The debate liberals have been hoping for

Jamelle Bouie recently lamented that liberals continually fall into the trap of focusing on crafting good policy arguments, while what wins debates (and even elections) are appeals to ideals and principles. This common refrain among progressives echoes sociologist George Lakoff’s work on Democrats’ seeming failure to grasp the difference between messaging and framing.

I thought of Bouie and Lakeoff over the weekend when Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney made headlines by announcing Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan, chair of the House Budget Committee, as his running mate. Some have called the pick a game changer, using a phrase now inextricably linked to the last GOP vice presidential nominee, Sarah Palin.

That might be where the comparison ends. In 2008, some very public gaffes led to real doubt about Palin’s ability to handle even routine policy questions. Not so with Ryan. I can see the congressman stumping the “gotcha” media before they stump him. This time around, the vice presidential debate is circled on calendars because it portends to be a toe-to-toe intellectual affair (assuming Vice President Biden holds up his end of the deal). While Palin was sequestered from the media, I can imagine the Romney camp trotting out Ryan with gleeful abandon.