The Expectations Game

While the hubby watches the Cubbies tonight, I'll be watching the debate. I am not looking forward to it.

For one thing, the rigid debate format will help Ms Mooseburgers avoid her usual verbal diarrhea. She's at her best when speaking from scripts (like her convention speech) that allow her to express the kind of cloying, sarcastic little snipes that spring boners on wingnut men from sea to shining sea. For tonight, I'm certain she's been stuffed with 90 second repartees to fit every occasion. No need for details here... generalities and sound bytes will do just fine. The format is perfect for that... almost custom made for it, in fact. I have no idea why Obama agreed to it, but whatever.

The media has also got Biden pretty well hemmed in. While McCain advisers say she's being trained to go for the jugular tonight, Biden has been coerced by the media and punditry to be "nice" to her. Disgusting. I've enjoyed Biden's debate performances in the past exactly because he's been rather caustic. I dread seeing him neutered. BTW, I hope people appreciate how this whole "be gentle, she's just a delicate little flower" ruse is setting women back decades.

The only way Palin won't win this is if she gets a question that wasn't anticipated and tries to answer without a pre-scripted response. No matter how much the nutters have their panties in a bundle over Gwen Ifill writing a book with "Obama" in the title, that ain't gonna happen in this format. It's simply impossible.

The sad thing is, people could mistake her parroting for actual knowledge and expertise. I hope not. It should be pretty clear at this point that Palin knows only what interests her: small town politics, oil dealing, Alaska, and almost nothing else.