• Bush leads by 5 points in WP poll. Debate improved voters' confidence in Kerry, but still trails Bush on leadership ability, according to NYT poll. [WP, NYT, NYT]
• Tonight, shadowy Cheney and smiling Edwards likely to spar over war. . . and it could matter. Scholar: "It's hard to imagine them even having a conversation. This debate is going to be fun." [USAT, USAT, WP, WP, BG, WT, WSJ]
• Bush calls Kerry's policies "dangerous for world peace," reiterates he will not institute draft. [NYT, USAT, BG]
• Bush signs $146b tax cut: "That money will keep the economy moving forward and result in even more new jobs for American workers." [WP]
• Kerry, with Michael J. Fox, says "we're stuck on the sidelines" of stem cell research. [WP, NYT, USAT, BG]
• Bush to give "significant speech" tomorrow about war on terrorism and economy. [WT]
• Candidates stick it to the battleground. Bush impersonator on "SNL": "Frankly, I don't know why my opponent wants this job, because it's hard!" [WP]
• Union complains federal employees are used as "props" for BC04. [WP]
• Partisans, not undecided voters, swayed by messages of fear, new research finds: "Anxiety works to unhinge you from your convictions, but if you don't have any convictions to speak of, then it's not going to have that effect." [NYT]
• Ad war over "global test." [USAT]
• Bush counting on strong jobs numbers, to be released on day on second debate. [WSJ]
• Kerry opposes international courts unless set conditions are met. [BG]
• Complications of provisional ballots, new technologies, old machines create possibility of recounts beyond Florida. [WSJ]
• Partisans overcome by politics. Said one, "If Bush were to lose this election, I would cross my fingers that we would get through the next four years." [LAT]
• States faced with boom of last-minute registrations. [USAT, LAT]
• KE04, DNC, and the Media Fund launch ads about White House ties to Saudi Arabia. [NYT]
• SBVFT begin new television, direct mail attacks following $3m donation from two longtime Bush-backers. [LAT]
• NRA announces new ad against Kerry. [LAT]
• Some black pastors break convention to endorse Bush. [NYT]
• Nader: "I don't believe in unconditional surrender. . . You are going to end up with a prowar, pro-Patriot Act, procorporate globalization, procorporate welfare, protaxes for the rich." [BG]
