They just want to make sure he doesn't say "boy" or "lawn jockey" at an inopportune moment.

I note the same article says the guy playing MCain for Obama is "one of his few gray-haired advisers."  Does that mean Obama's just doing "general talking-to-an-old-white-guy preparation"?

I understand they also considered Morgan Freeman, Dy. Hibbert, and Kordell Stewart.

"excuse me, stewardess, I speak jive..."

What a joke.  Good for us... he'll be less prepared.

The mind abounds with jokes about Republican racism, but I do believe I shall take the high road instead.

...the high road, of course, consisting of the observation that this, along with the "NewsBusted" clip posted last week, just highlights the most important thing Republicans lack: empathy.

Bet  you he does the "Senator Osama -- oh I'm sorry" thing, though.

In fairness, Jennifer Granholm is playing Sarah Palin for Biden's debate prep.

Does Biden know that he needs to articulate his agenda, not just prepare talking to a woman?

And as wonkette notes, Barack Obama will be debating some old coot he kidnapped at Costco.

"Just hang loose, Blood.  She'll be catching you on the rebound on the med side . . ."

I dug her rap!  My momma didn't raise no dummies!"

bigm, if you can't tell the difference between the difference between sex (category 9 hurricane) and race (a tropical shower) then I don't know what to say. It would be as ludicrous for a man to play Palin as it would be for a woman to play Obama, but they only need a sharp and literate Republican man to play Obama (I know, in short supply). I think it is also telling that TNR just labelled all of the prominent Republican blacks who are for McCain (maybe, in fact, all of the blacks in the whole country who are for McCain.)

ick, hilarious. I hope somewhere Steele has enough of a sense of humor to say to McCain "I wants to ax you a question."

The linked article now has a correction. Steele will not be McCain's sparring partner.

bigm:  "Does Biden know that he needs to articulate his agenda, not just prepare talking to a woman?"

Ah, but isn't the VP debate going to be structured differently, so that Palin will never have to listen to Biden talking to her directly?

She won't have to listen to his verbiage.