According to earlier Obama campaign directive, we now have a flattering headline on Palin’s debate skills

On small stage, Palin scored big debate wins

It’s a nice break from the uninterrupted flow of attacks – and it has one clear purpose – to frame post-debate coverage. The first 2 paragraphs are quite clear

After delivering halting, unsteady performances in recent interviews with ABC’s Charlie Gibson and CBS’s Katie Couric, expectations are low for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in Thursday’s vice presidential debate in St. Louis.

Yet a review of Palin’s experience during her 2006 campaign for governor, when she engaged in a long series of debates with her opponents, suggests she is a more formidable adversary than is widely thought.

The article praises her past debate performance on 2 pages, giving the last word to Obama operatives:

Either way, the Obama-Biden campaign is at least outwardly approaching the debate with a healthy dose of caution.

“She’s spending a whole lot of time – hours and hours a day, apparently – preparing for this debate,” Plouffe said last weekend. “And we suspect that she’ll come in fighting form.”

New York Times of course does its job as Obama surrogate as well

Starts right with the insult while complaining of low expectations for her

Not since Dan Quayle took the stage in 1988 have debate expectations for a major party candidate been as low as they will be on Thursday for Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.

And then in their hallmark style every paragraph contradicts the preceding. But, nice try.

Of course, in past debates, Palin didn’t have moderators in so the tank for the other side as to have authored a book titled

The title of Ifill’s book? “Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama.”

It seems Iffil forgot to disclose that minor fact to the McCain campaign when they were negotiating debates.

Ifill’s profile there describes her as a longtime correspondent and moderator for national news programs and includes her service as moderator of the 2004 debate between Edwards and Cheney.

However, there’s no mention of her upcoming book. Nor does the website for the Commission on Presidential Debates, which is organizing the meetings of the candidates, mention her book.

This from the website

August 5, 2008, the CPD announced the four journalists who will moderate those debates: Jim Lehrer, Gwen Ifill, Tom Brokaw and Bob Schieffer.

Surely, by then she knew she was writing a book?

But, hey, the campaign which gets the media to change the name of the “bailout” into “rescue” can now get everyone to pull for “regular Joe” about to be savaged by a moose killer.

Update

I had to include this charming editorial from CNN’s Obama groupie Rolland Martin

Time for Palin to put up or shut up

He is a bit off message, if unintentionally parodying Obama with statements like:

The truth is, the nation doesn’t know much about Palin.

and

Thursday’s debate will not be read from a teleprompter.

Teleprompter? ya mean like this one?

Karma would require that they get what they wish for

Update

Digg has a campaign to replace Iffil – get the info and maybe digg up the story

Numbers to call
National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities Phone: (202) 785-8866
Fax: (202) 835-0003

And, the number of the Commission itself: (202) 872-1020