Palin sounds she should be more than able to hold her own in tomorrow’s debates, so there is no reason for Joey the Shark to hold back. I hope he demolishes her.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — There are two things people here remember about Sarah Palin’s debating style during her race for governor two years ago.
One is the stack of color-coded cue cards she took to the podium for help whenever she was asked a policy question. The other is how quickly she was able to shuck those props, master the thrust-and-parry of jousting with her opponents and inquisitors, and project confidence to an audience of television viewers watching from home.
“That’s the Sarah Palin I remember from the 2006 debates: positive, confident and upbeat,” recalls Libby Casey, an Alaska public-radio reporter who served as a debate moderator on two occasions that year.
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But Gov. Palin’s telegenic gifts could help neutralize some shortcomings. Ms. Casey, the public-radio reporter, credits Gov. Palin’s training as a TV sportscaster for her ability to connect with a broadcast audience at home.
In her debates during the 2006 campaign, Ms. Palin would often thank the reporters serving as debate moderators — invariably addressing them by their first names, and adding a compliment for their insightful questions. She would then turn immediately to the camera to speak directly to a home audience.
“Like a sportscaster, she’s learned to be good at dropping the g’s, and relating to the viewer as a fan,” Ms. Casey explains. “You know: ‘It’s a big game this weekend and it’s gonna be tough. But we’re all in this together.'”
[From Palin Proved to Be Formidable Foe in Alaska Debates – WSJ.com] [Digg-enabled link for non WSJ subscribers]
She is no delicate flower, let’s stop treating her as anything but an odious politician, with questionable judgements.