Underestimate Palin At Your Own Peril

"You can never add too much water to a nuclear reactor."

The workers smile and nod, then debate what Asner meant. Did he mean that you had to limit the amount of water or...you did not?

If you chose wrong, devastation of an unimaginable sort would ensue.

Thursday’s Vice Presidential debate sets up the same quandary.

Those on the Right say it is the media who have painted Palin as a dolt.  Others say it is a self-portrait. 

Last week I spoke with one person who spent a good amount of one on one time with Palin and I was warned that people should not underestimate the Republican VP choice.

I was left to think about whether that meant Palin should not be underestimated or that you could not underestimate her enough. I would suspect that he met the former. I expect the Obama/Biden camp agrees...on the record and in the debate preparation.  I don't doubt that would be the wisest strategy.   At the same time it would be hard to think that in their gut, Biden and his campaign believe the debate should be a slam dunk for Joe. 

The danger is that this is politics and sometimes politicians go with their gut instead of what would be smart.  

And no matter nuclear plant or Sarah Palin, if the wrong choice is made...

The devastation could be unimaginable.

Award-winning TV writer, Steve Young, is author of "Great Failures of the Extremely Successful" (www.greatfailure.com) and blogs at the appropriately named steveyoungonpolitics.com