CNN

You know, this Palin vp might surprise all of ya!
She has been sequestered since she was selected, therefore she should be well prepared after McSame knew that she was going up against Biden.

Biden, don't feel sorry for her. She accepted the nomination, she thought the VP job was to insult Obama in the convention, she'll face it now. Exterminate that mouse hunter.
Mcbush, it's time to appoint another VP cause you'll be retracting Palin's comment from now till she goes to jail after the verdict of brother in law.

Someone should ask Biden to define "Leviathan". I'd bet a sawbuck that he has no idea what the word means.

This is the guy that said that when Franklin Roosevelt was president and the market crashed, he went on TV and explained it to the American people. OK, firstly, Roosevelt wasn't president in 1929, and secondly, unless he was standing on a prototype, there was no TV in 1929.

This cotton-head is supposed to be heart-beat from the presidency?

She may be skilled, but she just doesn't know what the heck she is talking about. There is a lot of coaching going on, and the canned answers will be flying, but she is completely clueless. I hope Putin doesn't rear his head in Alaskan air space while she is debating, whatever will the country do?

I am glad that on Thursday America will see how much of an idiot Palin is. She has given two hilarious interviews and has no idea what is going on in the world. She has been exposed to be a liar and a cheat. THANKS BUT NO THANKS ON THAT VP TO NO WHERE PALIN!!

Obama/Biden '08

Palin's a joke. I don't give a crap what she has to say in this debate

ONE NATION

"Biden has a difficult task on his hands – not coming across as condescending with his decades of experience and not adopting a tone that could appear as though he’s treating Palin differently because she’s a woman."

Gee that's funny. McCain was condescending and downright comtemptuous towards Obama, acting as if it was totally beneath him and totally absurd to even stand there on the stage and have to engage with Obama in the first place, yet no one accused him of racism. What's with the double standard? So McCain's not racist, but if Biden treats Palin the same way, he's sexist? Sounds to me like victimology bias run amuck. I think that very notion is sexist, I thought equality was the goal here. She should be treated just like a man would, so if she's clueless and incompetent, she should be treated as such. You shouldn't accuse her opponent of sexism for not treating her with special standards. One of the most horrible by-products of the primary is these hardcore PUMA's accusing Obama of being sexist, with slights that they just make up and imagine in their heads, simply because Obama won. It's absurd to call Obama sexist, but these people could careless about reality, fairness, or equity, so they engage in this sort of baseless PR lynching. I understand being disappointed that Hillary isn't the nominee, and I could understand if you have legitimate reasons why you just can't vote for Obama, but just say so and leave it at that. This accusing people of sexism for sympathy and political/PR points really needs to stop.

I genuinely feel sorry for Sarah Palin. She is in over her head and put in that position by her own party. It seems to me they have destroyed her promising political career, by bringing her to the national scene too soon. Every interview so far has only illustrated her lack of knowledge of the issues and her inability to think on her feet.

I thought all repugs are blaiming Clintons and hate him cos he unseated their best...? Dont like him now cos he his the best president so far in the recent history. He his a great man just as much as President Obama his going to turn out. Not the arrogant, self centered, war mongering, ignorant, dumb, lying, inconsiderate and selfish mccain. Obama show supremacy over him in the debate by not totally disagreeing with him on all issues..even though he had to point out to him over and over that his politics and idoelogies are outdated. mcacain never agrees with anything anyone has to say even on talk shows...is that a leader of a tyrant? Its either mccain's way or the highway...Same he tried to pull about suspending his campaign and posponing the debate, if not that Americans refused to go his way he wouldnt have shown up at the debate.
Its a shame that for 72 yrs mccain has not shown any experince at all in finding common grounds. As for Gov Palin i have great respect for her both as an American and as a public servant. I will love to see her showcase the intensive foreign and local policy stand she believes America deserves.
mike Chicago

It doesn't matter how many times Biden exposes Palin's misunderstanding, naivety or down right dangerous views of the world. Because the biased media is going to excuse every blunder, misstatement and/or doofus comment she makes, what ever it takes to get their candidate elected. Oh wait....

Palin is just a same kind of politician like the women PM's were in India, Sri lanka, Bangladesh, Philippines and Pakistan. They have two things in common beauty / charisma, and the ability to destroy the country and send it through an economic rollercoaster. mm

Palin is just a same kind of politician like the women PM's were in India, Sri lanka, Bangladesh, Philippines and Pakistan. They have two things in common beauty / charisma, and the ability to destroy the country and send it through an economic rollercoaster.

palin has no knowledge of our policies did you see the video where she was getting blessed at church and witchcraft.. this is the woman mccain picked for vp if mccain drops dead this is the woman you want to run our country mccain is so out of touch his judgements are erratic
she kills moose, avoiding troopergate, and could answer any questions from her interviews mcsame is angry

"Apparently, the senator doesn't know the difference between a tactic and a campaign."

Well, McSame, we sure do! Sarah Palin was a tactic. And your campaign is toast: Over-done and crumbly...

A "leviathan of forensics"? Wow, how did they managed to say that straight-faced? I would have gone with something less high-brow, you know like "She is a gourmand of words" or "A lexigraphic knife that can cut through the garrulous Biden's penchant for the loquacious".

I think we all know now that Palin was runner-up in the beauty pageant because she bombed the interview portion. Hey, that's okay. You don't need to be a master of language to become President. George Bush can't speak in coherent sentences and look what a successful president he is. Remember too that George Bush won a debate against Al Gore precisely because Al Gore looked like he was bullying someone that was mentally-handicapped.

One used to worry that Biden's terminal case of foot-in-mouth disease would cause him difficulty in debates, but given Palin's background knowledge, I think the Biden-Palin debate will look a little like an episode of "Are you smarter than a fifth-grader".

There's the oft quoted old saying, "Smart people talk about ideas, average people talk about events, and stupid people talk about people."

The nasty, childish name-calling with respect to Gov Palin seems to go hand-in-hand with the quote. In case you want to pull yourself above the fray and try to discuss a few ideas, quoting Tina Fey as Sarah Palin doesn't count.

If you're looking for an idea to contemplate..... - why did Obama ask the Iraqi prime minister NOT to begin troop withdrawals until after the election? (as quoted by the Iraqi prime minister himself) What could be his driving motivator - doing what he truly believes is the right thing for this nation and the troops, or winning the election, even if it means going against his number one promise?

Perhaps another idea to contemplate would be the attempt of a campaign group to use police force and intimidation to silence any opposition. Anybody want to discuss the ethics of what the Obama campaign is up to in Missouri?

Or shall we stick with shallow name-calling?

I believe Palin will do a fine job, and Biden should not underestimate her. She's not that good with one-on-one interviews, but neither is Obama, but when you put either of them behind a podium something magical happens. I look forward to serious discussion on the issues, and I hope my guy does well.

Obama/Biden -08

Is this CNN – a NEWS site -or- maybe the obama web site -
really CNN with your constant trashing of Palin you should just CHANGE your name.
Biden is Qualified – we all know McCain is Qualified – is GOV Palin -
don't know but – we all know that obama is NOT qualified to lead -
both Biden & Hillary told us so – and we believe them.

It's understandable that the Obama campaign is expressing this message. I fully agree that Palin is ... let's just say ... intellectually challened. She has a hard time putting together complete sentences in what should be low-stress one on one interviews. So of course everyone expects her to fumble through this nationally televised debate against someone who is defintiely going to know what he's talking about.

Because of that, the media (and probably rightfully so) has drastically lowered expectations for her for this debate. So if she comes out and even just does decent, it will look much better for her because the expectations were so low. This is the Obama campaign's attempt to counter that and not allow her some of that wiggle room. Hopefully it works.

Obama – Biden 2008 / 2012

It will be nice to see Biden actually have to recognize Palin's existence. The Obama-Biden campaigns strategy of ignoring her and focusing on McCain is sickening in its inherent sexism. Same goes for the endless sexist posts by Obamabots on CNN. Fortunately, gender-based discrimination is apparently OK by the Democrats.

Hey Mitch, what's wrong with speaking in tongues. I don't like Palin any more than you do but don't talk about stuff you have no knowledge of.

Maybe she has been playing dumb to sucker everyone in. It is called dumbing down.She is called some type of fish isn't she? I would not be surprised if she is wired some how. Oh well we will just have to wait. Of course I have always said be careful of wolves in sheep's clothing................

Philliip Bunn – At what point did she come across as clueless? The "Bush Doctrine" that Charlie Gibson mentioned is not formal and not referred to policitically. Obama's campaign all but admitted that they were not aware of a "Bush Doctrine" either.

I'll probably vote Democratic, but Obama and Biden have been on the wrong side of most economic issues (as have most Democrats). Biden and Obama voted against expanded oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that Bush proposed two years ago. Clinton expanded the power of Fannie and Freddie so that they could extend mortgages to "those who could not afford it or qualify otherwise". And Biden and Obama want to blame this mess on Bush?

Try looking to senior Democrat and Finance committee chairman Barknet Frank. Not only did he repeatedly ignore suggestions for oversight of the two government behemoths, but he said that their neglect was "overstated and exaggerated". And then he proceeded to have Democrat friends inserted on the Fannie board. The whole thing stinks, and we'll all have to pay for it.

Palin should just hammer at Biden and Obama's voting record on these matters. She'll find that the American people want to talk about that as much as foreign policy.

The reference, by Clinton, to Obama on Meet the Press presents here a lousy synopsis–seemingly taken out of context. How could a man as smart as Clinton call an untested Obama "great." He said other things, though, that by implication ranked Obama as extraordinary, and no less than the most capable of the two candidates. I hate reading something other than what I saw, first-hand.

I wouldn't get too cocky about the vice presidential debate if I were Sen. Biden. While Gov. Palin hasn't demonstrated any real grasp of issues during her interviews, people will side with her if they feel she's being unfairly picked upon.

Sen Biden knows already not to down play this shark!

Hey Joe.. Roosevelt was elected in 1932 and TV wasn't around in 1929.. And they say Palin is a dummy..

They are wise to suspect sandbagging.
She can't be as dumb as she sounds.

Hey CNN, when are you going to report on the anti Palan rallys in Alaska?
Oh, forgot, CNN and FOX are one in the same.

Palin is clueless. She is going to drive all of us nuts on Thu by repeating the same points and not answering questions. She is also going to use her twang and folksy talk to gain the uneducated folks who end up voting for her.

I an concerned that she will be wired for sound. Check her hair etc. Unless she is the greatest actress in the world and all her previous attempts to speak and express herself was a put-on, I do not know how the Repugs can pull it off without some sort of ability to give her the answers. YES I am cynical and for good reason – the last eight years is reason enough.

If you have been alive long enough, you know that sooner or later you are going to read an article like this one......so this is the "new" politics, huh?

Yeah. Set the bar high for her so when she falls, she falls hard.

There is not enough talking points in the world

And is it just me, or when she does town halls, she is always reading a prepared same ol speech, whereas Biden, Obama, and even McSane walk around and actually look like they are speaking to the people and answering questions

Well I really hope that america will not be as stupid has they were in the past 8 years and really see what's at stake here. Not to be blinded by what is real. Mccain is over the hill and is not physically and mentally capable of being the president and Palin is sooo out of her league. Let's look at this for what it is. A poor decision and huge mistake. They hide her for a reason. 3 interviews and she has only gotten worse. Biden has gaffe's but he also has had 90 – 100 interviews since being picked as VP. She will probably do OK but OK does not make a good VP and possible President.

Condescending!? If Palin or Obama can't handle a little condescending view from the enemy, political or not, then they don't need to be any where near the drivers seat..

As a Canadian, i can tell you there are a lot of us laughing our heads off at McCain/Palin. He clearly has her on a short leash. Needless to say she is a blooming idiot !!!
When she was being interviewed by Katie Couric, i swear you could hear audible gasps across our country ! Her foreign policy knowledge is virtually non existant !!! She knew nothing about McCain's so called reform feats !! She told Couric when she found some she will bring 'em to her ! OMGGG !!! Oh and not to mention her 'stand' on Pakistan and McCain having to scramble to cover her obvious faux pas was hilarious ! Nice goin' for the geriatric and the dunce !!
CNN POST THIS PLEASE !

Did I just hear right?? I just heard on American Morning that a McCain campaign surrogate was making remarks regarding the Conservatives calling for Palin to step down because of her unpreparedness and demonstrated shortcomings in her recent interviews.

The defense was that -"Only the intelligent conservatives are calling for her to step aside." That most other conservatives are not.

Did they just basically say, only unintelligent conservatives are supporting Palin?

Palin said that she is qualified to be VP and if this is true, Ha!, than she shouldn't have any trouble handling Biden. It was said that she won all five of her debates when running for Gov. Pherhaps she didn't have anyone who could challenge her the reason why she won all five and the fact that she isn't dealing with just one state, but if she becomes VP, she'll have to be well versed in all areas, because Palin will need the skill, vocabulary and knowledge to talk to many foreign leaders. In my own opinion, if she gets aggressive with Biden, than Biden should go after her and unload.

Biden will do great in the debate because Palin does not have any experience being VP and President

James Biggs,

Your comment makes no sense

We can only hope that the moderator hasn't been ham-strung [like the press] by questions the McSame/Palin campaign deems off-limits like foreign affairs, economics, creation "science", witches, the Rapture, birth control, deregulation, global warming, or taxation without representation....as well as the Bush Doctrine.

This is rediculous! Come on people!!! This is for everyone, democrat, republican, independent, politicians, pundits and citizens. STOP TREATING PALIN WITH KID GLOVES, SHE IS RUNNING FOR A VERY POWERFUL OFFICE!!!!!! STOP THIS PLEASE. She needs to be scrutinized to the millionth degree! I am sick of this. This lady is being treated by everyone as if she were a pageant queen. WAKE UP EVERYONE THIS IS NOT A POPULARITY CONTEST!

Hey, "JDC // Ohio" – speaking of blundering idiots, you would know.

I understand why they are doing it, but what I don't understand is how Biden keeps from laughing while saying these things.

You know, I just had a thought and maybe I am giving the McCain-Palin camp too much credit here, but I wonder if they puposely made Sarah Palin look like the biggest ditz on the planet to lower expectations for her and raise expectations for Joe Biden on this debate. They're a sneaky group I certainly wouldn't put in past them.

This should be an interesting debate. I hope Sara Palin puts the bridge to nowhere issue to rest.
She should indicate how both Obama and Biden voted for the funding for the bridge to nowhere while she did not. This is a question of honesty and trutfulness and the electorate should know about it. This is what debates are all about...highligting the issues and demonstrating the candidates character and integrity (or lack thereof).

I was just thinking about Couric's interview. no comment.........

Given that Palin does not have a firm grasp of any of the issues, trying to debate Biden with fact would probably be a disaster.

I'm a firm Obama supporter, and am trying to figure out a way that she could still save face in this upcoming debate... What if she were simply to debate from the heart... acknowledge she has much to learn, but speak to issues with her opinions (staying, of course, within the broad params McCain sets for her)?

It's a long shot, but short of her actually learning (and understanding!) all the issues in the next 72 hours, how is she actually going to pull this thing off?

No doubt the McCain camp will write her responses for her word for word. But lets hope that they don't cheat and find someway to get the questions ahead of time. It is largely the media's fault that this woman is still in the race. They are the 4th estate and are supposed to watch over the public so disasters like this woman becoming President don't actually happen but apparently their to scared of the McCain camp and the Republicans to do anything.

Stop censoring. I'm entitled my view the same as wealthy republicans.

Barney September 29th, 2008 8:36 am ET
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
If you love shrill, loud, negative, hill-billy yelling, you'll love this woman. Someone needs to teach her how to enunciate properly.

Tony you are right... Because of Palin, women will have an even harder time making it to the top 1 & 2 positions in our country. I wouldn't be surprised if this was the GOP's intention all along. She's making it hard for all the intelligent women in the world. Shame on you McCain.

Score ONE for Mr. Clinton.
The only 'great' about Obama would be his career as a talk-show host.
__________

Yeah, that ought to serve him real well as he sits on the sidelines and watches the Democratic party move on without him. You Repubs are stuck in the past... welcome to the 21st century.

Palin experience > Obama experience

.... you fools playing the unexperienced card come across quite hypocritical. Remember Obama has been campaigning for 1 and 1/2 years of his short lived term anyway. Before that he was an Illinois State senator. Now that's great experience!! Gvie me a break.

We should becareful and remember not to count one's chickens before they're hatched. After 4 days of crash course she may be the big surprise on October 2nd. Maybe she will learn enough to make believe she is ready to be ready on day 1. The majority of voters don't take time to analyse.

Why is it that the media can accept the condescending tone and attitude as displayed by McCain and not from Biden?..Gov Palin has repeatedly bragged that she is more than capable of handling herself in the arena with 'the big boys"...maybe she'll realize that it only applies to a hockey arena?

of Sarah Palin and what she brings to the table. So I'm going to get on line and talk about how stupid she is.....maybe someone will believe me. And then I'm going to say how stupid all americans are. Oh yeah. That REALLY makes me want to come over to your side. Not!

I can't wait for this comedy show. I am sure I will laugh to death watching this matchup of the King of Gaffe vs the clueless Miss Congeniality.

I am sure SNL, Comedy Central, and even CNN will have plenty of matter for all sorts of comedies till the election day.

I think it's a smart strategy. Though Palin has proven to many people that she is a hollow Barbie doll, there are still people who like her, and there are plenty of people – including McCain's desperate campaign – who will scream 'sexism' no matter what Biden does. If he's tough he'll be 'a bully' and if he's not, he'll be 'condescending.' It's going to be a knife's edge for him to walk, and though I think he's great, he's not known for subtlety.

His sheer knowledge is so much greater than hers I think he would do best to speak from what he knows and give her the rope to hang herself. He can certainly challenge her positions, but it will be tricky. She's like a broken mechanical doll who just keeps repeating the same words, and when someone isn't actually saying anything they can be tough to contradict effectively!

I love that they are "lowering expectations" for Biden. Way to support your VP and make him look like a good pick.

We've seen him for 30 years we know what he is about.

Biden should debate Palin like he would debate any other VP nominee. If Palin can't stand the heat then she needs to get out of the kitchen.

You know they had Romney on "The Today Show" this morning also building her up (which I found strange, because usually they try to lower expectations, but then again could expectations be any lower for her??). Anyway, I was just thinking "go for it" ... after all the more they build her up, the harder she'll fall.

The Democrats call Palin clueless? She has more experience than Obama. The Democrats were clueless in choosing Obama over Clinton. They would have closed the sale by now.

If her debate answers sound anything like her interview answers, 60% of the poeple will turn it off before the end. It is sometimes painfull to listen to her answers and even harded to try and understand what she is saying.

Lets see if they look at each other.

"No more Washington games" says Obama. It's time to "turn the page and open a new chapter of Washington politics". Sounds like the same ole stuff to me. And considering that 76% of Obama's campaign ads are negative (to 52% of McCain's) I'm not surprised that Obama says one thing and does another.

I agree with a lot of what Obama says, but I need to see that his voting record will match his rhetoric. God help our great country, because I don't believe that either of these candidates will.

I wish Joe all the luck, he wil do a good job.

but CNN (adn please post this comment for once)

how can you link Barack Obama on the actions of
McCain. McCain saw the need to go to Washington, not Obama.
Now Obama gets the bad critrics that are just ment for McCain.
That is bad, bad journalism.
Shame on you!

The McCain camp knows Palin can't win on substance – It is just not there. Other avenues will be relied on by her. I look for Palin to be on the attack (seems like the McCain camp would've learned after the results of the last debate), the 'cuteness' factor (as so eloquently described in Tina Fey's SNL skit this past weekend), or Palin will follow McCain's 'condescending' role he used in his failed debate last week.

I am really wanting to see this debate. I know it may not really mean too much. Was anyone else wondering why Palin did not speak after the Obama/McCain debate (Giuliani spoke instead). Really it was nothing she could mess up........well maybe. Biden spoke and all you had to do it point out the good things you think your Prez canidate said during the debate.

She has real excutive experience, as being a governor is a true readiness for commber-in-chief position. Ronald Reagan was a gonernof of California, and Bill Clinton a governnor Arkansas. Obama and Biden simply do not understand it.

Is calling someone an idiot the best that democrats can come up with? You might not like someone – I certainly don't LIKE Obama or Biden – but they are not idiots and neither is Sarah Palin. Frankly my dear.....I'd like to vote out EVERYONE that is in congress. The mess they have made of our economy (and yes it is ALL of their fault, not just the President, not just the republicans, not just the democrats). Yeah......vote them ALL out and get in new people.....they couldn't screw it up any worse than it already is. And you'd have to be an "idiot" if you didn't agree.

I watched her in one of the Alaska Governor's debate. She was fine, poised, clear.

No matter what Biden does, the repub's will call him sexist. They probably already have an ad about it ready to go (just like they had the "McCain Wins Debate" ad before he even said he would participate–idiots).

So given they will call him "sexist" no matter what, he should debate like he would any other candidate. He needs to be clear, concise, and address the voters directly. He should appear warm and caring in direct contrast to Cheney.

Everyone who does not see that the Dems are just as responsible for the economy as the republicans are lemmings.

Ignoreing a problem to gain political gain is just as bad as making a bad policy. Infact it may be worse since your hoping for people to suffer so you can get more power.

BILL VLINTON NEED TO GET OVER THAT HE WILL NOT BE IN
THE WHITE HOUSE

I hope Biden gets a little rough with her. OK so what that she is a women, She is a women that wants to be the United States Vice President so she needs to be tough!! Slam her Biden and CNN WHEN HE DOES DONT YOU DARE PUT OUT THERE THAT HE WAS BEING SEXIEST!!!!

At the end of the day, all we will get from Palin is a text book extract like answer with zero critical thinking in her answers in Thursday’s debate.
It will not be the showtime popcorn; got ya like debate many are anticipating.
Sarah Palin will just spew out the usual down the line, cliché remarks that allows for little opening for a real debate.
The key for Senator Biden is to tap into his real, down to earth and genuine personality on debate night. Going after Palin too aggressively may be seen as bullying. The best way for Biden to win convincingly will be to juxtapose his laid back, down to earth, genuine style with Palins robotic, talking points rhetoric.

I am looking forward to Thursday's brawl. My gut tells me Palin will sink like the Titanic, but only time will tell. Unfortunately (and fortunately for the Dems), the Republican's do not seem that confident in her. Hopefully that will spell a victory for the Dems. If she comes up with some more dumb comments like that she's experienced in international affairs because her state borders Canada, then the Dems are sure to win this one, as they did the last.

I hope he brings allot more than Obama did. Obama looked like a collage student on a debate team. Just memorize a few key lines that someone put together for him and hope that gets it done. McCain dominated that debate and I think Palin will dominate Biden just the same.

this debate will be no contest. It will probably serve as comic relief.
Palin is so far out of her league it is remarkable.

Given the amount of negative press Gov. Palin has receive for her political background and now the Obama campaign's recent praise of her debating skills as mentioned above, it would be interesting to see how the VP debate turns out. I can see one of two outcomes:

1) The Obama campaigns succeeds in raising expectations of the governor's debating skills then smack her down or watch her stumble on at least one gaffe. This, I suspect, is what some of Gov. Palin's critics expect to see this Friday.

OR

2) The governor does surprisingly well at the debates and catches everyone off guard. This is not entirely impossible. The McCain campaign would be stupid not to put Gov. Palin through the wringer in some mock debates and make sure that she knows what she would say.

Either way, at least the Obama campaign should be given credit for being professional and giving some respect to Gov. Palin (even if it is token respect) and treating her as an opponent to watch out for. It would be foolish on their part to let their guard down thinking Gov. Palin is someone they can steamroll easily.

so let me get this straight .
20 years in the church and obama didnt know his pastures racist anti- american views........how'd that get by em...
kicked off his political career at the home of convicted terrorist....good judgement?
business partnered with convicted felon resko....good character?
his wife has never been proud of her country until her husbands run for the presidency....thats nice?

and what is it about freedom you libs hate so much?

Apart from Palin's questionable knowledge to be VP and a heartbeat from the Presidency, we haven't heard much about what the First Dude's role will be in the McCain-Palin administration. He got a very important role in governing Alaska which seem OK due to Alaska's mentality of governing just like a family business and frontier mentality which elevated him, an ice dog sledger, to a hero status but on the national stage, for a spouse to get involved in the VP/Presidential affairs unelected would be scandalous. The federal government is much bigger than Alaskan one with many highly experienced professionals to do the jobs that don't required the knowledge of an ice dog sledger.
Orlando, FL

She is going to repeat here canned words from John McCain and the convention speech. We love Joe in Penn State and we wish him well in the debates.

Go Joe Go, Go Joe Go

Obama / Biden '08

Dear Amigo Biden:
Please make sure to mention that while the US continues focusing on vaporizing it's tax payer monies on Irak, Iran and the like. Rusia is wisely getting closer to Latin America. Check the Rusian foreign direct investments in Central America for example. Look at Venezuela and Bolivia. If things continue to go like this, You'll soon see a Rusian Panama Canal over Nicaragua.

Obama followers are now making fun of Palin going to debate camp. NEWS FLASH YOUR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WENT TO DEBATE CAMP. CAN YOU BE MORE HYPOCRITICAL. YOU ARE ONLY FOOLING YOURSELVES IF YOU THINK ANYBODY WITH COMMON SENSE IS FOOLED BY YOUR COMMENTS. YOU MAKE FOOLS OF YOURSELF.

Of course they have to hype it in a positive light. Have you forgotten that the GOP and FOX News is still crying "foul" because the rest of us were just trying to understand why McCain picked her. Obama had to go through the same and did just fine. Why is Palin exempt?

Keep it up Joe.

There is a real danger that expectations for Palin will be so low, that nothing short of her speaking in tounges would be viewed as a bad performance.

Palin has been shown to be a blathering idiot who never answers questions. How is this a great debating style? I don't care that Palin is a woman, a mom, or whatever else she is. In unscripted TV interviews so far, she's shown herself to be an inarticulate boob and not qualified to be VP.

The expectations for this woman are so low that if she completes a coherent sentence it will be looked at as a win for the McCain/Palin ticket.

They know Palin will wipe the floor with Biden, just as McCain did with Obama.

A little Pre-debate downplay so the faithful Kool-Aid drinking leftist that support Obama will declare victory again after the debate.

Another Democrat disgusted with Obama.

McCain/ Palin '08!!

They're so disingenuous.

Gee, I wonder if the lipstick Fido is being fed advice like "try to get him to talk down to you" etc. It's the only way the phony has any chance. She does OK with rehearsed and teleprompter language. Wait until she has to think on her feet about an answer or a rebuttal....Can't wait to see her. She'll probably twirl her hair and say....."You ilberals are all out to get me. I'll get back to you on that.."

In spite of the vicious smears of the Obama campaign and their pundits–promoted by the MSM, I hope that Sarah Palin comes through in this debate.It's pretty clear to most McCain/Palin supporters that expectations are higher for her than the gaffe-prone Biden. All he has to do, according to the media, is not acknowledge Palin and keep away from gaffes.Media is tryng to twist that in Biden's favor. Anyone with intelligence can see what MSM are trying to do for Obama. I hope, on Nov 4, people vote with their head. McCain/Palin 2008

The way I see it...Palin needs to "put her money where her mouth is". The McCain camp can not expect the voters to lower expectations of Palin after her interview with Couric. Actually, Palin has raised the bar by her obvious lack of knowledege.

I couldn't possibly disagree more with the idea that Sarah Palin has "good" debating skills. She has such limited economic, historical, geographic, and foreign policy knowledge, I dare say a skilled high school debate captain could debate circles around her. She is as shallow and wholly on-the-surface as the entire McCain campaign itself: All imahe and no substance. Her pitiful performances in both the Charles Gibson and Katie Couric interviews shows how limited her faculties are and her complete inability to think on her feet. Whereas both Barack Obama and Joe Biden have offered us numerous and substantive policy iniatives, and have even outlined a number of these in the masterful Obama book :The Audacity of Hope", McCain and Palin have offered us only the same old, same OLD nothing but smoke, mirrors, and empty slogans. The title of a book about McCain's campaign would be "The Audacity of HYPE" because it''s just been a bag of grandstanding, diversion, and meaningless hot air!

The Democrats are shameless. They spend an entire week criticizing Palin for her interviews (which to be honest were hard to watch) and now they are trying to make her seem as though she was an amazing debater so they can lower Biden's expectations. Dishonesty at its best. Biden should be able to soundly defeat her with all of his years of experience and if Palin is able to even hold her own at all, it will be a win for McCain Palin. McCain clearly won his debate despite what the lunatic liberal media wants to pretend. He made Obama look silly and unknowledgeable

Debated 5 times and never lost – against whom? Still, I do think it would be wrong to underestimate her. Nonetheless, I'm hoping that Biden mops the floor with her like Bensen did against Quayle.

I think clint was hesitant because he wanted to be back in the Whitehouse hisself. I don't think Hillary was going to run the country he was still going to put his two cents in, he has ran his term it is someone else turn now.

While Sarah Palin will talk a good line and have good stage presence, I think Joe Biden will mop up the floor with her.

But Joe will have to remember to let his considerable credentials rule the day. He doesn't have to be too wordy and he'll need to be respectful while continuing to say what he believes.

Watch out Joe she may be the "trojan horse" I ahve thought that she is playing at being as stupid as she appears.

I completely understand why they are playing up Palin's debating abilities, but I still think Palin will fail miserably. Yes, she's debated before, but never in front of millions of viewers. This is the big league and she's not ready. She thinks the bailout is for healthcare? Is she serious? When Putin rears his head into America's air space? What? America can do better. And we will when we elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

How does one not come across as condescending when one is speaking to an IDIOT???

Palin ought to study Obama .. that way she would learn how to answer questions when there is nothing in her past to back it up.

And as far as Biden goes .. no one has wanted him in past elections .. this year or the last time he ran for President ... so what does that say about Obama's pick for the number 2 spot?

She is a good debater. The tore down the house during the Alaska debates.

The bar should be set as high as it is for Biden. I am a woman and I am OUTRAGED the media continues to treat her like a child. She's running for one of the highest offices in the land and she's a grown woman. If she's qualified she should be familiar with the subject matter.

For the Media to set the bar so low seems like another way of saying women are so stupid the bar would have to be set on the floor in order for us to succeed.

McCain said this woman is ready to be President so set the bar at that measure and you should ALL expect her to meet those expectations, if not I will wonder if the media is playing some race/gender game with American.

My popcorn is popping!! Hope she doesn't cancel or "trip" at the last minute. This isgoing to be very entertaining!!! Roll on Thursday...

Joe Biden was in actually my top choice during the primaries, but looking at factcheck.org, he has been uttering more lies than anyone else connected with either campaign.
I'm sorely disappointed Joe. I used to think you were tops!

They can show the respect because they have too. I will say she is comical to listen to and would make us as a county look like bigger fools than even electing Bush has done. Just for once we should elect the individual with some intelligence. Why not, we have tried everything else and none of it has worked out that well for the country.

Palin is a strong and intelligent woman and I know she will do good on her debate. I know the democratic media including CNN are just waiting to pounce on her after the debate but I know she will surpirse you by giving a strong debate.

I just saw on CNN a young black rapper/actor asking the youth out there to come out and vote. This is so hypocritical because I know he would never have come out and try to appeal to the young voters to vote on November 4 if the candidate had been a white or female candidate. I know if Obama had not been black, the 95% of black voters would not have been out there voting. Maybe up to even 50% would not be voting. We are teaching our black youth to vote for the color of the skin and not for the issues. Tell me, is this not a case of racism? Because its the reverse way of racism does not mean its not racism. Our youth have to learn to vote for issues and not because of race. Its just as unhealthy voting for someone because they are white or if the person is black. Let's get out of this race voting thinking and get back to the issues.

Why should Sen. Binden not be hard on Gov Palin, because she is a woman and less experienced than he is? She knew this when she accepted the call from McCain. I didn't hear anyone asking McCain not to be too hard on Obama and come across as beening too condecening with his experience. To me McCain says that Obama has no experience to be President, but he has never been President himself, so where has his Presidental experience come from. People don't decide or vote because of debates anyway, their mind are already made up. McCain is too old and sickly to be President and some of you are saying that Obama is too black, can't vote for a black man, but we have voted for white men since the beginning. Obama in my opinion is not black he is mixed with both black and white.

Obama/Binden 2008 & 2012

joe biden will come the winner after the debate. palin just sounds clueless. even with practice she cant match joe biden. i think he has the experience, presence
and knowledge that we are looking for in these terrible times.
she simply does not.

So I hear conservative radio talker wants Sarah Palin off the the republican ticket. If they didnt listen to Rush Limbaugh, they woulnt be in this mess of a republican ticket.

dont expect a cake walk a losing strategy will give better insight to a great offense

“I think Governor Palin is a skilled politician,” said Axelrod. “She got elected in a very tough political arena against tough opponents....."

- That is a great line. I am laughing so hard, because all I can think of is Palin's terrible interview with K. Couric. Palin can give a good scripted speech, but she can't deliver her own thoughts with any credibility or skills. She sounds like an ameature with an annoying accent. She's a bafoon.

The last thing Joe Biden needs to do is worry about being condescending; Sara Palin is an idiot. In recent interviews (Charles Gibson in particular) Palin has proven that she is as clueless as the moose she shot on everything from foreign policy to Russia (living next door to someone does not make you an authority on what goes on in their bedrooms). Every time she opens her mouth a foot falls out and having McCain as President and her as vice-president would be like having Brisco and Charlene Darling sitting in the oval office. Biden needs to go on the defensive with her just as if she were a worthy advisary. This is not a gender sensitive debate. It is a debate to see who is more qualified to be the Vice-President of the United States.

I think this should be a decent debate if they can stick to the current issues/plans of their campaigns and not point the finger at each other-we shall see...

(correction, please...)

People should ask themselves ONE QUESTION when the VP debate is over.......

Which one of these two candidates do I TRUST to become PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, if it bacame necessary.

OBAMA / BIDEN 08

Enough is enough!!!! Now America knows why many were not impressed by Palin from the beginning. Her selection as the VP is a slap in the face to women everywhere and just shows how sexist John McCain is. Palin may be a nice person, but even conservatives now realize she should step down. Why are there not analysts coming out of the wood work to debate this issue. McCain has sold out the country with this political stunt. He used to believe in country first, but now it's just a tag line. He is quickly going from American hero to zero.

I wouldn't call her debating skills (which I have seen) as stellar, but she is enough of a b.s.er to pull most off. They should pump her up. Why not? Isn't that who McCain chose? Isn't he supposed to be the master of judgment? I say don't go easy on her, Joe. Let her have it.

It is wise, since building up the expectations of Palin, who demonstrated her ignorance of foreign affairs and her own candidate's position (which seems to be chasing bin Laden to the gates of hell, but not Pakistan), will look even more foolish after Biden schools her.

I am happy to see they are taking this debate seriously. It is never a good idea to underestimate your opponent. They should prepare for the debate based on their knowledge and not how smart the other person will be. Biden is very thorough and I am sure he will do a wonderful job. Palin is still a wild card in my book...

biden needs to take off the kid gloves and tell it like it is,palin is so unqualified, a 1st grader could know this, treat her the same as ypu would if it were huckabee or someone else. it's time to get serious!

All Biden needs to do is answer the questions and not get caught in any "he said, she said" exchanges.

People should ask themselves just ONE QUESTION when the VP debate is over........

Which one of these two candidates do I TRUST

I think we can expect a battle of folksy-ness tomorrow as each tries to come across as average Americans. I don't know who will win though. Palin plays the part of the church-going hunter very well, but I think Biden is a better representative of blue-collar Ameicans.

They have to. The expectations are unreasonably low. The media is obsessed with this sort of stuff.

I would not want to be in Joe Biden's shoes in debating Ms. Palin. No matter what he does, he will be hammered by the Rethugs and they already have their ad ready to run on Friday morning stating that she won, no matter what she does.

We deserve what we get if this woman is voted into the White House. Heaven help us all!

GO OBAMA/BIDEN

Too bad the VP debate will be neutered thanks to the McCain campaign. Heaven forbid our poor Palin will WILT in the spotlight!

Joe Biden needs to be succinct and on point. Ms. Palin will surely at some point get flustered and get herself into trouble with her lack of experience. The fact that she has not taken any questions in an open forum with the press before Thursday will certainly point out her inability to be considered as a viable Vice Presidential candidate.

Katie Couric and Charlie Gibson should be the moderators for this debate.

These statements by Axelrod about Palin's exceptional debating skills are pure mockery. This is both demeaning and debasing and is similar to what Obama did to Hillary.

I can only hope that in Axelrod's case, what goes around comes around,
and that Joe Biden sticks his foot in his mouth as he often does.

We'll see if there is any justice in this world on Thurs. night.

Well, since the Obama campaign is too polite to say it, allow me:

PALIN IS A CONFIRMED IDIOT, AND SHE HAS NO BUSINESS ON THE SAME STAGE WITH SENATOR BIDEN, LET ALONE A DEBATE.

No amount of cramming and "debate camp" will squeeze any significant amount of knowledge into her pea brain. I'm sure the Republicans would be happy is she could simply string two coherent sentences together (but they're not holding their breath), let alone actually WINNING a debate.

I swear this is the most surreal election cycle EVER.

Judgin from Palin's interviews, the only debate she will win is one in which she has knowledge of all the questions beforehand.

Well, she might have given us a head fake. She was so bad with Katie Couric that it did not seem real. how could Mccain pick someone that unready? So, my guess is that she will blow us all away in the debate. It was a trick to make us think she was stupid. She will be sharp as a whip like Hillary.

I wouldn't miss this debate for the world. Not because Biden is going to crush her (which he will) but so that the rethuglican base can see for their own eyes what the world has been trying to tell them that palin is clueless, not very intelligent, not fit to be second in command and that mccain clearly exercised poor judgment in choosing her.

I can say what Senators Obama and Biden cannot. If her debating skills are anything like her interviewee skills, this is going to be simply sad. As an aside, her politics are 180 degrees of mine and I would never vote for someone with her views, but the fact that John McCain is using her to advance his political resume leaves me unsettled.

The media should publish the restrictions put on by Mccain
for the debate. The voters need to know how much Biden's
hands are tied.
The repbulican, Palin, Mccain's tactic is supposedly to
keep attacking Obama. Do hope she is made to answer
important questions and not given the free ride she has
enjoyed.
It certainly will be interesting.

Nothing Joe Biden could say could make me vote for the democratic ticket. There is only one person in this race with Israel on their mind – McCain and Palin!!! Read the records – not listen to the speeches!

Sarah Palin is hated by a lot of women because women know themselves and are consequently afraid of a woman in the White House, It has nothing to do with issues or political stance because women rejected both Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton who are politically opposite from Palin. If women do not come to grips with their own fears of other women, we'll never see a woman in the White House.

I'm more interested in seeing this VP debate than I was Friday's Presidential debate. That was important and ended up showing a lot about the candidates' temperaments, but this will be either one of the best exchanges in a long time or one fo the worst train wrecks. Don't sell Palin short, the debate format is more like the canned atmosphere of the conventions and if the moderator sticks to fairly predictable questions she will have been drilled to within an inch of her life and could prove far more formidable than in her TV interviews. Just pay very close attention to the fact checkers when it's all over!

Wow, how very Republican. Build up anticipation over Palin's skill for an anticipated let down when country bumpkin gets schooled by Biden. How very uncharacteristic of a Democratic campaign.

Taking it one step farther, Biden spokesman David Wade later added, “He's going in here to debate a leviathan of forensics, who has debated five times and she's undefeated.”
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Golly! Five whole times! She's a regular James Carville!
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Biden has a difficult task on his hands – not coming across as condescending with his decades of experience and not adopting a tone that could appear as though he’s treating Palin differently because she’s a woman.
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McCain sure didn't seem worried about sounding condescending.

This will be one truly fun debate to watch, who is going to say what! Of course Biden knows far more than Failin' Palin, but the things that fly out of his mouth are a hoot!

Go Thursday!!!

This debate could be a big trap... if Biden appears condescending or angry (like McCain last week) it could backfire. He should definitely keep the kid gloves off because that is the only way to approach this.

It's ironic that the governor of Michigan training Biden is significantly more qualified to be VP than the actual Republican VP nominee.

Ha. If Biden doesn't mop the floor with her, he lost the debate. After her recent interviews, Palin's expectations couldn't be lower.

Clinton/Clinton support McCain/Palin how else is she going to be President.

Will the debate take place? Will Palin have to attend a wedding? Or give birth again? Or Alaska will have a crisis that only that Gov. can solve...

Stay tuned for another week of As the 'Paign Turns...

I think my biggest fear is underestimation of Sarah Palin. If John McCain’s handlers were to just let her be herself and not cram her head full of stuff, retract everything she says and sequester her away, I think she would be okay. I watched Alaska Governorship debate and it was impressive how she slipped in between two men who fought between themselves and beat both of them. My advice to good old Joe is to debate John McCain and just have Sarah Palin there as a placeholder.

Prediction for the VP debate: Palin cries or walks off stage in embaressment or frustration.

I believe this is the best way to handle the situation! Play cool, do not raise expectations and crash her on her own game, mistakes during the debate.

I certainly hope Sarah wears her cheesy rhinestone "ALASKA" pin. She will need to be weighted down during the debate. Otherwise, all the hot air rushing from her cranium when she opens her mouth, will send her spiraling around the debate hall!

I'm more worried about Joe sticking his foot in his mouth than I am about Palin doing the same. She's the underdog in this debate and the expectations will be very low based on what we've seen of her in the last few weeks. If she holds her own against Biden, it will be hailed as a victory that rejuvenated the base yet again. If not, Obama will continue to win over independents and stretch his lead just as he did in the primaries.

Will she show up? What will be the McCain campaign's excuse? Can they suspend the debate because of her stupidity? Can she complete a sentence? If she does, will it make sense?

I can't wait to see how "Saturday Night Live" does their parody!

I love how Democrats can be so cordial and diplomatic. No matter what, at the end of Thursday, Palin will lose the debate in abismal ways. She is not prepared, she is a disgrace to our country for lying so openly about her failed policies. Ultimately, Biden will prove us once again that he can in fact be one beat away from the Presidency and no Palin will stop that.

Hopefully JB will be himself and not try to pull his punches or that anyone accuse him of any gender nonsense. The two are candidates and should be seen in that light and not what gender they are; but I bet especially if it goes bad for Palin gender will be brought up.

we are in the same situation as we were with G. Bush the first when he picked that other goof, I even forgot his name. if they have to prepare anyone with that much information just to debate then they are not fit to be vice President, actually she is not fit to be Governor. I had better replies than she did on questions asked....Wow!
she will be ready for Biden, but look at how she will be ready...a solid week of training. is this what America want's?
I am scared of this woman.........

If you love shrill, loud, negative, hill-billy yelling, you'll love this woman. Someone needs to teach her how to enunciate properly.

Haha, nice tactic. Praise her skills so everyone belives she is an awesome debater, then when she shows how well she really can debate, everyone is unimpressed that she didnt live up to the hype. Raise the expectations over what you know they are to make her defeat that much more.

How she fares in the debate is unimportant...all that matters in this crucial election are two things: McCain was a POW and Palin is HOT!

Debate camp = Putting lipstick on a pig.
they are going to give her her prescribed perspective. this isn't a genuine point of view.

For sure Gov. Palin is full of herself and hot air, but I don't know how she'll come across if she has to answer unscripted questions. This almost looks like shooting ducks in a pond, and she's supposed to be the great white hunter.

Score ONE for Mr. Clinton.
The only 'great' about Obama would be his career as a talk-show host.

1) brief "confused, unexperienced, clueless, ridiculous Palin,"
2) find out what ear piece they can give Palin for the debate
3) what cell phone would do so that she might call a friend while debating

my friends, McCain Palin will ONCE again say that they are halting their campaign (wink wink while he has dinner and inter\views with CBS) in order to distract from CLUELESS Palin

it will be painful to watch how she Knows NOTHING

and just wait the republicans will acuse Biden (no matter how and what he says) of being sexyst....... thank you to crazy old billary everything is sexyst now a days...
so Biden has the very difficult task to balance, to talk to a bimbow who truly does not know a thing about the world including Alaska, and addressing the pressing needs of this country

how low can the republicans go???

Biden is a blundering idiot and Palin will eat him alive!

oh,c'mon guys. be real! as soon as she starts speaking in tongues,again,she's finished.

Palin will implode on Thursday nighta dn I wouldn't miss it for the world.

For anyone who is thinking of voting the Mccain – Palin ticket, especially women, Palin will set women back at laest 100 years and it will be perhaps decades before a woman is taken seriously for the Vp or Pres. position.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT SHE IS A WOMAN. IT HAS TO DO WITH THE SMPLE FACT THAT SHE IS NOT QUALIFIED, AND IN NO WAY SHAPE, OR FORM TO BE VP OR POSSIBLY PRESIDENT.

I HAVE LITTLE EXPECTAION THAT PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY WILL WAKE UP IN TIME. AMERICANS ARE THE MOST APATHETIC, IGNORANT, UNAWARE AND IRRESPONSIBLE PEOPLE ON THE PLANET.

Why worry about coming across as condescending when she has to worry about coming across as the female version. It's a wash.

Obama and Biden are the true master debaters. Two smarmier politicians we will never know.