Palin into insignificance

Watching this video, it was quite interesting to see that Palin has been well coached in sidestepping "social issue" questions, although she refuses to answer anything even close to coherently. She managed to sound reasonable on abortion, and wouldn't agree that the morning after pill should be banned (it's a bit weird to say "I wouldn't choose it for myself" but we get the message). She managed a firm statement of support for teaching evolution, and restricting science classes to science, while stating that she personally is a creationist. That's not an unreasonable position, even though being a creationist should immediately disqualify you from high office. She managed to evade a religious question about praying for gays to become straight by saying she wouldn't judge what should be prayed for.

She even went for "my best friend is gay". But she blew it. She said that her best friend had made a choice that she personally hadn't made. Uh oh.

I'm looking forward to the debate tomorrow morning. I think Biden should make mincemeat of her. I didn't until these Couric interviews, but she's looked pretty much incapable of being even coherent. That's going to play badly next to Biden, who's longwinded, but surefooted. The election is not particularly close at the moment, with Obama ahead in all the battleground states, McCain floundering on the economy while Obama looks in control (although largely wrong), but Biden could kick Palin to ribbons and end the race right there. McCain would be left with nowhere left to go but balls-out negative; having to shove all-in on Obama's negritude and liberality (as usual, the Dem candidate is nothing like a liberal but is painted as the reincarnation of Lenin). I'm not sure that will be enough, particularly given that his own negatives are pretty evident, and negativity in the next couple of debates is liable to play as ill temper, particularly now that he's slighted Maureen Dowd, who will be sharpening the knife for him.

posted by Dr Zen @ 12:53 pm