Obama's performance will hinge on his ability to hide his contempt for Mitt Romney.  That contempt is what led to his failure at the last debate.  Obama was not prepared, he looked bored and put-out by having to share the stage with someone he doesn't respect, and he let the mask down with every irritated smirk. 

So the real question is whether the last debate gave Obama enough respect for his opponent to prepare for this one.  My guess is no.

capering, giggling, near-maniacal opera buffa

Pure poetry.

Akin received less than 40% of the vote in the primary.  A majority of the voters actually wanted someone else.  This is why I like runoff primary elections.

Akin's answer to the question exposed him as an unprepared candidate.  His actions since then have shown that he's also unable to handle pressure.  That's not a good combination.

What was the first song you ever bought?

I'm pretty sure it's "Break My Stride" by Matthew Wilder

What song always gets you dancing?

"In the Mood" by Glenn Miller

What song takes you back to your childhood?

"Leader of the Band" by Dan Fogelberg

What is your perfect love song?

"The Luckiest" by Ben Folds or "True Companion" by Marc Cohn. I sang the latter to my wife when I proposed to her.

What song would you want at your funeral?

"Where the Streets Have No Name" by U2

Time for an encore. One last song that makes you, you.

If I had to pick one, I'd go with "Amazed" by Building 429. 'I won't question in the dark/what is true out in the light.'