How Do Democrats Walk Upright Without Spines?

     The Democratic Party is doing everything it can to make it easier for a past-his-prime Bush leaguer and a not-ready-for-prime-time minor leaguer to make it to The Show.   

     From the NY Times:

    The Obama and McCain campaigns have agreed to an unusual free-flowing format for the three televised presidential debates, which begin Friday, but the McCain camp fought for and won a much more structured approach for the questioning at the vice-presidential debate, advisers to both campaigns said Saturday.

     At the insistence of the McCain campaign, the Oct. 2 debate between the Republican nominee for vice president, Gov. Sarah Palin, and her Democratic rival, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., will have shorter question-and-answer segments than those for the presidential nominees, the advisers said. There will also be much less opportunity for free-wheeling, direct exchanges between the running mates.

     McCain advisers said they had been concerned that a loose format could leave Ms. Palin, a relatively inexperienced debater, at a disadvantage and largely on the defensive.  

     "At the insistence of the McCain campaign"? 

     What?????

      What did Obama get out of this deal?

      One of McCain's #%&@* houses?

     And Sarah Palin?

      She says she won't blink.