Biden's Debate Ace in the Hole: George W. Bush

Whatever goes down in tomorrow 's VP debate, I say Biden needs to pound one message over and over:

McCain-Palin=Bush.

Bush has the highest disapproval ratings in history. He is political toxin. He must be continually sprayed in the debate air.

Forget the impact of any Biden gaffes, smirks, condescensions, mis-speakings, whatever. As long as ole Joey keeps flashing Bush Bush Bush every chance he gets, I say he's done what needs to be done.

I expect McCain's Rovian brain trust will have Palin try to throw Biden off balance. I don't think she'll make a big show of being "vice presidential." I think she will attack attack attack, sarcastic and cheerily smiling. I think she will address any issue of her ignorance by chuckling it away as, you know, reporters, elitist nitpicking, insider wonkery, what have you. Debate Reaganomics, if you will.

Really, the longer one sees and hears Palin, the more one feels not mind-boggled amusement but naked outrage--and rank disgust at her vacuous triumphalist viciousness. She is clueless, and cheerily clueless about her cluelessness.

Gore Vidal said presciently some four or five years ago (?) that Bush would end up as the most despised president in history. "Straight Talk" McCain and "Fresh Face/New Ideas" Palin have already become the most despicable candidates on record.

Comments

[Glenn1441]

Spot on, Barry! Surely the Obama camp has seen the latest polls regarding Bush's approval rating: A new high in scummy lows.

And it does me good to know there exist others who are outraged with Palin's enthusiasm when delivering nasty, sarcastic remarks instead of directly answering questions put to her.

Her recent Couric interview, which CBS taped while following Palin along the campaign trail, brought up questions such as 'Are you a feminist?' -- to which Palin replies, naturally, 'Yes...'

However, only hours earlier when speaking at a campaigning event, this role model of a 'feminist' age-swipes opponent Joe Biden, the very senator who authored the extraordinarily important 'Anti-Violence Against Women Act.' Indeed, Biden's personal and senatorial commitment to equal rights for women and other issues that affect women is significant.

In spite of her claim that she's listened to Biden's floor speeches since second grade, it is clear she is proudly unaware of his many accomplishments, and of his good reputation among colleagues, Democratic and Republican alike.

Truly. Truly. Truly -- McCain and Palin are the most despicable candidates for the highest offices in the country to ever appear on the national stage.

[RPLinNYC]

Right on, brother Yourgrau!

I hope the Obama camp reads this.

[allonfla]

" I hope the Obama camp reads this" TM - How sick I am of seeing this sentence. Seriously, DUH! Tying McCain to Bush has been the campaign's goal even before the dem primary was over. The O team has refrained from attacking Palin herself and it only makes sense that they would have Biden refrain from attacking during the debates. It is crunch time - the debates are the best time to tie McCain to Bush over and over and over.

[SamThornton]

This is shaping up to be the most-watched political event so far in this century, both here and abroad. For sure, every comedy writer in the English-speaking world will be glued to the set. Biden's big problem, which he may not have thought of, is that it's tough to have a debate with fence post and not appear ridiculous.