NYT: Shallow Palin Survived Debate on 'Talking Points,' Won't Help McCain


Sarah Palin may have pleased Republicans and surprised Democrats with her strong performance in Thursday night's vice presidential debates, but her "carefully scripted talking points" and shallow style were the opening theme of Friday's lead story in the New York Times by Patrick Healy, "Cordial but Pointed, Palin and Biden Face Off."

Gov. Sarah Palin used a steady grin, folksy manner and carefully scripted talking points to punch politely and persist politically at the vice-presidential debate on Thursday night, turning in a performance that her rival, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., sought to undermine with cordially delivered but pointed criticism.

Healy returned to the theme in paragraph five:

She mostly reverted to and repeated talking points, like referring to Mr. McCain as a "maverick" and the Republican ticket as a "team of mavericks," while not necessarily quelling doubts among voters about her depth of knowledge.

In her semi-positive TV Watch column on Palin's performance, "A Candidate Recaptures Her Image," Alessandra Stanley also said that Palin "stuck to practiced talking points."

Chief political reporter Adam Nagourney's front-page "News Analysis," "Surviving One Test," damned Palin and the McCain ticket with faint praise.

Gov. Sarah Palin made it through the vice-presidential debate on Thursday without doing any obvious damage to the Republican presidential ticket. By surviving her encounter with Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. and quelling some of the talk about her basic qualifications for high office, she may even have done Senator John McCain a bit of good, freeing him to focus on the other troubles shadowing his campaign.

Yet Nagourney thought it would do McCain little good in the end:

Short of a complete bravura performance that would have been tough for even the most experienced national politician to turn in -- or a devastating error by the mistake-prone Mr. Biden, who instead turned in an impressively sharp performance -- there might have been little Ms. Palin could have done to help Mr. McCain.

Nagourney concluded:

That, [former George W. Bush campaign strategist Matthew] Dowd said, was why an adequate performance from Ms. Palin Thursday night fell short of what Mr. McCain needed and will probably be forgotten before the presidential candidates meet for their second debate next Tuesday in Nashville.

Of course, if Palin had flubbed the debate, the Times would have reminded its readers of the fact from now until November 4.

Lastly, the Times ran the debate through its fact-checking feature "Check Point," and found Palin "inaccurate on several levels" on the idea that Obama would mandate government-run health care. Palin also "made assertions about Senator Obama's policies that are not correct" on tax increases. Nothing Biden said was characterized as a misstatement, though McCain campaign blogger Michael Goldfarb found 14. Even FactCheck.org, which has been accused of having a pro-Obama tilt, found some Biden goofs during the debate. Here are two the group found:

Biden incorrectly said "John McCain voted the exact same way" as Obama on a controversial troop funding bill. The two were actually on opposite sides.

Biden wrongly claimed that McCain had said "he wouldn't even sit down" with the president of Spain. Actually, McCain didn't reject a meeting, but simply refused to commit himself one way or the other during an interview.

—Clay Waters is the director of Times Watch, an MRC project tracking the New York Times.


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Here's the money quote from

Here's the money quote from this article: "and will probably be forgotten". This is a not-so-secret message to the rest of the MSM -- drop this VP debate discussion, NOW! Make like it never happened. Spend your effort on reporting on Obama and what he has to say. DO NOT IMPERIL OBAMA's CAMPAIGN BY REFERRING TO THIS VP DEBATE.

___________________________________ 

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber

Seems to be a blogosphere conspiracy going on...

I have read dozens of reports asserting Governor Palin was "constantly referring to a pile of cue cards".  There are already 10's of thousands of google hits on a search for "vp debates rules" palin, and cards (or notes), virtually all of them from blogs, dailykos or huffington post. 

It is my understanding that the candidates are allowed to carry NO notes to the podim, but can (and obviously do) keep notes during the debate.  I got no hint watching the debate that she was reading from any "cue cards" at any rate.

Why can't I find a listing of the VP debate rules anywhere?  I'd love to be able to check out this (probably bogus) assertion out and start smacking down the misinformation...

habbyguy... The loons are

habbyguy...

The loons are also try to sell the idea that Sarah was wired last night and got her answers from someone offstage. They keep saying "did you see the wire over her shoulder". Stay tuned, this will be a major issue to the left-wing-nuts. 

Insane Results From Palin/Biden Debate

 

 

Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/  

ThisnThat how is the MSM gonna keep 70 million people quiet?

You can fool some of the People some of the Time, but you can't Fool all the People that were watching Palin say "There you go again, Joe" 

Why would you elect joe VP, when he doesn't even know the Job Description ?

When BHO runs for Office for over a year, there is enough Video with sound to crucify him. . . . Meanwhile, McCain should put out a Video AD, showing only the Video of Sarah Palin that Couric EDITED OUT . . . . It would be enlightning for the Ignorant Populace.

Ms. Palin

Does this derogatory title bug anybody else?  It's incorrect on two counts:

1) She is GOV. Palin.

2) She is MRS. Palin.

 But what should I expect from the same media that calls President Bush, MR. Bush?

 

Palin has accomplished great things, while Obama has continued to make empty promises that the world owes you a living.

What?

Um....what great things are you referring too?  Obama has made plenty of promises, but Palin has accomplished no great things.  Just keeping you honest.

Pipeline.

Pipeline.

Natural Gas Pipeline, By Palin

Obviously a Non Resident Alaskan, asking what Palin's accomplishments were......

Can you imagine what the Price of Gas would be if ONE congress person was responsible for ONE PIPELINE, or maybe ONE OFFSHORE WELL drilled in the CORRECT LOCATION, like where there IS OIL ? ? 

The Republican Revolution will not be Televised

oh good god

1) She COMPLETELY cleaned up the in state party corruption.  When offered a job by the leader of the ethics committee she turned him down, and FIRED him.

2) The guy she fired, that the media is making a big deal out of?  He was told to reign in his spending to stay within his budget.  He refused, she fired him.

3) She brokered the pipeline deal between the oil companies and Canada.

I could go on, but why?  She was GOVERNOR.  EXECUTIVE experience counts for god's sake.  She is more qualified than Biden, Obama AND MCCAIN!!!

Palin has accomplished great things, while Obama has continued to make empty promises that the world owes you a living.

obvious Reporting from the NYT - The paper no one is reading

These "Elites" don't get it - - The voters Palin appeals to do NOT read the NY Times.
Slamming Palin continuously doesn't have a very long reach . . may not reach beyond the Pennsylvania border or beyond White Plains NY.
WE CAN'T HEAR YOU ! ! !
The Republican Revolution will not be Televised

A side note about covering issues

Consider the following:

We just had a debacle in Congress. Each party blamed the other for lack of oversight. The Democrats tried to pressure big corporations to make exceptions for low-wage earners or the unemployed (their constituents, by the way). In turn, the big corporations took those risks because they expected the federal government to cough up the cash to cover them, no matter how unwise the risk.

That's what we're saying now about mortgages. Will we say the same when the government takes over healthcare? Is the government going to "insure" new pharmaceuticals? Do you want drug companies to take risks, knowing that someone (us, the taxpayers) will indemnify their risks, no matter how unwise? Now is the time to think about it, not when a healthcare - social security meltdown happens years from now. Ideas matter.

But did the New York Times analyze the details of the proposals? No. They don't understand those details, so they can't go into any depth about them. What does the New York Times feel confident about analyzing? TV performance. That's why the "analysis" of a political debate is all about performance, and nothing on details. To them, governance is a fashion show.

KC ... Excellent

Excellent post!!! Very provocative. 

If conservatives are RIGHT, then liberals must be WRONG.

The NYT continues to dig its

The NYT continues to dig its own grave by misreporting, underreporting,  or not reporting the events of the day.

It's clear they are quite pleased with themselves as they sip white wine in their walled-off self-imposed media ghetto, separated from the rest of the country.

Just fascinating to watch them gloat, in the same way it must have been fascinating to watch the French Court of King Louis prance about before the royal twit got his head separated from the the rest of his body at Place de la Concorde.  

The major media report only half the news. Why are they surprised they have only half the potential audience?

Something that grated on me

Something that grated on me when wathing the debate last night was that Governor Palin was hamstrung in trying to defend John McCain.  As an Arizonan I gritted my teeth everytime she would make an excellent point and then have to refer the results back to support "Maverick John McCain.   ARRRRGGHHHHH!

If I hear the "Maverick" term ONE MORE TIME I am gonna be homicidal to my officemates.  Palin is an OUTSIDER and she should use her own term and not bind herself to that sad saw.

If only SHE were at the head of the ticket.

BD... Amen to

Amen and Hallelujah on my

Amen and Hallelujah on my end...

"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh

Once again,

The New York Times proves why it is a total waste of time, space, and paper.  That newprint could be made into something useful, like toilet paper.

JOE BIDEN'S GAFFES

paulejb

BOSNIAKS FOR OBAMA-BIDEN 

Hooray!

I thought I maybe 'misheard' that! I remember thinking what the heck is he talking about... 'Bosniaks'?  So glad to see someone picking up on it too.   Sara made me say "Yes"!  more than once last night.  Hope McCain can keep the momentum.

"I have a bracelet too" ..Barak Obama, Political Sociopath

Both sides are wrong

Funny how you guys bash the other side for being skewed, yet you skew things to fit your beliefs too.  Both democrats and republicans are hypocritical.

BTW...if the super-duper liberal media has so much power over the public, how come we've had a republican president for 20 of the last 28 years????

Both sides wrong, Reformer?

...yet you skew things to fit your beliefs too.

Such as?

-Dave

Palin/Anybody other than McPork in '08


TR...It's called the silent

TR...It's called the silent majority...

You know, we are the ones with brains, the true patriots.

"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh

TR... Because it hasn't

TR...

Because it hasn't been until recently that the liberal media has thrown off any cloak of objectivity that it used to hide behind. Now they simply cheerlead.

BTW... I saw your post on the other thread. You may be a Republican, but you are not a Conservative.

Insane Eyelash Controversy From Palin/Biden Debate

 

 

Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/  

Even for a left

Even for a left wing outlet like the so-called, self-described "FactCheck.org", it's amazing that they would completely ignore the two biggest lies/errors made by the serial plagiarist: (1) the bogus claim that we are spending more each month in Iraq than we have spent in over seven years in Afghanistan, and (2) Biden's utter idiocy concerning Article I of the Constitution.  BTW, the comically leftist Dallas Morning News claimed today that Biden had a "command of the issues and facts."  ROTFLMAO!

TE... As far as I an

TE...

As far as I an concerned Factcheck is a joke, I waited quite awhile before deciding for sure on this org. plus the people the stations like msnbc have on speaking for the so-called truth...

...they are leftists in my opinion...I no longer listen to them and their so-called facts.

"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh

Chrissy Matthews is doing

Chrissy Matthews is doing the same type thing.  He's been ranting negative for 2 days about her.

Olbermann..........well, he's off the chart whacko so I won't even start, except to say that his reporting is proving that Biden was 100% factual, 100% perfect delivery, and 100% winner, almost as if Palin wasn't even there.

Chriss Matthews

If looking straight into the camera and speaking to people is a Dolt then Matthews is the King Dolt. He does it everyday, looks into his camera and makes a fool of himself. Oh that's right, only other people are Dolts not him. Why the network keeps him on is beyond me, the man is a fool , people tune him in to have a good laugh. Maybe a few sessions with a thrapist would help.

Livefree or die trying

lf... I think he is far

lf... I think he is far beyond the help a so-called therapist could do.

"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh

What dumbass actually gets their news from the NYT?

The NYT has made itself the biased left wing of the Demoratic party. They won't even deny that! (or will they? haha!)

 

"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...