Plouffe: Palin selling 'failed product'

Posted: Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:42 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Sarah Palin

From NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli

ST. LOUIS -- David Plouffe called Palin an effective speaker tonight, but argued that she was selling “a failed product” and again ignored middle-class concerns.

“I was given some grief for saying earlier that she was a strong debater -- she is a strong debater,” he said. “There were some platitudes, but I don't think there was much there there, in terms of what specifically are you going to do.”

Talking to reporters in the spin room, the Obama campaign manager said that debate watchers saw clear differences between the candidates, especially on foreign policy. He called her answer to the question about nuclear weapons “somewhat incomprehensible,” while Biden gave “a very direct answer on those and all the foreign policy questions.” And on the important domestic policy questions, he said Palin did not offer “any compelling case for change.”

“At the end of the day the middle class are going to decide this election,” he said. “We've said all along she's a very talented politician. She proved that again tonight. But she's selling a failed product.”

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Comments

oh pleeeeeeeeeese, all biden had to offer was attacks on mc cain coupled with the same failed strategies that have been part of the dnc platform for 40 years.

bob,knoxville,tn (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:46 PM)

Why isn't any talking about Palin's use of "slang" sayings. If she were any other candidate this would be an issue. Her need to ensure that we think of her as a down home person could have been taken to the extreme. Oh and by the way, someone please tell her that the United States consist of more than just Alaska.

Caligirl (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:49 PM)

Lower taxes and a strong military/national security are a 'failed product'? What's Obama got? Highest taxes ever, and poor national security? That sounds more liked a failed policy to me.

Bennie B, Houston Texas (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:49 PM)

I'll take substance over avoiding questions and parroted remarks any day. No contest who has the ability to covern as well as play politics. Joe Biden represented himself well.

Don, Portland, OR (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:49 PM)

Lame Answer #1

Quite simply when does McCain's surge in Iraq start somewhere around 2011 or later depending on conditions on the ground in Iraq -- it may be a difference but by the time McCain gets around to it, the opportunity may no longer either be available or the same. Just another Katrina Response brought to us by the Republicans, President Bush and Senator McCain.

Lame Answers #2
Populist claims from Senator Deregulation himself. How hypocritical can one person be claiming one set of policies while enacting and documenting others throughout the campaign. Health Care Deregulation like Wall Street -- never answered by Palin.

Lame Answer, AK (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:49 PM)

I'll take substance over avoiding questions and parroted remarks any day. No contest who has the ability to govern as well as play politics. Joe Biden represented himself well.

Don, Portland, OR (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:50 PM)

Really? What is failed is two of the three most liberal senators with no direction to go. They want to tax the rich and give tax breaks to the middle class, but John McCain's overall program is more realistic. When you tax corporations they hire less people and pass the taxes that you put on them down to the consumer. This will wipe out any taxes might give back to the middle class with higher prices. With Obama/Biden the middle class loose. With John McCain they win. Don't just spin everything Obama's way. Be realistic. Obama will be bad for America.

John A., Yakima, WA (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:50 PM)

Joe Biden answered the questions with substantial information. Sarah Palin sounded like she was stumping. She provided no evidence that would seperate her ticket from the Bush administration. In fact, I can't recall one instance where McCain or Palin have provided information on how they plan to tackle the problems that face this country.

Nichole B. Mcgowanb (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:52 PM)

Governor Palin was kind to Biden and didn't ask about the millions of dollars he wanted to give to Iran (so they could buy more nukes?) or wanting to break Iraq up into three nations.

John A., Yakima, WA (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:52 PM)

I won't have an opinion until the New York Times tells me what to think.

Liberal Lanny (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:53 PM)

After watching for 90+ minutes, I have one comment. Governor Palin is not my idea of a President of the United States. I don't want a perky President who cannot be spontaneous in her answers to serious questions and who winks at the camera. For me she was a total turnoff.

David Webb, Carlsbad, CA (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:54 PM)

Yes she's folksy, gosh darn by golly but can she rund
run a country if God forbid the old man can't.

Jennifer, New York, NY (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:54 PM)

please america, i beg of you... see through mccain/ palin manipulation and deciept. we all want the best of our future. please listen carefully to the full story of both sides, especially to mccains flip-flopping/ sudden change of mind.

Timm Bellingham, Washington (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:56 PM)

Palin did not speak for the middle class as a matter of fact she stood up there and lied. She had no meat. She was a empty suit. I am a woman and I need for her to stand on facts and she didn't.

Obama is the way

Diffran summerville sc (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:56 PM)

I thought it was really sad that she didn't know what an Achilles Heal is and that everyone just accepted it as OK for her.
Dave

Dave Clements Ojo Caliente, NM (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:58 PM)

Let the teachers teach English and I will teach baseball. There is a lot of people in the United States who say isn't, and they ain't eating.

Branch Rickey thinks I went to the Massachusetts Constitution of Technology.

Dizzy Dean (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:58 PM)

I know for a fact that I'm not buying one bit of what Palin was trying to sell. McCain has not proposed one substantive difference between himself and Bush. Enough said.

MaryanneAZ (Sent Thursday, October 02, 2008 11:59 PM)

Plouff is right. Besides who'd by anything from that winking, snake-oil salesman from Alaska?!

Suzanne Chicago (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:00 AM)

I agree a very much so "failed product". I tell you this much i love the Obama CAMP, you are a breath of FRESH AIR. I love being on your side. As to the Palin crap, she is awful. She is such a facade. Blank Check she is too.

Bleebo (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:02 AM)

America says "Thanks but No Thanks" to Palin and McCain...

Martin, Las Vegas, Nevada (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:02 AM)

Listening to the spin about how Palin won the debate tonite it has come to me why George W. Bush ended up in the White House. He is clearly a simian with not an intellectual bone in his body. Therefore, his foreign policy and ecnomic agendas were shaped by this lack of knowledge.

What a travesty the last eight years have been and people like Pat Buchanan would have us believe that McCain and Palin deserve 4 more years based her "sensational" performance tonite.

NOT!!

Biden won!

Sheila Robinson, Baltimore, Md (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:02 AM)

Palin did not answer many questions. You could tell
she was programmed to say certain things and ordered
not to stray, which she did not. She repeated the
same things over and over.
And, again, lies.She lowered and raised taxes in
her town and for state. Lied about Obama, negatively,
and lied about Mccain positively.
No solutions, policies which she and Mccain are
supposed to represent.
She is not qualified, able to have any office of
any quality.

katiec Pekin, IL (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:05 AM)

strong debater what did you listen to? her continued mis-informed facts changeing every answer to just things she felt comfortable talking about avoiding answering the questions asked or just blithering like an idiot in 2 debates by both her and McCain I have not been told what they are willing to change what they will do to make these changes or any statement of what the country needs to do to get these changes implemented. And everytime the other party tells what they will do what the country needs to do and how they will do it and get the money to do it the McCain duo starts trying to bring up voteing differences or arguments made during the primary elections or just changeing the questioned asked to say hey vote for us If someone is not willing to make a statement on how they will make change then how will change come about. If you keep having these debates maybe a rule should be invoked that there will be a 5 second delay and if the person does not answer the question or deters from the subject he will not be heard he will just be standing there talking with no sound because he is not answering the question we want answers

jr az (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:06 AM)

I'm disappointed that so many reviewers of the debate seem to think Palin "held her own". She dodged many of the questions and her inexperience showed. Nobody would tolerate a male candidate behaving as she did, winking and flirting with the camera, and being more charming than knowledgeable. Why the lower bar just because she's a woman? It's an insult to intelligent, accomplished women.

Denyse Racine, Bishop, CA (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:06 AM)

I heard Palin essentially espouse the Obama/Biden "Change" agenda and present it as the McCain message. Obviously, she has joined the unscrupulous McCain campaign "copy" machine. There is nothing worse than constantly attacking your opponent unless it is stealing their platform and hitting them with it.

JohnWinNC (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:06 AM)

She is trying to sell a package that has not been
marketed yet! That's because lies never sell and
McCains campaign has been based on lies and
negativity. People are just plain sick of his
attack ads but his true colors came through last
week as he tried to take credit (not that
there was much to take)for progress on the Wall
Street fiasco. He should have stayed out of it
and the bill may have had a chance. We do not
need MORE of George W. Bush's EGO!!! Give it up
Governor Palin, it is clear you are not ready for
the big leagues.

NevadaNan (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:06 AM)

Obama/Biden adresses the middle class, the ones who need help. Neither McCain nor his helper Palin gave any evidence whatever they would help; Obama/Biden will help.

John Mehan, San Francisco, CA (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:07 AM)

After watching and then reading it I get the idea she did not really know what the 2 state solution to Israels problem means. She mentioned only Israel and appeared to not be able to name Palestine. Maybe it's just me...but at least she tried to answer that one.

PREED (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:09 AM)

As a middle class, educate woman, I found Palin's performance tonight insulting and scary! Her little down home "you bet ya!" talk might be cute for a cheerleader race, but for the Vice-President of the United States--no thanks. Also--She is so phony trying to act "gosh golly" role, when she is power-hungry and manipulative! Her comments to expand the powers of the vice-president, and that she would do some things differently from than McCain if she became president--really? What would she do differently? The fact that she would not answer questions, but instead delivered her "canned" and "memorized" answers that the advisors gave her was insulting to me. Does she think that we missed that? I think she needs to go back to Alaska--and stay there!!! She is really scary! Her winks were too much! Republican old men might be dazzled by her sex appeal, but it won't work on most women!

Kathleen Gabriel (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:11 AM)

I LOVE Sarah Palin. I think she did a superb job for OBAMA tonight and in fact, in the last few days. Are we sure she is not a secret Obamacan? Wonder if her voo doo priest hypnotized her to do 'better than expected'? And when expectations are zilch, then oh well, even a an illiterate would shine like a bright superstar when she says "cut taxes"!

Chez Naz (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:12 AM)

All I learned from Sarah Palin tonight was she has a good memory. I had a talent for acing exams after cramming two days for a final. The problem is, I dont believe she understands or knows exactly what she memorized.

repeat after me....Portland, OR (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:12 AM)

her "white flag of surrender" comment was beneath contempt

Who's Sane (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:12 AM)

She is so cute! but she is not ready to be bice-president.

Suky Watson,.ALABAMA (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:16 AM)

She had nothing to tell us on how they would lead the country at a time of disastrous circumstances.We need change that has a plan not just words and negative attacks. Its Palin and McCain who are playing the same old Repub politics of divide and conquer. This country needs to be brought together.

Paul P OKC, OK (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:17 AM)

1. Did Gov. Palin just say she was in favor of expanding the powers of the Vice-President? This is a woman who said Cheney's only mistake was shooting his friend in the face.
2. I love the Palin family montage. But shouldn't 6 month old babies, with compromised immune systems, be in bed at 11:00 p.m?

R. Wood (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:18 AM)

I really wish that on those MANY questions that she didn't answer that Biden had called her out. I would have loved it if he had said, "You know, Gwen, Gov. Palin didn't answer that question. I'll sacrifice my time so she can tell us her views on THAT issue."

But would Biden give up talking time?

Now just looking forward to McCain shooting himself in the foot next week.

AC, Milwaukee (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:19 AM)

Home run Palin. Interesting she used Bidens own words against Obama to beat him.Say it aint so Joe

Truthteller (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:21 AM)

I thought Palin did very well. Wink, wink.

Kentucky Betty (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:23 AM)

PARLIN JUST REHEARSED CRAMMED FACTS AT THE JOHN McCAIN RANCH LAST WEEKEND. SHE DID NOT ANSWER MANY OF THE QUESTIONS POSED BY THE MODERATOR ON FOREIGN POLICY AND ECONOMY.

EMMANUEL, NORTH PLAINFIELD, NJ (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:23 AM)

She didn't fall off the stage so she exceeded expectations. I felt as if I were watching a parrot - she learned phrases and zingers written for her by Bush operatives. Poppa Pat talks about how she took control and answered questions she wanted to - he thinks that is a positive. I thought she was horrible - she answered nothing - she spouted the same talking points and avoided all the questions she could not answer, possibly because she spent too much time shoveling through her prepared notes and comments.

Sharon, RI (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:23 AM)

I admired Barack for chosing Joe today more than any day. I admired Joe today for all his experience and Knowledge, but more for being cool and calm in front of someone who was completely out of touch. When Joe Biden said he didn't know where to start, it was because she had lost all of us with her rambling.

Palin was smiling like a contestant in a miss congeniality of a local area in her first debate; There was nothing presidential about her. nothing presidential has ever been about McCain either.

His first wife said he wanted to be 25 when he was 40. John has not changed. he has only become old. but his acting and actions are those of a 25 years spoiled brat.

Aliou, Jacksonville Fl (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:24 AM)

I thought I was listening to someone giving a Book Report. Sarah Palin does not even know where her running mate, John McCain stands on issues nor does she know how he voted ALL those years in the senate. Bravo Joe Biden for reminding her on this. then, she would not come back for rebuttal but go on to the issues she wanted to talk about. The moderator should have stopped her and put her in her place.

Anita ,Glen Carbon, IL (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:24 AM)

noun, verb, maverick; noun, verb, Wassilla; noun, verb hockey mom; noun, verb more power for the V.P.; noun ,verb, hockey mom; noun, verb, wink-wink......do we really want A V.P. WHO FLIRTS WITH THE CAMERA???? Come on now, get serious, tell us what you are gonna do....oh I know "I'll get back to YA".........we do not need a cheerleading sub-intellect one heart beat away from the Presidency......didn't we already try the stupid, cheerleader six-pack thing already??? Look how that turned out.

The Edge, Macon, GA (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:25 AM)

Too much of what she said was scripted and rehearsed. She did a good job of repeating her lines,a job well done there.
As debates go, she stuck to the McCain method of not being in any way specific. With just a month to go, one of the two of them needs to talk to what the voters feel are important. Speaking in generalities won't do it.

A.Brocco,Albuquerque,NM (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:29 AM)

Biden was knowledgeable, Palin was shallow and sounded like she had totally memorized what she wanted to get out of her mouth. It was not effective for me. Her petty attacks on the media over gotcha questions from one who cannot express what she read and other questions will catch up with her. gw

Ginger Ward, Dyersburg, TN (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:31 AM)

The middle class is the conscience of America, and whomever gets that, gets the golden ring, and so far it is Obama and Biden who understand. Palin was very much like a Chatty Kathy doll tonight, pull her string and she spouts off the company line...no thought of her own or any real reaction to Biden...one more "wink" and I would have thrown up...she is so fake...very much like a beauty queen! ARGH!!!

Sharon Williams, Little Rock, Arkansas (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:36 AM)

Sarah Palin did better than I thought she would do, but Joe Biden clearly won the debate on substance and by actually answering the questions.

Sharon Davis, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:37 AM)

I agree.... she gave a good performance but unfortunately that is all it was.

Norma - Yucca Valley CA (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:37 AM)

I agree.... she gave a good performance but unfortunately that is all it was.

Norma - Yucca Valley CA (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:38 AM)

Palin was prepared like any average American, She had no depth or substance to stand and give non specific scripted answers is not enough. I am sorry that their are professionals that say she did Like Pat B. knowing full well she is not ready for prime time is a disgrace.

semone green, chicago , ill. (Sent Friday, October 03, 2008 12:44 AM)

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