A prediction for Thursday

Here's what's gonna happen:

Thursday morning, Sarah Palin will announce that she has to pull out of the VP debate scheduled for that evening in St. Louis (at my law school alma mater, incidentally) because baby Trig -- remember him? -- is ill.

"I regret that I will not be able to meet with Sen. Biden as previously scheduled," the statement released by the campaign will say, "but my first responsibility is as a mother. My son Trig, who as you know is a Down's Syndrome baby, is ill, perhaps critically, and so he must come first.

"I hope Sen. Biden understands but, more importantly, I know the American people understand."

Okay, the wording may be different, but you get the idea. Watch for it -- and remember, you heard it here first.