Community | October 03, 2008 | 31 comments

Courting Middle-Class Voters -

source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/02/AR2008100202252.html?wpisrc=...

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Tell us why this is interestingRepublican Sarah Palin and Democrat Joseph R. Biden Jr. each sought to claim the mantle of "kitchen table" candidate in the first and only debate between the major-party vice presidential candidates last night, both arguing that their running mates better understand the concerns of middle-class Americans worried about the nation's faltering economy.
On a night when presidential nominees John McCain and Barack Obama were relegated to the sidelines, Palin and Biden raced through a fast-paced debate that touched on same-sex marriage, the war in Iraq, and the nation's energy and foreign policies. Each escaped without major mishap, and Palin seemed to repair an image that had been damaged by recent media interviews and increasing public doubts about her readiness for the nation's No. 2 job.

From the opening moments of their highly anticipated 90-minute debate, each portrayed themselves as a voice for Middle America and attempted to make the case that their ticketmates are best prepared to bring change to Washington and the nation.
Palin, the first female governor of Alaska, referred to "average, middle-class families like mine," and in her first answer she suggested that the proper place to take the temperature of Americans' concerns about the economy would be at a Saturday-morning soccer game.

"Now, thankfully, John McCain has been one representing reform," Palin said. "People in the Senate, his colleagues" -- she turned to the senator from Delaware -- "didn't want to listen to him and wouldn't go towards that reform that was needed."

Biden trained his fire on McCain, noting that the senator from Arizona "two Mondays ago" claimed that the "fundamentals of the economy were strong."

He added: "That doesn't make John McCain a bad guy, but it does point out he's out of touch."

The debate, with its emphasis on quick answers and numerous topics, became a barrage of numbers and competing and conflicting visions of Obama and McCain.

Likely to be more lasting for viewers was the lack of obvious mistakes on either side, and an image of Palin that was more like the confident, smiling politician who burst onto the scene with a fiery speech at the Republican National Convention, and less like the stumbling candidate who has seemed ill prepared in a series of interviews broadcast recently with CBS News anchor Katie Couric.

She was respectful and cordial to Biden -- "Hey, can I call you Joe?" she asked when she greeted him onstage -- but quick to try to put him on the defensive about his past differences with Obama. "I watched all those debates," she said, referring to the Democratic primaries in which the two were rivals.

But the essence of the night -- and one of the major arguments of the campaign -- may have been illustrated by a long exchange after Biden said policies of the Bush administration have been an "abject failure."

"There's a time, too, when Americans are going to say, 'Enough is enough with your ticket,' on constantly looking backwards, and pointing fingers and doing the blame game," Palin said. "There have been huge blunders in the war. There have been huge blunders throughout this administration, as there are with every administration. But for a ticket that wants to talk about change and looking into the future, there's just too much finger-pointing backwards to ever make us believe that that's where you're going."

**more at article**

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31 comments // Courting Middle-Class Voters -

  • FazeB
    • 0
      FazeB  

    • If McCain's claim that 5 million dollars in the bank makes you middle class, then either the middle class is non-existent or I'm screwed....

    • 3 years ago
  • jc911truth
    • 0
      jc911truth  

    • Reality Check:
      Christine Schomer
      Msnbc.com contributor updated, Sun., Oct. 5, 2008

      After two weeks of unprecedented fiscal turmoil, latest election polls show that voters care more about the economy than the so-called culture wars. Advantage: Barack Obama.

      On Sunday’s Meet the Press, NBC Political Director Chuck Todd rolled out his Electoral College map and showed that polling in the past two weeks has tipped some battleground states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and New Mexico toward the Democratic nominee.

      “If the election were held today, I would say that Obama is up five or more points in enough states with about 264 electoral votes,” said Todd. Candidates need 270 electoral votes to win.
      Conclusion: McSame and Sarah have got nothing for American voters (wink).

    • 3 years ago
  • AreOh
    • 0
      AreOh  

    • I don't even think the problem are the politicians, but with Middle America itself. Sound politics and policy have no bearing when it comes to dealing with the people who live in the land between the coasts. We like to bill ourselves as a progressive nation, but as the last presidential election has shown, as well as the current election cycle, we are anything but. It is tough to use intelligence and reason on people who only respond to ignorance and bigotry. Of course, this does not apply to all, but I think there can be little doubt that a significant number of people in our country are less concerned with economic plans and foreign policy, basing their vote on what they candidate looks like and what ignorance they hear more closely matches their own.

    • 3 years ago
  • ninepounds6
  • ninepounds6
    • 0
      ninepounds6  

    • The monterator?

      Pumpkin, do you know waht a debate is?

      You are right, she was herself. And no beauty queen, journalism major, weather girl, soccer mom who has the nerve to wink repeatedly at America during something as important as VP debate should be allowed to be president. I was never sure what a conservative is, but if you are any indication, I can see you are highly uneducated, narrow minded, and ignorant of any real issues. If you, or anyone, is proud of this woman, I honestly think you need real help.

      How old are you?

    • 3 years ago
  • Vierotchka
  • ninepounds6
    • 0
      ninepounds6  
    • ninepounds6:

      How on earth could I feel threatened by someone I do not even know? 70% of women agree with me... this woman has no right being elected to anything but obscure positions in obscure states. Arrogance has nothing to do with ability.

      I am angry that in such a time of crisis, while in two wars we cannot win, they throw up an old man and staunch Republican with this toe the line bimbo by his side and call it "change".

      I have an opinion which does not agree with yours, and I am a man, a gynophobe, and cruel?

      My opinion is mainstream, yours is akin to a love struck child. I'll stick with mine!

    • 3 years ago
  • Vierotchka
  • ninepounds6
  • arcticspirit
    • 0
      arcticspirit  
    • ninepounds6:

      You are making fun of a spell check error? OMG, that is so desperate! (wow should I misspell that so you can bite me in the ass too?)
      I happen to be familiar with that person, have had some great conversations with him, and you have it so wrong, I laughed until I tears.

      Go Go Mo1y! (bet you had no idea you were the topic of conversation did you?) lol

    • 3 years ago
  • mo1y
    • 0
      mo1y  

    • Sarah did us conservative's proud. She took control of the debate. She was not going to be painted into a corner by the monterator, or Biden.

      She was herself, and not filter, and edited by the Obamamedia.

      She going to be around for a long time.

    • 3 years ago
  • Vierotchka
  • Vierotchka
  • arcticspirit
    • 0
      arcticspirit  
    • mo1y:

      She Rocked.
      What more can be said. She did well.

      Biden did well also. But he made entirely too many mistakes that were HUGE. He looked good doing it and truthful too (while lieing his ass off.. I mean making a ton of mistakes).

      But Sarah, she stuck to what she wanted to talk about, and she got her message across. That's what she needed to do.

      I already posted a list of mistakes Biden made while looking totally trustworthy. That was scary to me.
      But if you guys accept that. That is even more frightening. I'm not posting it again. Why spam?

    • 3 years ago
  • stantheman
    • 0
      stantheman  
    • Image

    • Voting in the USA is just democratic theater when the results can be altered behind the scenes.

      How do you think G.W. Bush made it into office - twice!

      The public needs to be made aware about the lack of voting machine accuracy and security.

      The time is now!

    • 3 years ago
  • thelavelles
  • arcticspirit
    • 0
      arcticspirit  

    • Anyway.

      Joe Biden's 14 Lies

      1. TAX VOTE: Biden said McCain voted “the exact same way” as Obama to increase taxes on Americans earning just $42,000, but McCain DID NOT VOTE THAT WAY.

      2. AHMEDINIJAD MEETING: Joe Biden lied when he said that Barack Obama never said that he would sit down unconditionally with Mahmoud Ahmedinijad of Iran. Barack Obama did say specifically, and Joe Biden attacked him for it.

      3. OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING: Biden said, “Drill we must.” But Biden has opposed offshore drilling and even compared offshore drilling to “raping” the Outer Continental Shelf.”

      4. TROOP FUNDING: Joe Biden lied when he indicated that John McCain and Barack Obama voted the same way against funding the troops in the field. John McCain opposed a bill that included a timeline, that the President of the United States had already said he would veto regardless of it’s passage.

      5. OPPOSING CLEAN COAL: Biden says he’s always been for clean coal, but he just told a voter that he is against clean coal and any new coal plants in America and has a record of voting against clean coal and coal in the U.S. Senate.

      6. ALERNATIVE ENERGY VOTES: According to FactCheck.org, Biden is exaggerating and overstating John McCain’s record voting for alternative energy when he says he voted against it 23 times.

      7. HEALTH INSURANCE: Biden falsely said McCain will raise taxes on people's health insurance coverage -- they get a tax credit to offset any tax hike. Independent fact checkers have confirmed this attack is false

      8. OIL TAXES: Biden falsely said Palin supported a windfall profits tax in Alaska -- she reformed the state tax and revenue system, it's not a windfall profits tax.

      9. AFGHANISTAN / GEN. MCKIERNAN COMMENTS: Biden said that top military commander in Iraq said the principles of the surge could not be applied to Afghanistan, but the commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force Gen. David D. McKiernan said that there were principles of the surge strategy, including working with tribes, that could be applied in Afghanistan.

      10. REGULATION: Biden falsely said McCain weakened regulation -- he actually called for more regulation on Fannie and Freddie.

      11. IRAQ: When Joe Biden lied when he said that John McCain was “dead wrong on Iraq”, because Joe Biden shared the same vote to authorize the war and differed on the surge strategy where they John McCain has been proven right.

      12. TAX INCREASES: Biden said Americans earning less than $250,000 wouldn’t see higher taxes, but the Obama-Biden tax plan would raise taxes on individuals making $200,000 or more.

      13. BAILOUT: Biden said the economic rescue legislation matches the four principles that Obama laid out, but in reality it doesn’t meet two of the four principles that Obama outlined on Sept. 19, which were that it include an emergency economic stimulus package, and that it be part of “part of a globally coordinated effort with our partners in the G-20.”

      14. REAGAN TAX RATES: Biden is wrong in saying that under Obama, Americans won't pay any more in taxes then they did under Reagan.

    • 3 years ago
  • arcticspirit
    • 0
      arcticspirit  
    • Image

    • (looks good eh?)

      Oh and Joe Six Pack, would be average Joe.
      (see post directly above this one)

      Most men I have EVER known would rather have beer any day over wine.

      Now by contrast (if this describes you, or your family, please I don't mean to offend you...)
      Joe speeding around the trailer park, drunk off his ass, on his riding lawn mower, with large cooler strapped on the back, containing ice and all the beer he could cram in there (and he has plenty to keep it stocked ALL WEEKEND)... He's wearing "knock off" a "get er done" hat, NOT wearing deodorant, has on a torn white tee shirt that's dirty, has his belly that somehow manages to hang over his huge belt buckle that says something about truckers (hard to read around the belly), has grass stains on his cowboy boots, and is chewing tobacco and spitting thru where is missing front tooth is while you are trying to talk to him...now... that might be, (although to be fair, you can't be sure)... trailer trash. But then again, he is IN the trailer park and HE IS drunk.

      So WTF are you so you so judmental about anyway?
      Or are they riding around on your lawn and spitting on you?

      Oh wait. They are the ones who walk by you with one six pack. Oh poor girl. You better move to a dry county. Or the "trailer trash Joe" might "get" you.

    • 3 years ago
  • Vierotchka
  • arcticspirit
    • 0
      arcticspirit  
    • arcticspirit:

      Men, weigh in on this...
      beer or wine?

      My man says beer. and goes on to say, "Wine doesn't taste right. I don't understand why women like wine, I thought they like mixed drinks."

      (off subject)
      Hey Veir, do you have a schoolgirl crush on me? Just curious.. you give me entirely too much attention. I don't exactly roll that way, but ... I do like intelligent women... (smiles) No fuzzy bunnies.

    • 3 years ago
  • ninepounds6
    • 0
      ninepounds6  

    • "Joe Six Pack" is not middle America, it is trailer trash. She appeals to her own kind.

      How insulting that such words even come out of an American VP candidate for all the world to see.

    • 3 years ago
  • tampagrl1
    • 0
      tampagrl1  
    • ninepounds6:

      I too was shocked that she really said that ,in addition to the constant hockey mom crap!
      Does she have something in her eye? Maybe it's that log or beam that they talk about in the Bible!
      What in the hell is going on here?
      This beyotch is Ka-ray-zeee!!!

    • 3 years ago
  • cheakywillie
  • Nozlo
    • 0
      Nozlo  

    • This "debate" was a bit like watching a NASCAR race - you were not watching it to see the skill of the drivers going round and round the same track, you were simply waiting for one of them to crash sending debris everywhere. And nobody crashed!

      Your party did that - no it did not. But you once said that - no I did not. We are going to do this - that will not work so we are going to do this - that will not work either. In the end everyone agreed to disagree and the voter was left none the wiser. It was a dead heat as they crossed the line with both cars having been in front for half the race. And perhaps that is what both parties wanted all along for different reasons.

      Anyone for tennis?

    • 3 years ago
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