I was thinking about the last time the nation anticipated a VP debate as breathlessly as the one that's about to start tonight -- I think the guy at the left may have had a role. Admiral Stockdale was the running mate of Ross Perot (himself a "maverick," to use an oft-quoted McCainism) during the 1992 election and was woefully unprepared and overmatched (saying a lot since Dan Quayle was one of the fellow debaters!). However, his self-effacing humor and plain spoken answers made the nation feel a measure of "warm and fuzzy" for him.

I think about how the stakes have changed, even in the short amount of time that has elapsed, with the way Sarah Palin has been treated of late. When Stockdale debated, the World Wide Web was an information dirt road and news was still received several hours post haste. Though it is seemingly stating the obvious, today, every mistake is magnified; every gaffe amplified; and every ineptitude splashed across the world at blazing 1.5 mbps speed!

As I prepare for Palin's speech, it's not her impressive political record, nor her role of relative importance, that is top of mind -- instead, it's the image of Tina Fey's most recent lampoon -- and whether the Palin of reality will display any of the exaggerated mannerisms in the Fey caricature. Nope, a fair shake is almost impossible to be had these days, when every rehearsal is aired to the world.

Lesson here folks -- the cameras are almost always on -- so always be prepared.