Are you ready for Round 2 in the not-so-great 2004 election debates? It's Cheney (pictured) vs. Edwards tonight in the veepstakes. Generally, the debate between the No. 2 men on the ticket doesn't matter much. After Dubya coughed up a big meatball last week, however, this debate could make a difference. You can read all about the particulars here. and columnist Robert Novak discusses veep debates here.

1. Political 'Toon Fix: Chuck Asay re: debates here and Wayne Stayskal re: attempt by D.C. gays to stop baseball's move to town here.

2. Humor Fix: Leno: "Hey, you been following this Mount St. Helens thing? Is that scary or what? If pressure builds up in the volcano too fast, it can cause an earthquake, followed by an explosion with brushfires, smoke and ashes everywhere combined with a massive traffic jam from people trying to flee. So it’d be like a year in L.A. all in one day."

3. My Way Fix: This Day in History here, This Day in Music here, and Today's Birthdays here.

4. Top of the News Fix: Shots fired into Knoxville Bush/Cheney HQ here, Bush readies significant speech here, Muslim group endorses Kerry here, Troops back Bush 4-1 here, and Christians beat Ohio State 'anti-discrimination' policy here.

5. Reality Check Fix: In his new book, “America's Secret War: Inside the Hidden Worldwide Struggle Between America and its Enemies,” George Friedman, president of Stratfor, argues that midway through the war on terrorism, America has made major gains while al-Qaeda has failed in most of its goals and is on the defensive. Iraq, he argues, is a keystone of American strategy against al-Qaeda here.

6. Opinion Fix: Andrew McCarthy (Shoe Bomber 2.0), David Limbaugh (Dubya, take the gloves off), Cal Thomas (A boy-man goes off to war), Chuck Colson ("Mercy killing" run amok), and Frank J. Gaffney Jr. (Kerry's nuclear nonsense).

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