The last time John McCain felt great pressure to do something to gain attention and shift momentum in his direction, he selected Sarah Palin as his running mate. So what will he do tonight, when he and Barack Obama debate one last time, before the largest TV audience available in one place before the election?
Who knows? Which is why the debate really does qualify as must-see TV.
The negative name-calling and guilt-by-association modern McCarthyism tactics practiced by McCain and Palin until recently didn't help. In fact, they hurt -- and regardless of your political affiliation, that should be embraced as good news.
This appears to be the first concrete example of negative campaigning NOT working in the political area. McCain has backed off, and begun starting to tamp down and correct the angry accusations from his own gathered supporters (Jon Stewart, on Tuesday's Daily Show, called them "10,000 McCainiacs").
So what does that mean for tonight's debate? Do the two candidates talk about the issues rather than each other? Or does McCain throw one last "hail Mary" pass and go at Obama, as he has vowed to do so recently, with remarks about William Ayers?
And if he does that, how will Obama, and the nation, react?
One last question: How can you NOT watch?