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Politics : Liberalism: Do You Agree We've Had Enough of It? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Alan Smithee who wrote (43229)	8/30/2008 9:48:26 PM
From: Ann Corrigan	Respond to of 224699

<g> Sarah will make the attack dog whimper: by Judson Berger Saturday, August 30, 2008 John McCain’s game-changing selection of a first-term female governor from Alaska as his running mate poses a challenge for Barack Obama’s own selection for vice president. The presence of Gov. Sarah Palin, 44, on the campaign trail has some wondering if she could serve to de-fang Joe Biden — the longtime Delaware senator who over the past week swiftly assumed the Democratic ticket’s role of attack-dog-in-chief. “The Obama campaign is going to have to really sort of police Joe Biden’s speech in order to prevent him from saying something that could be read as being insensitive or even sexist,” said Marc Lamont Hill, a Temple University professor of American studies and urban education. Biden, the most logical pick to spar with Palin on the campaign trail, is known for sometimes stepping over the line with off-color remarks on race and gender. And with Palin, who on Friday became the first woman on a Republican presidential ticket, analysts say Biden could find himself tongue-tied in efforts to attack her resume and social philosophy without seeming insensitive to her accomplishment. “There may the perception that he’s picking on a girl,” Hill said. The choice of Palin already has raised speculation about whether she will be able to attract Hillary Clinton supporters to the Republican side and whether Americans will cast historic votes for the first female vice president instead of for Obama, who would be the first black president. FOX News contributor Michael Barone said Biden could find himself in a situation similar to Bill Clinton’s during the Democratic primary, when the former president’s criticisms of Obama were interpreted as racially insensitive. Barone said the same held true for critics of Hillary Clinton accused of being insensitive to women. “On one hand, (Biden) wants to paint (Palin) as inexperienced. On the other hand he doesn’t want to look like a bully,” Barone said. “I think it’s a problem for Joe Biden in part because he’s given to talking at great length and sarcastically at some points.” Pundits were waiting for McCain to tap somebody like Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor known as a partisan fighter like Biden. The match-up would no doubt have led to a fierce and stubborn ongoing debate between the two through November. But Biden’s rhetorical firepower now comes up against a self-described “hockey mom” and mother of five. He already raised eyebrows when he seemed to mock his wife’s education last Saturday in Springfield, Ill., where he was unveiled as Obama’s vice presidential choice. “Ladies and gentlemen, my wife, Jill, who you’ll meet soon, is drop-dead gorgeous,” Biden said. “She also has her doctorate degree, which is a problem. But all kidding aside …” The Obama campaign is still toying with how to approach Palin. There were conflicting messages out of the gate Friday morning. Spokesman Bill Burton said early on that “John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency.” A senior Obama official said the selection “virtually takes the experience argument off the table.” The McCain campaign objected, and Obama campaign later issued a more diplomatic statement. Obama and Biden each called Palin to congratulate her. “Her selection is yet another encouraging sign that old barriers are falling in our politics,” the statement said. “While we obviously have differences over how best to lead this country forward, Governor Palin is an admirable person and will add a compelling new voice to this campaign.” elections.foxnews.com