Lost in the middle of a long Wall St Journal article, about Sarah Palin's upcoming debate, McCain operatives confirmed talk show host, Ed Shultz article/speculation last week, that Sarah Palin failed several mock debates, her campaign staffs in turmoil-on how to use her; all this while Palin continues to suffer a beating from conservative pundits and various media.
When you add this up with, the fact that Katie Couric apparently has more tapes on the file (including the revelation that Palin knew no Supreme Court Case outside of Roe Vs Wade), their Father, Daughter-type interview with Couric yesterday, and the Mc-Palin teams upcoming abject fear and preparation for Palin's debate Thursday. The McCain campaign is in a near POLITICAL MELTDOWN themselves.
You can't make this stuff up!
Here was my diary last week on the Ed Shultz article, the lost tapes of Katie Couric/Sarah Palin, etc..
http://www.dailykos.com/...
The Current WSJ article, and new McCain turmoil is below the fold.
http://online.wsj.com/...
Here's the money quote from The Wall St Journal Article.
Since her selection nearly a month ago, the 44-year-old governor has excited the party's conservative base with huge crowds and newfound fund raising. She remains popular in many areas, and last week drew 60,000 people to an event near Orlando, Fla.
But in recent days, Gov. Palin flubbed quasi-mock debates in New York City and Philadelphia, some operatives said. Finger-pointing began, and then intensified after her faltering interview with CBS anchorwoman Katie Couric. However, she performed better when she took questions from the press after touring Ground Zero and remarked about her parents' visit there after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
http://online.wsj.com/...
Wow! After all these weeks of "preparing" since her selection, Palin failed two mock debates last week and gave several cringe worthy performances on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. I wonder if she's normally just that bad, or the specter of the failed mock debates (and being interviewed by a woman instead of flashing the gams at a panting male) just completely discombobulated her?
It seems (just like the American Public) the McCain campaign was too busy dealing with the financial crisis instead of spending time with the lightweight Palin. Here's the WSJ article on that aspect:
Until the weekend, the highest levels of the McCain campaign were focused on Sen. McCain's response to the financial crisis and his own debate against Sen. Barack Obama
Mmmmh? Well at least even the seemingly disjointed McCain campaign had their priorities in order (though you'd have to wonder, regarding John McCain's performance last week in Washington and the failed bail out vote yesterday).
The McCain campaign is so bad, and in such disarray with their Palin strategy, that they have completely shuffled her debate prep team and are trying to erase (like Men In Black Would) her previous debate preparation and answers. Yes! Their trying to do that now and this week (Palin will be im debate camp with her family starting Mon after a Columbus, Ohio stump visit):
Amid the heavy scrutiny in a close campaign, Gov. Palin is under considerable pressure to make Thursday's debate a "game changer," advisers said. The campaign is sending in Sen. McCain's debate coach, Brett O'Donnell, to help with her preparation, advisers said. Though he always was expected to help out after Sen. McCain's debate Friday in Oxford, Miss., Mr. O'Donnell now needs to "undo" much of her previous debate prep, which has resulted in occasional "rote" responses, one adviser said.
It's interesting. The SS Palin seems to spring more leaks than a sinking ship. Oh yeah! I forgot. They are (the McCain campaign) a sinking ship/campaign. Lol. I know. There's still 30+ days to the election.
Honestly. I don't think Palin gives "rote responses" cause of her previous training. I think Palin gives stilted responses, cause she just doesn't know and is cramming a voluminous amount of information in a relatively miniscule amount of time. Remember, Alaska is unlike other states. It's very small in population and there's basically one industry (Oil) and two types of people (Whites, Natives). That's it! It's the difference between running the corner store, then your asked to move up and run a Walmart or major shopping center. She went straight from the pee wees and jumped right into the Majors (Newsweek/CNN's Fareed Zakaria, after writing a scathing article on Palin in Newsweek this past weekend said on CNN yesterday, that Palin's Governorship made her better suited for President of Saudi Arabia than America). True!
It's gotten so bad, that despite the new debate prep team assigned to Palin, even top McCain honchos Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt are assigned to her as well. Can you say crisis management?:
McCain campaign manager Rick Davis and senior adviser Steve Schmidt are planning to coach the candidate ahead of the debate, according to senior advisers. They traveled Sunday to meet the Republican vice-presidential nominee in Philadelphia. After her appearance with Sen. McCain at a rally in Columbus, Ohio, these top officials plan to fly with her on Monday to Sen. McCain's ranch in Sedona, Ariz., which they hope she will find a comforting place to prep, these people said.
The amazing part is, behind the scenes, the McCain campaign and Republican operatives are all over the place on how to deal with Palin and her various maladies:
Some prominent Republicans and senior members of Congress have expressed worries about certain facets of the Palin campaign, particularly that Gov. Palin may be "over prepared" and not encouraged to be herself, an adviser said.
"She hasn't had the time or inclination to question the judgments of the people telling her to hit her marks," said one Republican strategist. "Gov. Palin is a team player, but the campaign needs to adjust to a game plan that works for her."
For his part, Mr. Palin has worried about the frequent separation of his wife from her family, friends and Alaska staff, an adviser said. Accordingly, her family will be with her in Sedona during this week. Also, a key Alaska staffer joined the Palin operation Sunday.
Meanwhile, the more experienced advisers assigned to her by the McCain campaign are accustomed to working with seasoned candidates, not someone "completely green on the national stage," one strategist said. Several Republican backers have griped that the campaign has put the candidate in difficult situations, from sitting for high-profile television interviews to popping into meetings with foreign leaders, some of whom made sexist remarks, said several officials.
"It's time to let Palin be Palin -- and let it all hang out," said Scott Reed, a Republican strategist
Wow! They want her to be more like herself? I think the McCain team just doesn't get it! All that quirky frontierswoman, with the funny voice, and 5 kids that moose hunts is over! Nobody cares, when you have the financial crisis reminding/staring us in the face every day (along with the dow plummeting a record 700+ points).
Nonetheless, despite the preparation, realism and fear of the upcoming debates; the McCain campaign is still in denial in certain respects:
From her campaign's perspective, Gov. Palin isn't getting media attention for her contributions. For example, with foreign leaders last week, she had detailed conversations about the national-security and global implications of the energy crisis, one adviser said.
If the McCain campaign was so worried about us not knowing about Governor Palin's diplomatic talents, why did they try so hard to keep pool reporters and camera's out of her United Nations photo-ops last week?
Ultimately, McCain's team wants to reveal the "real Sarah" to us in the upcoming debates and weeks:
"We've got four days," another adviser said Sunday. "People love Sarah Palin and she's got a unique personality and presence we need to bring out -- not shut down." Aides will work with her this week to be certain her responses use "her words," this adviser said.
Well, let's hope this Sarah is better than the alleged "un-authentic" version we've seen the past several weeks.
Ultimately, I don't think it really matters (good debate performance or not). Even if she's lowering expectations (I doubt it). I'm not going to under sell her pulling out a miracle on Thursday. She could (Hey Lightning does strike, right?). But, Also the debate format may or may not help her (It won't be free flowing like the McCain/Obama debate, so Joe can't challenger her. But maybe it's better that way to let Ifill do the dirty work). I think the public's already made up their opinion (so lowering expectations would of been a big mistake). A good debate for Palin won't help McCain much at this stage (even if the media tries to)I think. Our impressions are already seared into our brains memory chips. But on the contrary, a bad performance can be a disaster (and umbrella hook/campaign ender)for his Presidential aspirations. This Wall Street Journal paragraph, says it all:
Her performance also sparked negative responses from some conservative pundits, and she has slipped in some polls. Last week, nearly half the respondents in a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll said she is unqualified to be president, while one in three said they were "not at all" comfortable with the idea of Gov. Palin as vice president, up five points from a poll in early September.
Yes! In the long run (with all the countries current problems) can anyone in the country trust this light weight, the proverbial 72 yr old-4x cancer stricken heartbeat away from The White House and finger on the bomb and our financial markets?
Mmmmh?
"I see Putin People at night!"
Hopefully only in your dreams from Wasilla, come Jan 20, 2009 Governor Palin.