High Level Of Interest In Tonight's Debate

Interest in Thursday's vice presidential debate between Democratic nominee Joe Biden and Republican nominee Sarah Palin is high, according to a new CBS News poll. Sixty-five percent of registered voters say they are very likely to watch the debate, though fewer than one in five says it will have a big influence on their vote.

Heading into the debate, Biden has a big advantage on the perception that he is prepared for the vice presidency. Seven in ten say he is prepared to be vice president, while fewer than four in 10 say Palin is.

Expectations are high for Biden. Half of those surveyed expect him to win the debate, nearly double the percentage who expect Palin to win. Just 54 percent of McCain supporters think their vice presidential candidate will win on Thursday.

Asked what they hope to learn in the vice presidential debate, the top response of registered voters was "more about Sarah Palin," at 19 percent, followed by "positions on the issues" (15 percent), "plans for the economy" (11 percent), "differences between the candidates" (9 percent), "how they present themselves" (7 percent), and "more about Joe Biden" (5 percent).