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The Vice-Prrrresidential debate thread
I know I'm not alone in really looking forward to this, probably more so than the two remaining Presidential debates. Joe Biden was the candidate I initially wanted to be president during the early primaries (with Obama as his VP funnily enough), and Sarah Palin brings the bile to my throat. And for once, the VP debate may actually mean something - there is a very real possibility that a Sarah Palin implosion could be the very moment you knew the McCain campaign was toast.
My worry is that the Obama camp aides will have instructed Biden to avoid appearing patronizing, and to keep the answers snappy - but I'm not sure what a Biden shorn of condescension and verbal windyness would even look like....I think it would be a mistake.
What I'd really like to see is him just let loose to do what he wants - no pulled punches or deferring to certain viewers sensitivities. The wind is at the back of the Obama campaign at the minute, and they ARE in the right about most of the issues - it may turn-off 2-3% of sensitive voters, but these are the type of voters that want an excuse not to vote for Obama anyway.
But in the process, if he does his job correctly and exposes the total ignorance Sarah Palin has not only regarding world affairs, but most domestic issues as well, then hopefully he'll gain at least as many undecided and moderate voters who realize just how dangerous a potential Palin executive position could be.
At the very least, I'd settle for a single Lloyd Bentsen-style smackdown of Palin that could be replayed ad nauseum for the remaining month of the campaign as a beacon of her total unsuitability - it's 90 long, unscripted minutes, so there's more than enough opportunity there.