No Debate: Palin's Improving
Category: Blog - October 06, 2008
Now a full 24-hour-news-cycle and a weekend behind us, the much-anticipated debate between Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin has come and gone. But let's be Monday night quarterbacks for a minute, along with the rest of the nation throwing up posts on Twitter, blogging every moment and analyzing from the sofa during the post-debate coverage.
Sounds like a lot of people were impressed right out of the gate. Somewhat unfortunate is that many of us were impressed solely by the fact that Gov. Palin's recent media interviews set the bar increasingly lower. So, previously she may not have been able to think up her local newspaper in response to Katie Couric's inquiry on what type of newspapers she reads, or talk about Supreme Court rulings, or discuss foreign policy beyond Alaska's relation to Russia, but at Thursday's debate against Sen. Joe Biden she was able to communicate congenially and colloquially. She was able to gain back the support of some of those voters who were a little tired and increasingly concerned with what they saw during the Katie Couric/Sarah Palin soaps. (And, sounds like quite a few women were drawn into her lipstick - yet again. No really, people want to know where she got that great shade of lipstick]. For what that's worth.)
What contributed to the improved Palin (besides the lipstick)? Lack of the media "filter" we've all heard so much about? Studying in a relaxed atmosphere on the ranch? Cramming? Like straight-back-to-college cramming? That works, says one memory expert, Mark McDaniel, Professor of Psychology at Washington University:
"Cramming is a useful technique if one is only worried about bringing that information to mind immediately in the next day or so. If one wants to bring the information to mind over the long term, it's not the best technique. If one wants to be able to be facile with bringing that information to mind under stress, such as in a debate, under a nationally televised audience, cramming may not necessarily be the best technique."
CNN's Paul Begala suggests otherwise. In his article on how to win a debate, the number 4 rule stands: Don't Cram. But there are other factors to taking the lead, like familiarity and creating a moment. Wink, wink.
Whatever media coaching technique, suggestion or outside influence that may have played a role, mainstream media and bloggers alike proclaimed that she, for the most part, redeemed herself from the last few weeks - particularly in terms of her presence and confidence.
All and all, with Gov. Sarah's new performance and no outlandish gaffes from Sen. Joe, this proved to be a decent, enjoyable debate.
Katharine Mudra
Account Manager
P.S. Extra! While talking politics, Obama shows up strong once again in the social media and mobile phone world. He's launched an iPhone app.
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