Less Than An Hour Away

In just under 45 minutes, the only Vice Presidential debate of 2008 will begin in my beloved hometown.  TV ratings for the first Presidential debate proed somewhat lackluster.  Tonight's Palin-Biden showdown will be through the roof.  It wouldn't surprise me if it were double.

Of course, the lefties will say that Biden won "hands down".  The FauxNewsers will squeal in delight that Mrs Palin "knocked it out of the park".

And most likely, Mrs Palin will rebound from what has been a disastrous couple weeks, shine up her folksy phrasings, and glisten under the bright lights of the Big City.  She will unleash a tart tongue here and there.  She will laugh and chortle, maybe even guffaw. She will be Everyone's Favorite PTA Mom. She will seem vulnerable and hurt at one point. But she won't speak anything deeper than the trite sloganeering. She will attack King Obama and swoon for Her War Hero. 

Biden needs to hold his tongue, check his wit. And be calm and quiet and reasonable.  One thing we have seen out of PalinFest 2008 is that she cannot handle silence. She continues to spew her slogans when the conversation hits a lull. She repeats them endlessly and cheerfully. She doesn't answer questions, she just talks.  And the more one listens, the more badly it comes across.  There's nothing wrong with a quick slogan here and there. But anyone who just repeats trite, cute comments is generally dismissed.

Then again, it worked for George W Bush.