Let me save you the time it'll take to read Friday's headlines: The debate was a draw.  That's what they're all going to say.  Just so you know.  I mean, these are the same people who judged the second debate between Kerry and Bush — the infamous "wanna buy some wood?" debate — a toss-up. 

Today the bla-bla-blagosphere is full of advice, not for Sarah Palin, who has nothing to worry about, the standard for her is so abysmal, but for Joe Biden, who can only win the debate by resigning himself to essentially forfeiting it. 

Here's some advice for Biden from Dahlia Lithwick at Slate, an unabashed Obama supporter, to give you a taste:


Are you feeling the love?

Not yet?  Well, how about over at Kos?

Ab2kgj, whose years as a high school debater uniquely qualify him to offer advice, similarly warns Joe not to "shoot his mouth off."  "Shut up and let them make a fool out of themselves and move on."

Sean Quinn at fivethirtyeight uses a sports metaphor to drive his point home:


Andrew Halcro, who served two terms in the Alaska State House of Representatives and ran against Palin in the gubernatorial primaries, debating her nearly two dozen times, says Biden "should simply ignore Palin in a respectful manner on the stage and answer the questions as though he were alone."  And warns: "Any attempt to flex his public-policy knowledge and show Palin is not ready for prime time will inevitably cast him in the role of the bully."

David Swerdlick over at The Root similarly cautions: "Palin's political stature is so frail that any attempt by Biden to skewer her in the debate will be seen as cruel—a smart-assed old man getting his kicks by sparring with a damsel in distress."

Well, I for one, am already on tenterhooks. 

Will Biden be able to keep his trap shut?  Or will he go spouting off about his foreign policy expertise?  Will Palin get flummoxed and make a fool of herself? 

It's a draw.  Trust me.