Two things on the agenda make this a very special Thursday for political junkies like me. Sarah Palin and Joe Biden meet in their one and only debate in St. Louis. This one has all the trappings and metaphor of a boxing match. Palin comes in with low expectations. If she holds her own, she wins. If Biden is seen as bullying her, she wins. If she can pronounce the name of one world leader (you see where I'm going with this?) she wins.
Joe Biden comes into the debate with most people believing he's better suited to be president than Palin, but at the same time less likable. Never underestimate likable. As head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he's fluent on issues that Palin appears to be just learning about.
Biden's best strategy is to take advantage of Palin's attempts to soft peddle her most extreme positions. When Katie Couric asked her about her position against abortion even in the case of rape or incest, she responded with some nonsense about counseling for life. Joe Biden needs to take advantage of that, and Palin's attempts to focus on Obama rather than him.
The other agenda item probably won't get finished until Friday, but is no less important. The House is taking up the bailout bill later today. After Monday's drama, an awful lot of people are hedging their bets on whether the Senate version passed last night will make it through the House. There are sweeteners for those Republicans who scuttled the bill Monday, but there are questions about whether all the Democrats who voted yes will do so Friday.
And then, of course, there are the American people. Many folks still aren't happy with this bill, in part because it hasn't been properly explained any better than the one voted down Monday. There is a profound lack of trust in this country. It extends from politicians, to bankers, to the media, and nobody wants to adjust their thinking to take it into account. That's too bad.
It will be here long after the current economic crisis is history.
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Some call it "sweeteners" and some call it "pork" (to members of Congress to get their vote,one by one, mainly Republicans, according to Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel winner in Economics;who says it's a bad bill, fix it later. Not sure I agree how possible "fixing" is.)
Some say it's "not explained well" and others say, "propaganda campaign for last 48 hrs. to change public opinion". (Source:media person from a group& I didn't write the url fast enough,sigh,on WBAI evening news, from a "vote no" group of people,last night). I hope the 95 House Dems, dissenters,can get something really good for the regular folks. Am ever hopeful.
PS Howard Zinn has article in today's Guardian and on CommonDreams about the bailout. We both think he is a great historian and fabulous radio guest (for good interviewers like Mark Riley).
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