Tough Nuts To Crack

There's lots of talk today about tonight's "game changing" debate. Will McCain throw a Hail Mary in Hempstead? Given their last two encounters, we're doubtful. But there are some potential happenings that could move the goal lines:

-- Jeremiah Wright: A PAC in CA has cut an ad that prominently features Obama's ex-pastor. Whether they'll have the money to run it is one question. The other is if the media will give it lots of free play. Regardless, Politico's Allen writes, McCain's not going there.

--Voter Problems: The Obama camp says the GOP's ACORN obsession is simply a smoke screen. But their $800K connection to this group makes it hard to distance themselves. It's not clear if anyone will catch lots of "Mickey Mouse" voters at the polls, but raising the specter of potential voting fraud can have a chilling effect on turn-out. And that would hurt Obama.

-- Meanwhile, will OH Sec/State Brunner (D) be this year's Blackwell? The U.S. Circuit Court just ruled she must give county elections workers access to problematic voter registrations. Although Brunner's said she'll give instructions for how to deal w/these voters, isn't it possible that each county can interpret her instructions differently? Plus trying to clean up voter rolls this close to the election seems to invite disaster.

- And, we haven't even talked about Palm Beach Co. yet. Oy!