Tonight, presidential hopefuls John McCain, R-Ariz., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., are scheduled to kick off the first debate of the general election. Earlier this week, it looked like Obama would be shadowboxing when McCain made an unprecedented request to pull out of tonight's main event. For a look at other debate oddities, highs and lows, The Takeaway turns to Alan Schroeder. He’s a connoisseur of televised political debates.