Is anyone surprised they want special treatment?

The New York Times reports that "at the insistence of the McCain campaign," the October 2 debate between Republican Gov. Sarah Palin and her Democratic rival, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., will have "shorter question-and-answer segments than those for the presidential nominees." Campaign advisers said there also will be "much less opportunity for free-wheeling, direct exchanges" between the running mates.

McCain advisers expressed concern that "a loose format" could leave Palin, "an inexperienced debater, at a disadvantage and largely on the defensive." The Times indicated the wrangling was chiefly between the McCain-Palin camp and the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which is sponsoring the forums.

Commission members wanted a relaxed format including time for unpredictable questioning and challenges between the vice-presidential candidates. On Wednesday, the commission unanimously rejected a proposal sought by Palin-McCain advisers to Palin to have the moderator ask questions and the candidates answer, with no time for unfettered exchanges. Advisers to Biden say they were comfortable with either format.

It's a wonder the Palin-McCain campaign didn't ask for preferential treatment because Palin's a woman, as much as they keep playing the gender card. I'm betting all the "kid glove" treatment won't keep Palin from looking like the inexperienced, clueless-on-foreign-policy and unqualified candidate she is.

Frank Rich has written an excellent article about John McCain's history of economic malpractice and campaign spin.

Joe Klein at Time magazine derides McCain's idea to "fix" our health insurance system. "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation," McCain said in an article in Contingencies magazine, a publication of the American Academy of Actuaries. In other words, our health insurance could be in the same mess as our economy, if we followed McCain's advice.

Klein writes:

"One of the big differences between the old John McCain and the current edition is that the old one (1) would admit error and (2) would admit there were things he didn't know. That was a good part of his charm. The current edition--a parody of the worst sort of political flim-flam artist--not only lies about his own positions, but attempts to camouflage those lies by mischaracterizing his opponent's positions. It is appropriate, then, that the American Academy of Actuaries--a group devoted to the precise calculation of death rates--has exposed McCain's extravagant fraudulence of the past week for what it was."

And the McCain campaign's interference with Alaskan state government continues to raise eyebrows.

Comments

[Nancy]

Is there a petition we can sign? I think the American public has a right to hear the candidates speak on all issues. What has happened to democracy?

Palin called Clinton a "whiner" and now the McCain people want special treatment because they're afraid she'll get confused? This is wrong! (but so is refusing to obey a court order and they seem to be getting away with that!) Are voters that stupid? Everything she says is scripted, prepared and memorized. Why not simply have Palin write the questions? Would that be fair enough? I didn't want to vote for Obama, but now I feel I have no choice in the matter. The McCain/Palin is an insult to our intelligence.

[Christina]

Wow! Sara Palin seems as though she is changing the rules of the game. What happened to she wants to be treated just like the men. Hmmm

[Bobbi Rightmyer]

Joe Biden is going to chew Sarah Palin up and spit her out again - I can't wait!! Boo hoo - poor baby wants to run for Veep, but we aren't supposed to ask her hard questions! Give me a break! I'll give her respect when she is deservant of respect.

[JanePoet ~ JP/deb]

Palin is wearing thin - and it will only get worse.

(whoo hoo!)

JP/deb

[Judy in KY]

Totally unbelievable... I feel like we are living in some kind of "Dr. Strangelove" movie! These people can not be real, can they? Tell me it's all a joke! (But, it's not funny!)

[Diane Bronstein]

They want to make this easier for Palin... are they crazy.... like the real world job she is running for is going to be easy... what is the old saying "make the child ready for the world because you can not change the world for the child". She is running for the office of Vice President of the US. And we have to make this gentler for the person who wants to go to war with Russia over Georgia.... If she can't handle a real debate then why, oh why, should anyone in their right mind vote for her?

[pam aries]

hi Tara,,, whew! This campaign is ridiculous, isn't it ? Why ..oh WHY ..can't candidates just stand on their issues and address the problems of this country and the resolutions they propose and THAT"s all! aieeee

[Colette]

Inexperienced debater???? We all know that's not the real reason. The real reason is that her knowledge is limited, very limited. She has no experience, period.

[Amy berriehead]

this is unacceptable! If you can't stand the "heat" get out of the kitchen! She does not and should NOT get any special treatment! I am completely sick of her and her grandpa mccain always crying about something.

[My Mélange]

Are you freaking kidding me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought she wanted to be treated fairly and equally!!???? I though she called Hillary Clinton a *whiner*?

This is getting pathetic now. If she is an inexperienced debater....she should have not accepted the job. Period.

Cry me a river Barbie! This is not the local PTA..this is the VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

[Lynne]

Your last line sums this up.
I have visible chills whenever I see, hear, or think her name.

(This is "Gel"- I'm not sure if your name was included on my first notification of change of blog & email addresses plus name. I have several lists to update people.)

I still love your beautiful headers and that you change it periodically so we can delight in your photographic and design talent!)

I wasn't able to make it to blogher. Hope you had a blast!