Biden’s Challenge
04 September 2008 12:22 pm by Taylor Marsh
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What a difference one speech makes. McCain has been crowned “McBrilliant” by El Rushbo.
Posts in the progressive blogosphere are showing up diminishing what happened
last night, including pitbull pictures and stories of what angry animals do
to people when provoked. Posts like these worry me. Not only are they juvenile
and miss the point. But they prove some progressives just don’t get the power
of Sarah Palin. It’s deadly for Democrats. We also can’t simply hope that a small voter panel represents registered voters.
What McCain’s team has done is really simple. They’ve reduced Obama to responding
to their veep choice, minimizing our nominee. This triangulation surprised many,
especially McCain’s team. The fact is that Palin was better than they even thought,
because they didn’t know who and what they had until she finished her speech last night. It’s
a sweet bonus for McCain, who is now looking like the second coming of a political
god for his choice, which really was mostly luck. Taking the bait on the community
organizer slam was a huge mistake of the Obama campaign. It’s also exactly what
the McCain team wanted. Roland Martin responding is one thing, but it still
doesn’t help Obama. But Republicans got what they wanted. Obama v. Palin, with
McCain elevated to the serious slot, while Joe Biden is reduced to not knowing
what to do with Sarah.
This is a defining moment for Dems. We are either going to treat Palin as an
equal in this election, which is why I’ve been so tough on her, because even
though I knew McCain’s team had simply picked Miss Republican 2008, I never
doubted she could get it done. Underestimating the ambition and bite of a former
beauty queen, even a wanna be, is dangerous. I should know.
What this means is Biden, not Obama, has to step up, or we will get beat. Obama simply cannot be responding to anything Palin
says. That’s Biden’s job and he better start doing it or this will turn south
quicker than the Rep. base turned their depression into euphoria, which took
less than one week. Biden’s shop has got to game up and Biden has got to come
to terms with his job, which is to take on Sarah Palin; no easy task for a man
whose entire makeup is from the gentleman’s class. Biden will need a lot of
women coaching him on how to get it done and what will work and what’s too far.
Obama’s people better find good ones who know what they’re doing and do it quickly,
because already Biden’s losing ground. They must shape the conversation long
before the veep debate, with Biden finding his parameters now, or we’ll be in
real trouble late in the election cycle.
Some say Hillary should step in. Not going to happen. It’s why I’ve been writing
the posts I have about Palin. There is no way Clinton is going to mix it up
with a woman who has a fraction of the experience, gravitas, and years of political
time put in. HRC will focus solely on McCain – Bush.
Palin is Biden’s job. It comes with the added burden of schooling the press between now and the vice presidential debates on what a man can say to a woman when he’s in a political dogfight with her. Right now, given what I’ve seen and read, it’s doubtful Dems have a clue. Because Palin doesn’t just represent some vice presidential nominee. McCain’s team has hooked her to the future of the Republican Party itself and the base has bought in all the way.
Don’t underestimate what will drive this election. Emotions will, as usual,
with issues taking a back seat. The Obama enthusiasm has been remarkable, as
was that of Hillary’s fans, but we’re in new territory now. Right-wing radio
is on board with McCain as never before. They’ve found their new heroine, with
nothing Dems have rivaling the get out the vote reach of Rush, Sean, et al.,
with evangelical radio on fire, too.
So, it’s time for Joe Biden to step up and deliver. He needs to start the comparisons
and do it quickly. While Sarah was taking earmarks and trying to get her
brother-in-law fired, Joe was in Georgia talking to President Mikhail Saakashvili.
Ridicule. Ridicule. Ridicule. …always with a smile. Attack. Attack.
Attack.
We’ll see if Democrats really believe in equality, but can walk a tightrope while respecting it. Because to beat Palin back Biden will have to treat her not only as an equal, but like he would a man. All the while remembering that the great American populace isn’t there yet.
