Call out Hill to deal with the lightweight

I'm not nervous ,but then again, I'm registered Green. I am confused. McCain can't win this election with just the base that digs Palin. We know swing voters are the key. What worried me was when we thought it would be McCain/Lieberman or McCain/Ridge or McCain/Fiorina or something, where there was McCain and another person who was NOT a partisan hack at his side, where the GOP would vote for him anyway while holding their nose, and independents would be inspired to 'put country first.' last night was kind of boring but I thought it was an effective pitch to vote for the best candidate. Tonight, that whole argument got tossed aside and I don't think McCain can convincingly bring it back.

Thank you hsimms.  Paging Hillary Clinton!  Paging Hillary Clinton!  Your time has come.

The beauty of using Hillary Clinton to attack Palin is that Palin went out of her way to praise Hillary and sympathize with the attacks against Hillary.  It's going to be awfully hard for her to now attack Hillary as long as Hillary keeps her attacks limited to attacking Palin's policy positions and NOT her character or experience.  If Hillary attacks on those grounds the Republicans can spin it as another case of feminist attack on a fellow woman.

Wow, Michelle, you GO girl!  Charmimg lightweight v W. : A distinction without a difference.

You know, she invoked the name of Harry S, Truman.  Did anyone else notice that HST

actually became president?

Thanks, Michille.  Good comments, as always.

I think it's time for the Democrats to pivot.  Sarah Barracuda says she's a pit bull with lipstick.  Everybody thinks she's tough.  Well, if she's so tough, how come she's hiding from the media and won't appear at a press conference.

I think we all know the reason why.  She's not up to answering questions about foreign policy, national issues and national security without a script, and there's too much of a chance to screw up.  And the media is asking all those pesky questions about her background, her churck, the AIP, etc.

The Democrats should challenge her.  The American people have a right to know who ths person is, and so far as she wants to be treated the same as the men in this race, she has an obligation to answer some tough questions.  We should be asking why hasn't she appeared at a news conference yet.  

If she's so tough, what is she afraid of?  If she's too scared of the media, how will she ever stand up to Putin or Kim?  And if she's not ready to answer questions now, then what makes her ready to be a 72-year-old heartbeat away from the Oval Office?

The Republicans had a countdown clock on their web site, counting the number of days that Obama hadn't been to Iraq.  Maybe the Democrats should unveil a Palin press conference clock. "Palin has been McCain's running mate, but the only running she has been doing is away from the media: Day 12."

From the Plank: Disrespectful, Angry, and Effective , by Franklin Foer Why So Down on the Community?

Michelle -- Good analysis, and I think the key to the Obama comeback.

Because Palin herself used the pit bull with lipstick line to describe herself, would it be "sexist" or perceived as such to say that she is Karl Rove with lipstick?

Jingu, I agree completely.  And posted before I saw yours, though you make a different -- and better -- point.

Jimgu - "If she's so tough, what is she afraid of?  If she's too scared of the media, how will she ever stand up to Putin or Kim?  "

Funny, that was exactly my reaction when I heard that Obama was going to Europe-- Putin's backyard, the one he's determined to bring under his heel-- and refused to take any questions at all from the media.

This election's narrative is now focused on Who's Lighter, young Barack or young Sarah? So forget the McC-Obama debate; let's have a debate between these two newbies about foreign policy-- none of this "worldview" BS about which IR theory of institution-building you prefer in your seminar room, but real, hard questions about which carrots and which sticks you'll apply to Putin and Ajad and how exactly you'll convince Merkel to stop straddling.

Cottle writes, "...Perhaps unsurprisingly, Sarah Palin proved herself a heckuva speaker."

"Unsurprisingly"?  Most people expected she'd do a good job.  I don't think too many people expected she'd be a better convention speaker than almost anyone in politics.   Certainly far more effective and credible than Hillary.  More down to earth than Obama.  And more sympathetic and direct than Bill.

Tep, We all know what you think about Obama's readiness, and you are entitled to your opinions. But your comparison of Palin ducking the media to Obama not taking questions in Europe is beyond laughable.

Obama has been a presidential candidate for more than a year and a half, endured more than 2 dozen debates, and has answered media questions countless times.

In contrast, Sarah Palin was sprung on the country as a virtual unknown as a potential 2nd in command of the country barely 2 months before the election, has never met the national press, and is now avoiding the press.

There is no comparison. At least not if you're being honest about it.

Chan,

Easy boy. Better than almost anyone in politics? Best turn down the hyperbole. The fact is, she has a great sense of delivery, and can deliver the one-liner with polish--which I guess qualifies her to be a stand-up comedian. But I found the tone to be a bit snide and sarcastic--something you never find with Obama.

If you want a comparison, I think I'd liken her speech a bit to Ann Richards at the 88 convention. If you recall, that speech got rave reviews initially--it was biting and sarcastic and very funny--and the dem base ate it up. But in retrospect, many people feel that it boomeranged a bit and ended up hurting the dems a bit - or at least not helping.

For entertainment value, the speech gets top marks--at least with the Rep base, but I'm not so sure it's going to play quite so  well with swing voters. Who are precisely the people who are most tired of gratuitous attacks and cheap shots in politics.

Not convinced this isn't a net negative long-term.

Michelle gets it.

It was a good start, and that's all.  It's enough for now.

It's a "debate" when 8 or so candidates are asked questions, and give sound-bite answers?  Not so valuable for the Chosen One.  He'll have his chance against McCain.

Obama has made speeches - that's what he's good at.  What he will do on f-p is a complete mystery even now.  Besides, I thought that's what Biden was for.

Sorry, but I still can't get past Palin's remarkable resemblance to a cartoon character - Peggy Hill.  For this reason, I can't possibly take her seriously.

What a lot of people are conveniently forgetting was the immense pressure she was under - if she flubbed this speech, the 2008 election would be over.  If her voice cracked just once, or she looked unpoised just once, the "she's not ready" argument would have been clinched in everyone's minds.

Palin gave a great speech - not nearly as memorable as Obama's 2004 convention speech, but just as effective as his 2008 convention speech.  Not bad for somebody who had never spoken on national television before.

I also thought Giuliani's mocking of Obama voting "present" 130 times was pretty damning - I mean, how tough can the decisions be facing an Illinois State Senator that once it is finally time to cast a vote on an issue, usually after months of going through the legislative sausage machine, the best you can come up with is "I'm not sure"?

Is there any other Illinois public official that voted "present" that many times?  Maybe it's a tradition up there - but if he's the only guy doing it, then I'd like to know why.

Unfortunately, too true, Michelle. The trick is to expose Palin as the lightweight she is without losing sight of McCain. This is an election between Obama and McCain, not Obama and Palin. Keep the focus on MCCAIN.

Also, per Lowry of NR, the teleprompter operator apparently failed to pause at each applause line, instead scrolling through, so that Palin wasn't able to read the first two lines of each of her post-applause paragraphs.

I still think that neither she nor her Democratic counterpart-- not the Dem VP, of course, but the other lifestory / identity politics candidate, the one at the top of the upside down Dem ticket -- is ready for the WH. But if Lowry's info is correct, we can retire the meme that she's merely a good speech reader. She handled some serious pressure with grace and aplomb.

telpukhin2,

Your comment about Obama not taking questions from the media on his European visit is inaccurate.

I speak French (I guess that makes me an elitist) and subscribe to tv5monde and other channels. Obama and Sarkozy held a joint press conference (about 45 minutes) after their meeting. I watched it. Obama took questions from the media. There was a translator for the French questioners. Of course, Sarkozy speaks fluent English and didn't need a translator.

Excellent observations, Michelle.  She had been set up for a first round  knockout:  she not only survived, she won the round on points.  BUT, it's only the first round.  This is going to be a long, tough fight, ending in another squeaker of an election.  The bases are energized, the election will turn on which side enthuses the undecideds the most or offends them the least.  And, of course, in this climate there's no telling what impact a real gaffe, or even an innocuous remark that comes off as a gaffe, could turn the tide.  Memories of Gerry Ford's comments on Poland.  Did they cost him a pretty close election?

Her speech was partisan, combative, and snide, and so it’s unclear whether it’ll appeal to swing voters. But it certainly managed to put conservatives at ease with her selection.

Obama is better because he was studying at Harvard law, studying history and current affairs, reading those Philip Roth books, struggling with philosophical issues and yes engaging with the community.  But Palin was raising kids -- try telling working moms that the former makes for a better president: you'll be correct but you'll lose the election.  

One more effin time: $10billion a month in Iraq + huge deficit = you may lose your job and your home.  Get back to that message asap, everything else is the GOP's turf.

What's the difference between Sarah Palin and George W. Bush ?

 Lipstick

No, GWB is much more charming and likable than this one.

danreynolds - ok, that joint press conference is one example. Any others? Interviews? My info was that he refused all interviews.

By the way, I'm another francophone elitist so if you have a link to the tv5monde presser, I'd be obliged.

Ugh.  What a disgusting speech Palin gave last night.  I almost couldn't tell where Giuliani ended and Palin began.  She's running as the paradigm of the "good mother" and the press is lapping it up, scared to death to criticize her for fear of being labeled "sexist" or "unfair."  Well I'm sorry, but if my 17-year old was sleeping around with the high school hockey team, I wouldn't be nominating myself for "Dad of the Year." And if I had a 5-month old infant with Downs Syndrome, I'd be spending my time learning about Downs so that I could be a good parent, not jumping into a presidential race and running as an advocate of "special needs children."  Downs is a serious condition which tasks parents with a difficult challenge.  Raising a child with Downs is not something you do "on the side" while furthering your career; it's a full time job in and of itself--for both parents.  That isn't to say that all women with children have to forgo professional careers; it is, however, to say that parents with pregnant teen daughters and a new baby with Downs might want to think about scaling back their professional ambitions and focus on their family.

Hi teplukhin2,

Try this link www.youtube.com/watch though I think it's only for the first few minutes.

Cheers.

So K.Crake are you saying that because she is a woman she should stay home and take care of her children?  That when this baby was born she should have quit as governor and tended to him full time?  You need to think about what you are suggesting.   As I understand it, her husband Todd is going to be tending to the children full time.  Is that something that ever crossed your mind?  Gee, maybe fathers should "scale back their professional ambitions and focus on their family."

Buzz:

RE: "What's the difference between Sarah Palin and George W. Bush?"  "Lipstick"

That is the single best line of attack I've seen.

Hope you don't mind if I Biden that line.  It's too good not to repeat.

"wscothan said:

Wow, Michelle, you GO girl!  Charmimg lightweight v W. : A distinction without a difference.

You know, she invoked the name of Harry S, Truman.  Did anyone else notice that HST

actually became president?"

Truman reference - it's obvious that the pitbull bitch is waiting for MCcain to die. Then we'll have the bitch as a president. She''' ban some books, fire people - and that will be just the beginning.

Hi teplukhin2,

Here is a link to the entire conference in french www.youtube.com/watch.

I haven't looked for other press events for Germany or the UK.

Cheers