Everyone's got advice for Joe Biden in Thursday's Debate--from some guys over at dkos who want him to "break the fourth wall" and address the audience directly saying "look, I've either got to roll over for her, which is sexist, or take her on as an idiot, which they are going to say is sexist. Since i lose either way, I'm going to go for the jugular and take my lumps" to 538 saying
Memo to Joe Biden: Let Palin Talk
Joe Biden doesn't need to do much in this debate. Everyone, Republicans included, know the guy knows policy detail and foreign relations cold. He really doesn't need to do much to prove he has mastery.
Normally, "time of possession" is a key signifier in football of which team is likeliest to win the game, but in this case the opposite seems true. Think of it -- all anyone cares about in this debate is what Sarah Palin says.
As for me, I think Biden should prep for the Debate with Tina Fey and simply learn to hold his face steady, like Katie Couric, and blink a lot like the comedienne who parodied Couric in the SNL sketch. That's really all he could, or should, do. To the republican supporters of Palin he will simply come across as courteous and unthreatened. To democrats he will come across as courteous and stupified by the horror of it all. And to swing voters? Well, Joe can speak up for himself on the things he's knowledgable about and simply let her fall on her face with the rest. If someone is dumb enough to find Palin reassuring they aren't going to be affected in a good way by Biden taking her on and pummeling her to death. But they may respond well to subliminal cues like Biden simply politely doing a few double takes while she prattles.
aimai
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