Religion Questions for the Debate
Bruce Tomaso, in The Dallas Morning News Religion blog, asks, for tonight's vice presidental debate, what questions you would ask the candidates about their religion. Tomaso himself likes the answer given by Michael Otterson, the head of public affairs for the Mormons, "I would ask Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin absolutely nothing about their religious beliefs."
I'd go along with that. I wouldn't ask about their own religion, but I would ask what court decisions regarding Constitutional separation of church and state they either agreed with or disagreed with and why.
By the way, Palin will do just fine in the debate. It takes a persistent interviewer to prod someone to give anything more than superficial answers (sometimes showing that there is no substance behind the gloss). Gibson and Couric could do that in a sit-down interview. Ifill won't be able to do that as moderator of the debate. So, expect Palin to skate by, sounding folksy and charming and, dare I say it, even informed, at least to that part of the electorate that doesn't even know what the Supreme Court is, to say nothing of being able to recall any court ruling.
1 comment:
Quick thoughts...
As predicted, Palin did just fine. A little robotic, but she stuck to her talking points. Because she didn't fall flat on her face, she saved McCain's campaign. He may not win, but he'll live to campaign into November.
It's amazing how she threw the two-term President of her own party under the bus. Simply amazing how she acts like she isn't a Republican.
It's amazing how she managed to insert both "drill, baby, drill" and "we've got to reduce emissions" into the debate without getting whiplash.
It's amazing she thinks that the Constitutional "flexibility" Cheney has defined for the office of vice presidency is a good thing. She threw Bush under the bus, but not Cheney.
It's amazing she can brazenly say Obama voted to cut funds for the troops, not once, but three times, even after Biden called out the lie.
All in all, she sounded pretty much like McCain. Unfortunately for Republicans, McCain isn't winning over too many voters himself lately.
As for Biden, he did fine, too. Obama's goal was probably that Biden wouldn't make any headlines. He succeeded. This debate will now fade and focus will return to the principals. Obama maintains the advantage.
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