her on Monday to Sen. McCain's ranch in Sedona, Ariz., which they hope she will find a comforting place to prep, these people said.

More broadly, the McCain campaign aims to halt what it sees as a perceived decline in the crispness and precision of Gov. Palin's latest remarks as well as a fall in recent polls, according to several advisers and party officials.

McCain officials denied any problems inside the campaign. "The nature of political campaigns, with all their ups and downs, is for insiders and outsiders and no-siders to register complaints, often anonymously," said Tucker Eskew, a counselor for Gov. Palin. "We all in this campaign understand that, and we're not distracted by it, even as we welcome well-intentioned and good advice."

Some prominent Republicans and senior members of Congress have expressed worries about certain facets of the Palin campaign, particularly that Gov. Palin may be "overprepared" and not encouraged to be herself, an adviser said.

"She hasn't had the time or inclination to question the judgments of the people telling her to hit her marks," said one Republican strategist. "Gov. Palin is a team player, but the campaign needs to adjust to a game plan that works for her."

For his part, Mr. Palin has worried about the frequent separation of his wife from her family, friends and Alaska staff, an adviser said. Accordingly, her family will be with her in Sedona during this week. Also, a key Alaska staffer joined the Palin operation Sunday.

rest of article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122265784614384667.html

[terrya]

1. Governor Palin is "overprepared"?

No possibility that she's simply a dolt who's in way over her head, eh?

[sufrommich]

4. That's going to be their excuse for the Thursday night

meltdown. Poor Sarah had too much information in her head!

[woodsprite]

9. Yes, because everyone knows

when people are overprepared for something, they totally suck!

:sarcasm:

There they go! Making their own reality again.

[dipsydoodle]

2. What they going to do ?

Fit an artificial brain or use a ventriloquist ?

If they do the latter then Biden should get her to say "bottle of beer" to see if it comes out as "gottle of geer" :rofl:

[pkz]

3. what's w/Todd?

For his part, Mr. Palin has worried about the frequent separation of his wife from her family, friends and Alaska staff, an adviser said. Accordingly, her family will be with her in Sedona during this week. Also, a key Alaska staffer joined the Palin operation Sunday.

Dummy doesn't even KNOW what they signed up for, does he?

[mamalone]

8. That part irritated me as well....

Those of us who questioned her judgment regarding the impossibility of taking something like this on while she is the parent of so many young children were completely shut down. To me this is just a big "DUH!" In choosing to accept this opportunity she was basically choosing to give up her family for the duration of the campaign... any other scenario was delusional at best.

[Vinca]

12. He's probably pissed he can't be the shadow Vice President. nt

[madaboutharry]

5. Apparently she is not only in over her head

politically and intellectually, she is not emotionally grounded enough for the tough going.

Truth is that Palin has been a coddled Queen Bee up in Alaska. It was Double A Minors. She simply wasn't ready for the pressure of "The Show." Sorry for the baseball analogy, but it fits.

[yellowcanine]

15. A basketball analogy. She reminds me of the high school phenom who gets in his first Division I

college game, hits all net in his first shot of the game and proceeds to stand there admiring the shot while the man he is supposed to be guarding goes down court and scores an easy layup.

[Cosmocat]

16. Very apt, my analogy ...

Up in Alaska she was the most backbiting and cuthroat fish in a REAL small and murky pond.

Right wingers of course, and MSM would not acknoledge it, but one of the glaring issues here is that the "lower 48" is a WHOLE NOTHER world.

[iceman66]

6. Why don't they just send Davis or Schmidt to debate in her place?

Let's hear from the puppeteers directly.

[rgbecker]

10. Right on, Best idea yet.

[CJCRANE]

7. Can you imagine this much fussing over Joe Biden

or Hillary?

They would (and do) just get on with the job.

[symbolman]

11. She'll be a POW in McCain's house now..

Prisoner Of WORDS :)

They'll stick her in a box and throw a blizzard of words at her and hope some of them stick.. considering WHO they are sending to coach her according to this article, she IS SCREWN.. these Rove wannabees are vicious and STUPID, with none of the slick conniving ability of Rove, just dumbshits, who think they can Drama their way out of everything.. it's all Shaking Up the Campaign..

Well, it's going to get Shook Up alright, but not the way they think.. she's a basket case, and they'll find out when it's beamed into american homes, and we'll be hearing the groans all over the nation as she blows one line after another, and everyone Wakes up finally to the bullshit that's been piled so high by the right wing and the media, and these McCain Kampaign Klowns..

I think there may be a CLUE in this writing, the whole "be with her family" and "Toddie didn't KNOW that she'd have to spend so much time PRETENDING to be SMART or anything.." looks like they may actually be seeding the notion that Palin's need to spend more time with their Families..

Which is Code for, GO HOME LOSER, we can't USE you, You're a Detriment, a DRAG on the Ticket/Congressional Seat, etc..

Wonder HOW they can dump her so close to the election, haven't people ALREADY Voted for her on the ticket in some states? Wouldn't that render those votes null and void?

What a huge pulsating clusterfuck his roll of the dice created, straight out of his book where he said he makes decisions Quickly and lives with the consequences later.. well, McLoser.. maybe the REST of America is not interested in playing DICE with their LIVES and Homes..

Step DOWN, ALL of you, Palin, McCain, etc. for god's sakes.

[dipsydoodle]

13. In preparation for the Thursday debate

it might help if some signs were posted earlier that day.

If you support the policies and character of Barack Obama and Joe Biden please drive with your headlights on during the day.

If you support John McCain and Sarah Palin please drive with your headlights off at night.

[yellowcanine]

14. "...Palin may be "overprepared" and not encouraged to be herself..."

So a couple of days at McCain's "ranch" are just the ticket, right? Heh. This has the potential for some delicious results - an overprepared Sarah encouraged to be herself. Whenever she encounters a difficult question, the little Sarah inside her head is going to scream, "it's ok, just be yourself!" The results are bound to be wonderfully entertaining. Hopefully Biden can avoid laughing out loud or smirking.