Great Moments In Veep Debate History: "Who Am I? Why Am I Here?"
The stakes are unusually high for Sarah Palin and Joe Biden as they face-off tomorrow night at Washington University in St. Louis for their first and only meeting. And the candidates have only to look at recent vice presidential debate history for some dos and don'ts.
"This is the most important vice presidential debate we've had," said Wayne Fields, a Washington University professor who writes about political rhetoric. Fields said John McCain set it up that way when he picked Palin, whose surprise selection at least temporarily reinvigorated his campaign.
"He managed to make her central to a campaign where vice presidents are normally not," Fields said. "They've made a different kind of vice presidential candidate."
Meanwhile, Biden, with all his years of experience, will have to avoid the mistake that George H. W. Bush made during his vice presidential debate against Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman nominated to a major party ticket. During their 1984 encounter, foreign policy was a major issue -- specifically the bombings of U.S. facilities in Lebanon and the Iran hostage crisis. In a famous exchange, Bush told Ferraro, "But let me help you with the difference, Mrs. Ferraro, between Iran and the embassy in Lebanon." Ferraro responded, "Let me just say, first of all, that I almost resent, Vice President Bush, your patronizing attitude that you have to teach me about foreign policy. I've been a member of Congress for six years; I was there when the embassy was held hostage in Iran, and I have been there and I've seen what has happened in the past several months; seventeen months of your administration."
Palin could employ a similiar line if the oft-verbose Biden isn't careful.
Palin, on the other hand, has to avoid exagerating her experience, as Dan Quayle seemed to do during his 1988 debate with Lloyd Bentsen. After Quayle compared his resume to that of John F. Kennedy before he entered the White House, Bentsen retorted: "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy, I knew Jack Kennedy, Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy."
It might be one of the most memorable lines in vice presidential debate history. So much so that Al Gore referenced the exchange during his match-up with Quayle in 1992. Gore offered to make him a deal -- he wouldn't bring up the Kennedy comparison if Quayle agreed not to compare President Bush to Harry Truman.
Gore liked the 'Let's make a deal' approach. Four years later, he made a similar offering to Jack Kemp, who before entering politics played in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers and the Buffalo Bills.
"I'd like to start by offering you a deal Jack," Gore said to Kemp. "If you won't use any football stories, I won't tell any of my warm and humorous stories about chlorofluorocarbon abatement."
"It is a deal. I can't even pronounce it," Kemp replied.
That was, of course, Gore's lighthearted way of reminding voters that he was a policy wonk and Kemp was a jock. Other vice presidents didn't attempt such subtly.
Dick Cheney, after a love-fest of a debate against Joe Lieberman in 2000, came out swinging at John Edwards in 2004: "Senator, frankly, you have a record in the Senate that's not very distinguished." Cheney went on to deride Edwards for his poor Senate attendence, adding: "I'm up in the Senate most Tuesdays when they're in session. The first time I ever met you was when you walked on the stage tonight."
Cheney's claim turned out not to be true; they'd met at least once before at a prayer breakfast, but the comment seemed to stun Edwards in the moment.
If out of one's depth, it's possible to resort to the kind of rhetoric that made Ross Perot running mate Adm. James Stockdale famous. After Gore's and Quayle's opening remarks in the '92 debate, Stockdale started with two questions: "Who am I? Why am I here?"
It was downhill from there.
Let's not forget the first-ever vice presidential debate between Walter Mondale and Bob Dole in 1976. Gerald Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon was still controversial, and Dole was asked if he "approved" of it.
"I know it strikes a responsive chord for some to kick Richard Nixon around," Dole said. "I don't know how long you can keep that up. How much mileage is there in someone who's been kicked, whose wife suffered a serious stroke. He's been disgraced in office and stepped down from that office. I think after two years and some months that it's probably a dead issue."
Dole was wrong, as it turns out. Nixon remained a campaign issue, just as George W. Bush could certainly be tomorrow night -- and for the contest's duration.
(SEAN J. MILLER)
Adm. Stockdale's son, Taylor Stockdale, wrote an editorial in the Wall St. Journal this week recalling that debate:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122273224998788261.html
It's worth a read.
Ms. Gwen Ifill author of: The Breakthrough: Politics & Race in the Age of Obama (a new book just about to be released) is also the Sr. Correspondent of Washington Week--The News Hour with Jim Lehrer! Ms. Ifill works for the Public Broadcasting Network. Ms. Ifill will gain financial profits due to moderatoring this debate! There shouldn't be any profitable gain on the moderator on any debate! The network has hand selected her to be the moderator. This is appalling!
There isn't any way Ms. Ifill can be portrayed as an unbiased moderator. Ms. Ifill's network (PBS) has allowed her to have free publicity of her book. So she gains popularity among black voters, she gains personally and financially with this new book.
This is outrageous! Please contact the PBS network @703-739-5481. Personal gain--financial gain--on their reporter.
Also--let the Democratic Party know that Obama's concert--then busing people to the polls from that concert--is buying votes. This is a violation and buys and pribes voters. This shouldn't be allowed. Obama has broken all the rules on this campaign.
Again call@703-739-5481!
Ms. Gwen Ifill author of: The Breakthrough: Politics & Race in the Age of Obama (a new book just about to be released) is also the Sr. Correspondent of Washington Week--The News Hour with Jim Lehrer! Ms. Ifill works for the Public Broadcasting Network. Ms. Ifill will gain financial profits due to moderatoring this debate! There shouldn't be any profitable gain on the moderator on any debate! The network has hand selected her to be the moderator. This is appalling!
There isn't any way Ms. Ifill can be portrayed as an unbiased moderator. Ms. Ifill's network (PBS) has allowed her to have free publicity of her book. So she gains popularity among black voters, she gains personally and financially with this new book.
This is outrageous! Please contact the PBS network @703-739-5481. Personal gain--financial gain--on their reporter.
Also--let the Democratic Party know that Obama's concert--then busing people to the polls from that concert--is buying votes. This is a violation and buys and pribes voters. This shouldn't be allowed. Obama has broken all the rules on this campaign.
Again call@703-739-5481!
Ms. Gwen Ifill author of: The Breakthrough: Politics & Race in the Age of Obama (a new book just about to be released) is also the Sr. Correspondent of Washington Week--The News Hour with Jim Lehrer! Ms. Ifill works for the Public Broadcasting Network. Ms. Ifill will gain financial profits due to moderatoring this debate! There shouldn't be any profitable gain on the moderator on any debate! The network has hand selected her to be the moderator. This is appalling!
There isn't any way Ms. Ifill can be portrayed as an unbiased moderator. Ms. Ifill's network (PBS) has allowed her to have free publicity of her book. So she gains popularity among black voters, she gains personally and financially with this new book.
This is outrageous! Please contact the PBS network @703-739-5481. Personal gain--financial gain--on their reporter.
Also--let the Democratic Party know that Obama's concert--then busing people to the polls from that concert--is buying votes. This is a violation and buys and pribes voters. This shouldn't be allowed. Obama has broken all the rules on this campaign.
Again call@703-739-5481!
Ms. Gwen Ifill author of: The Breakthrough: Politics & Race in the Age of Obama (a new book just about to be released) is also the Sr. Correspondent of Washington Week--The News Hour with Jim Lehrer! Ms. Ifill works for the Public Broadcasting Network. Ms. Ifill will gain financial profits due to moderatoring this debate! There shouldn't be any profitable gain on the moderator on any debate! The network has hand selected her to be the moderator. This is appalling!
There isn't any way Ms. Ifill can be portrayed as an unbiased moderator. Ms. Ifill's network (PBS) has allowed her to have free publicity of her book. So she gains popularity among black voters, she gains personally and financially with this new book.
This is outrageous! Please contact the PBS network @703-739-5481. Personal gain--financial gain--on their reporter.
Also--let the Democratic Party know that Obama's concert--then busing people to the polls from that concert--is buying votes. This is a violation and buys and pribes voters. This shouldn't be allowed. Obama has broken all the rules on this campaign.
Again call@703-739-5481!
Ms. Gwen Ifill author of: The Breakthrough: Politics & Race in the Age of Obama (a new book just about to be released)will be the Vice Presidential Moderator Thursday Oct. 2nd. Ms. Ifill is also the Sr. Correspondent of Washington Week--The News Hour with Jim Lehrer! Ms. Ifill works for the Public Broadcasting Network. Ms. Ifill will gain financial profits due to moderatoring this debate (along with her book)! There shouldn't be any profitable gain on the moderator on any debate! The network has hand selected her to be the moderator. This is appalling!
There isn't any way Ms. Ifill can be portrayed as an unbiased moderator. Ms. Ifill's network (PBS) has allowed her to have free publicity of her book. So she gains popularity among black voters, she gains personally and financially with this new book.
This is outrageous! Please contact the PBS network @703-739-5481. Personal gain--financial gain--on their reporter.
Also--let the Democratic Party know that Obama's concert in Ohio where he will busing people to the polls from his concert--is actually buying votes. This is a violation and buys voters. This shouldn't be allowed. Obama has broken all the rules on this campaign. Let's Stop this nonsense about busing people who will $500 a ticket to be bused straight to the polls to vote. Plus--the $500 for the price of the ticket will go to Obama's Presidential Campaign. Does anyone else think Obama wants enough monies raised for his campaign to bail out America's debt. After all, Last report Obama already has over $65 million dollars yet to be used. This should make ever American frightened.
Again call@703-739-5481!
Ms. Gwen Ifill author of: The Breakthrough: Politics & Race in the Age of Obama (a new book just about to be released)will be the Vice Presidential Moderator Thursday Oct. 2nd. Ms. Ifill is also the Sr. Correspondent of Washington Week--The News Hour with Jim Lehrer! Ms. Ifill works for the Public Broadcasting Network. Ms. Ifill will gain financial profits due to moderatoring this debate (along with her book)! There shouldn't be any profitable gain on the moderator on any debate! The network has hand selected her to be the moderator. This is appalling!
There isn't any way Ms. Ifill can be portrayed as an unbiased moderator. Ms. Ifill's network (PBS) has allowed her to have free publicity of her book. So she gains popularity among black voters, she gains personally and financially with this new book.
This is outrageous! Please contact the PBS network @703-739-5481. Personal gain--financial gain--on their reporter.
Also--let the Democratic Party know that Obama's concert in Ohio where he will busing people to the polls from his concert--is actually buying votes. This is a violation and buys voters. This shouldn't be allowed. Obama has broken all the rules on this campaign. Let's Stop this nonsense about busing people who will $500 a ticket to be bused straight to the polls to vote. Plus--the $500 for the price of the ticket will go to Obama's Presidential Campaign. Does anyone else think Obama wants enough monies raised for his campaign to bail out America's debt. After all, Last report Obama already has over $65 million dollars yet to be used. This should make ever American frightened.
Again call@703-739-5481!
Ms. Gwen Ifill author of: The Breakthrough: Politics & Race in the Age of Obama (a new book just about to be released)will be the Vice Presidential Moderator Thursday Oct. 2nd. Ms. Ifill is also the Sr. Correspondent of Washington Week--The News Hour with Jim Lehrer! Ms. Ifill works for the Public Broadcasting Network. Ms. Ifill will gain financial profits due to moderatoring this debate (along with her book)! There shouldn't be any profitable gain on the moderator on any debate! The network has hand selected her to be the moderator. This is appalling!
There isn't any way Ms. Ifill can be portrayed as an unbiased moderator. Ms. Ifill's network (PBS) has allowed her to have free publicity of her book. So she gains popularity among black voters, she gains personally and financially with this new book.
This is outrageous! Please contact the PBS network @703-739-5481. Personal gain--financial gain--on their reporter.
Also--let the Democratic Party know that Obama's concert in Ohio where he will busing people to the polls from his concert--is actually buying votes. This is a violation and buys voters. This shouldn't be allowed. Obama has broken all the rules on this campaign. Let's Stop this nonsense about busing people who will $500 a ticket to be bused straight to the polls to vote. Plus--the $500 for the price of the ticket will go to Obama's Presidential Campaign. Does anyone else think Obama wants enough monies raised for his campaign to bail out America's debt. After all, Last report Obama already has over $65 million dollars yet to be used. This should make ever American frightened.
Again call@703-739-5481!
Great article and preview, Sean. Thanks for posting it.
Puh-lease. Gwen Ifill is one of -- if not THE -- most fair journalists out there. If this bothered the Republicans so much then why did they agree to the debate knowing full well that Ifill's book was coming out? Complaining now -- after having agreed to the date -- smacks of being a sore loser (and it also speaks to John McCain's incredibly poor judgment to agree to something and then act like the victim).
Or maybe the GOP was just looking for someone with dark skin to blame for Palin's inability to address the issues in a coherent fashion. Just like the Republicans are now openly blaming black people for the credit crisis. Racism still runs the Republican Party. And it's just going to get worse. Be prepared for an onslaught of racist filth coming from the Republicans after this debate.
Barack Obama will rise above John McCain and his insane Republican slime and smear strategy, and continue to offer REAL CHANGE in America.