I wasn't going to do a news dump today, especially when I'd much rather have this story get read, but I changed my mind.

Reminder

The first Presidential debate is on tonight at 9PM. Check all major broadcast networks and cable channels and you'll find it, and it'll be right here on YouTube. If you want to go into this thing open minded, try watching on YouTube or C-SPAN, where you won't get partisan commentary, but also no analysis.

Election News

- NBC News/Wall Street Journal, single most important issue: The economy (46%), Social issues (15%), Entitlement programs (12%), Health care (10%), Budget deficit (6%).

- Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS SuperPAC is spending money right now on a robocall in Michigan hitting Obama over the debt and deficit, where Obama leads by an average of 10 points. I thought this guy was supposed to be a master strategist?

- National Journal: Obama 47, Romney 47.

- NPR: Obama 51, Romney 44.

- But last seven national polls before that: Obama +2, +4, +3, +7, +3, +2, +4.

- NBC/WSJ: Obama 47-46 in Florida, 48-46 in Virginia, 51-52 in Ohio.

- Florida: Obama 46, Romney 43.

- New Jersey: Obama 56, Romney 39.

- Texas: Romney 58, Obama 39.

- Mark Murray of NBC News: "If you had to rank Romney's best chances of winning the battlegrounds, they would be (in order): NC, FL, CO, NV, VA, WI, IA, NH, OH". The problem for Mitt Romney is that he's only leading North Carolina.

- More Murray: "If you put OH, IA, NH in Obama's column, that gives Obama 265 EVs, meaning Romney HAS to run the table in remaining states"

- Important: 9,000 notifications sent to Harris County (Houston, Texas) residents informing them that they may be blocked from voting if they don't prove that they aren't dead mostly went to black people. List already has a proven 32% error rate.

- Despite being outraised nearly every month, Obama is still spending more money on TV ads in swing states than Romney is. What is Romney waiting for?

- Nate Silver: First Debate Often Helps Challenger in Polls

- Greg Mitchell: "Funny, after falling on their faces in predicting huge poll fallout from last job report, now pundits quiet on one coming this week." -- Report comes out on Friday the 5th.

- Latest Pollster electoral projection: Obama 303, Romney 191. 270 needed to win.

Politics

- First Romney, then Obama, now Todd Akin: old video turns up where he says doctors give abortions to women who ... aren't pregnant.

- Small government Mitt Romney: No weed for anything.

- Ezra Klein: "I honestly have no idea what's supposed to be controversial about any of these Obama quotes. Can anyone explain?"