Waiting for Sarah Palin and Joe Biden to do battle tonight seems to many of my friends to be a dedication to the cause beyond the call of duty; but everybody knows that joe Biden will kick her ass into next and two days. Right?
The thing is, i’m not so sure this is going to be a cut and dried race, because this race is now so completely polarising. Democrats will walk away from tonight’s debate certain that the senior senator from Delaware kicked the upstart’s ass, and Republicans will (probably) walk away in the sure knowledge that Sarah punched a hole right through the glass ceiling and half way to Number One Observatory Circle.
Unfortunately, like many important matches, this is either going to be a blood bath or as dull as ditch water; either Joe Biden will make up another life story for himself, or he’ll open up with a hail of gaffe-flak. What should (and it gives me no pleasure to say this) be a convincing rout of the inexperienced Alaskan Governor could (it does please me to say this) turn into an EPIC FAIL.
Of course, we have no idea how bad Palin will be; it could be she’s spent the past few weeks sequestered fromt he media being pumped with useful debate winning lines and anecdotes, though you’d have thought some of that would have been on show against Katie Couric. It could be an opportunity for her warmth and repartee to shine through, and make mincemeat of Biden’s apparent inability to stay silent about issues on which he disagrees with his boss.
I’m putting money on a balanced, boring exchange with all supporters convinced their guy/gal won. I’m absolutely hoping I’m wrong, and that Palin wipes the floor with the simpering cretin. But part of me thinks that this will be like a train wreck, that both of them will screw up, and that the whole race will be thrown back where it should legitimately be; McCain vs Obama, fair and square. Now that would give us something to blog about.
