Great News: SCOTUS Refuses to Block Ohio Early Voting

The Supreme Court has declined to review the decision of the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the 6th District that:

if Ohio is going to allow in-person voting for members of the military during the Saturday, Sunday and Monday before the election, it must open the process to all voters.

“While there is a compelling reason to provide more opportunities for military voters to cast their ballots, there is no corresponding satisfactory reason to prevent nonmilitary voters from casting their ballots as well,” the appeals court said.

Bloomberg:

Ohio Republicans had sought to cancel early voting that weekend for everyone except members of the military. A U.S. appeals court blocked the plan last week, saying it probably violated the constitutional rights of non-military voters. In a one-sentence order, the Supreme Court today rejected a challenge to that ruling, filed by Ohio’s Republican secretary of state and attorney general….

The early-voting clash is one of two Ohio election disputes with implications for the presidential race between Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. In a second Obama victory, the same Cincinnati-based appeals court last week barred the state from disqualifying provisional ballots that voters cast in the wrong precinct because of poll-worker error.

In other news, President Obama says he “feels fabulous” about the debate tonight.

President Barack Obama walks with Senior White House Adviser David Plouffe and Anita Dunn to debate preparation at the Kingsmill Resort on Tuesday in Williamsburg, Va. — Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Hours before a crucial debate, President Obama tried to flash some confidence and calm for the cameras.

“I feel fabulous. Look at this beautiful day,” Obama said, as he strolled under blue skies at the Virginia resort where he has been preparing for his faceoff with Mitt Romney.

The president has been largely out of sight since Saturday, when he arrived here for three days of intensive debate preparations.

Zeke Miller at Buzzfeed writes that:

President Barack Obama appears amply aware that he fumbled badly during a debate two weeks ago in Denver, but he’s not the only one looking for redemption: Obama’s staff, blamed in part for his weak preparation, for a flawed plan, and for a lame post-debate effort are also seeking a do-over.

The most obvious — and critical — flaw in the Denver debate was Obama’s performance, and aides say they’ve prepared him intensely not to repeat it. They’ve played him the tape of the Denver debacle, examined his facial expressions and overall body language, and prepared for how to personally engage a live audience of questioners.

Tuesday’s town hall-style forum at Hofstra University on Long Island, NY is a format in which Obama in 2008 thrived, as the format’s king, John McCain, stumbled. Four years ago Obama managed to draw a connection with both the questioner and the audience at home. Aides say they expect this stage to be more comfortable, since he’s not interacting with just Romney.

There is also a new plan. Two weeks ago, Obama tried to stay above the fray, backing down from nearly every attack he and his campaign have been firing at Romney by proxy — both on television and in solo rallies across the country. Tuesday at Hofstra, will throw all the punches he pulled two weeks ago, his aides promise. Romney’s tax rate? Check. The 47% video? He’ll work it in there. Osama bin Laden? You can bet on it.

Sounds like Team Obama is taking this seriously. Do you buy it? How are you feeling about tonight?

This is an open thread, of course.