KFI will carry the Vice Presidential debate live at 6 p.m.

The “Thrill in the ‘Ville” — aka the vice presidential debate between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan — gets underway this evening in Danville, Ky.

But, what’s a political junkie to do between now and the 9 p.m. eastern start time?  Why, check out the Fix’s viewer’s guide to the proceedings, of course.

Five of our thoughts on what to watch for are below. Have your own keys to tonight’s debate? The comments section is open for business.

* The expectations game: Unlike last week’s debate, where large majorities of people thought beforehand that President Obama would wipe the floor with Mitt Romney (that SO didn’t happen), the expectations are much less tilted toward one candidate for this debate. In a Pew poll released Wednesday, 40 percent of registered voters said they thought Ryan would do a better job while 34 percent thought Biden would. One thing that could work in Ryan’s favor, however, is that he is viewed more favorably than Biden in the Pew survey — meaning that he could get some benefit-of-the-doubt points from people watching at home.

* Stakes is High: Regular Fix readers — that’s everyone, right? — know that we have long  been skeptical of the effect that vice presidential picks have on voters’ decision-making process. It would follow logically then that a debate between the two vice presidential candidates would be almost entirely inconsequential — and historical Gallup polling shows just that. But context matters in politics, and the context of this debate is of a re-energized Republican party and a panicky Democratic party following Romney’s debate victory last week. If Ryan is able to score a clear win over Biden, that momentum will only build. If Biden stomps Ryan, the momentum built by Romney will fade somewhat. If the debate is a draw or close to it, which is the most likely outcome, the status quo — slight continued momentum for Romney — will reign. (And, yes, at the top of this item we made a De La Soul — best hip hop group of the 1990s — reference that no more than 50 people get.)

* Blood on the floor: The 2008 vice presidential debate between Biden and Sarah Palin was decidedly friendly. Biden didn’t want to look like he was taking gratuitous shots at the already-maligned Palin, and the former Alaska governor was mostly just trying to get through the proceedings without any major slip-ups. But that was a major anomaly in the history of vice presidential debates. Remember that vice presidential picks are chosen — at least in part — for their willingness to be attack dogs. So when the two nominees share a debate stage, fireworks usually ensue. Who could forget Lloyd Bentsen’s “You’re no Jack Kennedy” line? Or Dick Cheney’s dismissive attitude toward John Edwards in 2004? (Just in case you could forget those moments, we’ve have a post that details them here.)  Combine that history with the fact that both Biden and Ryan have shown a willingness to mix it up, and the likely outcome is a debate full of attacks and counterattacks.

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