Not terribly surprising numbers from Marist on the vice presidential debate:

A plurality of registered voters nationwide -- 45% -- think Senator Joe Biden will beat his Republican opponent, Governor Sarah Palin, during Thursday night's vice presidential debate while 36% think Palin will make the better showing. However, close to one in five voters, including nearly a quarter of Independents, say they just don't know which candidate will be victorious. Republican and Democratic voters stand along party lines. Regardless of whom they support, 71% of Democrats say Biden will win the debate while 66% of Republicans think Palin will. By a difference of 6 percentage points -- 41% to 35% -- Independents believe Biden will win.

Of course it's better for the McCain campaign that Palin be the underdog.

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