Man Palin is going to CRASH and burn come Thursday. How likely do you think it is that....

[Locut0s]

she will have a complete breakdown on stage, a la nervous break down / walk of the stage? I don't think it will go quite that far but I can picture it happening.

[pnwmom]

1. No one here thought she'd do well in her convention speech.

I think she'll be stronger than we expect, and that the MSM will be falling all over her afterwards -- how she surprised everyone, etc.

When really, by changing the debate rules to make it easier for her (short answers, no follow up questions), we've almost guaranteed that she'll have a decent performance.

I don't think we should have allowed them to change the rules for her, based on her inexperience. If she ends up being President, the rest of the world won't give her a break because she's cute and inexperienced in world affairs.

[Locut0s]

2. I wasn't aware that they changed the rules!! Wow that is unconscionable!

[pnwmom]

9. Here is more on the debate changes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/us/politics/21debate.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

The Obama and McCain campaigns have agreed to an unusual free-flowing format for the three televised presidential debates, which begin Friday, but the McCain camp fought for and won a much more structured approach for the questioning at the vice-presidential debate, advisers to both campaigns said Saturday.

At the insistence of the McCain campaign, the Oct. 2 debate between the Republican nominee for vice president, Gov. Sarah Palin, and her Democratic rival, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., will have shorter question-and-answer segments than those for the presidential nominees, the advisers said. There will also be much less opportunity for free-wheeling, direct exchanges between the running mates.

McCain advisers said they had been concerned that a loose format could leave Ms. Palin, a relatively inexperienced debater, at a disadvantage and largely on the defensive.

SNIP

[cali]

4. I actually thought her convention speech was lousy, but that's neither

here or there. However, I don't think there's a guarantee that she'll do a decent job of it- even with the sucky debate rules. She's about to step on stage in the middle of a crisis. She hasn't done well with Couric's simple and mild questions. She doesn't have a body of knowledge to draw on, and she won't be in front of an adoring crowd. She may do better than the very low expectations for her here, but that may well not be enough.

[and-justice-for-all]

6. It was good for a cheerleader...

not anyone with a political skills, even though is a pretty good liar.

[Wapsie B]

3. If nothing else they'll drug her up like Pickles appears to be half the time

to get rid of any stage fright. But really they've set the bar so low for her if she just sticks it out they'll be praising what a good little trooper she was.

[Locut0s]

5. Yeah unfortunately the more I think about it the more I think you're right. She will...

just barely eek through and the media will spin it as OH MY GOD HOW DID SHE MAKE IT, MAYBE SHE REALLY IS VP MATERIAL!!

[pnwmom]

10. You got it. If she shows any life at all, the media will make an about-face.

But I'm hoping that your first thought was the right one.

It's going to be a nail-biter.

[radfringe]

7. Biden needs to give her plenty of "bambling" room

The bar is non-existent, there is an imaginary bar laying on the floor, if she doesn't trip over it when initally taking the stage the mccain campaign will declare it a victory for palin.

Biden is going to have to walk a fine line - if he comes on too strong the mccain campaign will call in a whaaaaaambulance and say Biden "beat up on her". If he's too polite, the whaaaaambulance will be that he was "being sexist". I think the best course is for Biden to give short clear answers, and let palin "bamble* along.

If there is a point where they can directly talk to each other - Biden should ask her what are the differences between mccain's policies and bush's policies. If she goes into the canned remarks about Obama, then come back with "I know what the differences are between Obama and bush - I asked what are the diffences between mccain and bush"

any questions Biden asks her should be broad and open in order to give her plenty of "bambling room"

*bamble=bumble and ramble

[Tanuki]

8. Maybe her water will break

again.

[Kahuna]

11. I think it's likely. Her very canned response to Couric about Pakistan..

cannot be sustained throughout a 90 minute debate.

[TooRaLoo]

12. I think we're in for a lot of 'silence' moments, complete with finger in the air.

"Well, it certainly does, because..."