Biden's playing with fire on Thursday

Some of my friends with whom I commonly have political discussions have noted their confidence that Sen. Joe Biden will dominate Thursday night's vice presidential debate and that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will look just as ignorant and unprepared as she did during her recent interviews with Katie Couric on CBS. (Boy, that was horribly painful to watch.)

Meanwhile, I've tried to maintain a much more cautious and measured outlook on the event. Given Palin's recent dismal performances on camera — in which she could easily have been mistaken for an inarticulate 16-year-old interviewing for her first job at the local mall — it's understandable that many would dismiss her chances out of hand. Nevertheless, it would be a terrible mistake for the Obama campaign to think this one's in the bag before it even happens. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that Biden is playing with fire when he debates the governor of Alaska.

Let's not forget a couple critical factors. First, the McCain campaign absolutely loves to play the victim card, as we've seen all too well in the past several weeks. It may not even matter whether Palin makes a single substantive point during the entire debate. If McCain's team can spin its commentary to argue that she was bullied or patronized or otherwise treated unfairly (because of her gender, they might say), they may declare a mistrial — and victory by consequence. Secondly, as I've noted before, John McCain chose Palin for several reasons, but chief among them was to shift attention away from him and his policies. If Palin manages to make this debate about anything other than the issues at hand — which, given her track record on answering topical questions, she very well might — it could spell trouble for the Democratic ticket.

Therefore, Senator Biden, if you are reading this, I have several tips for you to keep in mind:

• Keep your cool, and don't say anything you'll later regret. This is absolutely key. When it comes to knowledge of the issues and experience in national politics, there is no contest here. Still, you're sometimes made famous by sheer virtue of your speaking gaffes, off-color remarks, and feisty temper. Don't let any of these shift focus away from your credentials or give the McCain camp something to pounce on. (With the polls as they are now, McCain's team will pounce on anything at this point.)
• Speaking of the issues, stay fiercely and unapologetically focused on them. If Palin tries to change the subject, rebuff her efforts. Be specific in your answers, because she likely won't be. Here's the deal: Palin can talk about hockey moms, pitbulls and lipstick until she's blue in the face; but when it comes to salvaging our nation from this economic crisis, or U.S. foreign relations, or even (as we've recently discovered) Supreme Court cases, she may not have a clue what to say, depending on the question. Capitalize on those instances.
• Finally, keep your cool — but don't be too nice. Be firm and respond forcefully yet respectfully to any charges Palin makes. Call her out on any factual inaccuracies. Again, do all of this in a way that keeps the discussion strictly focused on the topic at hand. Remember, in such uncertain times, undecided voters want to hear how each candidate will respond to the problems that trouble Americans most. They don't want to hear about distractions from those problems. The key is to look poised, prepared, and presidential.

If you keep these thoughts in mind, senator, then yes, I'd say you'll easily have it in the bag.