Friday, September 26, 2008

Palin's VP Debate

Here's a question: will Sarah Palin be dropped from the ticket before her VP debate next week? Normally, the answer would be a firm "no," since such a move would be political suicide for McCain. But given her disastrous CBS interview, and her astonishing cluelessness from her few media appearances, the thought of her facing Joe Biden in a debate setting is a nightmare.

It's been clear for some time that McCain's people don't have any faith in Palin to speak her mind or discuss any relevant issues. Otherwise she wouldn't have been hidden away and controlled so thoroughly. But come next week, all that must end, and she must stand alone in front of the nation. Put yourself in McCain's shoes, and you'll understand why they've been so desperate to postpone or scuttle the debates.

Politically speaking, this week has been a disaster for McCain. Every decision seems to invite ridicule and derision from all sides. Now the GOP is splitting apart over McCain, Palin, their campaign, and the Wall Street crisis that has consumed the news.

So what will the McCain camp do? Either Palin stays on the ticket, which means she must face Biden in her debate, or she chooses to "withdraw" from the ticket, and McCain must scramble to keep the Republican coalition from complete dissolution. Either direction spells certain doom. The only deciding factor that I can see at this point is McCain himself, and his ever-increasing impulse judgements.

If Palin is eventually dropped, it will have to be very soon, certainly before next week. Place your bets!

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