Thursday, October 02, 2008

Pre-debate — Ifill question predictions

If you're uninterested in politics — sorry! This is a very important election, what's going on is very instructive, and it will all be over in a it over a month. Unless Obama loses by less than 40,000,000 votes. Then it will be over when the lawsuits are over.

Regardless, I have several non-political posts ready to go. Look for at least one tomorrow, Lord willing.

HSAT: submit your guesses as to Ifill's questions of either candidate. Here are mine:
  1. Governor Palin, I have been raped by my father, and I'm told my child has two heads and can't live more than fifteen minutes after birth. What do you tell me?
  2. Senator Biden, what is the most outrageous lie the McCain campaign has told?
  3. Governor Palin, why do you think so many people find you uninformed, inexperienced, shallow, and unprepared?
  4. Senator Biden, what Bush administration disasters will be most difficult to undo?
  5. Governor Palin, of all the possible experienced and accomplished running mates available, what do you you think moved Senator McCain to pick you?
  6. Senator Biden, what will the Obama administration do to rebuild our ruined relationships with other nations?
  7. Governor Palin, would you feel comfortable knowing your son's life was in the hands of an inexperienced, untried, underqualified Commander in Chief?
  8. Senator Biden, why should women vote for Barack Obama?
  9. Governor Palin, are homosexuals going to Hell?
  10. Senator Biden, Bill Clinton was the most popular president since the Big Bang. What has Barack Obama learned from his example?
  11. Governor Palin, Dick Cheney was the most reviled vice-president since we climbed down out of the trees. How have you learned from his mistakes?
These are just pretty much off the top of my head. I reserve the right to revisit and add.

What are your guesses? Get them in before the debate starts! Doesn't count afterwards!

UPDATE: I also expect Ifill to do damage control. That is, if she — a complete Obama partisan — is still smarting over some of Palin's direct-hits, and if she thinks the other operatives haven't defused them enough, we may see something like this, asked with saccharine sweetness:
  • "Governor Palin, you derided Barack Obama for being a community organizer, and not knowing what a mayor does. What does a community organizer do?"
  • "Governor Palin, you derided Barack Obama for having written two books. What is the last book you read?"
  • "Governor Palin, you derided Barack Obama for having written two memoirs but having authoried no major legismation. What major legislation has John McCain authored?"
  • "Governor Palin, you derided Barack Obama for using the campaign as a voyage of self-discovery. America has been watching you fumble through your own self-discovery. What have you learned?"

19 comments:

Ron said...

I would revise #3 to say "With an overwellming amount of Americans viewing you as unqualified"...you see, it's all in how the question is framed..just like the pomo's. State the question from a position as if it was factual.

Rachael Starke said...

Senator Biden, would you be willing to give Senator Obama a copy of my book to sign? And if he woul just put "Love ya Gwennie" on it too? That would be, like, soo great."

Trinian said...

I know what I want her to say to #1. I know what I would say to #1. I'll pray that eventually God will bring someone to power who will say it in response to #1. I don't think it's going to happen tonight, though...

Steve Lamm said...

Dan,

I hope and pray that Ifill asks Palin question #7: "Governor Palin, would you feel comfortable knowing your son's life was in the hands of an inexperienced, untried, underqualified Commander in Chief?"

She could hit that one out of the park with this answer:

"No I wouldn't! That's why Americans must choose John McCain as the next Commander in Chief. Barak Obama just's not qualified!"

Fred Butler said...

You need to switch "Governor Palin" with "Mayor Palin."
or maybe "PTL Chairman Palin"

jefflo said...

First-time commenter, long-time reader: what in the world is HSAT?

Tim said...

Dan: What do you think of Ifill's actual questions? It wasn't as bad as it could have been.

jefflo: "Having Said All That"

CR said...

Well, I thought Gov. Palin did very well in the debate.

Interesting, I'm in San Rafael for a couple of days for an audit. I ordered room service and getting excited of eating a real good meal which usually happens only on business trips because someone else is paying for it.

So, I'm watching Fox News in my hotel room and my server guy comes in says, "Oh, so you're watching Fox News, huh?". I go, yeah, I was watching the VP debate. I kid you not, so the guy says, "Have you ever watched CNN?" I was very polite and kept my composure (first of all, it's none of his business what channel I watch). But I said, yeah I do sometimes (I didn't tell him this, but I do switch to CNN on FNC commercial breaks or when FNC interviews a democrat, because I figure, I already watch Sci Fi channel for fiction). So, I kid you not, he says about CNN, "it's a little bit more down the middle.."

But anyway, I do at times watch CNN, but it's amazing how bias they are. I was comparing their "focus" groups that they have (FNC has them also) watch debates. This is my opinion, but if you haven't made your mind up yet, I think you have a problem...but that's just me.

But the differences between the two focus groups was just so obvious. FNC focus group has Palin winning the debate and maybe a few minds changed. (which is what I would expect). CNN has Biden winning the debate (their debate poll that they took has Biden winning the debate 51 to Palin's 39%???). I don't think FNC did a debate poll.

I don't expect the VP debate to be a game changer it will be interesting to see how the pundits view it. I think SNL's Tina Fey will have a very hard time coming up with humor for Palin for the debate.

Anyway, hope some can get some laughs out of did. I did laugh at later.

Stefan Ewing said...

Totally anecdotal, but the NBC affiliate in Seattle did a poll of 800 WA (i.e., Blue State) viewers, and Palin came out on top (though by a small margin).

Bible study prevented me from watching the debate; and anyhow, I should have watched the Canadian prime ministerial debate, which was on at the same time.

Speaking of the latter of which, the best moment was when the separatist Bloc Quebecois candidate said to the other three opposition leaders, "I know I won't be prime minister, and [the] three of you won't be prime minister neither."

DJP said...

Tim: I'll probably post on it in a bit, but in short I agree. Wasn't as bad as it could have been. I think her linking Palin to Cheney was a curveball that set up Biden with a nice, fat pitch he dutifully swatted. It also seemed to us as if she allowed Biden more 2nd and 3rd responses. But even with that, it was significantly better than I expected — relative praise, to be sure.

J♥Yce Burrows said...

Loved the baseball signals from the senator to moderator...head/eye/neck twitches, Cheshire Cat grins, neck scratch scratch scratch. OH! OH! OH! ME! ME! ME! bringing to mind Welcome Back Kotter's Horshack ~ I wanna respond to what she said. Uh, oh! There went my imagination again that the moderator was asking the next question before the multitude of rebuttal words barely made it out of his mouth. I'm sorry ~ did Sarah want to respond? My bad.

It was a riveting rather than a snoozer debate. And no issues at all between the two Democrats. No, none at all. lol Someone should make a youtube by switching out Laurel and Hardy in the post below. Now why do I wonder if Bill O'Reilly has that tape slated for a body language segment?

You've sure been spot on with all of this, Dan.

Tim said...

Here's something the GOP spinmeisters may be able to make use of. Near the end of the debate (transcript here), Biden essentially promised to hold Obama's hand for all of the important decisions:

"I would be the point person for the legislative initiatives in the United States Congress for our administration. I would also, when asked if I wanted a portfolio, my response was, no. But Barack Obama indicated to me he wanted me with him to help him govern. So every major decision he'll be making, I'll be sitting in the room to give my best advice. He's president, not me, I'll give my best advice."

CR said...

Biden erroneously said the executive branch powers of the President came from Article I, when in fact, it comes from Article 2. The vote of the Vice President on the Senate comes from Article 1. The MSM tells us there were no major gaffes. How is this NOT a major gaffe?! It just irks me.

He really screwed that up and I didn't see it in the supposed non-bias factcheck. If Palin would have said that, it would have been headline news.

Fred Butler said...

he says about CNN, "it's a little bit more down the middle.."

I would have laughed him to scorn and given the guy a bit of a lecture on presuppositions, worldviews, and true bias.

Trinian said...

Maybe I should start a business as a Republican vocal coach. I enjoy listening to Palin, and she did a great job at the debate... it's just... "nukuler"... it makes me cringe every time.

It also seemed to us as if she allowed Biden more 2nd and 3rd responses.

You too, huh? Heh, then I guess I wasn't the only one piecing together the moderator's political viewpoints based on when she allowed Biden yet another response.

DJP said...

Oh, you and me both.

"Newkewlar... newkewlar... newkewlar...."

Cringe... cringe... cringe....

CR said...

Fred: I would have laughed him to scorn and given the guy a bit of a lecture on presuppositions, worldviews, and true bias.

Yeah, I don't know, at the time, I was just hungry, and wanted my meal. I didn't appreciate or ask for his opinion on TV stations. I'm more ticked off about it now after hearing Rasmussen on the daily tracking poll. (He's probably one of the most decent honest pollsters out there). And he gave a pretty bleak picture this morning. Obama has a good lead in some of the battleground states and he says that McCain has to pick up on a good size of people that are undecided but leaning to Obama.

With that guy last night, it just made me think, yeah, there are a lot of stupid people out there that can't think for themselves and let the MSM think for them.

Becky Schell said...

Dan,
Thanks so much for the link to Ifill's response to Governor Palin at the Republican Convention; I had noticed at the time that her feelings were transparent.

Like you said and Trinian agreed, I noted that multiple times she cut off the interaction, leaving Biden with the last word.

What I appreciated most: How Sarah really seemed to be enjoying herself. While Biden was speaking, when the camera panned to her, she was usually smiling. I loved it when she said that she would leave the verification of the truth or falsehood of his facts to the pundits. She seemed to be in her element.

Obviously Ifill knew she was being closely watched, due to the book controversy, and did an amazing job of appearing to be non-biased and still giving Biden every advantage. There were a couple of places where Sarah said something and, though Ifill was ready to move on, Biden started a rebuttal; Ifill would make a lame attempt at protest and then allow him to vent. I was wishing the camera had panned to Ifill's face. I wonder if we would have seen a look of smug satisfaction.

Solameanie said...

A trap-door spider hole. Cool. Way cool.

"New-clear" "New-klee-err."

I am surprised no pundit connected her to Bush with that pronunciation. They should just say "nukes." That way, they don't get in trouble.