After a week of Expectations Management and Earnest Discussions about whether Americans really give a shit, the moment is finally upon us: The Big One. The Rumble in the Bunghole. Alien vs. Predator. And while we offer no predictions for tonight’s Preznidential Debate Open Thread/Diabetes Attack, we’ll be sorely disappointed if we don’t have at least one opportunity to toss our Gourmet Popping Corn in utter disbelief.

“Skipping a beverage, the pol’s total was $18.25. Romney pulled out a $20 spot and left the $1.75 change in the tip jar.” Which comes to, um, 9.5 percent. [The Daily]

“You find that along with the culture of death go all kinds of other law-breaking: Not following good sanitary procedure, giving abortions to women who are not actually pregnant, cheating on taxes, all these kinds of things.” —Todd Akin, speaking on the House floor in 2008. His campaign stands by the claim, which is based on a 1978 newspaper story. [BuzzFeed]

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“Romney’s advisers have a simple strategy: They want their candidate to balance his finely tuned arguments with personal warmth.” [NRO]

“Because they kinda do,” reads the original post. Which the Obama Tumblr reposted Monday. And then removed. After the Weekly Standard took notice.

“The most important [debate] anecdotes, aides say, may not even be family stories, but memories from his days at Bain Capital. Bain Capital’s rise from an offshoot of a consulting firm to a major power in the private-equity world is something Romney takes prides in, and his advisers hope that the candidate defines those years on his own terms.” [NRO, via TPM]