SIGNIFICANT WEEK – AT 8:58 A.M. ET:  The election will be held three weeks from tomorrow.  We'd have to say that, right now, the race is even.  Both Gallup and Rasmussen show Romney up two among likelies, but a new Washington Post poll shows Obama up three among likelies.

The presidential candidates debate for the second time tomorrow.  They will have one more debate after that.  Obama must make up ground lost by his disastrous performance in the first debate.  Romney will be looking to build on his performance and avoid mistakes that could cause him to slip back.

The format tomorrow will be "town meeting," where voters get to ask questions.  Some pundits say that favors Obama, but I'm not so sure.  Romney has shown himself to be an excellent debater and a quick study.  You can be sure that he and his team have been working to master the format. 

There have, strangely, been some objections from both camps to comments made by debate moderator Candy Crowley of CNN, who apparently sees her role as considerably larger than that envisioned by the Commission on Presidential Debates.  We don't know how that will be resolved. 

We stress to readers that three weeks is ten lifetimes in politics.  A presidential race, especially one this close, can turn in one day.  In 1980 Ronald Reagan won the presidency by a late surge, based on his great showing in the one debate he had with Jimmy Carter.  Some event could also come out of the blue.  And remember that Obama, one of the most completely self-serving politicians I've ever seen, has the power of incumbency.   He can pull a late surprise, possibly involving military action.  I put nothing past him.

Stay tuned.  Big show tomorrow night.

October 15, 2012