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# Obama-Biden camp plays the expectations game
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/obama-biden-camp-plays-the-expectations-game/
- Published: 2008-10-02T21:10:41.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:41:47.000Z
- Author: Karl Smyth
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:49

Given Sarah Palin's recent string of media blunders-dubbed by insiders in the McCain campaign as a "[borderline disaster](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14220.html?ref=opendemocracy.net)"-it comes as no surprise that the Democrats are fervently seeking to raise the relatively low expectations surrounding Palin's performance and pre-empt a Republican upset by praising the Alaska Governor's debating skills right up to the very start of tonight's debate in St. Louis. Speaking to the [press](http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/10/obama%5Fcamp%5Fpalin%5Fone%5Fof%5Fthe%5Fbe.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) this evening, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe described Palin as "one of the best debaters in American politics." Plouffe's comments mirror similar statements by chief Obama strategist [David Axelrod](http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/democrats-on-hi.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) and Palin's opponent in the debate itself Senator [Joe Biden](http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/29/obama-biden-camp-hype-palin%E2%80%99s-debating-skills/?ref=opendemocracy.net).