NEWSMAX: …No wonder Romney spent days this past week holed up at the Vermont estate of former Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey for debate practice sessions with Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, who played the role of Obama. The president, for his part, has had one practice session with Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the Democrats’ stand-in for Romney, and is certain to have several more before the first debate Oct. 3 in Denver.…
Incumbents usually are at a disadvantage, defending a record against a challenger critiquing four years of work. Obama will be trying to avoid the fate of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, who turned in flat debate performances in their first encounters with rivals. In the end, though, it didn’t hurt either one as they both won re-election….
“In 2008, the first debate between Barack Obama and John McCain, one of the takeaways was McCain did not make eye contact with Obama,” Schroeder said. “That came off as rude, disrespectful.”… (more)
