| Speaking of Vegas, here are the deets on how to watch: The podiums are ready to go. (AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEB) When: Wednesday, 9 p.m. Eastern
Where: In Las Vegas, if you can get there in time. If not, at washingtonpost.com and every major news channel. May I also recommend the talking-head-free C-SPAN.
Format: Regular ol' debate format. The moderator will be Fox News' Chris Wallace, who has a reputation as a tough questioner. Don't expect any fact-checking at this debate, writes Mic.Com's Stephanie Gaskell. Even though Wallace did some memorable fact-checking in the primary debates, he isn't planning to now: "If I think there's a need for me to intervene, I will. But I prefer not to," Wallace told colleague Bret Baier on Fox News Sunday. "Basically you're there as a timekeeper, but you're not a participant. You're there just to make sure that they engage in the most interesting and fairest way possible." A strange political saga, explained There's a behind-the-scenes drama unfolding on debate day that has the potential to make it to the stage Wednesday. So let's run down the basics: WHAT: Two little-known-but-influential Democratic operatives lost their jobs this week for saying things to an undercover conservative group that fed right into Trump's narrative the election is rigged and Clinton is corrupt. Among their purported comments are taking credit for violence that canceled a Trump rally in Chicago and bragging about paying "mentally ill" people to start trouble in those rallies. WHO: The operatives are Scott Foval and Robert Creamer, who had jobs related to helping Clinton win. HOW: The undercover videos came from James O'Keefe, a conservative activist you probably last heard about in 2009, when his group tried to film officials from the progressive community organizing group ACORN giving illegal tax advice to a supposed pimp. The Post's David Weigel has more of the story. BUT: O'Keefe's videos have been proven to be heavily edited in the past. That's why the footage doesn't validate Trump's conclusion the election is rigged, writes The Fix's Callum Borchers, who goes on: "But it does confirm something else about the race for the White House: It is increasingly characterized by leaks, hacks and surreptitious recordings." So, can a presidential election be rigged? It's possible in the sense that you could get struck by lightning today. But despite all of Trump's talk about large-scale plot against him, election experts actually say that in America you're more likely to get struck by lightning than face a fraudulent election. That's because rigging an election would require widespread collusion of both major parties at every step in the process. And all this supposed rigging would have to be done in the open, because elections are held in public places such as schools and churches and watched by trained bipartisan officials the entire time. The Post's Sari Horwitz has more. Happy debate watching! If you want to skip it (can't blame you), keep an eye on your inbox for a special edition of The 5-Minute Fix featuring Fix Boss Chris Cillizza's winners and losers from the night. Also, stick with The Fix, since we'll definitely be watching. Me tonight. (giphy.com) | 