General Wesley Clark will square off with the eight other Democratic presidential hopefuls tonight. This will be Clark's third debate in a series sponsored by the Democratic National Committee.

Clark goes into the debate as the Democratic front-runner. According to the most recent Gallup Poll, Clark is leading among registered Democrats, polling at 18%.

This debate, hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus, will be held in Detroit. The location is about 30 miles from the University of Michigan, the site of an affirmative action lawsuit that was decided earlier this year by the US Supreme Court. Clark, along with a group of military leaders, filed an amicus brief with the court supporting affirmative action.

"The military is, in many ways, a microcosm of our society," Clark wrote in an op-ed column published in the Detroit Free Press Friday. "That is why a group of former military leaders cared so deeply about the University of Michigan case. The achievement of a diverse student body at a university, like the achievement of a diverse officer corps in the military, will make Michigan a better, more well-rounded, more just institution."

The court decided to uphold affirmative action.

Clark continued, "There is one thing the opponents of affirmative action have never wanted to admit: it works. I know this first-hand from my thirty-four years in the United States military. Affirmative action was essential to creating the diverse officer corps we need to defend our country. Throughout my career, I have seen the benefits of seeking out qualified minority candidates for leadership positions - and I am a beneficiary of their leadership."

Before the debate, Clark will visit the Oak Grove AME Church in Detroit. The church hosts a variety of ministries in its neighborhood, and many members are politically active.

The debate can be seen on Fox News Channel at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time.