LITTWIN: McCain needs more than Palin, wink, wink
By Mike Littwin, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published October 4, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
Updated October 4, 2008 at 12:33 a.m.
The whole world - according to the Nielsen ratings, anyway - was watching.
And now that it's over, the whole world will regretfully move on.
That's the essential truth of the Political Idol debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. Millions tuned in because - as in the wide, wide world of sports, non-Cubs edition - you had no idea what might happen.
This offered the real prospect of live-TV drama, meaning there was a real chance for someone to blow up on stage, which hasn't been seen since SCTV - I know, I'm dating myself - went off the air.
In the end, nothing much did happen, of course, and that was a headline - because that was the last thing anyone expected. Because nothing much happened, Palin was able to salvage her political future. And some people already were talking about her prospects in 2012.
Yeah, 2012, when you just might see a presidential candidate who wants to wink at you. Now, you understand what really happened. The debate may have helped Palin, but I doubt it did much at all for John McCain, who, now that I think about it, also likes to wink.
But Palin's wink is apparently a kind of Viagra for a certain kind of conservative male, such as National Review editor Rich Lowry, who actually blogged this love letter:
"I'm sure I'm not the only male in America who, when Palin dropped her first wink, sat up a little straighter on the couch and said, 'Hey, I think she just winked at me.' And her smile. By the end . . . it was so sparkling it was almost mesmerizing. It sent little starbursts through the screen and ricocheting around the living rooms of America . . . it's either something you have or you don't, and man, she's got it."
I think I've got it, too. And I'm trying desperately to keep it down.
In any case, even if Biden won in the instant-polls, Palin did well enough in memorizing talking points and occasionally winking that the McCain campaign is sending her immediately to Colorado.
If you watch the polls, you know what's happening: The so-called battleground states are turning into so-called tipping-point states. The national polls have ticked Obama's way. You can tie this directly to the financial crisis, of course, and McCain's tough couple of weeks trying to get in front of the issue. Let's just say you won't see any more suspensions - unless it involves Brandon Marshall.
Passing the bailout bill could have helped move the headlines away from the economy, except, on the same day, the Labor Department released the news that, for the ninth consecutive month, America has lost jobs - that's 760,000 for the year. And, if you read economists, the news is that the real economic news is even worse than you think. That's why Congress rushed to pass the bill - they were afraid not to pass some bill.
To recap: The market went down. Joblessness went up. George Bush's approval rating, in the latest CBS poll, stands at 22 percent, which is in even worse shape than your 401(k).
And McCain, meanwhile, is having trouble articulating how exactly he differs from Bush on the economy, other than to become a born-again regulator and to forcefully get rid of those earmarks (even as the bailout bill features, among other goodies, a $2 million tax break for wooden arrows for children.)
It's foolish to think McCain can't win - we've seen all the twists and turns in this race - but something has to twist dramatically for this campaign to turn again.
While the whole world was watching Palin-Biden, McCain spent the last two days in our state of Colorado. It's great to be so loved, but McCain, in a perfect electoral world, wouldn't be playing defense in what was once a reliably red state.
And yet McCain probably can't lose Colorado - where he's trailing in the polls - and win the election. And we're not just talking Rocky Mountain geography.
Let's do a little inside-baseball look at the campaign, a month away from the election. The red-blue divide is going unmajestically purple for McCain, who also can't lose Virginia, where he's trailing. He can't lose Florida, where he's trailing. He can't lose Ohio, where he's trailing. He can't lose North Carolina, where it's even. If Obama wins any of those states, he'd be a clear favorite to win the election.
Just a few weeks ago, it looked as if McCain's best chance to turn a blue state red was Michigan - where Palin was supposed to appeal to working-class voters; where Obama hadn't competed in the primary.
And now McCain is pulling back resources there. I'm not sure why McCain's campaign would have made this move so publicly. If it sounded desperate, that's because it was a little desperate.
As of today, there's no Kerry state in which McCain leads. But there are a lot of states that remain true tossups. McCain is still competing in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, all Kerry states. He probably needs to win at least one.
Obama is expected to win in Iowa and New Mexico, two states Bush carried in 2004. If Obama also carries the Kerry states, he would then need only one more state (read: Colorado) to win the presidency.
And here's where that leaves McCain: Maybe the most important thing Palin said in the debate was that if you go to your kid's soccer game, you're going to hear fear about the economy. Palin says she and Joe Six-Packers are united in insisting "never again."
For McCain, the trick in this last month of the campaign - starting with the next debate on Tuesday - is to figure out how the voter gets from "never again" to voting for an actual Republican candidate.
Here's a guess: It'll take more than waving the maverick flag. And definitely more than a wink and a nod.
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October 4, 2008
3:41 a.m.
Shadow writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
October 4, 2008
7:40 a.m.
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jbowen43 writes:
McCain has more than Mrs. Palin. He has all those millions of racists who will do anything to make sure that only white people have a chance to lead the land of the free. That's his base. That was Reagan's base. That is the republican party's base.
October 4, 2008
7:46 a.m.
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LetsThink writes:
Can you tell that Mr. Littwin is a far left Liberal???
So we can't expect 'fair and balanced' editorials from him.
And nearly all newspaper editors are also liberals.
So, where can readers get the Truth??
October 4, 2008
10:12 a.m.
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hinona writes:
How can anyone with an ounce of intelligence think that Plain and McCain are presidential material? One is a religious nut case who can’t put together a simple sentence (subject/verb/object) and the other is someone who consistently lies and has demonstrated irrational thinking every time he opens his mouth. Their platforms consist of negative campaigning. Between the two of them, there is not enough brain power to lead a scout troop. Obama will be elected and Colorado, home of "family values" will help make that happen! Republicans, it’s time to pull your head out from where it is and put it back where it’s supposed to be!
October 4, 2008
10:43 a.m.
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tao41 writes:
Thanks Mike, for another informative column written with your usual light touch. Earlier posts by opposition views, once again, are apparently written by those who must believe that resorting to ad hominum attacks on you will add credence to their positions. I don't think so. I also wonder why some of these correspondents do not take the time to check their spelling or sentence constructions. It would certainly help me to better understand just what their positions are. In the same way it would help me to understand Mrs. Palins' various positions on matters at hand if she would only gather syntax, verbs, and subjects, into coherent language structures. As a graduate in journalism studies she should obviously be better skilled in presenting her ideas on complex policy issues. why isn't she?
October 4, 2008
3:59 p.m.
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gary writes:
Littwin is very smart...wink wink
October 4, 2008
4:21 p.m.
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VeryOpinionated writes:
tao41, you attacked me yesterday. Did that add credence to your position? BTW, if you look at my last post (on Littwin's last column), I didn't take offense and basically forgave you).
Littwin, as a follow-up to your column about the Gov. Palin wink, why don't you write a column conjecturing whether or not Sen. Biden had his forehead Botoxed (that's in addition to the hair plugs he had implanted years ago)? Maybe you could combine the articles with a catchy "wink wink, wrinkle wrinkle" title.
So, tao41, is my sentence construction OK?
BTY, I'm not sure of the significance, but I read a CNN article that said that Palin's answers were at a 9.5 grade reading level, and Biden's answers were at 7.8. The article also said that newspapers are typically written to a sixth-grade reading level.
October 4, 2008
5:21 p.m.
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awakenedcitizen writes:
In the Couric interview, I was dismayed when Mrs. Palin could not answer questions about what her source of news was, what she read; and then she could not name one supreme decision other than roe v. wade that she disagreed with.
I was royally P.O.'d when Palin went on FOX news and said that she knew the answers all along, but refused to answer because she was annoyed by Couric. Say what??? That is one all high school kids need to remember "I knew the answers, but I did not tell them because I was 'annoyed' by the way the teacher asked the questions." So give me my "A".
If Palin thinks Couric is an "annoying" interviewer; I wonder what would happen if she met with Rachel Maddow? Probably Palin would refuse to speak at all; that, or try to talk over the interviewer as she refused to address the questions.
Hey! Obama has the cahunas to meet with O'Reilly, but NONE of the McCain people will be interviewed by Rachel Maddow.
October 4, 2008
8:59 p.m.
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diamondstay writes:
All that you Obama supporters can come up with to criticize Palin is trivia and things that don't matter. Palin has the right values. That's the real problem you have with her. She doesn't hang around with terrorists or anti American ministers. She does't talk out of both sides of her mouth either. She's well liked in Alaska because she's capable. The problem you folks have with her personality is that you don't have one. If you ever learned how to stand on your own two feet, you'd lean how important a personality is. She's got it, you Obama folks don't have a clue.
October 5, 2008
1:34 p.m.
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hinona writes:
Palin is not qualified to lead anything and neither is her running mate. Both lack the intelligence, the ability to think, the polish, the sophistication and so much more to be the leader of the greatest country in the world. She and McCain can only answer a question by attacking the other side, by lying, cheating, and repeating falsehoods. They have nothing to offer this country but a continuation of what we have had for the past 8 years. How have we gotten to a point that the critera for running for the hightest office in the land is based on being a hockey mom, skinning a moose and joe six pack mentality? And Maverick McCain. He has no more backbone than the man in the moon. Besides his erratic behavior and lack of knowledge about anything, being his "own man" was gone when he made a deal to accept this bimbo in exchange for the support of the Right. He met Palin for 15 min and made this decision? Said he had been watching her? No. Another McCain lie. McCain sold his soul from the very begining. Palin was put into this race by the "BASE", who have their own personal agenda. Google "CNP" and read about who is running this country. If you know nothing about this group, its time to educate yourself. Read Blackwater. Read how this organization, comprised of wealthy powerful individuals and corporations have spead their tentacles thoughout America. There is much more at stake in this election then the Alaskan Barbie Doll and Mr. McLie. John McCain was not the GOP choice but he was the only choice. Mr. Maverick was not introduced as a "Republican" but as a Marvick, a man of his own so to distance himself from Bush. Palin is the GOP choice. This "family values" right wing nut case is the chosen one that can carry forth THEIR principles. Now McCain is lock step with HER. But it wont work. Americans are too smart to fall for Ms. Hockey and Mr. Irrational and lets not forget about the "First Dude". They are a deadly combination. To even put a women like this on the ticket shows who thinks about country first. The CNP is interested in one thing and its not the good of the country. Its for the good of the religious right. And that is what this is really all about. Obama will win. With or without the lunacy of Colorado Springs and their constituency. We will finally have separation of church and state, restore the constitution as the govening vehicle instead of Dispensational Theology and take back our country. This is what our forefathers fought for. This is what we are fighting for now.
October 5, 2008
1:45 p.m.
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hinona writes:
And to Ms. Diamondstay, about Palin's RIGHT values.....Let's not forget about Ms. Palins witch doctor pastor.. the one who layed hands on her to drive out the demons. Let's not forget that Sarah attributes her rise to power because of god... Let's not forget that Sara thinks global warming and all the wars we are in is just gods way of hastening the "end of days" so we can all embrace those great evangelical Jesus values or burn in hell" Lets not forget Sarah wants to ban books because she doesn't think they should be there; let's not forget Sarah is against sex education and has a pregnant daughter who will be forced to marry the father who would rather drink beer and f--K around... Let's not forget all of this and so much more. So as the witch hunting paster said....."Let's pray for Sarah...Yes, let's pray that she goes back to Alaska as fast as she came into mainstream America and is never, ever heard of again! Amen.....
October 5, 2008
5:25 p.m.
Don_Lopez writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
October 5, 2008
5:37 p.m.
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VeryOpinionated writes:
Nice rant, hinona. Which planet did you get kicked off of? Let's see some details (and proof) to back up all of all those charges against Sen. McCain, so we can debate actual issues, not the baseless sludge that you spew out on with your posts. For example, let's see something to back up the following rant: "And Maverick McCain. He has no more backbone than the man in the moon. Besides his erratic behavior and lack of knowledge about anything, being his "own man" was gone when he made a deal to accept this bimbo in exchange for the support of the Right. He met Palin for 15 min and made this decision? Said he had been watching her? No. Another McCain lie."
October 5, 2008
7:39 p.m.
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INC writes:
I am pretty sure I Had what Sarah Palin has. Just one shot of Penicillin, and it cleared right up. Wink,Wink
October 5, 2008
9:10 p.m.
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hinona writes:
To "veryopinionated": Educate yourself. McCain wanted Lieberman for his running mate. That is common knowledge. Why do you think he had Leiberman get so cozy with Hagey, another right wing lunatic? But it wasn't going to past muster with the Right. A Jew on a Conservative Right Wing ticket? Are you crazy? Has to be an Evangelical - someone to carry forth the mission of the CNP. Read and educate yourself, "my good friend" - start reading and open your mind. And no, I live on this planet. Why dont you ask people what they know about the CNP? Most people have never heard of them. But they are very real. Very secret. Very dangerous. And have a very specific mission. And they think with Palin they are one step closer. But unfortunately, they picked an idiot. Even though she embodies their principles and they they would be able to control her if she was in the white house, they picked an illiterate and Americans know it. Well, most Americans. Even folks like you are getting it. Because, and the Maverick twins should know this better than anyone else because of their strong "family values" and such "pure ethics", truth always triumphs over lies... same as "good over evil".
Both of these no good nicks are dangerous characters.. and characters they are because between the two of them there is not an ounce of substance.
October 5, 2008
9:53 p.m.
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LockeRobster writes:
"Palin is not qualified to lead anything and neither is her running mate. "
But somehow Obama is? By what reasoning?
I don't care for his politics much at all, but I think the most-qualified person on either ticket is probably Joe Biden.
October 6, 2008
1:28 a.m.
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VeryOpinionated writes:
hinona, you sound like a left wing version of someone who is a member of the John Birch Society. Hatred, at the level you spew on your posts isn't healthy. Your posts aren't worth the paper they're written on (or whatever the electronic version of that saying is). Any further comments by you will be ignored (by me, at least), and anyone else who is a rational thinker.
October 6, 2008
1:30 a.m.
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fed_up writes:
eight is enough
OBAMA will win by a landslide
people are sick and tired of being sick and tired.
October 6, 2008
9:54 a.m.
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rjnova writes:
Sounds like hinona just fell off one of Nobama’s illegal registration wagons. He or she has the Palin attack line committed to memory because a rational thought process it ain’t.
There is nothing new in Littwin’s story line either for that matter. Despite all the condescension to McCain in his ongoing effort to carry on the Obama charade he is going to do great change, neither the media nor the Obama campaign have ever identified one way he will change anything. Anything that is but raise taxes and give away those taxes to others who pay no taxes. That is a sure fire change that will tank the only part of the economy that is functioning well—the working slobs paying taxes and keeping mortgage payments current.
Littwin overlooks Nobama’s main threat, besides being an incompetent---that being 10-15% of the Democrats are not going to vote for him because he is black or is too cozy with the likes of Wright and Ayers (2 real loonies ) other Chicago leftists, the ACORN extortionists, and the Chicago Democrats and other mobsters. It all happens in the voting booth. They just will not be able to pull the lever for Obama.
October 6, 2008
10:52 a.m.
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Don_Lopez writes:
Mr. Littwin is getting very, very thin-skinned.
October 6, 2008
12:44 p.m.
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RIverGirl writes:
Mike's right - The trick for McSame & Palin is to "figure out how the voter gets from 'never again' to actually voting for a Republican candidate again." Pretty hard to say anyone wants these past 8 years to continue, but unfortunately, there are those who will just go with what they know.
We can only hope they start paying attention to the real issues, educate themselves with fact finding and most of all, stop fooling themselves about why they are looking for problems not to vote for real change. What is their real fear? Only they can tell you.
Unfortunately there are some who will never vote for someone who is different than them. These are the haters that will not admit the real reason they will not vote for Sen. Obama. Maybe some though, will have the courage to pull that lever behind closed doors when they get in that booth.
October 6, 2008
1:21 p.m.
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Don_Lopez writes:
"Unfortunately there are some who will never vote for someone who is different than them. These are the haters that will not admit the real reason they will not vote for Sen. Obama."
RiverGirl,
Are you suggesting that the only reason someone would not vote for Senator Obama is because they're racist?