Waiting for the vice-presidential debate, it’s a little dizzying to try and follow the preemptive spin on both side. She looks lost in her rare interviews but she’s been a great debater in the past; he’s a gaffe-machine but he’s perfectly at ease debating strong women. Come to think of it, they were knowledgeable as well – how will he do against an opponent that is not as fluent in her grasp of policies, yet “reaganesque”, we’re told, in her populist put-downs?
Just in case, there is the usual first salvo against the media: the host of the debate is writing a book that makes the McCain crowd nervous; a McCain/Palin spokesperson complains that women journalists are especially harsh against her candidate… Could it be that those pro are just doing their jobs, and are tired to have to interview competent and hopelessly disciplined smart republican women, forced to clean up one Palin messy answer after another?
Some French readers did wonder why on Earth they should care about the bottom of the ticket. Simple answer: because the choice reveals quite a bit about the presidential candidates and, this year, the “heartbeat away” question can’t be overlooked. McCain may have gambled more than he thought on his choice, with this debate taking place right when he is sliding significantly in the polls.
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