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NPR's Steve Inskeep is traveling with the Bush campaign in West Virginia, the final campaign stop before the Texas governor heads up to Boston for tomorrow evening's presidential debate with Al Gore. Bush is running an extremely close race with the Vice President, and both camps know that the debates could be the deciding factor as to who becomes the 43rd president.

Linda talks to Bill Rempel, National Correspondent and Investigative Reporter for the Los Angeles Times, about the concealed weapons law in Texas. Rempel's report in today's paper says hundreds of people with criminal backgrounds, many of them violent, have gotten the concealed carry licenses in Texas. That's despite a vow by Texas Governor George W. Bush for rigorous background checks.

Commentator Mark Hertsgaard says the Commission on Presidential Debates makes it nearly impossible for any candidate -- except those from the Democratic and Republican parties -- to participate. He says the debates are essential to any candidacy, and exclusionary rules help the two big parties retain their monopoly over the political system.

Satirist Harry Shearer imagines the line between Soft and Hard TV will fall, and future Presidential debates will be in line with more popular entertainment. He proposes a combination of professional wrestling and politics.

NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports from Yugoslavia, where opposition leaders are hoping a second day of protests and a general strike will force president Slobodan Milosevic from his office. Miloseic lost to Vojislav Kostunica in last month's elections.

NPR's Legal Affairs Correspondent Nina Totenberg reports the Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments today on the use of drug checkpoints. At issue is whether it is legal for police to randomly stop drivers and use dogs to check for illegal drugs. Opponents of the tactic say it amounts to illegal search and violates the 4th Amendment.

Commentator Joe Davidson says little has been said by George W. Bush or Al Gore about foreign assistance to Africa. He says African economic development is more important to the U.S. than most Americans believe.

From Athens, Georgia Steve Lickteig reports on the city's struggle to preserve an unusual monument — the railroad trestle pictured on the cover of native rock band REM's break-out album Murmur.

NPR's John McChesney reports that Napster -- the online music site that allows its users to "share" music files -- was back in court today. The Recording Industry Association is suing Napster for copyright infringement. A federal appeals court in San Francisco heard arguments today on whether a lower-court decision against the company should be allowed to go into effect. Napster's allies have warned that the company will be forced out of business if the lower-court ruling stands.

NPR's Ina Jaffe reports that the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear a case about who owns the right to commercial use of a theatrical character -- the actor who played the part, or the studio for which it was created. The case centers on a lawsuit filed against Paramount studios by the actors who played barflies Cliff and Norm on the Cheers TV series. It returns now to the California courts.