Biden Should Worry About Himself

Over at Daily Kos, "risk communications specialists" Peter Sandman and Jody Lanard advise Joe Biden to openly discuss the ethical dilemnas posed by debating someone as uninformed as Sarah Palin.

Talk about disastrous.

What Biden should do is very clear. Most importantly, Biden should worry about his performance rather than Palin's. Biden should focus on making the Obama's campaign's points about the financial meltdown, Afghanistan, Iraq, and health care in as clear, distinct, and personable way as possible. That's his main job. If he wants to obsess over someone's weaknesses, Biden should obsess about his own tendencies to over-verbalize and get away from his main point.

Representing the lead candidate's views in an attractive way is the most important job of any vice-presidential candidate. Biden should focus on making sure he does that job well.

But what about Palin?

Well, what about Palin? Why should Biden focus on her at all? McCain's the guy running for president?

That's why Biden should focus primarily on McCain. When Biden's critical, his focus should be on being critical of McCain rather than Palin. When he disagrees with Palin, he should explain his disagreement as a disagreement with John McCain's policies. When he thinks Palin is saying something dangerous, Biden should explain why McCain would be such a dangerous president.

So what does Biden do when Palin has a huge flub that reveals her ignorance?

In most circumstances, nothing.

In other words, Biden shouldn't comment on the embarrassment at all. He should just express his opinion on the issue and outline his disagreement with Palin. If the circumstances do call for correcting Palin on facts, Biden should just correct her without trying to make her look worse.

If Palin is going to self-destruct, she won't need any help from Joe Biden.

Biden has other things he needs to worry about.