Apparently Checney did have a chance encounter with Edwards prior to this debate, but as one of the people (forget who) said it would then make the debate only the SECOND time the two have met. Either way you cut it, the point is that Edwards was AWOL in the senate, and spectacularly so.
To be honest, I hope they bring this up again becaise it will give Cheney the opportunity to then so - "OK, so we met ONCE before. The debate was then only the SECOND time I met John Edwards.". Still a pretty damning statement IMHO.
And that was a damn good line, too. "This is the first time I've met you." Whew--it jarred my eye-teeth loose!