The global economy may be about to dissolve into some kind of primitive barter system, but I think it will hardly shift the laser-like gaze of the media from the upcoming debate between the vice-presidential nominees, Governor Sarah Palin and Senator Joe Biden. There would some interest in any case, but with Palin’s fairly weak performances in these taped interviews — especially the most recent one with Katie Couric — the media can smell blood in the water, and they would like to make sure that as many people as possible watch what they hope will be a debacle of historic proportions for the Republican side of this debate.

What’s going on with the governor? While the liberals delight and rub their hands with anticipation, some conservative pundits are already shifting to various shades of buyer’s remorse and recrimination. Their opinion, of-course, is a whole lot less significant than that of average American voters, who always seem to make up their minds in presidential elections with a minimum of regard for any gaffe-prone VP nominees.

As to what’s really happening with Sarah Palin, RWB is proud and excited to say that we have our own very real, bona-fide, genuine, no-kidding, secret source. Bob Woodward eat your heart out. The source is someone who has worked very closely with Governor Palin in the past, and remains connected. From now on I’ll refer to this source as Lone Pilgrim. So, Lone Pilgrim is clearly a supporter of Sarah Palin, but has not been terribly happy with how the governor has been seen in the campaign so far. He agrees with analysis that has appeared in this space to the effect that instead of doing these taped interviews — and being set up for trouble — Palin would have been better off doing a bunch of live interviews (I would suggest on the morning shows). While he does not absolve her of responsibility to better address some of the big issues of the campaign, he does believe that she has been over-managed by some Bush-related campaign people who have been running her show to date. He also says this:

The campaign folks should be helping her craft short, to-the-point, answers to the major issues and then allow her to be…well, herself. The Sarah Palin I see in these interviews (other than Hannity) is trying too hard to sound wise beyond her experience level.

Perhaps … and I stress, perhaps … the Couric interview, piled on top of other poor showings, is the best thing that could happen to Governor Palin leading up to the debate with Senator Biden. Her competitive nature will likely cause her to be more focused in preparing for this debate. She’s so thin skinned that the last week or so must be driving her nuts. I know that she is keenly aware of how she’s being portrayed.

So, Palin knows that this is make or break, and she should be capable of much better, if not overly directed by these pros.

I see that Bill Kristol has a similar angle today in the Times. He also says that McCain himself is unhappy with how things have been handled and has sent his own chiefs to take charge and to “liberate Palin to go on the offensive as a combative conservative.”

So there you go. The ironic thing is that while all the focus is on Palin as not coming up to snuff — and her appearances have been disappointing, no question — it is Joe Biden who has made the countless remarkable gaffes. Palin, I would argue, hasn’t made any legitimate gaffes, in the sense of saying something that is just plain wrong, or contradicting the guy at the top of the ticket. Biden has done exactly those things, on multiple occasions. Palin can certainly be said to have phrased things inelegantly, even awkwardly, and to have given the impression of not having much depth on certain issues. But it is Biden who has claimed that FDR was president in 1929 and that he went on television; it is Biden who has told a voter that there will be no new coal plants while Obama is president, contrary to what Obama would like the people of Virginia to believe; it is Biden who has been publicly slapped down by the top of the ticket for speaking against the AIG bailout. And on and on — you really only have to wait a minute for Joe to produce more gold-plated gaffe material.

So, expectations are a funny thing. All expectations aside, Sarah Palin certainly needs to substantially up her game, in what is likely to be the most watched VP debate ever. It’s a pity she hasn’t had more opportunities in the campaign so far to get out there in more spontaneous contexts.

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