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

[rbarry647]

I think you can't discount her debating skills, in fact they are doing the right thing in praising them.
Republicans need to feel confident (overly confident) that their candidate will do well.
I for one have extremely high expectations for her debating skills so you know republicans must be beaming excitement waiting on the VP debate.

[Synoia]

They are playing with us. She's pretending to be stupid, so as to blow us out of our seats when debating.

[one4obama]

usacicsass2 - comes to HuffPo a newbie today. Read profile. A real winner.

Nothing more than a TR0LL!

Do not click usacicsass2's reply button to respond. If you want to respond - do it in a new comment.

Tr0lls will never learn. We are wise to them and we will not help to pay their pittance of a wage that they come here for.

NON-TR0LLS RULES!!!

[Shanti]

I hope Palin is checked for wires!

[speckitis]

Not wires.... She sounds like she needs to be checked for a Magic-8 Ball.....

[Whatashame]

Hey never underestimate your opponent. You never no what could happen. She might turn out ot be BRILLIANT.LOL.

[one4obama]

You just had to laugh after that! Priceless! Shall we all join together and laugh - that Palin just might turn out to be brilliant

LOL

[Synoia]

They are playing with us. She's pretending to be stupid, so as to blow us out of our seats when debating.

[Carolab]

You do realize that she is a "quick study", right? Could be that she is being extremely well-prepped for this event and that all the media reports about McCain's camp wanting to push off the debate due to fear that Joe will upstage her are quite possibly a school of red herring?

[HadEnoughCrap]

She's a great debator...in fact she's a Master Debator....

sorry couldn't resist...

[live-aloha]

She's a fisherwoman too, isn't she? So, maybe she's a master baiter also.... i couldn't resist either.

[BigSurf]

Pump up the opponent so she has to live up to the comments.
Pump her up some more! Say she is the greatest debater of all time!
She has to prove it next Thursday!!!

[Obama4Life]

I detest Palin.

But most of all I detest the ignorant Americans that actually think she is qualified and who were fooled by her rehearsed performance at the Republican National Convention and potentially will be at this debate.

I guess its true when the say that "ignorance is bliss".

What frustrates me even further is that she says she is a "Christian". What a joke, she lies without even caring, liars and frauds like Palin, Bush and Dobson from Focus on The Family will gets whats coming to them on judgment day.

[speckitis]

.....It's been renamed to "Focus on the Psychosis".

[CaptainStormfield]

http://www.counterpunch.org/rosen09272008.html
Her brand of Christianity is a little out there.

[lippy33]

LOL! I love that Obama's team isn't willing to be caught off guard by any of the ploys and is taking this seriously. You could tell Obama knew exactly what to expect from McCain. And Joe is prepared to deal with Palin. He'll be ready for whatever she brings.

It's good that they are not taking any chances with The McCain/Palin Circus.

[SuiginTou7]

No Way, I don't believe that for a second. She can't even do interviews with out sounding like a m or on. Now you going to put her agaisnt someone like Biden. Maybe in Alaska but here in the lower 48 she's toast

[one4obama]

You just can't see it. But they are setting the stage. They are making it so she has to live up to being that "terrific debater". And if she doesn't . . . well, there is no way the voters can say she won the debate (under their assumption that the bar for her is low).

[Carolab]

As said above (albeit jokingly), never underestimate your opponent. I have done this a few times in my life and lived to rue the day. You'd be amazed what excellent con artists some people are, and how gullible are their targets. Even though you may be right about someone else's abilities, or lack thereof, and their character flaws, others can still be quite handily taken in. I think Sarah has proven herself a master (mistress) of this manipulation. She is devious, extremely ambitious, cutthroat and manipulative, according to the many reports we have had about her. The word "cunning" comes to mind.

[JohnHC]

Is it just me, but I thought the other two candidates were much more compelling. Why did Alaska elect her?

Seriously folks, we have so many serious issues to address in this country we need the best leaders we can get. This was a very bad decision for a VP and tells you a lot about the Pres. Candidate that selected her.

[siney]

no, it's me, too...soooo agree that the other two men, especially the last one, were by far more compelling than palin...the last candidate nailed the issue and spoke honestly and eloquently about the very complicated, very messy issue of choice... alot is at stake here, folks....the appointment of 2-3 supremes...and they will affect a hell of alot more than just the issue of choice, i might add...

[socratiskiss]

Tina Fay just nailed it again on SNL! LOL!

[Higherground]

I loved the bit about Alaskans waking up in the morning and telling the Russians to shoo.

[Chibikim]

It was pure comedy gold! Theyre gonna do McCain next!

[one4obama]

Dam, on west coast will be another 3 hours before I can see it.

[siney]

awwww, no fair :(:(:(:( .....it's 9:53PM in new mexico....don't say anymore!!! i've been waiting for SNL all day, so don't give anymore away!!!!

[Rosanneofpgh]

Yes, Tina was dead on! Amy Pohler's Katie Couric was a hoot too! She had her head tilted to one side and kept blinking spasmodically and spoke slowly in a low voice as if she was talking to an idiot. Classic SNL!!

[INDmind]

So, the Obama Camp lowers the expectations on Obama's debate qualities and raises the bar on Sarah's.

SPIN! The lies are just so typical of Obama!

[RButler]

Exactly. The Obama Camp is so confident and impressed with him yet they have to lower expectations for a debate. What BS.

[Carolab]

Funny, I don't recall that the Obama camp lowered their expectations of Obama for last night's debate. I only recall hearing that foreign poilcy was McCain's "strong suit" and that he was expected to do well with this.

[AnABCinCA]

Oh, please. Both campaigns do this. It's standard debate strategy, not indicative of anyone's "lies." The McCain camp has been leaking to the press how desperately badly Palin is doing in her practice sessions to lower expectations on HER:

http://www.themudflats.net/2008/09/26/mccain-camp-realizes-palin-is-clueless/

[Rosanneofpgh]

Oh, grow up!! Thats the way politics are played in this country. You should be used to it by now.

insanemccain's campaign has done worse!

[one4obama]

There is discussion on this board that Palin will be replace before 11/4.

We have all heard how Palin operates.

God help anybody that crosses Palin.

Just think. If the McCain campaign opts to replace Palin, then McCain is toast. Palin will make sure of that!

Unless of course, the McCain campaign has other ideas how to "replace" Palin. ~wink, wink~

[RButler]

And I've heard rumors, too. Biden will be replaced and his medical records have yet to be released.

Biden will be 66 in November. When are you too old? 67? 68? 69? 70? 71? No. It's 72 cause that's what the Obama folks say. They are so FOS.

[Rosanneofpgh]

At least Joe Biden is sane and lucid!!

[milman1]

Saturday Night Live intro now

[Sardonica]

Oh my god. it was SAVAGE! "I'd like to phone a friend, please." LOL

[one4obama]

Oh, please, don't spoil it for the rest of us!!

[Nostrodamus]

That the " Christian Right " conservative movement boils down to it's present champion, Sarah Palin , with her warmed over porn star look; just shows how far that movement has sunk.

Nostrodamus