How to tackle Palin: use Biden not Clinton

As a Sarah Palin doll went on sale in North America – it comes in two models, Executive at $27.95 and Super Hero for $2 extra - Senator Hillary Clinton has begun campaigning on behalf of Barack Obama for the first time since the Governor of Alaska was revealed as the Republican vice-presidential candidate. However, as forecast on The First Post yesterday, Clinton refrained from explicitly attacking Palin. Appearing at a rally of several hundred people in Kissimmee, Florida, Clinton mentioned Palin by name only once, when she said: "To slightly paraphrase my comments from the convention: 'No way, no how, no McCain, no Palin'."

Howard Wolfson, Clinton’s former communications director, wrote an article beforehand for New Republic magazine explicitly stating that Clinton had no interest in being the Democratic Party’s special anti-Palin Weapon. "It’s not going to happen," he said. "It's not in Hillary Clinton's interest, and it’s certainly not in the interest of Barack Obama… Some might enjoy the spectacle, but don't expect Hillary Clinton to play along."

So it was down to Barack Obama, campaigning in Flint, Michigan to criticise Palin. He attacked her over the notorious "bridge to nowhere" project and her propensity for "pork-barrel" spending, before joking about her and McCain’s sudden decision to adopt Obama’s own "change" mantle: "Except for economic policy, tax policy, healthcare policy, education policy, foreign policy and Karl Rove politics, they're really going to shake things up in Washington," he said.

He also called the Alaskan governor’s biography "compelling" - prompting the crowd to boo. "No, it's an interesting story", he said. "I mean that sincerely. Mother, governor, moose shooter. That's cool stuff."

Many commentators believe that it will fall to Joe Biden, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, to take on the Palin phenomenon which, as the production of the dolls suggests, is no short-lived thing. Dahlia Lithwick, writing on Slate, says everybody knows Biden can "trounce" the Alaskan Governor in a debate - "but the rules for debating Palin are different". The main problem is this: "If you lecture her, you'll be seen as a sexist bully. If you act too smart, you'll be seen as a sexist bully. If you condescend to her, you'll be seen as a sexist bully."

So what is Biden to do? According to Lithwick: "Forget that she is a woman. Tell yourself that she is a machine in three-inch heels that has been programmed to make you look brutish and aggressive. She will attack, and you will smile. She will make jokes, and you will laugh." If you argue, you will lose, so just "nod sagely and refute logically".

FIRST POSTED SEPTEMBER 9, 2008