Because the cable and network television stations did not show a split screen of the debate, most viewers could not see that, during Joe Biden’s answers, Palin spent almost all her time looking down and studiously reading her notes. But viewers did see that when Palin delivered her answers, she would repeatedly glance down to check her talking points.
ThinkProgress has compiled a video documenting some of the instances where it was clear to the audience that Palin was propped up by written responses.
What's outrageous is that I actually questioned my judgment and bias when I mentioned last night that it looked like she was reading off cards. I couldn't fathom her reading off cue cards she'd have hidden in her jacket.
Submitted by fruitlady (not verified) on 3 October 2008 - 3:39pm.
One of the first things I said at the debate party last night was, "Is she using a teleprompter?" I think it was the weird way she stared and talked right into the camera the whole time couple with the very scripted responses. I did notice her reading her cards and also making notes on them from time to time.
Submitted by Kady (not verified) on 3 October 2008 - 3:44pm.
I would be interested if anyone can confirm this. It seems that it is also possible that she was taking notes while Biden was speaking and double-checking her notes when she was speaking. (Obama does this quite often in his debates.)
It would be appalling to learn that they allowed her to take pre-scripted answers up to the podium with her.
Submitted by Tierney (not verified) on 3 October 2008 - 3:48pm.
I noticed when she stepped up to the podium & Biden got the first question, Palin furiously wrote notes for the first 2 or 3 minutes. Reminded me of when I used to take math tests and dump all the equations I could remember on a scrap piece of paper to refer to later. Needless to say, I am not a mathematician now and Gov. Palin should not be VP.
Submitted by EYES OF TEXAS (not verified) on 3 October 2008 - 4:37pm.
Every politician, including Obama, has speech writers, and often read from a teleprompter. What's the big deal that Governor Palin does the exact same things? If all your petty criticisms could all be rolled together, it wouldn't amount to anything except a dislike of her stealing Obamas spotlight. The world is abuzz about a relatively unknown woman on the McCain ticket. Sort of like another unknown that popped up out of nowhere to run for the Presidency. Sarah Palin has really jerked a knot in the thongs of liberal Demoncraps everywhere. I would rather have a green V.P. in office than a trainee President like Obama.
The world is abuzz about a woman who seems, even in a right wing friendly environment like Couric's show, way, way out of her league to the point of stupidity. Palin ranks around the level of Dan Quayle or George W. Bush when it comes to stupidity and America is sick of dumb-as-a-post Republicans.
You seem so eager to defend even the most corrupt, most inexperienced of Republicans and seem totally willing to justify every mistake, every bit of corruption and every failure the Republicans have forced on America in the past 8 years. Why? So many Republicans I know are mad as hell at what Bush has done to their party. Why do you accept corruption and failure so readily? Why aren't you joining Pete McClosky or Bob Barr or dozens of others who are rejecting the Bush/McCain/Palin corruption and failure? Just what do you think has been successfully accomplished in the past 8 years?
Submitted by Bernie (not verified) on 3 October 2008 - 5:25pm.
I watched the debate on C-SPAN where they used the split screen. It appeared as though they provided both candidates with a notepad to write ideas on. Both of them could be seen writing while the other talked, and at one point, while hockey mom was babbling on about something she'd learned only the night before, Biden wrote furiously, lifted the pad into camera view, flipped the page over and continued to write. When she shut up, he blew her away with responses to her erroneous answer.
It is common in most debating and public speaking situations to provide people with a note pad. Having said this, I do not know if the rules for this particular debate included the use of prepared notes perhaps left on the podium prior to the start.
Submitted by Microbio (not verified) on 14 November 2008 - 6:01am.
I watched the debate on C-SPAN where they used the split screen. It appeared as though they provided both candidates with a notepad to write ideas on. Both of them could be seen writing while the other talked, and at one point, while hockey mom was babbling on about something she'd learned only the night before, Biden wrote furiously, lifted the pad into camera view, flipped the page over and continued to write. When she shut up, he blew her away with responses to her erroneous answer.
How do you know the answer was erroneous if you didn't listen to any of it?
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cue cards
One of the first things I said at the debate party last night was, "Is she using a teleprompter?" I think it was the weird way she stared and talked right into the camera the whole time couple with the very scripted responses. I did notice her reading her cards and also making notes on them from time to time.