•Bush doesn't duck: three presidential debates expected (Florida, 9/30; Missouri, 10/8; Arizona, 10/13). [WP, LAT, USAT]
• CBS News to claim it was mislead on documents; officials admit report was not credible to air. Apology under consideration; Rather interviews Burkett. [WP, NYT, LAT]
•Edwards: "The Republicans overreacted when we went up a few points in August and now the people on our side are overreacting to the polls swinging the other way." [WP]
•Edwards, in offensive on Iraq, says KE04 will "crush" Al Qaeda, eliminate "backdoor draft." Edwards denounces Hastert comments as addition to "fear-mongering choir." [WP, NYT, LAT]
• Forgetting "Let America Be America Again," KE04 offers new theme: "wrong choices [or] new direction." Advisor: "Is it too late? I don't think so. But no one wanted to be asking that question in September." [LAT, BG]
•KE04 ads down to 13 states, excluding Missouri, Colorado, Arizona. Devine: "If the bounce continues to go down for Bush, which it will, and we come out of the debates with momentum, we'll be positioned to move." [NYT]
•Bush to address UN, meet Allawi in new push to control Iraq debate. [WSJ]
•Bush, in Florida, tells hurricane victims to "hang in there." Bush: "The amazing thing about these catastrophes is how the American people rise to the occasion." [WP]
•McCain, Graham, Hagel call for renewed focus in Iraq. [WP]
•Bush in 1972: "an amiable bachelor with a good tennis game and a famous father." [NYT]
•Bush's accusations about Kerry's tax plans are "exaggerated to the point of distortion." [NYT]
• Health insurance premiums up 59% since 2000. [LAT]
•Kerry carefully uses religion on the trail, mindful of Dems' "deficit" in the arena. [USAT]
• Race this close nearly impossible to accurately track. [WSJ]
• Candidates may have opposing campaign strengths, but they agree who's in charge. [NYT]
• The blogosphere as "portal" to challenge the media; Sullivan calls CBS flap "the blogs' breakthrough moment." [WP]
•KE04 fighting for Cuban-American vote; office opened in Little Havana. [WSJ]
• Cane growers organize against Bush's supporting of trade pact. [WP]
•Bush opponents express fear of more wars in next four years. [USAT]
