Obama had nothing bad to say about Sarah Palin last night...Why?

[Terran]

He was handed the opportunity by the moderator. He could have easily brought up the abuse of power finding, at a minimum--that's something that is objective and can't be spun (short of lying to the camera like she does).

So what's up with that? Strategy? Does not saying it call attention to it better than saying it? Was he just being polite?

[chelsea0011]

1. Because he is a class act.

[spanone]

41. yep

no need to go in the gutter

[babylonsister]

2. She's not worth his time or attention; he's remaining above the fray,

and didn't take the cheap shot. I love that about Obama.

[alcibiades_mystery]

3. She's irrelevant

[begin_within]

4. Why lower himself to her level?

It seemed more presidential for him to stay on message, and give a polite but perfunctory answer to that question.

[TooRaLoo]

5. The attack schtick is working just fine against McStain.

Obama wasn't about to put himself in that category.

[budkin]

6. No benefit... let everyone else tear her down as they already are (Tina Fey)

[baldguy]

7. He's a gentleman.

And Palin is doing a fine job of imploding all by herself. She doesn't need his help.

[Jennicut]

8. She is meaningless except as an albatross around McInsane's neck.

He has to explain her, not Obama.

[MamaDem]

9. Why feed the monster when he's eating himself alive on his own. nt

[BklynChick]

10. she's a dot, and barely that. I thought it was a great move.

[SmokingJacket]

11. The abuse of power thing was probably a bit too mushy for him.

McCain could have countered it with the "within her rights" stuff.

I think Obama has a real distaste for going negative, or of appearing even slightly nasty. It's working for him, I think.

[RoadRage]

12. NOPE - he played that picture perfectly...

He said (and didn't say) exactly the right thing. I'll let the American voters decide. She already has an approval rating of about 35%. No need for the black guy to beat up on the white woman... it doesn't look good.. it gives Palin a talking point at the next stump speech and everyone already knows what they need to know about her.

Great Job Obama.. very presidential.

[yellowcanine]

13. Because he is not running against Sarah Palin?

[Terran]

22. Well, there was a specific question from the mod

about running mates. McCain was critical of Biden. It just struck me how un-critical Obama was.

[Kajsa]

38. He really didn't have much good to say about Palin, either.

He did mention she was " capable", but hell,
so are my cats.

In fact, my cats probably have better qualifications to
run for office.

:)

[yellowcanine]

39. And he answered the question. No need for him to do more.

The question was really about them making the case for their own VP pick anyway, which Obama did handily.

[Terran]

53. Yes he did.

:)

[jberryhill]

14. He said she was a "great politician" and appeals to "a base of the republican party"

I thought that was hilarious.

Translation: "She's a liar, and only crazy people think she's qualified."

[Terran]

17. Yep, I noticed that too.

Damning her with faint praise, lol!

[mamalone]

25. Exactly!

I loved that.. hee hee hee

[Arkansas Granny]

51. Yes, he did do that. I thought his response was just right.

[riqster]

60. Or, 'Praised her with faint Damns' nt

[Kerrytravelers]

15. It was a smart move on Obama's part. He has to show a calm and cool demeanor and temperment.

He did that.

[AlCzervik]

16. He marginalized her imo and he did it with that "Eloquence" McCain hates so much.

[renie408]

18. Because now when they attack him, they look like assholes. n/t

[donco6]

19. Any negative comment would have been used against him.

"He's picking on a GIRL!"

That path is radioactive.

[Terran]

30. That's why I thought the abuse of power finding might be

mentioned. It can't very well be seen as picking on her since it originated from her home state, and from fellow repubs.

[book_worm]

20. He doesn't have to. She's exposed herself without Obama having to do it.

It was well played.

[mamalone]

"She's a umm.... very capable... ahhhh.....

politician"

I think that is pretty much an insult, don't you? It sounded like he was struggling to be gracious, yet honest, and eventually came up with the fact that she is a basically competent politician. She's really beneath him is the impression I got. Frankly, it was one of my favorite moments of the debate.

[ClarkUSA]

21. He did it subtly... by refusing to say she was qualified to take over as president.

He dissed her by saying she was a "capable politician."

[Left Is Write]

37. Yep. "Capable politician" was pretty telling. I thought it was a great line!

[ClarkUSA]

55. Yeah, I grinned when he said it, because I know Miss Piggy was pissed off watching him say it.

And there she was, attacking him with renewed venom and malice this morning, as if her favorables could go any lower. :)

[JBoy]

23. It was a brilliant move. Most people know she's a tool, and Obama gave them all credit for that.

To me it's a reflection of Obama's attitude of treating people like adults. He'll be expecting a contribution and a little sacrifice from everyone, and that can start with raising expectations on the public's intelligence.

[TwilightGardener]

24. He's being gracious, and also not giving her more attention and credibility than is warranted.

She's way out of her league, both politically and intellectually--so he humors her rather than treating her like a threat.

[patrice]

26. His attention would be a reward. Believe me, it's MUCH worse to be 0

[youthere]

27. Because he had nothing to gain by it. BUT did you catch what he DID say?

"Clearly she's a very capable....*long pause*....politician"

I nearly fell off the couch laughing. If only he would have said "Bless her heart".

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

28. It was brilliant on his part, even though I clenched my teeth the whole time. I did yell out loud

when he praised her for her work with special needs kids. Yes, she's worked to make life miserable for them. She cut her budget for them and homeless pregnant teens.

[Terran]

32. I was gritting my teeth too! during his answer I was growling

at the tv, "Say it! Say it! Say it!". Ah, but that's why he's running fro prez and not me...apparently he's wiser than I am, lol. :dunce:

[jberryhill]

46. Obama has done that a couple of times

Like praising McCain's "support" of early childhood education, and his "stand against torture".

McCain voted against full funding of Head Start, and caved on torture.

McCain knows that.

Palin knows she hasn't done jack shit for special needs, and cut funding for the Special Olympics among other things.

They both know that the "good stuff" Obama is saying about them isn't really true.

That's gotta burn. The "fact check" folks should look into what Obama said when he was praising non-accomplishments. How would that look?

[shaniqua6392]

29. Why would he give them any ammunition?

Her poll numbers are tanking every time she opens her mouth. If Obama said anything about her, it would only bring out the idiots who will come to her defense. She is irrelevant.

[qanda]

31. Because that would have ended up the story

And Obama is so smart. Palin is a non-story. I thought his answer was perfect.

[freestyle]

33. Don't get in the way when your opponents are destroying themselves.

Palin is doing a great job fading into irrelevance on her own. The abuse of power finding is public record that can be amplified if need be. But, the portion of voters that approve of her or think she's qualified is steadily dropping, so why splash in her mud puddle.

[Alter Ego]

34. It's called being classy and being cagey.

Think about it. Do you really want to hear Moose Princess' new screed on the stump for the next few weeks about how Obama thinks she's an inept fool?

[endarkenment]

35. because she does her own nasty self in all on her own

Obama looked calm collected in command and presidential. McCain looked like an out of it erratic old man.

Obama let McCain go as nasty as he wanted to go while Obama talked to the audience about how intelligent people in charge of the nation could do positive things to make their lives better.

[olegramps]

36. Sarah and the AIP

I believe that her and her husband's connection to the AIP is a major issue that has not been properly reported to the American people. It is not a minor issue when these people what to actually secede Alaska from the United States and their founder said the most vile things about our country.

For me it is analogous to the failure of the major media sources to inform the citizens of the Bush administrations direct ties to the PNAC neo-cons who were determined to invade Iraq. The vast majority of the of so-called journalists are a pack of disgraceful kiss asses.

[Rainbowreflect]

40. I think his comment that it was up to the American people to

decide if she was qualified was perfect. To me he was saying that most people are smart enough to know she is completely unqualified.

[PRETZEL]

42. I agee with that,

he did a masterful job of explaining Sen. Biden's bonafides.

McCain took all of 10 seconds to explain Gov. Palin's.

'nuff said.

[myrna minx]

43. She is doing just fine making a fool out of herself. He didn't need to go gutter dancing with McCain

and Palin, demonstrating what a gentleman he is.

[bigwillq]

44. Obama is classy, and a gentleman.

There was no need to go negative. He is better than that.

Yes, Obama played it safe. But he didn't need to attack. He's winning and he didn't need a major gaffe. Obama did fine, imo.

[Jawja]

45. Obama did the right thing by not

attacking Palin when given the chance. Notice McCain's response? He laid into Joe Biden. McCain came across as a sniveling attack dog following Obama's grace.

[anonymous171]

47. THE UPPITY BLACK MAN IS ATTACKING OUR WHITE WOMMIN!

That is why.

[kwolf68]

48. Palin = Non Issue

She is beneath Obama in terms of depth, intellect, understand, knowledge, experience, wisdom, thoughfulness...

[Deep13]

49. He's afraid that cheap shots will make him look bad.

Kind of like the way the whole terrorist pal thing made McC look desperate.

[MatthewStLouis]

50. Obama is focused on the real issues: the economy and jobs.

[nyhuskyfan]

52. This is basically what Obama said

Sarah Palin is a capable politician, she's a carbon-based life form, and she is eligible for the census.

[Terran]

54. *snarf*

I'm not so sure about the carbon-based life form part...there's something twilight zoney about her, makes me think she might be silicon-based. :evilgrin:

[Hepburn]

56. I believe it is called "damning with faint praise." n/t

[undeterred]

57. She appeals to "the base".

The very base, that is.

[FVZA_Colonel]

58. I understand why he didn't, but it would have been hard for me to resist

mentioning Troopergate.

[quakerboy]

59. Why bother

she is below him. She inspires even the apathetic to fear the Republic ticket.

My aunt has been listening to my drunken racist uncle. she has been talking for some time about not being excited about either candidate. Palin stood up and said she would instantly balance the budget. My aunt said "she must think I'm an idiot". And thus another Obama voter was created.

[Raine]

61. Obama has CLASS plus he is running against McINSANE

not Palin, she's irrelevant.

[Poseidan]

62. because women's lib was only 50 years ago

Too many older women still don't believe in equality. Me, on the other hand, someone born post-lib, will call a ho and ho and not think twice. Why is chivalry dead? Women's lib.