What Are The Chances This Could End Tonight?

[Me.]

The McCain needs another bailout and they're counting on her to do it. Just all right isn't going to cut it. And despite great admiration for her snippyness, I don't think it will play well before a national audience when it's such a serious occasion. I'm predicting her 'I'm so cute' confidence will backfire and take her down, and the campaign along with her.

[Shine]

1. I'm predicting she'll attack strongly, but the after-spin won't be kind.

I think they're doomed, pure and simple.

[high density]

2. no chance

The press is going to be kind on Palin. She'll probably get in a zinger or two and that will win the debate for her. She can sit there like a deer in the headlights for the rest of it.

[Labors of Hercules]

12. did you pay any attention to the Presidential debate?

The press were all being kind to McCain. The people who are "swayable" aren't listening to them any more.

[Uben]

3. Depends....

...on how many times she uses the phrase, "I don't recall." That seems to be the standard republican rebuttal when asked any question.

[Abugface]

4. I doubt if McCain will withdraw ...

he is not an honorable man.

[Me.]

8. I Don't Think He'll Withdraw

But it will be a lame duck campaign. Look for him to hit the gambling table for his adrenaline fix.

[SharonAnn]

"Lame Duck Campaign"? Sort of like Bob Dole?

Guess the GOP "Grouchy Old Man" candidate type isn't working out too well.

[NC_Nurse]

5. Media wants a horserace for ratings. They will give her every chance to "win"

based on not completely freaking out and running off the stage. The bar is so low a slug would
have trouble getting under it.

[Oceansaway]

6. Mr. Pickens & Mother Teresa....

slim & nun....the repukes aint gonna give up that easy...jmo...

[polichick]

7. I think the current trend will continue...

People will see more clearly than ever that Palin is not even close to being up to the job ~ and her nastiness will be rejected just like McCain's was.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

9. there's so much at stake for the GOP so much they've hidden

so I think she won't fail

[AndyTiedye]

10. None

Too much of the MSM still wants/needs McCain to "win" this somehow.

[Ichingcarpenter]

11. If she goes off message and has a bad night it reflects on McCain.

I'm hoping for a train wreck..... think, a hour and a half, answering questions?

Come on, lets look at the odds of her surviving that long without her 3X5 cards

[gravity]

13. If she gives a performance similar to the Katie Couric interviews

It will be over.

She really needs to prove that she has some command of the issues if she wants to make a success. Attacks, if executed well, will fire up the base, but I don't think it will win too many independents.

[Buck Rabbit]

14. No chance, they have nothing to lose and lots to gain tonight.

Couric and Gibson already did more than Biden could do in our wildest dreams at tonight's debate.

The expectations are so low, she could come out say her name and hum for 90 minutes and it would be a victory for her.

[DFW]

15. I hope I'm wrong about this, but

I'll bet she has been so totally immersed in the art of polite gibberish that
she will regurgitate talking points and facts programmed into her, and not say
a single thing that will get her into hot water with the electorate or the TV
pundits that will say, "well she didn't shoot herself in the foot like we all
expected her to."

She didn't spend all that time at McBush's ranch to learn how to shoot lawyers.

I'm very much hoping I'm wrong and that she will deliver Tina Fey enough material
for the next ten years of SNL. But it's at 3 AM our time, and I won't see it live.
I'm sure DU will have enough comments up here by the time I get up tomorrow, although
as tomorrow is a holiday here, that will be none too early!

[irish.lambchop]

16. I don't know how long any of her previous debates lasted

but 90 minutes is a LONG time to play cute and still appear credible (even with index cards).

[Marsala]

17. Even if she has a total meltdown, it won't have much effect

Nobody votes for the veep, and those fundie nuts who seem to be the exception to the rule will vote for her anyway.

[daa]

18. After the bail out passes tomorrow

it won't matter who wins = BROKE

[regnaD kciN]

19. None...

The big question is whether she delivers enough pre-scripted zingers well enough so that people conclude "she's not so dumb after all," possibly enabling McCain to pick up a couple of points in the polls.

Best Case Scenario: She goes off on her "throw random phrases together because I have no idea what I'm talking about and am trying to bluff" routine a couple of times -- but, even then, I don't think that will affect the G.O.P. ticket much, as it will only confirm what most people have already concluded about her.

[Guaranteed]

20. Not horrible- if she's bad enough, she pretty much finishes off the McCain campaign. nt

[Thrill]

21. Biden could finish them off tonight. He needs a good performance

[FreeState]

22. Less than 1% Id say n/t

[Bucky]

23. No chance at all. It ends in November.

I think they've done a great job managing expectations. She may screw up, but to the true believers it won't matter.

[emilyg]

24. None.

[terrya]

25. Unlikely.

[bamacrat]

26. I cant wait for her, um, uh, you know moment.

All the moments thrown in front of her. As long as Biden doesnt take her bait hell win, all he has to do is let her stumble and fumble through the questions she did not receive before hand.

[CakeGrrl]

27. The MSM will do what they can to spin it as at least a draw like they did with Obama/McCain

but McCain's pandering and "I'm a POW" didn't resonate. Voters' patience is probably wearing thin with both the McCain/Palin ticket and the media's attempts to keep carrying their water.

All Biden has to do is to remind voters that they're choosing the person who's going to help deal with all the messes we're in. MSM spin won't convince people to trust the incompetent Palin with their dwindling savings or their national security.

[H2O Man]

28. No.

It will not end until the votes are counted. Tonight, two things will happen: Biden will concentrate on discussing issues, and Palin will attempt to score with "zingers." Biden will do well with his base, and Palin will regain some support with her's. But most importantly, by tomorrow night, the "undecided" voters will continue to move towards Obama & Biden. With the economy in such a sad state, they are not going to be looking for someone who is unqualified to lead the country.

[Me.]

35. Perhaps I Should've Said, Over But For The Counting

KO just basically asked the same question with, 'is McCain finished tonight'. I do believe the election will go forward, it has to, but it could be the last sentence of a very sad story.

Glad to see your analysis, as glad as I was to see Johnnie M. pulling out of Michigan.

[H2O Man]

39. It is becoming

increasingly difficult for McCain-Palin to pull this out. It's not "impossible," but it is important to remember that to do so, it will have to be McCain who does the heavy work. Two things make that hard to imagine: the economic crisis, and the debates between Obama and McCain. After the third Obama-McCain debate, it will be almost definitely out of reach for the republicans.

Between now and then, an important factor to watch is the decrease in republican base support for their ticket. That is a possible significant outcome tonight, if Palin fails to solidify their base.

[Me.]

44. How Would You Gauge That?

Polls, Obama vs. McSame, unfavorables? What metric?

[goodgd_yall]

29. I'm thinking you may be right

Put the stake into the ol' walking dead's heart. Bwa-hahahahahaaaaaaaaaa!

Of course, not LITERALLY (as Joe is so fond of saying) but I see the light blue states getting bluer and the yellow states making up their collective mind to go blue (not all, but the ones that are in the running for Obama).

[Ozma]

30. Only the dim-witted Fixed Noise followers.....

Can justify this dim-wit going for the office of VP of the USA.

It's OVER! America has too many smart people in it to vote for this human being, (whatever the gender) to be one heartbeat away from the Presidency of the USA.

John's choice of Sarah Palin is the kiss of death to the Republican Party for the next four years.

Take that to the BANK!!!!!!!!! She's done! Stick a fork in her, she's cooked. And so is John for choosing her!

This is the worst Presidential line-up since Bush vs Gore. One smart and capable, the other a screw-up since prep school

Now we have a woman who got through college by sleeping around, (certainly NOT on intelligence) considered by the dim-wits of America as capable of leading this nation? I don't think there are enough dim-wits in America who vote to elect this clown.

Bush chose Harriet Myers, McCain chose someone actually quite a bit less accomplished.

We all know Harriet Myers has sunk into oblivion. Sarah, probably the same next year, but might have to face some jail time for her actions in office as Governor........trig will miss her while she serves her jail time for witness tampering, or other charges.

[AlinPA]

45. "Too many smart people..." : Bush got a 2nd term with the help of a lot of stupid 'muricans.

[CK_John]

31. IMO, she will make look like a fellow fundie, and claim he just does admit it. n/t

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

32. 20%

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

33. It's already over.

It's just a matter of how big the landslide is.

[Waiting For Everyman]

34. 50/50

[nedbal]

36. none - she could be a total illiterate and still the right will say she won it

If she did come off as a total illiterate the polls will change by 5% tops

[TheDonkey]

37. Will Palin have a wardrobe malfunction? Is that the final "hail mary"?

[Willo]

38. It ended last week

or the week before

or was it during the Dem convention?

[President Decider]

40. If its going bad for Palin, she'll obviously start talking about her 1st bikini wax ... .

[Bryan]

41. I'd say the chances are very small, but

...it could be the final blow to Palin's image. This debate is the most exposed she's ever been in public, and scrutiny is not flattering to her; a tolerable performance from her wouldn't move the chains, but a disastrous performance stands to finally rub off all of her newness and finally destroy her value as a spoiler tactic.

[AlinPA]

42. The media (mostly broadcast media) will decide who "wins" this "debate".

One-liners and soundbites and physical appearances are all that matter to the media and most dumbed down 'muricans. This is a show, not a debate.

[Bubbha Jo]

43. It's already over...except for the vote.

He was doomed the day he selected the airhead from Alaska to be his running mate.