A mosquito awoke me at around 4 am, and after searching for the bastard for a few minutes, I couldn’t get back to sleep. So I turned on the US vice presidential debates.

Cheney reminded me of Matt Welch’s description of how, when he first arrived in Budapest, people speaking Magyar reminded him how lizards would talk, if they could. Maybe it was the late hour, but after a while I was hypnotized into believing him too.

Edwards wasn’t meant to be behind a table. His gestures were made to rock a stadium, not for close-fighting around a pseudo-kitchen table. But he really lost me in the last few minutes, going on about his dad and learning math from the teevee. As far as I know, the only math they teach on the teevee is on gameshows like the Price is Right.

My verdict? I’d have to say it was close. I’d give it to Edwards on message, but the mumbling-Magyar-lizard act Cheney had was pretty hard to beat. What was clear is that I should have gotten that extra hour of sleep.