Debates of all ilk

[bewitched]

Originally Posted by Alex

On the misspoken words front (which I don't consider very relevant to anything), Biden also referred to Bosniacs instead of Bosnians.

Apparently, Bosniacs is correct. Bosnians refers to the citizens of Bosnia as a whole. Bosniacs are one of 3 major ethnic groups (to whom Biden also referred):

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a multi-ethnic state with Bosniacs (40%), Serbs (33%), and Croats (20%) as the largest ethnic groups. Their separate ethnic identities partly stem from different religious affiliations. Bosniacs belong to the Islamic, Croats to the Roman Catholic, and Serbs to the Orthodox tradition. The Bosnian war (1992-1995) was one of the most devastating wars in Europe since World War II. The most recent figures indicate that about 100 000 out of a population of 4.4 million were killed and at least as many were injured

Full article (about war experience/distress 8 years after war)

[scaeagles]

I didn't pick up on any nervousness until about the last 15 minutes when she completely gacked a question on the role and powers of the VP. Then I thought she recovered.

She did say "I'm not answering that", which I kind of liked....they both didn't answer questions a lot and for her to admit once that she just wasn't going to answer it was refreshing.

Her mannerisms don't bug me, but they bug others, and I get that. For some reason I can't stand watching John Edwards speak for the same reasons, but it doesn't bother other people.

Because expectations for her were lower than expectations in any debate I can ever think of, I don't think they populace as a whole will be seeing those things. I think people who have already made up their minds will see what you see, just as those on my side won't see it that way at all.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by bewitched

Apparently, Bosniacs is correct. Bosnians refers to the citizens of Bosnia as a whole. Bosniacs are one of 3 major ethnic groups:

I learned something new today. Thanks.

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by wendybeth

She was much better in a dumbed down debate format, but she didn't answer many of the questions and instead just seized on the opportunity to cheer lead for her team, which I suppose was her prerogative but damned annoying to me as a viewer. I kept thinking "just answer the damned question already!" Very evasive, and very vague.

I fell the same as you WB. I felt she was adept at what she was coached to say, but I found her arrogance about not answering questions as posed very annoying.

That colored my judgement of her performance since she was unwilling or unable to even answer a question about what, given the current economic state, would the McPalin have to give up or bend (my words I'm paraphrasing) on what promises from the campaign not be kept. No politician has ever kept campaign promises, not all of them, not that I can recall. It's a small, niggling point, but it is this kind of crap that bugs me and illustrates that she is really not ready to make the jump from Gov-ner sx-pack to VP Hockey Mom (and alarmingly, Prez Palin if McCain drops over 2 days after election day)

She proved quite able to recite what she was coached on and evade, bait and switch and attack to deflect. The folksy manner and talk just irritated me. Let's face it, being a Main Street type person does not mean you hang out at the country store swilling beer and playin checkers with your buddies as she seems to illustrate. She has personality, but it's not one that apeals to me. Afterwards, I watched about 10 minutes of spin, and howled when I saw someone holding up a sigh that said Tina Fey '08, that I would vote for.

She exceeded my low expectations of her performance given the disasterous TV interviews. The right I am sure will feel great relief. She did nothing to sway me to consider my vote. Biden only strengthened my resolve that, for me, the Obama ticket is the one to cast my vote for. McCain and his platform do not speak to me or for me, so to me, McCain = no choice.

Of course, I am anxious for the next Obama-McCain debate on Tuesday.

[Gemini Cricket]

I picked up on the nervousness. Someone can perfect memorizing a script but truly selling it while not understanding what is being said can be really hard. I appeared to me that she hoped that she wouldn't have to stray from her script. When she did, we heard more "betchas" and "hecks".

"Ms. Palin, we have identified a 747 heading on a collision course with the Empire State Building. Do our Air Force pilots have authorization to bring it down?"

"Oh, you betcha." She said with a wink.

[bewitched]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

"Ms. Palin, we have identified a 747 heading on a collision course with the Empire State Building. Do our Air Force pilots have authorization to bring it down?"

"Oh, you betcha." She said with a wink.

"Pew, pew, pew"

[mousepod]

[Betty]

I heard on the radio that this whole thing seemed like a Disney movie. They get the home town gal in as VP, something happens and she's now the unlikely president using her hometown ways to win everyone over and have a happy hollywood movie ending.

kind of creepy.

[Strangler Lewis]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

[i]t's what politicians do.

I think the process would be improved if each side explained their voting record, statements, etc., with this answer. E.g.:

Biden/Hillary said Obama wasn't ready because they were running for president--what the f*ck do you expect them to say?

McCain/Obama voted this way or that because it led to greater cooperation on something else, because you can't be a total wild card, etc.

Obama talked about political realities to some extent in his book, but I haven't heard him or anyone else say it while the cameras were rolling.

[bewitched]

Originally Posted by Betty

I heard on the radio that this whole thing seemed like a Disney movie. They get the home town gal in as VP, something happens and she's now the unlikely president using her hometown ways to win everyone over and have a happy hollywood movie ending.

kind of creepy.

I think someone already posted this somewhere else.