THE STRATEGIST

Posted at 6:49 a.m. ET

Profound in its conception, overwhelming in its scope, based on vast experience and cunning, Joe Biden leaves us breathless as he outlines - reported by Ben Smith at the Politico - his strategy for debating Sarah Palin.  He spoke at fundraising events:

"I'm not into the small bore stuff. I don't care whether or not she built a bridge to nowhere. I don't care if she sold a plane," Biden said at the first event. "What I care about is what in God's name is she going to do - along with John McCain - about the thousands of people who don't have health care," those struggling with other economic problems, and the foreign policy challenges facing the country, Biden said.

"What I'm going to try to do, what I'm going to try to do very hard is to focus on the issues," Biden said.

"Folks look, I know what she's going to try to do. She's going to try to make it as personal as she can. She's going to take a lot of straight lefts and jabs at me, she's going to try to get me to respond, she's going to try to get me to respond in a personal way. That's not my style. I'm not going to do it."

He added that Gov. Granholm of Michigan has agreed to spend four days with him to help prepare for the Oct. 8 VP debate.

Uh, yeah.

Senator Biden, on this issue of health care, what have you been doing about it in your six terms in the Senate?

Uh, Senator Biden, how do you defend your foreign-policy record, considering the fact that you opposed virtually everything the United States has done successfully since you entered the Senate, including opposing Ronald Reagan's ending of the Cold War and the recent surge in Iraq?

Oh, and Senator Biden, with all that experience, why do you need Governor Granholm to help you - for four days?  Are you afraid of debating a female candidate?

And Senator Biden, what kind of a leader gives away his whole strategy because he can't keep his mouth shut?

September 10, 2008.