Translation
Biden wins debate, yet MSM insists on calling it a tie
Joseph Biden won 51 percent to 36 percent over Sarah Palin among undecided voters in an early CNN poll based on random sampling, and yet…
On MS-NBC, Patrick Buchanan kept talking about how Palin won hands down, connecting with ordinary Americans in her folksy way.
Charlie Rose’s panel On PBS came to the happy accord that it was a draw.
Anderson Cooper’s panel voted that Biden won handily, but Ed Rollins, the lone holdout who conferred a lopsided victory on Palin, dominated the primetime analysis, insisting that Palin won bigtime.
On fair and balanced Fox, meanwhile, a text-messaging poll in which the network’s famously biased audience keyed in their opinions in one of the most rigged polls I’ve ever witnessed, Palin won by… let’s see, 85 percent to 12 percent ! last time I jotted down results, long about midnight.
And so it went. For the second week in a row, undecided voters overwhelmingly judged the Democratic candidate the dramatic winner of a debate and still mainstream media insisted on calling it a draw. One of
these days such handicapping will come back to haunt the world in tragic fashion. Wups, you’re right. It already did. In 2000. Again in 2004. Think of the lives saved, the treasure preserved, species rescued, had the media not settled on narratives that disguised the ineptitude, mistaken notions and perverse ambitions of George W. Bush, maybe the worst president of all time. But I digress.
Even with a horse-race mentality dominating media, however, all polls that matter are swinging Obama’s way.
I admit I’m biased. Heck I could even be wrong, but I’m pretty sure Biden won. In a nutshell, here’s why:
First, he won in the polls, but let’s play the MSM game of setting those aside.
Biden was on the side of science when asked about global warming, one of many subjects Palin danced around, denying there’s a human cause, yet suggesting we should curb greenhouse gases anyway, for unspecified reasons.
Huh?
Biden was on the side of history when it came to war in Iraq, while Palin fell back on cliches about victory–without bothering to define it–while accusing Obama of “waving the white flag of surrender” and not “supporting the troops.” Biden chewed such allegations up, pointing to McCain’s own votes that could be twisted and characterized as “not supporting the troops” and serving up a history lesson about why the main front in the war on terror shouldn’t even be in Iraq.
Biden answered all questions head on, while Palin talked free-form, without even bothering to answer at least half the questions Ifill posed. For instance, when asked to describe the McCain plan for disengaging from Iraq, Palin used the opportunity to belittle Obama’s rejection of the Surge. When asked to name her own Achilles Heel, she seemed unfamiliar with the concept.
Biden answered such questions with specificity, pointing out, for instance that, when it comes to tax dollars, we spend as much every three weeks in Iraq as we’ve spent in nearly seven years in Afghanistan.
It’s true Palin helped herself. Polls reflect that many voters thought so, but it was mostly just by showing up and not, say, falling off the stage. Ifill helped by not asking her about witchcraft or the Rapture or Supreme
Court decisions or Troopergate, and Biden was gentlemanly enough not to call her on recent faux pas.
Palin had dug herself in deep in recent weeks, calling McCain’s judgment into question with each snafu she made. The country had taken to laughing at the GOP ticket, thanks in part to Letterman and SNL and Jon Stewart, and once the people begin laughing there’s not much anyone can do for you. Palin’s public performances had been so week that many predicted disaster in this debate. Instead, she acquitted herself well enough–barely–to allow McCain to fight another day.
Unfortunately for McCain the tide of this election is not likely to turn, barring an October Surprise of monster proportions. Not to be glib but the economic crisis has been manna from heaven for Obama’s political purposes.
It’s crystalized issues, reminding us all that Republicans have been at the helm during four fiascos–9/11, War in Iraq, the Katrina debacle, and now the banking crisis. Recent polls track a swing of 15 to 20 points in Obama’s favor, and many battleground states–Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Florida–are falling into his column as Election Day draws near.
Last week’s Obama-McCain debate has been huge in this swing. It was a toss-up substance-wise, say talking heads, and maybe they’re right, but the contrast in style and character could not have been sharper. Graceful and gracious Obama against crouching, condescending McCain. Again, not to be glib but appearances count in politics, and McCain comes off, when measured against Obama, as slightly deformed and slightly deranged. Unable to raise his arms, that phony smile, the bulge on his cheek. Not his fault, but
appearances matter.
I said weeks ago Obama would win for three main reasons. Charisma. Charisma. And Charisma. It isn’t over by a long shot, and Obama will need this bulge to win a rigged electoral game, but I’d no longer be surprised to see Barack Obama as next president of the United States of America.
|
Read other articles by this author |
Don Williams a contributing editor at MWC is a widely published columnist, short story writer, and the founding editor and publisher of New Millennium Writings, an annual literary anthology... 
Quote this article on your site | Views: 1139Comments (3) |  |
My wife had the debate on the TV.
While I was putting up shelves, now and then she would say, "come and listen to this!".
When Palin started on, what was it? the beacon on the hill crap, freedom and democracy stuff, also, I can't remember the word for sure, but the exclusive quality of the American people, yuck spew, pass the bucket! She fitted the image of the loud mouthed yank we foreigners have to suffer.
But we were impressed by Joseph Biden, my wife said, "hm he would probably make a good US president in his own right".
He was the epitome of the American gentleman.
Chalk and cheese indeed.
Mike
** Instead of arguing about the size and duration of a surge in Iraq or Afghanistan, the candidates should have addressed whether or not U.S. foreign policy should be based on the principle of using violence as the first choice solution for problems.
**Instead of shooting at the easy target of Ahmadinejad, the candidates should have discussed whether or not it is moral for Washington and Tel Aviv to threaten nuclear war against non-nuclear countries.
Biden wasted much of his time arguing with Palin instead of taking the opportunity to present a vision that would enable the Democrats to do what they say they want to do - restore America's tattered reputation as the symbol of freedom. Biden may not be a neo-con, but he is far too close to offer a clear choice.
The Democrats need to stop wasting their breath falling into the trap of Republican red herrings. It is time for Obama to speak out clearly about the principles on which U.S. foreign policy should be based. If he cannot do so, then he should ask Dennis Kucinich and his elegant, eloquent wife to serve as his foreign policy spokespeople for the rest of the campaign.
If it weren't for the fact that Palin was wearing an ear piece, she would have done a lot worse. After counting the first dozen lies I quit watching it. A link to pictures of the ear piece, which I haven't seen mentioned in the media yet, can be found here:
What Does Gov. Palin Have in Her Right Ear? article and pictures from American Everyman -
http://willyloman.wordpress.com/2008/10/03/what-does-gov-palin-have-in-her-right-ear/
The desperation from the McCain campaign is growing more evident with each passing day.
|
Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.4
Tags: Don Williams Joseph Biden Sarah Palin MSM