A lot riding on tonight's debate

Frankly, we would rather have a real debate, but since that is not possible in the age of instant polling, we will settle for what we get tonight - a joint news conference between the two leading candidates for president of the United States.

Lincoln would no doubt have chuckled over the tender niceties that the two sides have agreed to in the 32-page "agreement" that was hammered out for their three debates. It makes us wonder whether beanpole Abe forced his shorter opponent, Stephen Douglas, to submit to the "no riser" clause in their famous senatorial debates.

We do know that the peppery Lincoln had to be physically restrained a few times by his fellow Republicans who did not like to see him interrupting "the judge" with his snarky comments.

But we also know that kind of debate - where candidates actually challenge each other, goad each other and prod each other - hasn't been seen in a long age.

So we will take what we can get.

Tonight, President George Bush and Sen. John Kerry will debate before a small crowd onstage in Miami and before an audience of as many as 70 million on national television.

They will be talking about foreign policy - and most specifically about the War on Terror and the war in Iraq. For many Americans that translates into a debate about the future of the planet, about what kind of life we expect for our children and grandchildren.

The stakes are therefore enormous.

Although for many of us, the lines are already very clearly drawn, there will be many voters watching tonight who still have to decide which of these two men is best suited to lead the nation and the world in perilous times.

These co-called swing voters therefore have an enormous responsibility - to pay attention, to check the facts, and to reach a conclusion. It's time to get off the fence and take a stand.

Besides, we suspect that despite the concerted efforts to sanitize the confrontation, some sparks may still fly tonight. It's definitely the best show in town, so don't miss it.

Tonight's debate starts at 7 p.m. and will be televised on the major networks as well as the cable news channels. Future debates will be held Oct. 8 in St. Louis and Oct. 13 at Tempe, Ariz.

In addition, Vice President Dick Cheney will debate Kerry's running mate Sen. John Edwards on Oct. 5.