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Palin Advisor: Tonight is an opportunity
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ShareOctober 02, 2008 2:53 PM
ABC News' Imtiyaz Delawala report: Palin advisor Tucker Eskew tells ABC News tonight's debate is an "opportunity" for Palin to speak directly to the American people with no filter and show what she's made of.
It's also an opportunity to turn around days of bad press.
"Things are good," Eskew said of Palin's level of preparation and readiness for tonight. "Get outside the media bubble and things are really good."
After two full days of debate prep at Sen. John McCain's Sedona, Ariz., ranch, Eskew said Palin is relaxed and ready to go up against Biden, who he labeled "a lion of the Senate."
"He thinks it's a lion's den... She thinks it's an opportunity," Eskew said of tonight's ninety-minute debate.
A Palin aide said it was McCain's idea to have Palin prepare at the ranch with her family in tow, to provide a more relaxed atmosphere.
Palin aides are fully aware that the Governor has taken a beating in the press and on the comedy circuit over the past few weeks. That Saturday Night Live sketch from last weekend has had more than four million hits online.
And beyond the comedy, there is serious trouble brewing for the McCain campaign.
The latest ABC News poll indicates Palin is now more of a drag than a boost to the GOP ticket. Sixty percent of those polled on September 29 did not think Palin has the experience it takes to serve effectively as president, up 15 points since early September. And just 46 percent think Palin "understands complex issues," while 49 percent think she does not.
But they remain confident that she can hold her own tonight.
"I've been hearing about his senate speeches since I was like in the second grade," Palin said of Biden in a recent interview with CBS' Katie Couric. "I'm the new energy, the new face, the new ideas."
Palin's debate preparations have been a mix of reading, listening to oral presentations and engaging in mock debates. A foreign policy advisor, Randy Scheunemann, played the role of Joe Biden. Aides say Palin has not been asked to memorize anything.
Still, her sister told Glamour magazine it is "absolutely phenomenal what my sister can learn in a short amount of time." She also said, "What's happening to Sarah Palin right now is like the worst college exam cram period ever."
One memory expert says-- despite what you might think-- cramming can work just fine.
"It's better to overstudy than to understudy," says Mark McDaniel, Professor of Psychology at Washington University in St. Louis where tonight's debate will be held.
"Cramming is a useful technique if one is only worried about bringing that information to mind immediately in the next day or so. If one wants to bring the information to mind over the long term, it's not the best technique. If one wants to be able to be facile with bringing that information to mind under stress, such as in a debate, under a nationally televised audience, cramming may not necessarily be the best technique," McDaniel says.
October 2, 2008 in Biden, Joe, McCain, John, Obama, Barack, Palin, Sarah, Vote 2008: Democrats, Vote 2008: Republicans | Permalink | User Comments (145)
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McCain/Failin pulled out of Michigan! Ouch McCain..
Posted by: jen | Oct 2, 2008 3:05:23 PM
Tonight will be the end of mccain
Posted by: angie | Oct 2, 2008 3:07:17 PM
I've been hearing about his senate speeches since I was like in the second grade," Palin said of Biden in a recent interview with CBS' Katie Couric. "I'm the new energy, the new face, the new ideas."
She sounds like an ad for Obama against McSame
Posted by: watching | Oct 2, 2008 3:12:27 PM
"I've been hearing about his senate speeches since I was like in the second grade," Palin said of Biden in a recent interview with CBS' Katie Couric.
____________________________________________________
Like I can't wait to like hear her like direct answers like to the American people who are like people who like live in America. You know we have people like in Alaska too.
Posted by: Super | Oct 2, 2008 3:13:46 PM
The debate tonight will be unique. A real person who believes in the one true God will absolutely blow away Sen. Biden and give the American people hope once more that good, honest leadership is still possible. Just watch!
Posted by: Bill | Oct 2, 2008 3:15:23 PM
She's more like New Coke.
Posted by: PolarBear08 | Oct 2, 2008 3:16:01 PM
I think there are 2 points that I have been stressing that will become abundantly clear tonight:
1) Not only is Sarah Palin unqualified to be our next VP, I argue that she is unqualified to be the governer of Alaska.
2) John McCain has the most mismanaged campaigns in modern history. His whole team is not ready for primetime.
Posted by: wally | Oct 2, 2008 3:17:54 PM
There is nothing this psychotic and deluded woman could say that would change my mind about her and her "brand" of politics.She may be "new" to the scene,but her lies and dishonesty are old as the hills!
Posted by: Sharon White | Oct 2, 2008 3:18:20 PM
This should be an interesting debate. I would like to see if Palin can have coherent answers to questions. So far, her answers have been very poor.
I'd also like to see if Biden can debate without gaffes.
I still don't think she's qualified at all, but I'm willing to have an open mind about her general intelligence. I know Biden is smart, but he does tend to say stupid things. Let's see if either one can overcome these flaws and present themselves in a positive light.
Posted by: This is SO Old | Oct 2, 2008 3:19:05 PM
A writer from The Nation is live-blogging the debate tonight.
I'm trying to pass this around because, if action meets the talk, it looks like a number of conservatives are descending on his blog tonight.
If it helps, he's going to award Powell's gift cards for good comments.
http://www.governmentalityblog.com/
Posted by: imapoliticaljunkie | Oct 2, 2008 3:20:47 PM
Biden is a notorious plagiarizer. I wonder who's words he's going to steal for tonight's debate? At least Palin is sincere and speaks from the heart; unlike the overly scripted Obama bin Biden team, with their 500 advisors pulling their puppet's strings.
Posted by: RM | Oct 2, 2008 3:21:34 PM
All Biden needs to do is give clear, short answers and a few jabs at McCain. Palin should sink herself with answers that go in circles and off point.
Posted by: Kim | Oct 2, 2008 3:22:23 PM
I guess getting outside the media bubble...isn't the same as staying behind the wall of silence.
lol
she better recite the entire history of the American Federal government and foreign policy at this point
because so far she has shown that she is the stupidest and least equipped Vice Presidential caniddate this nation has ever seen.
she has to soar tonight to dim the images we have of her as an idiot.
30 second broadstroke platitudes and attacks
won't cut it.
Posted by: dl | Oct 2, 2008 3:25:06 PM
Biden's gaffes don't cause such a stir because he has 26 years of Street Cred and action on the National Stage. Had McCain picked a better known VP candidate his/her gaffes would also be less relevant to their experience. We wouldn't be worried about gaffes from Majorie Snowe or Kay Baily Hutchinson. Tonight would be a much different story. Instead of wondering if McCain's VP can complete a sentence, we would be looking forward to a substantive debate from highly intelligent all the way around.
Posted by: Paige | Oct 2, 2008 3:25:09 PM
She will never get me to vote for her no matter what she has to say.She sets this country back years and she is anothe Bush for the get go.....This backfired in McCains face...........He is to freaken old and she knows nothing....Good pair.
Posted by: indp voter | Oct 2, 2008 3:26:06 PM
Sarah Palin needs to "speak directly to the American people with no filter" ? I thought that's what we've been hearing and seeing ! She has no filter. No filter, no substance, no business being on the ticket. Sarah being Sarah is just what we've been getting. And we've all heard enough.
Posted by: Ginny | Oct 2, 2008 3:26:50 PM
Kim - He also needs to be able to keep a straight face and not roll his eyes at her answers. A real challange.
Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Oct 2, 2008 3:27:12 PM
Kim - He also needs to be able to keep a straight face and not roll his eyes at her answers. A real challange.
Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Oct 2, 2008 3:27:21 PM
I can see most of all responses are dem. I think Republicans are more reserve in their opinions. I am indepedent and I am tired of DEM opinions so I will for MCCAIN!
Posted by: Della | Oct 2, 2008 3:28:16 PM
Sharon wrote: There is nothing this psychotic and deluded woman could say that would change my mind about her and her "brand" of politics.She may be "new" to the scene,but her lies and dishonesty are old as the hills!
I say .."Sharon" needs to get help.
Posted by: Tm | Oct 2, 2008 3:28:44 PM
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