Romney: Debate about more than just winning

(CBS News) DENVER, Colorado - Mitt Romney told a crowd here on Monday evening that he doesn't view his upcoming debate with the President in terms of winning or losing, but instead as an opportunity to lay out a choice for voters between two dramatically different paths forward.

"The American people are going to have to make the choice as to what kind of America they want," Romney told several thousand supporters at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum.

But Romney acknowledged that his performance at Wednesday's debate was bound to be scored and scrutinized by those both covering and watching.

"People want to know who's going to win," he said. "Who's going to score the punches and who's going to make the biggest difference in the arguments they make. And there's going to be all the scoring of winning and losing."

Both campaigns spent Monday continuing to try to lower the expectations for their own candidate's performance, while raising the bar for their opponent.

"There's only one person on stage that's done three nationally televised head to head debates in a general election format that's been president Obama," senior Romney advisor Kevin Madden told reporters on board the candidate's flight to Colorado on Monday.

Over on the president's flight to Nevada, Obama's campaign spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said that Romney and "his team have been clear, what they need, what they expect from the debates is a game-changing performance."

Romney laid out his own path forward at Monday night's rally in the Mile High City, focusing on his five-point plan - energy, trade, training, cutting the deficit, and encouraging small business - that he says will jump start the economy and create 12 million new jobs.

Romney, who was joined on stage by local hero and former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway, asked those in attendance to find someone who voted for Obama in 2008 and convince them to join his team.

"I need you to go out and find people and say, 'you know what, it's not working,'" Romney said. "We need someone who will get this America going again. I will, with your help."