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ThinkProgress Liveblogging Tonight’s Presidential Debate

Continuing our coverage of the 2008 election debates, the entire ThinkProgress team — including the Wonk Room and Matt Yglesias — will be liveblogging tonight’s debate (beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET at Hofstra University) and the media’s post-event commentary.

Tonight’s debate — focusing on domestic issues — will be the final face-off between Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Barack Obama (D-IL). The event will be moderated by CBS’s Bob Schieffer, who has promised to make sure the candidates stay on-topic. “It will not embarrass me, if they go off in a different direction, to say, ‘excuse me, could you focus on the question that I just asked?’” he said.

One development to watch for in tonight’s debate: McCain has promised to bring up allegations of Obama’s “relationship” with former Weather Underground member Bill Ayers. From his interview yesterday with KMOX:

KMOX: You have another debate coming up. The final debate. Many of your supporters are eager for you to confront Senator Obama on the Bill Ayers relationship in particular. Hillary Clinton even brought this up during the primary. Sen. Obama says you should have the guts to do it in person. So will you?

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McCAIN: Oh yeah. You know, I was astonished to hear him say that he was surprised for me to have the guts to do that. Because the fact is that the question did not come up in that fashion so — you know — I think he’s probably ensured that it will come up this time.

McCain has also vowed to “whip” Obama’s “you-know-what” tonight.