Tipsheet

Live From CNN.com

Greetings from CNN.com (the website, not the cable channel).  I'm on with Jane Hamsher who can be read at www.firedoglake.com

We are scheduled to do another hit at 8:40 PM (ET).  You can watch it here.

Here's my take on tonight:  McCain obviously needs to change the momentum -- and soon.  Tonight is the obvious opportunity for that.  But while a lot of people are saying he needs to hit a home run tonight, I don't think that's necessarily true. 

The best way I can explain my theory is to use sports as the metaphor.  Often it is not a homerun -- or a huge play -- that changes momentum.  Usually, there is some small thing -- a dropped ball in baseball -- a fumble in football -- that begins the process. 

McCain doesn't need to knock-out Obama tonight.  But he does need to get something started ...