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On Thursday, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden will square off in what is surely the most anticipated vice-presidential debate in our nation's history. (A far less impressive distinction than it sounds.)

Far be it from us to make light of the electoral process, but this showdown's appeal seems directly related to the good chance that one or both candidates will make a complete fool of themselves. Let's face it: The dominance of the reality television genre proves Americans enjoy, if not demand, embarrassment in their entertainment.

Take, for example, Palin's disastrous interview with Katie Couric. The Alaska governor answered questions as if she had never spent a moment thinking about what goes on in the Lower 48. Most of the smart money is on Palin suffering prime-time humiliation.

But don't give up on Biden. The esteemed senior senator from Delaware has shown an uncanny ability to screw up the simplest of situations. In fact, Biden has been on an impressive streak of gaffe-making lately, which has been largely obscured by his more popular counterpart's higher-profile failings.

Check out video evidence of Biden and Palin's worst-best moments after the jump.

In this clip from a couple years ago, Biden -- who is obviously a fan of "The Simpsons" -- compliments an Indian-American supporter on his people's ability to work in Dunkin Donuts and 7-Elevens. Like most of Biden's gaffes, this vast stereotyping probably comes from a good-natured place. On Thursday, he'll be sharing the stage with a woman who talks funny while being interviewed by a black woman -- the potential for disaster is inescapable.

Here is Biden on the campaign trail asking a state senator to stand up for the crowd. Just Biden's luck that said senator was the only person in the audience in a wheelchair.

On the other side of the aisle, here's a clip from Palin's infamous interview with Katie Couric. Tina Fey mocked this interview by basically repeating it word for word, no comedic exaggeration required.

Because the McCain campaign restricts her access to the press, we don't have that many clips of Palin screwing up. In fact, when Palin talks about Alaska, she seems fairly competent. One possible tactic for Palin to survive this debate is to bring all questions back to her arctic homeland. Palin will have to try to relate the current economic crisis to the time a polar bear got loose in Wasilla. That spectacle alone should make every American want to tune in Thursday night.