Vice Presidential Debate Expectations: Obama Camp Calls Palin "Terrific Debater"

**Read all about the Vice Presidential debate.

On a Saturday conference call with reporters, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe called Gov. Sarah Palin "a terrific debater" who has "performed very, very well" in previous debates with opponents in her state.

Politico's Mike Allen writes:

"We've looked at tapes of Gov. Palin's debates, and she's a terrific debater," Plouffe told reporters on a conference call. "She has performed very, very well. She's obviously a skilled speaker. We expect she'll give a great performance next Thursday." [...]

"She's obviously prepping this weekend in Pennsylvania," Plouffe continued. "Anyone who watches any of her previous debates would be impressed by her debating skills."

Obama national press secretary Bill Burton added: "What's missing is knowing where she stands on a lot of the important issues that will come up at the debate. Preparing to debate against someone who is really largely unknown, who's spent so much time preparing for the debate, will be a real challenge.

"She's not out there on the stump that much. She's not doing a whole lot of interviews. So she's spending a whole lot of time -- hours and hours a day, apparently -- preparing for this debate. And we suspect that she'll come in fighting form."

As Allen notes, campaigns regularly play such expectations games in the days leading up to a debate (in this case, Thursday's vice presidential debate).

But despite Palin's multiple cringe-inducing interview moments over the last few weeks, this sentiment from Obama aides is not just theater for the media's consumption. Privately, Democratic campaign officials have sent video clips of Palin's previous debates to the Huffington Post, noting her strong performances against more experienced Alaskan pols.

There is a legitimate sense of unease that the bar has been set so low for Palin that even a modest performance will be seen as a major success -- and that Palin may be capable of much more.

UPDATE: Some footage of Palin at a 2006 debate discussing her opposition to abortion rights:

Comments

[ExPatMike]

This debate footage, at any rate, is not indicative of any strong debating skills on the part of Palin. Also, the larger format for her exchanges with Biden may force her to assume her vapid "talking points mode." I hope the audience in the VP debate will also be sworn to silence; this forces the candidates to address issues, not their fan base.

[athenasword]

One also has to remember who's moderating. I don't think that Gwen Ifill will be amused or satisfied with vapid talking points.

[RStone]

Gwen will be great!

Palin will be toast!

http://www.boppoll.com

Tell five friends to bop McSame today and everyday 500 times. Tell them to tell their friends. You see where I am going with this.

Obama '08

[cia1018]

Many have commented that maybe all of Palins interviews were some sort of set up. That she intentionally answered incoherently, stringing all her learned talking points to come up with some kind of answer. Maybe they are keeping her from the press to enforce everyones believe that she is incapable. Therefore, essentially going into the debate with ZERO expectation of success.

ONE debate with Biden, if she acually performs well, completes sentences and has relevant responses WILL NOT UNDO the damage or image of Palin that has been out there for the last month. The republicans will NOT take that chance.

OBAMA-BIDEN 08/12

[cia1018]

She is who she is.

[athenasword]

No. There is no way to fake that kind of dumb. It really wasn't an act. No, this was just someone trying to stuff all the right talking points into one paragraph.

[LemonMeringue]

No, she is in over her head. She might be wired at the debate though, as Bush was.

[hairball68]

she's a real sick-o. she also seems like she could be provoked into a rage pretty easiliy.

[terkid]

Sarah will PALE IN comparison to Biden.

No doubt she will use all her fem-bot wiles and hopscotch around
her raging intellectual limitations and rerun her loop of pre-programmed
platitudes.

But will she come off as genuine VP or,God forbid, POTUS material? Highly doubtful!!
I realize that the stature of the office of President has been incredibly diminished
by BushMan, but there has to be a limit as to how low it can go - and Vanna Palin
is it.

She will use defensive tricks. She will blink a lot. She will use the moderator's
name countless times. She will exhibit grit. But, the bottom line is--
she is no more prepared for the job to which the party aspires for her
than we, the citizens of the US, are prepared to let happen. I mean, come on--

WE CAN'T BE FOOLED AGAIN!

[ezrider]

Hope she has already been thru the change, so they can't use the old time of the month excuse.

[irishgawdess]

dude, she just had a baby! unless they removed all her female parts, she hasn't gone through the change! Silly goose... sometimes you guys really crack me up!

[ezrider]

This is an old indian trick, was told to me by an old indian.

Make the oponnant think they are good. They will quit practicing. Then rip their ass like a wild boar hog.

Joe is going to go thru her like x lax.

[recruitgal]

Guys, I am getting worried about all the salivating that is coming from the dem ranks and the press about this debate. We are all so excited to see Ms Palin fall on her ass, that we're setting ourselves up for a big disappointment. While I would LOVE to see Joe take her apart on national TV, I don't think we'll see it.

At this point, all she has to do is stay upright and speak in whole sentences, and it'll be called a surprisingly good performance.

Most people don't watch the VP debate. All they'll see is the post game 'highlights', which I'm sure will be snappy catchphrases delivered with her usual snarky conviction.

Don't underestimate them.

[Ofactor]

I don't think she will even be able to do that. Look at this video below this has to be the easiest debate formatt in history of debates. First of all they are all sitting around a table like old friends having a chat. To me that in and of itself would take off a lot of stress. The questions that they are asking here are on another scale then would be in the debate...t­he questions in the debate will take her places she has never been before. I think standing on the stage that we use for our debates has to be a pretty intimidating experience­.You have to be in the spotlight and standing up, wich is not a comfortable thing to do. I also think that she will answer the questions the same way that she does in interviews­...What else could really change. I think even if she had 2-3 weekd of non stop studying, she is who she is, and that will not change because she tries to memorize a bunch of stuff..

To me this clearly shows how important it is to be smart and to be intelligent and not just experienced. Most of the time if you are highly intellectual and smart you can be a quick study on most subjects..­..you know how to feed yourself the information you need to sound intelligen­t...clearl­y this is not one of her skills.

[Luke Skywalker]

A great debater? Are you kidding me? She just repeated her talking points - almost robot-like. Of course Joe should not underestimate her. But I think in the end he will wipe the floor with her.

Go Jo/Go Barack!

[in4success]

WOW: http://www.themudflats.net/

[JPSIFNOS]

Interesting and encouraging that there are intelligent politicians in Alaska.

[recruitgal]

i was thinking th same thing. The other two gents on the panel seemed articulate and reasonable.

[mysterygirl18]

Biden is in a no win situation here. He will be fantastic- no doubt. Here's what she's going to sound like: a prissy school teacher, who will instantly change the subject. The media and a lot of the public will fall for this too. This stinks and I'll tell you why- all of Biden's good work is going to be thrown out by Palin just saying a few condascending words to the American public. But I love the double standard by the media. Why is it that the women, in the media, seem to be pulling for Palin to win?

http://www.myspace.com/wakeupnowpeople

[brighterside]

I think the best way to deal with a Palin debate is when she says things like " I choose life" is to answer back with something similar "I choose choice." Keep the points about abortion to a minimum and allow the narrators to change the topic based on the lack of any substantive answer to the question.

When it comes to foreign policy, national security and the economy, talk it up and bring up the nitty gritty details. Therefore, put the pressure on her to respond in kind.

[StillAmused]

The 'clever ingenue' style won't cut it when she faces Biden. Her first one or two rehearsed snarks will excite the right-wingers and Jeebus-talkers in the audience..­. then, Biden will calmly dress her like a moose. The guy's a walking encyclopedia, and he carries his own straight razor.

[MeanGreenMachine]

sweet

[jlab]

In this clip, you see a great example for why debate sucess is rarely about intelligence.

Palin is unflappable in her stern and extremist view. She doesn't have to be nuanced, she can simply use that phrase: "I would chose life." There is no way to reach that level of clarity and certainty if you want to be fair and acknowledge the complexity of the issue.

In other words: If you can be Bushian (or Palian) and reduce all your views to a stubborn slogan, everybody trying to add some nuance will come off as "weaker", less "principled" by comparison. Add to that Joe Biden's tendency to ramble, and you got a poisonous mix that may well explode in our faces.

[Ofactor]

NOT!!!!! I don't beleive there is anyway this woman can fake a debate...s­he was able to pull that off in her small town of Alaska, but this is the big leagues and she will not beable to pull that s.h.i.t. here. Waite until she has to stand on that big stage with the spotlight directly on her and then infront of all those people with no teleprompter. It is going to be an intimidation experience for her. She is not this strong chick that she potrays. I think it is an act that worked with the people of Alaska, and that is no disrespect to Alaskans but I think she charmed their pants off. I do not think she will be able to do that to the American people...s­he has not been able to do it yet in any interview that she has done yet.

I think it is crazy to think that she will all of a sudden come to the debate and be awsome...n­ot gonna happen. She just really does not have what it takes.

[jlab]

But, you see, she doesn't HAVE to be awesome. She'll be the underdog, and as long as she walks out of there alive, they'll say it proves all the "hatefilled, sexist treatment" she got in the "liberal media" couldn't stop this "exciting maverick" from "stunning everybody". I pray I'm wrong, but I don't understand how people can say "she's toast, it's over, he'll mop the floor with her... " etc. If it was that easy, the polls would look very different.

[athenasword]

Joe's intelligent responses and arguments about her positions will force her to say more than her simple, stern talking points. I think she'll get by with them, then have nothing to follow up with. Hard to fill time that way without talking up a blizzard of memorized stuff (which we know she's good at!)

[Egalitare]

I fully appreciate the danger you describe.

Except for this: undecided voters WANT to know if Palin is CAPABLE of going BEYOND the catchphrase. If the format is anywhere close to what it was in Friday's debate, a good number of people who are hoping she will exhibit some appreciation for the complexities of issues.

Saying "I choose life" and "American is Exceptional" and "We need to win in Iraq" will earn her applause from the True Believers. What she does the OTHER 25 minutes that she will be speaking is what "Joe and Jane Undecided" and perhaps just a few Moderate Republicans will be listening to intently.

Palin has the great misfortune to be presented to us when the simple answer to complex questions is at minimum very suspect.

[suhud]

Maybe it was easy for her to know her stuff in Alaska, a state with a population less than the city of Baltimore, but no way can she measure up to Biden's knowledge and expertise. I don't feel sorry for her in interviews, I shudder at her shallowness and extremism. She brought on these "cringe" moments herself, by saying an immediate yes, to McCain's desperate, irresponsible, last-minute invitation to join his "Who's your daddy" ticket. I fear for my kids, my country, and the world if--for some preposterous reason--Camp McCain cancels the VP debate, and White House Barbie gets elected.