I THOUGHT THAT WATCHING THE 2ND PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE IN FRANCE might make a difference in how I saw things as compared to being inside the beltway. I certainly had no access at all to the post-debate spin here at 4:30 a.m. Caen time.

THE SECOND PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE HAS MANY IN FRANCE ON EDGE. Chirac is on a state visit to China. There are still two French journalist kidnap victims being held by Iraqi insurgents.

I AM WATCHING GEORGE W. BUSH SPEAK LIVE IN WILKES-BARRE, PA.

OK, I AM GOING TO UNINTENTIONALLY FRUSTRATE MANY OF MY READERS TONIGHT. Like Josh Marshall, I tried to stay away from the spin — assemble my thoughts fast before they became infected by others.

THE BUSH CAMPAIGN SAYS GEORGE BUSH IS FOR STEM CELL RESEARCH — BIG TIME — according to a statement titled “Embryonic Stem Cell Misinformation.” Who knew? In the roster of “facts” provided in the statement, Bush-Cheney 2004 states: President Bush delivered the first funding ever for embryonic stem cell research.

I WILL BE REPORTING ON TONIGHT’S DEBATE FOR UPI and will provide the link here for those wanting commentary on whether Luke or Darth prevailed — and whether smiles or snarls work best in debates. In other news, I’m pleased to say that National Journal has profiled my “Stock Options for Soldiers” concept.

ROCK THE VOTE REPORTS THAT IT HAS HELPED REGISTER more than 1,000,000 new young voters in the country. While it is true that America’s elder citizens outweigh youthful voters at the polls, there is some evidence that greater election curiosity is stirring among students and young people. EasytoVote.

CHALMERS JOHNSON PROVIDES A POWERFUL TEMPLATE FOR ATTACKING representatives in Congress who have escaped the gravity of constituent concerns and have flown upward into the care of lobbyists and special interests.

TODAY BEFORE THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, DONALD RUMSFELD backed off the assertions of an active link between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda.

MICHAEL MOORE STATES THAT HE WAS OFFERED FRAUDULENT KILLIAN DOCUMENTS by the same source who provided them to CBS News while Moore was making Farenheit 9/11 and rejected them. Speaking Sunday evening at the University of Central Arkansas, Moore was asked during Q&A about the “Dan Rather story.