Though the polls make it clear that Governor Christie wants this debate to be a game-changer, there’s little evidence to believe it will be. The era when we learned about actual policy stances or even personalities during the debates has long since passed—even the conventions became just another blip in the 24-hour news cycle. Can you actually remember anything substantive from the 2008 debates beyond the SNL skits?
Obama and Romney—neither a brilliant debater—have each been prepping for weeks, but there’s little reason to believe either has an ace up his sleeve. Romney might see a small bump, thanks to his underdog role and low expectations; a readjustment will follow as we get another month of horse race journalism, spin-zone reviews, and non-stop zingers. Short of Obama thanking Allah or Romney supporting deportation of the 47 percent, tonight will be nothing more than an overhyped national drinking game.