First, the good news, USA mens soccer team leads 3-1 over Guatemala. Look good to qualify for the next round. But Germany blew a 4-0 lead today so, as Yogi said, it's not over till it's over.

My Yanks? Ah, my Yanks. Do you believe in miracles? Here's hoping we can beat the best pitcher of his generation, Justin Verlander, while mired in a team wide slump. Hope springs eternal.

Meanwhile, in other news, there is a debate tonight that could very likely decide who will lead our country for the next 4 years. But other than that, no big deal. Live blog to commence at 9. It'll be on the flip once the debate starts.

One hour from now, the second debate begins between President Obama and Mitt Romney. It's a town hall, will someone ask about marijuana? Will it be the only thing they agree on all night, that it must stay illegal, or will one or both pander for the youth vote and pretend they aren't dead set against it?

Which Obama will we see tonight? Hopefully not the professor.

Here's an open thread for your thoughts before it begins.

I want to be a Macho Man:

Romney aides told BuzzFeed their polling indicates that Obama's biggest vulnerability among Hispanics is that he's viewed as a "weak leader." In much of Latino culture, they explained, political leaders are expected to demonstrate a macho bravado[.]

Mitt Romney was not a businessman; he was a master financial speculator who bought, sold, flipped, and stripped businesses. He did not build enterprises the old-fashioned way—out of inspiration, perspiration, and a long slog in the free market fostering a new product, service, or process of production. Instead, he spent his 15 years raising debt in prodigious amounts on Wall Street so that Bain could purchase the pots and pans and castoffs of corporate America, leverage them to the hilt, gussy them up as reborn “roll-ups,” and then deliver them back to Wall Street for resale—the faster the better. - Former Reagan Budget Director David Stockman

David Stockman was the former Reagan budget director. He went to a life of LBO "artist." He first becme well known for telling the truth about Reagan's voodoo economics and was 'taken to the woodshed' for his frankness.

In this article, Stockman puts together Mitt Romney's 'great' business career with the polices that allowed for it and which he wants to double down on. Stockman wrote:

How it's done.

I'm watching the Yankees. You're on your own.

Go Yanks! Go Biden!

Ok, one quick comment on the debate - Biden kicked ass of course. But what really worked was he did it as Joe Biden, the authentic Joe Biden. That's why it really worked.

CBS snap poll - Biden 50-31 winner among Independents (uncommitted voters.).

Sorry CNN, Biden kicked his ass.

Looks like we need another open thread. I will be watching the debate and look forward to reading your comments tomorrow. I just got a broken blood vessel in my eye a few hours ago, and will be offline tonight to give my eyes some rest.

If Big Tent Democrat is available, he'll start a new thread for the debate.

For this thread, all topics welcome.

What kind of identification does your state require to vote? Here's a handy map by Headcount.org, just click on your state or scroll down to the text.

Also, different states have different policies on the type of identification college students need to vote. If you know a college student, here's a really handy color-coded map to pass along.

What's Headcount.org? It's a non-partisan organization that works with musicians "to promote participation in democracy." Their volunteers stage voter registration drives at concerts. They get the artists involved as well. [More...]

Initially, Mitt Romney tried to defend his 47% remarks, calling them inartfully phrased. In case you don't recall his remarks, here's what he said at a campaign event:

"There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what," Romney said in the video. "There are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it."

"Forty-seven percent of Americans pay no income tax," Romney said, and that his role "is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."sed.

Tonight, Romney reversed course, and admitted he was completely wrong. [More....]

So the pundit consensus (as well as the snap polls) say Romney won the debate last night. I don't agree but that's not what decides these things.

President Obama has never been a good debater (For those who have forgotten, Hillary Clinton cleaned his clock in the 2008 primary debates.) And he was not good last night. But I thought Romney was terrible - frantic and wild. Answers filled with word salads.

And in particular, I thought Romney' performance on the tax issue was simply absurd. Below the fold I present you the transcript of the tax portion of the debate:

Remember when Romney said the other day young people who got deferments under Obama's order wouldn't face deportation? Now he's issued an addendum, lowering the boom. Only those who actually get a deferment before he becomes President will avoid deportation -- because they've purchased it and it's a done deal. Once he's President, he'll end the policy and those who haven't already received a deferment will be subject to deportation.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney would end an Obama administration policy allowing some young illegal immigrants to stay in the country and work, though anyone already granted a reprieve from possible deportation wouldn't see that permission revoked.

Romney told The Denver Post on Monday that people who are able to earn the two-year reprieves to stay and work wouldn't be in danger of deportation if he is elected. His campaign later clarified that while Romney would honor permission to stay as granted under President Barack Obama, a Romney administration wouldn't grant such permission.

Romney also says he'll veto the Dream Act if passed.

Mitt was the energizer bunny. Obama was Steady Eddie. If you missed the debate, here's the full transcript.

By the end, Romney's bright-eyes were fading.

Romney had no memorable lines.

What I recall: Obama's refrain that Romney has no details. Is he withholding them because they are so good?

Another good point by Obama: If you're 54 or 55, listen up, Romney's proposed Medicare and Social Security changes will affect you. [More...]