This will be the most watched VP debate in the history of television (no real point in going further back than that is there?!) and the government probably should have put the VP debate on Pay-Per-View and made a view bucks towards the bailout. 

So what exactly is at stake and what should we be watching for? 

Well, certainly the performance of Sarah Palin is at the top of the list. Many expect her to fall on her face but I think those same people forget she did get to be Governor and does have some debate experience. Sure she is a Saturday Night Live constant punch line and her recent interviews seem to show her yet to answer a question directly – the debate is a whole new ground.

Three big things will determine Palin’s performance…

One, can she hold a conversation with Biden that is not filled with quirky one-liners. This isn’t Last Comic Standing; this is the role of someone who could some day be President of the United States. Save the one-liners for Hockey Mom meetings.

Two, carefully handle the fact Biden has much more experience. McCain’s camp is trying to make Palin about “change” to combat Obama/Biden. Tough to do when McCain himself is not really about change to that degree. Any slam about Biden’s age comes back to McCain. She needs to stay out this area.

Lastly, is Palin over coached? No doubt Palin has been locked in a room with flash cards and Government 101 books. Now she needs to speak as herself and not try and regurgitate the words of others – Good luck.

Biden needs to tread lightly…

Senator Joe Biden on the other hand can occasionally get caught up in emotion and go “off the reservation.” Palin will be watching for this misstep and jump on any opportunity.

Joe Biden also has a tightrope to walk. As much as everyone wonders if Palin is being treated fairly as a women, Biden will have to debate her. Push too hard and you will come off overpowering (or disrespecting) to the women viewers. Don’t push hard enough and you will come off weak to those watching that are on the fence.

For the most part Biden just needs to not underestimate Palin. She is a skilled debater. It by no means makes her more qualified, just great at debating. Palin has five debates under her belt and is undefeated. Biden needs to stick to the issues.

Both have to work the fine line between debating each other and defending the positions of their running mates. That said, votes are usually decided at the top of the ticket – the VP debate helps solidify those votes. Given the latest polls, Biden just needs to hold ground; Plain needs a home run to help McCain.

Forget about Ifill…

The other issue to come on the table is the fact that the moderator, PBS’s Gwen Ifill, came under fire since she is releasing a book post election entitled “Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama.”

Some conservatives suggest she will be biased during the debate. Frankly, I looked into her background and her career spans decades. She moderated the 2004 Vice Presidential Debate. Her colleagues (liberals and conservatives alike) find her professional. As far as I am concerned, this is a non-issue.

The showdown is tonight at Washington University (St. Louis). I still think they should have put it on Pay-Per-View. 

In going through some old blogs I was amazed that I somehow forgot to share this video. It is a video speech of Jonathan Harris. Jonathan writes interesting programs that search the Internet for glimpses of the human condition.

I feel sorry for future voters. How will they possibly know what is factual and what is not? At least when you knew nothing about either candidate, you had a 50/50 chance of picking the right one (assuming their is a right one). 

I will be glad when November passes and I don’t have to keep seeing emails that are grossly inaccurate but people still believe them. Some of them keep getting used campaign after campaign - just change the names! 

The tactic is brilliant of course. Put out fake information. Anything you want. Obama wants to raise all taxes. McCain wants all gays sent to an island. Palin shoots puppies in her spare time. Biden is hooked on crack. 

Whatever you say is ok becuase you only need to do three things to make it “real.”

1. Throw around statistics. The more the better. Say something like Obama wants to raise taxes 43.7% or McCain is ok with 27% more lives lost in Iraq. People believe statistics (they sound impressive) and who is really going to go check them out? 

2. Make the email “from” someone. You can pick a real person but they usually come back at some point and deny what was said (since they never said it anyway). The person in your email doesn’t need to exist, make one up if you need to. Military people are always good. A close “friend” or “neighbor” also works well. 

3. Say the “facts” have already been verified. Throw out some fake links (no one will really click on them anyway) or just say “I verified this on Snopes.com.” Well, if it says it was verified…then it must be! 

Do those three things and you have successfully reduced seemingly educated people to uneducated voters. Like I said, you were better off when you didn’t know anything…you had a 50/50 shot.

First off, it is not rumor. Sarah Palin’s 17-year-old unmarried daughter (Bristol) is pregnant. 

McCain insists he knew about this when he chose her for the VP spot in his campaign (I still wonder about that part). And, unless it was some bazaar sequel to Juno, the entire Palin family has been well aware of the situation. 

Of course several groups (no, not just Democrats) are all over this suggesting she is no longer a good choice for VP. 

Come on guys, you mean to tell me our individual character and work ethics will always be defined by our kids? If that is the case, we will never be able to elect a qualified person to office. What if your grandson is gay? What if you paper boy stole a cookie? What if your neighbor three doors down read an issue of Playboy? Where would the “association” end? 

The opposition is always looking for reasons to attack the other party. In this case Sarah Palin’s daughter is now on the table. To Obama’s credit, he has stated that “family” is off-limits in the campaigns and will have no part in attacks on Palin’s character as a result of her daughter. But it seems to end at Obama as many religious groups are already in a voting quandary. 

I say move on. Palin’s daughter is pregnant and it will be an issue for the family to deal with. I seriously doubt it will affect Sarah Palin’s ability to perform her duties. As always, let the candidates stand on their own merit. 

Was the USS York built with scrap steel from the World Trade Center’s twin towers? The answer is yes. 

I have received this one from several Slow Bleed readers. Most of them are wondering if this is indeed real so here you go. 

The Colombian rescue was incredible but it may have also severely undermined the neutrality of the Red Cross. 

The International Committee of the Red Cross has voiced grave concern over Colombia’s apparent deliberate misuse of their symbol. 

If you recall, the rescuers tricked the rebels into releasing the French-Colombian hostages by posing as international aid workers. The Columbian President Alvaro Uribe acknowledged that a Red Cross symbol was worn by a member of the military taking part in the July 2 rescue. 

Mr. Uribe says it was an “error made by a nervous soldier.” 

Not to take anything away from the rescue, but if they intentionally used the Red Cross symbol for a military action it will certainly jeopardize the lives of legitimate peacekeepers moving forward. 

Still trying to get past all the crud regarding who has the larger flag on their plane or the latest “celebrity” videos and get to the real issues? Here are some cliff notes you can share with friends that may help you decide on the best choice for your vote… 

The Economy 

McCain – Would cut taxes on middle-class families by abolishing the Alternative Minimum Tax. Wants to decrease government spending. Wants to reform Social Security. 

Obama – Wants to help middle-class struggling with rising cost but stagnant pay. Wants to reform healthcare and education. Wants to renegotiate free trade agreements.

War in Iraq

McCain – Voted for the 2003 invasion. Believes we should remain in Iraq. Says withdrawal could trigger genocide in the region.

Obama – Opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning. Wants phased removel of troops. Says there is “no military solution” in Iraq.

Iran

McCain – Would try to escalate economic sanctions. Won’t rule out military solution if necessary to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran.  

Obama – Would meet with Iranian leaders without preconditions. He says they may change behavior if they were given incentives. 

National Security

McCain – Has been a leading voice in efforts to prevent the CIA from resorting to “cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment of prisoners.” 

Obama – He has criticized the Patriot Act, but voted to re-authorize it in 2006. 

Illegal Immigration 

McCain – Co-Sponsor of bill, which offered amnesty to illegal immigrants as well as tougher border controls. Says undocumented workers already in US should be given citizenship. 

Obama – Wants US-Mexico border to be better policed and impose stiffer penalties for employers that hire illegal immigrants. Believes that allowing illegal immigrants to gain citizenship is not amnesty if they pay a fine. 

Abortion Rights

McCain – Says that the 1973 Supreme Court ruling (Roe v Wade) should be overturned. Would appoint sympathetic new judges and aid state efforts to boost adoption. 

Obama – Says he trusts women to make their own choices in conjunction with their doctors or clergy.