Whilst Americans wait with baited breath to see how Sarah Palin will perform against Joe Biden in the vice presidential debate tonight, I'm in no doubt that she'll do just fine.
For a start, the debates here are more akin to Q&A sessions. I say that coming from the impressive British tradition in which political opponents - including the Prime Minister and Shadow Prime Minister -verbally spar and battle each other in parliamentary debates every day, no holds barred. It's on-the-spot, off-the-cuff verbal war, and it's quickly obvious who knows what about their area of expertise. There can be no hiding in that kind of situation.
The Obama/McCain debate, in comparison to what I'm used to back home in England, was like a polite conversation. I'm expecting, therefore, that Sarah Palin - having been well trained - will simply answer questions like a robot, regurgitating whatever her advisors have told her.
The introduction of Sarah Palin to the American stage has also ushered in a time which I will call the Politics of Low Expectations. This has been reinforced by her laughable interviews with CBS's Katie Couric. However, this may just work in her favour. Since expectations of her are so low as long as she looks presentable and manages to stick to her script - as she did with her acceptance speech - she will be hailed and lauded as a success.
In fact, it's Joe Biden with the biggest challenge on his hands. Too stern and he'll be rebuked as being patronising or condescending to dear little Sarah. Too gentle and he may allow her to get away with fudging and giving vague, almost meaningless, answers - as she has a tendency to do. If he says something stupid, it will be his gaffes as opposed to her inexperience that will dominate headlines tomorrow. He must strike the right balance and somehow remain neutral in his reaction to Palin. No yawning, refusing to look at her or snide remarks from him tonight then.
We also have heard the faux controversy about PBS moderator Gwen Ifill's supposed bias, since she has just authored a book about Obama. If she goes too hard on Palin or presses her to answer questions, no doubt the Republicans will claim it's because she's pro-Obama.
With the politics of low expectations on her side, I think Sarah Palin will come off better than expected tonight.
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