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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Biden and Palin prepare for TV clash | Biden and Palin prepare for TV clash |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| By Max Deveson BBC News, Washington | By Max Deveson BBC News, Washington |
| Sarah Palin has been lying low at a McCain family ranch in Arizona since Monday, surrounded by senior campaign aides. | Sarah Palin has been lying low at a McCain family ranch in Arizona since Monday, surrounded by senior campaign aides. |
| Both candidates have large preparation teams working with them | Both candidates have large preparation teams working with them |
| Meanwhile, Joe Biden has been practising his lines with Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan. | Meanwhile, Joe Biden has been practising his lines with Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan. |
| The vice-presidential candidates are engaged in intensive preparations for Thursday's hotly anticipated TV debate. | The vice-presidential candidates are engaged in intensive preparations for Thursday's hotly anticipated TV debate. |
| This will be their only public match-up, and both candidates know that this is their big chance to define themselves to the public. | This will be their only public match-up, and both candidates know that this is their big chance to define themselves to the public. |
| One gaffe could make them a national laughing stock and drag down their ticket; one killer line could resonate with voters and change the course of the election. | One gaffe could make them a national laughing stock and drag down their ticket; one killer line could resonate with voters and change the course of the election. |
| Is Sarah Palin still the darling of the right? | Is Sarah Palin still the darling of the right? |
| So how do candidates prepare for a debate? | So how do candidates prepare for a debate? |
| Trusted team | Trusted team |
| Bob Bennett has helped Democratic candidates with their debate preparations in almost every election year since 1976. | Bob Bennett has helped Democratic candidates with their debate preparations in almost every election year since 1976. |
| "Every candidate has their own system," he says. "You need to tailor the process. | "Every candidate has their own system," he says. "You need to tailor the process. |
| "And a candidate who has taken in part in 20 debates during the primaries will prepare differently from someone who has never done a debate." | "And a candidate who has taken in part in 20 debates during the primaries will prepare differently from someone who has never done a debate." |
| Geraldine Ferraro punched me several times during debate prep Bob BennettDemocratic Party adviser class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7646243.stm">Gaffe-prone candidates class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7643879.stm">Palin's Alaska debating style class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7643879.stm">The test for Palin | |
| Of the two candidates, it is Joe Biden who has had more national debating practice - he took part in a number of debates during his failed bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. | Of the two candidates, it is Joe Biden who has had more national debating practice - he took part in a number of debates during his failed bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. |
| Mrs Palin has no experience of debating at this level - although she did debate with her rivals when she ran for the Alaska governorship in 2006. | Mrs Palin has no experience of debating at this level - although she did debate with her rivals when she ran for the Alaska governorship in 2006. |
| Practice | Practice |
| Although individual candidates differ in their approaches, most will begin their preparation by assembling a team made up of political aides and policy experts. | Although individual candidates differ in their approaches, most will begin their preparation by assembling a team made up of political aides and policy experts. |
| In the early stages, the team will sit round a table discussing likely questions and trying out possible answers. | In the early stages, the team will sit round a table discussing likely questions and trying out possible answers. |
| The advisers' role ranges from assessing the candidate's answers to actually drafting word-for-word responses to be used in the debate itself. | The advisers' role ranges from assessing the candidate's answers to actually drafting word-for-word responses to be used in the debate itself. |
| As the day of the debate nears, the candidate takes part in mock debates, with the role of the candidate's opponent being played by a trusted colleague. | As the day of the debate nears, the candidate takes part in mock debates, with the role of the candidate's opponent being played by a trusted colleague. |
| Advisers on presentation will sit in, giving their thoughts on the candidate's appearance, and on how they are coming across. | Advisers on presentation will sit in, giving their thoughts on the candidate's appearance, and on how they are coming across. |
| Patronising | Patronising |
| This year, Mr Biden is preparing for the debate by going up against Michigan's Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm. | This year, Mr Biden is preparing for the debate by going up against Michigan's Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm. |
| Ms Granholm, and the Biden aides watching the debates, will no doubt be paying particular attention to how Mr Biden handles debating a woman. | Ms Granholm, and the Biden aides watching the debates, will no doubt be paying particular attention to how Mr Biden handles debating a woman. |
| Mr Biden's biggest worry might be that he will come across as a bully or a show-off if he disputes Mrs Palin's answers, or patronising if he ignores any potential Palin mistakes. | Mr Biden's biggest worry might be that he will come across as a bully or a show-off if he disputes Mrs Palin's answers, or patronising if he ignores any potential Palin mistakes. |
| In previous years, it was Bob Bennett's job to assume the role of the candidate's opponent. | In previous years, it was Bob Bennett's job to assume the role of the candidate's opponent. |
| He played George H W Bush for Geraldine Ferraro and Michael Dukakis, and Dick Cheney for Joe Lieberman and John Edwards. | He played George H W Bush for Geraldine Ferraro and Michael Dukakis, and Dick Cheney for Joe Lieberman and John Edwards. |
| Sometimes playing a candidate's opponent got him into trouble. | Sometimes playing a candidate's opponent got him into trouble. |
| Mrs Palin has been honing her debating skills in Arizona | Mrs Palin has been honing her debating skills in Arizona |
| "When you're arguing really hard against your candidate, they can get annoyed," he says. | "When you're arguing really hard against your candidate, they can get annoyed," he says. |
| "Geraldine Ferraro punched me several times during debate prep." | "Geraldine Ferraro punched me several times during debate prep." |
| Ms Granholm did tell reporters last week that she "wants to beat [Joe Biden] up a little bit, so he does well", but we can be pretty sure she was talking metaphorically. | Ms Granholm did tell reporters last week that she "wants to beat [Joe Biden] up a little bit, so he does well", but we can be pretty sure she was talking metaphorically. |
| And Mrs Palin is being trained for her debate by Brett O'Donnell, who coaches the debating team at Liberty University, a Christian college in Virginia, so there are unlikely to be any punches thrown at her preparation sessions either. | And Mrs Palin is being trained for her debate by Brett O'Donnell, who coaches the debating team at Liberty University, a Christian college in Virginia, so there are unlikely to be any punches thrown at her preparation sessions either. |
| 'Finger-pointing' | 'Finger-pointing' |
| Since Monday, she has been undergoing intensive debate tuition with Mr O'Donnell at John McCain's ranch in Sedona, Arizona. | Since Monday, she has been undergoing intensive debate tuition with Mr O'Donnell at John McCain's ranch in Sedona, Arizona. |
| Also present are senior McCain aides like campaign manager Steve Schmidt and foreign policy adviser Randy Scheuneman. | Also present are senior McCain aides like campaign manager Steve Schmidt and foreign policy adviser Randy Scheuneman. |
| Mr O'Donnell will be "undoing" some of Mrs Palin's earlier debate preparation, according to the Wall Street Journal, which had resulted in her producing "rote" responses. | Mr O'Donnell will be "undoing" some of Mrs Palin's earlier debate preparation, according to the Wall Street Journal, which had resulted in her producing "rote" responses. |
| She "flubbed quasi-mock debates" last week, the newspaper alleges, leading to "finger-pointing" within the McCain campaign. | She "flubbed quasi-mock debates" last week, the newspaper alleges, leading to "finger-pointing" within the McCain campaign. |
| Her advisers will work with her this week "to make sure her responses use 'her words'", the newspaper quotes an aide as saying. | Her advisers will work with her this week "to make sure her responses use 'her words'", the newspaper quotes an aide as saying. |
| Whichever words she ends up using on Thursday, this year's debate will be one of the most fascinating nights of the campaign so far. | Whichever words she ends up using on Thursday, this year's debate will be one of the most fascinating nights of the campaign so far. |
| Fascinating partly because it will not just be the two running-mates battling it out up there on stage - but also the large teams of debate coaches, presentation advisers and policy experts that they represent. | Fascinating partly because it will not just be the two running-mates battling it out up there on stage - but also the large teams of debate coaches, presentation advisers and policy experts that they represent. |
| The BBC will be streaming the Biden-Palin debate live on its website from 0100 GMT on 3 October, with live running commentary and further analysis from our correspondents in St Louis and Washington. | The BBC will be streaming the Biden-Palin debate live on its website from 0100 GMT on 3 October, with live running commentary and further analysis from our correspondents in St Louis and Washington. |