Barring any new stunt by McCain before Thursday's VP debate, America will be watching on the edge of our collective seats to see if Biden will offend Palin or if Palin will fall apart. Biden and Palin will stand before us to champion the head of their tickets and justify why they should be sitting in the room when the next president manages myriad issues left by the Bush Administration: recession, two wars, broken foreign policy, budget deficits and much more. Join me below.
Many pundits and right wingers are playing the expectations game for the VP debate. That is expected.
The McCain campaign, for all of its fake outrage about sexism, is insulting the intelligence of all Americans, but especially, women, by suggesting that Katie Couric asked "trapdoor" questions and that Gwen Ifill should not ask Palin too many foreign policy questions. This is BS!
What job in America allows you to ask the hiring manager not to ask too many questions during the hiring process? Either you are prepared for the interview and qualified for the job or you are not. The McCain campaign continues to try to game the system to sneak Palin in the back door.
Palin has been set up, used by the McCain campaign. The backlash is about Palin not being the most qualified candidate for the job. It reminds me of the diversity hires of the 70s and 80s. Hire someone who's unqualified to check a box. And when they fail, proclaim that you tried.
In Palin's case, we're supposed to accept the dumbing down of the requirements of the office of the VP so that she can have a good showing when asked basic questions that give her an opportunity to demonstrate that she is thoughtful, knowledgeable and intelligent. Couric asked Palin some of the most basic, elementary questions to give her a chance. And she failed.
Then, there's the developing narrative that equats Biden's gaffes and long-windedness to Palin's gaffes. Palin doesn't make gaffes. She's incoherent. There is a HUGE difference.
Yes, Biden is prone to gaffes and sticking his foot in his mouth. He occasionaly might get a fact wrong. But you understand what he is saying or trying to say. But when she speaks, let's say, about following terrorists into Pakistan, McCain walks it back. She cannot even connect to her ticket's positions. This isn't a gaffe. She is being honest because she really believes that we should. It becomes a gaffe when McCain walks it back.
With Palin, she's been craming for her national media test for a month. But, her connectors are flawed. Her brain is fried. And when she speaks, she spews a string of phrases along with the immature voice inflections and hand gestures. Her brain malfunctions like the robot on "Lost in Space." Nothing computes. For her or for us. The real shame is that she doesn't realize that she's not making sense. Here's one example:
Sarah Palin with Katie Couric:
Couric: You've cited Alaska's proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?
Sarah Palin: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and, on our other side, the land-boundary that we have with Canada. It's funny that a comment like that was kinda made to ... I don't know, you know ... reporters.
Couric: Mocked?
Palin: Yeah, mocked, I guess that's the word, yeah.
Couric: Well, explain to me why that enhances your foreign-policy credentials.
Palin: Well, it certainly does, because our, our next-door neighbors are foreign countries, there in the state that I am the executive of. And there...
Couric: Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?
Palin: We have trade missions back and forth, we do. It's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our state.
Huh? What was that?
Some people are now saying that Palin should be allowed to be herself. Unfortunately she was more herself in the Couric interview than she was in the Charlie Gibson interview. We all remember the comment Palin made to CNBC this summer about wanting to know "exactly what is that the VP does?" She wanted to be sure that the position would keep her busy enough. That wasn't a gaffe. She was being honest. And that comment spoke volumes and should have disqualified her immediately.
This is about Palin's aptitude. She might be a hard worker as her parents suggest. But being VP and a heart beat away from the oval office isn't about being able to work hard.
It's unfair for Joe Biden to have to tiptoe around Palin. She has stepped on the playing field. This suggests she's ready for the game. Too bad if she's not.
It's safe say that all Americans, regardless of party, want a vice president who is thoughtful, knowledgeable and intelligent. We may not like your policy, but we at least deserve someone who can think.
The poll question.