Talking Points: The 1st Presidential Debate Of 2012
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Looking ahead this week -- one of the major stories we will be following will be the buildup to the first presidential debate Wednesday night at the University of Denver.
With an estimated 50 million Americans expected to tune in, both the President and Mitt Romney are cramming hard. For each candidate the stakes are high.
Candidates have to worry about every aspect of their performance -- a single gesture can be damaging, just ask President George H.W. Bush who kept glancing at his watch in his debate with Ross Perot and Bill Clinton.
Or then there is the ability to win with just one sizzling line -- no one did that better than Ronald Reagan with his, "There you go again," and "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" lines against Jimmy Carter.
Debates can be game changers in a presidential election. And right now the candidate who wants to change the game is Mitt Romney -- polls nationally and in key states show the President opening up a lead.
Professor Larry Jacobs appeared on WCCO Sunday Morning.
"This is Mitt Romney's big opportunity to change the playing fields since the conventions we have seen the national polls and the state polls shifting to the Presidents advantage," Jacobs said. "There is still plenty of time and opportunity for him to catch up. This is his opportunity though to start changing that playing field in his favor."
Whatever happens in Wednesday's debate, the Presidential candidates will get two more chances, there will be two more debates on Oct. 16 and 22. The Vice-Presidential candidates will face each other on Oct. 11.
You can watch WCCO Sunday Morning with Esme Murphy and Matt Brickman every Sunday on WCCO-TV at 6 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
