To be fair, yes, it is pure speculation.
But after observing a shallow, transparently Rovian campaign that follows the pattern of what we've seen before, I get the feeling that all the cramming in the world isn't going to help Sarah Palin. But an audio receiver and an earbud doubtlessly would. If the McCain campaign is using the same philosophy and strategies of the GW Bush campaigns, why wouldn't they do what they did in the Bush-Kerry debates?
Whatever talk there was today on the cable boob tube about the Vice Presidential debate, it mostly focused around whether or not there was a strategy in place to lower expectations to abysmal levels so Palin is a guaranteed winner. Or at least competent. This debate may be Palin's last chance to look Presidential, provided she continues to be firewalled from questioning. If we have observed anything about the McCain campaign over the last month, we know it is absolutely desperate.
"Well, you know, Karen Hughes and Dan Bartlett had rigged up a sound system..." --John Kerry, 2004
There was never this level of desperation in the 2004 Bush campaign, but they gave Bush the back bulge, anyway. What will they do to prop up an increasingly-exposed empty pantsuit who has been a liability ever since the day one honeymoon wore off?
I hope the Obama-Biden campaign is prepared for this possibility. So many concessions have already been granted to allow Palin to have a more level playing field coming in. If she is wired, I hope Joe Biden has the awareness and guts to call her out on it. If not, the High-Def TV Viewer voting bloc may come into play.