Palin Debate Flowchart: Smiling Down the Decline
Saturday, 4 October 2008 Clay Burell 
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Nothing sadder than a sick joke that’s true. Adennack‘s brilliant flowchart below is not an exaggeration of Palin’s approach when non-answering Gwen Ifill’s debate questions:1
If you’re as disgusted as I am that the media is calling this insult to democracy and intelligence a “passed test” on Palin’s part (and Ifill miserably failed my test for quality debate questions), post it, spread it, make it viral.
No, wait. I changed my mind. I want a Vice President who blows kisses to world audiences at grave political moments like she did before the debate. I want sage political wisdom from the bleachers of the hockey rink.
I suspect living in Rome c. 425 must have felt like this. Uncanny.
- here’s hoping Katie Couric, the only interviewer with the guts to ask a follow-up, moderates in 2012 [↩]
- After Tom Friedman, Sarah Palin is Flat Now Too
- Right and Wrong Questions for the Vice Presidential Test
- Sarah Palin in “Head of Skate” – Fun Little Spoof Trailer
- Why Palin, Her Supporters, and the US Media Terrify Me
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Tags: election08, palin Print This Post
No. 1 — October 4th, 2008 at 5:24 am
Oh, Clay. What have they done? It would be SO much worse than gypsies in the palace to see McCain and (shudder) Palin in the White House.
The colleague with whom I carpool thought Palin showed people what a woman can accomplish in office.
I’m oh so very much afraid that she is not the only voter who responded this way.
Expanding the VP’s powers is constitutional; the energy crisis is part of the climate cycle; we are close to and will achieve a victory in the war (comparable to our victory in Viet Nam)…I fear for my future and that of my children if Governor Palin and her heroic leader make it to the Presidency.
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Clay Burell Reply:
October 4th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
And proudly declaring your intention to violate the laws of the debate (and the Troopergate investigation) is good, all-American spunk.
Maverick McCain’s campaign is being handled by the team that handled Bush for the last eight years. It shows in their tactics: lie, defy, insult, and smear – and watch America gobble up the offal.
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No. 2 — October 4th, 2008 at 6:29 am
the VP debate was stunning. Palin did a decent job faking about 20% of the questions and didn’t even bother answering the other 80%.
i couldn’t help thinking of the end of the movie Billy Madison, when the Principal says to Adam Sandler, “Mr. Madison, what you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.”
movie fans last blog post..House: "Meaning" (Season 3, Episode 1)
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Clay Burell Reply:
October 4th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Great comment, MF. Too bad you’re not in the mainstream media.
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No. 3 — October 4th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Palin has definitely become the Artful Dodger, as the flowchart demonstrates wonderfully.
You know how you take that bit of practica that teaches you how to spot a bullshit artist on an essay test? You know, kind of what you were getting at with the moderator giving her real meaty assessment questions, not rote? Well, I guarantee if I were to obtain some of Palin’s college essays, I would smell something stinky.
It frightens me that this has the potential to happen. I guess we could move to Canada, but they are probably expecting a mass exodus and are reinforcing their borders with three day old tim horton doughnuts.
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Clay Burell Reply:
October 4th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
You know Palin, the candidate who couldn’t identify one newspaper or magazine she reads to stay informed, got her degree in journalism, right?
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JazzyBlueTeach Reply:
October 4th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Yes, I am aware of that little tidbit of info. Another thing that has me completely baffled. How are you a journalism major and not up on public events? Boggles the mind.
I really have no idea how I am going to buck up and deal with this if they manage to get in office. I have been a trooper for the past 8 years. I am about finished with that role.
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No. 4 — October 4th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
It was so frustrating to watch Palin refuse to answer questions. I read somewhere that it was more like a press conference than a debate, and I agree with that assessment. I know the format had no follow up q’s, but why Ifill didn’t hold her to answers to the actual questions is beyond me, unless Ifill had already bought into the early criticism that because of her soon-to-be-published book she is “in the tank” for Obama and went out of her way to show that she was “impartial.”
There is a part of me that wishes Palin had given us more of the rambly, incoherent, buzz-wordy answers that are the hallmarks of the Couric interview. But I admit I was worried that a terrible performance would mean that powerful women committed to serve in the government would have to wait another generation to run for high office. I don’t think like Diane’s carpool friend who believes she “showed people what a woman can accomplish in office,” but I am glad she didn’t set us back 20 years.
She has convinced my mother to vote for Obama.
I just want her to stop winking and blowing kisses at me. (Maybe not – keep her silly and maybe more folks won’t take her seriously.)
Kate Tabors last blog post..Little Moments Matter
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No. 5 — October 5th, 2008 at 3:48 am
We.
Are.
Doomed.
That we are even discussing Palin’s performance is enough evidence to draw some scary conclusions.
I am going clamming in two hours with my Uncle Bob, who is old enough to remember wars that were supposed to end wars.
Leslie, my wife and best friend, my Uncle Bob, and my Auntie Beth (whom I’ve had a crush on since I was 6 years old, over 4 decades ago) will then sit down and share a God-given bounty (or whatever word you want to substitute for “God”–mystery, nature, energy, creation, entropy) and discuss the day.
As a few folks did as Rome collapsed around them.
It wouldn’t be so sad if we had not peeked at our potential.
Michael Doyles last blog post..Pooped
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Clay Burell Reply:
October 5th, 2008 at 7:00 am
I took a 2-hour hike yesterday in the mountain near my apt. It was to escape thoughts of where all this is headed.
I still don’t know how to speak of all of this without feeling silly for believing it’s true. But I do believe it. Democracy seems to have failed in the US.
Clay Burells last blog post..Palin Debate Flowchart: Smiling Down the Decline
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No. 6 — October 5th, 2008 at 7:08 am
I had a dream last night, so vivid that I remembered it when I woke.
People were gathering at our home, a strange assortment including our children, some strangers (business associates, I think) and a young, pregnant teacher from the district where I teach.
We were awaiting some sort of catastrophe, hoping to survive together.
I remember thinking that I’d better have plenty of print resources, great books to read, since I’d be unable to recharge my laptop or iPhone once we lost electricity for good.
Your comment brought back my dream-state emotion: calm acceptance of the end of the world as I knew it.
Overly dramatic? I fervently hope so.
dianes last blog post..Bricolage
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No. 7 — October 5th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
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