Last Minute Thoughts on Tonight’s Debate

As a Democrat sick to my heart over almost eight years of the Republican Bush administration’s squandering of our human and financial treasure and resources, of course I hope that Barack Obama will be our next president. And, to that end, I hope that Joe Biden will do well in tonight’s important debate.

His opponent, Governor Sarah Palin, has spent the past three or four days in the desert cramming with facts, data and statistics on American history and civics, government; world geography; social issues; national and world economics and finance; domestic and foreign political leaders, issues, policy and affairs, and who knows what else.

On the other hand, the American people have been prepping for the debate, too. We have been force-fed an untold number of opinions, analyses, predictions, etc., in what has become the big game of “lowering expectations” for both candidates. One blog had this to say about Sarah Palin:

Post-Katie, the bar has been set so low for Palin that, unless she faints or vomits on air, her team will rush to declare a victory — not just for her, but for all of Joe Six-Pack America.

Others have called tonight’s debate “winner take all,” make-or-break for either or both candidates and their tickets; a chess game, a poker game, a game of bluff and a game of gotchas.

The vice-presidential candidates themselves have been flooded with advice, do’s and don’ts for the debate.

Joe Biden has been advised to discipline himself, to stay on message, to be patient, to be very respectful towards Sarah Palin (or to ignore her entirely); to be self-deprecating; not to be impulsive, condescending or confrontational; to avoid gaffes and not to shoot himself in the foot or shoot from the hip.

On the other hand, Sarah Palin has been advised by some to just show-up, to look good, and to come across as somewhat plausible. To complete her sentences and not to make a complete fool of herself. By others to “be herself,” seemingly credible, charming, to maximize her attractive personality and her knowledge of Alaska energy issues.

Others suggest that she not worry about the details, not to try to be a “wonk,” but to look and act informed, confident and knowledgeable.

As I said up-front, I am a Democrat and I hope that Joe Biden does well. But I do have empathy for Sarah Palin. I remember my college days, prepping and cramming for the final examinations. Getting by on three or four hours sleep a night. Fortunately, I did well on my exams. But looking back, I ask myself, how much more could I have benefited from my education if I had not resorted to so much last-minute cramming, last-minute prepping. If I had given myself more time to absorb, understand, analyze and distill the valuable information that had been presented to me, bit by bit, day by day, experience by experience, throughout my years of schooling

I also have sympathy for Sarah Palin, because—although she may pass tonight’s exams with flying colors—she may not have fully-assimilated and understood what a person really needs to know, and to be, to assume the second-highest office in the land.

But, I have absolutely no sympathy for John McCain for having put Governor Palin in such an untenable position.*

Nevertheless, I do wish her well tonight.

*Note: This paragraph was inadvertently omitted by the author in the original post