Gary J Carter
2008-10-01 15:31:58 UTC
I've Debated Sarah Palin More Than 20 Times -- Here's What It's Like
By Andrew Halcro, Christian Science Monitor. Posted October 1, 2008.
I know firsthand: She's a master of the nonanswer.
Anchorage, Alaska - When he faces off against Sarah Palin Thursday
night, Joe Biden will have his hands full.
I should know. I've debated Governor Palin more than two dozen times.
And she's a master, not of facts, figures, or insightful policy
recommendations, but at the fine art of the nonanswer, the glittering
generality. Against such charms there is little Senator Biden, or
anyone, can do.
On paper, of course, the debate appears to be a mismatch.
In 2000, Palin was the mayor of an Alaskan town of 5,500 people, while
Biden was serving his 28th year as a United States senator. Her major
public policy concern was building a local ice rink and sports center.
His major public policy concern was the State Department's decision to
grant an export license to allow sales of heavy-lift helicopters to
Turkey, during tense UN-sponsored Cyprus peace talks.
On paper, the difference in experience on both domestic and foreign
policy is like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing a
bullet. Unfortunately for Biden, if recent history is an indicator,
experience or a grasp of the issues won't matter when it comes to
debating Palin.
On April 17, 2006, Palin and I participated in a debate at the
University of Alaska in Fairbanks on agriculture issues. The next day,
the Fairbanks Daily News Miner published this excerpt:
"Andrew Halcro, a declared independent candidate from Anchorage, came
armed with statistics on agricultural productivity. Sarah Palin, a
Republican from Wasilla, said the Matanuska Valley provides a positive
example for other communities interested in agriculture to study."
On April 18, 2006, Palin and I sat together in a hotel coffee shop
comparing campaign trail notes. As we talked about the debates, Palin
made a comment that highlights the phenomenon that Biden is up
against.
"Andrew, I watch you at these debates with no notes, no papers, and
yet when asked questions, you spout off facts, figures, and policies,
and I'm amazed. But then I look out into the audience and I ask
myself, 'Does any of this really matter?' " Palin said.
While policy wonks such as Biden might cringe, it seemed to me that
Palin was simply vocalizing her strength without realizing it. During
the campaign, Palin's knowledge on public policy issues never matured
-- because it didn't have to. Her ability to fill the debate halls
with her presence and her gift of the glittering generality made it
possible for her to rely on populism instead of policy.
Palin is a master of the nonanswer. She can turn a 60-second response
to a query about her specific solutions to healthcare challenges into
a folksy story about how she's met people on the campaign trail who
face healthcare challenges. All without uttering a word about her
public-policy solutions to healthcare challenges.
In one debate, a moderator asked the candidates to name a bill the
legislature had recently passed that we didn't like. I named one.
Democratic candidate Tony Knowles named one. But Sarah Palin instead
used her allotted time to criticize the incumbent governor, Frank
Murkowski. Asked to name a bill we did like, the same pattern emerged:
Palin didn't name a bill.
And when she does answer the actual question asked, she has a canny
ability to connect with the audience on a personal level. For example,
asked to name a major issue that had been ignored during the campaign,
I discussed the health of local communities, Mr. Knowles talked about
affordable healthcare, and Palin talked about ... the need to protect
hunting and fishing rights.
So what does that mean for Biden? With shorter question-and-answer
times and limited interaction between the two, he should simply ignore
Palin in a respectful manner on the stage and answer the questions as
though he were alone. Any attempt to flex his public-policy knowledge
and show Palin is not ready for prime time will inevitably cast him in
the role of the bully.
On the other side of the stage, if Palin is to be successful, she
needs to do what she does best: fill the room with her presence and
stick to the scripted sound bites.
AlterNet is a nonprofit organization and does not make political
endorsements. The opinions expressed by its writers are their own.
Andrew Halcro served two terms as a Republican member of the Alaska
State House of Representatives. He ran for governor as an Independent
in 2006, debating Sarah Palin more than two dozen times. He blogs at
andrewhalcro.com.
By Andrew Halcro, Christian Science Monitor. Posted October 1, 2008.
I know firsthand: She's a master of the nonanswer.
Anchorage, Alaska - When he faces off against Sarah Palin Thursday
night, Joe Biden will have his hands full.
I should know. I've debated Governor Palin more than two dozen times.
And she's a master, not of facts, figures, or insightful policy
recommendations, but at the fine art of the nonanswer, the glittering
generality. Against such charms there is little Senator Biden, or
anyone, can do.
On paper, of course, the debate appears to be a mismatch.
In 2000, Palin was the mayor of an Alaskan town of 5,500 people, while
Biden was serving his 28th year as a United States senator. Her major
public policy concern was building a local ice rink and sports center.
His major public policy concern was the State Department's decision to
grant an export license to allow sales of heavy-lift helicopters to
Turkey, during tense UN-sponsored Cyprus peace talks.
On paper, the difference in experience on both domestic and foreign
policy is like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing a
bullet. Unfortunately for Biden, if recent history is an indicator,
experience or a grasp of the issues won't matter when it comes to
debating Palin.
On April 17, 2006, Palin and I participated in a debate at the
University of Alaska in Fairbanks on agriculture issues. The next day,
the Fairbanks Daily News Miner published this excerpt:
"Andrew Halcro, a declared independent candidate from Anchorage, came
armed with statistics on agricultural productivity. Sarah Palin, a
Republican from Wasilla, said the Matanuska Valley provides a positive
example for other communities interested in agriculture to study."
On April 18, 2006, Palin and I sat together in a hotel coffee shop
comparing campaign trail notes. As we talked about the debates, Palin
made a comment that highlights the phenomenon that Biden is up
against.
"Andrew, I watch you at these debates with no notes, no papers, and
yet when asked questions, you spout off facts, figures, and policies,
and I'm amazed. But then I look out into the audience and I ask
myself, 'Does any of this really matter?' " Palin said.
While policy wonks such as Biden might cringe, it seemed to me that
Palin was simply vocalizing her strength without realizing it. During
the campaign, Palin's knowledge on public policy issues never matured
-- because it didn't have to. Her ability to fill the debate halls
with her presence and her gift of the glittering generality made it
possible for her to rely on populism instead of policy.
Palin is a master of the nonanswer. She can turn a 60-second response
to a query about her specific solutions to healthcare challenges into
a folksy story about how she's met people on the campaign trail who
face healthcare challenges. All without uttering a word about her
public-policy solutions to healthcare challenges.
In one debate, a moderator asked the candidates to name a bill the
legislature had recently passed that we didn't like. I named one.
Democratic candidate Tony Knowles named one. But Sarah Palin instead
used her allotted time to criticize the incumbent governor, Frank
Murkowski. Asked to name a bill we did like, the same pattern emerged:
Palin didn't name a bill.
And when she does answer the actual question asked, she has a canny
ability to connect with the audience on a personal level. For example,
asked to name a major issue that had been ignored during the campaign,
I discussed the health of local communities, Mr. Knowles talked about
affordable healthcare, and Palin talked about ... the need to protect
hunting and fishing rights.
So what does that mean for Biden? With shorter question-and-answer
times and limited interaction between the two, he should simply ignore
Palin in a respectful manner on the stage and answer the questions as
though he were alone. Any attempt to flex his public-policy knowledge
and show Palin is not ready for prime time will inevitably cast him in
the role of the bully.
On the other side of the stage, if Palin is to be successful, she
needs to do what she does best: fill the room with her presence and
stick to the scripted sound bites.
AlterNet is a nonprofit organization and does not make political
endorsements. The opinions expressed by its writers are their own.
Andrew Halcro served two terms as a Republican member of the Alaska
State House of Representatives. He ran for governor as an Independent
in 2006, debating Sarah Palin more than two dozen times. He blogs at
andrewhalcro.com.