This is precious..Mitt Romney has already begun quietly prepping for his high-stakes debate

[monmouth]

WASHINGTON — It’s 13 weeks away, but Mitt Romney has already begun quietly prepping for his high-stakes inaugural debate with Barack Obama.

Romney sources told the Daily News that during a three-day retreat he hosted late last month for big-time Republican contributors and party mandarins at Park City, Utah, the candidate also found time to squeeze in the first two rounds of what staffers call “debate prep.”

Romney convened six to eight campaign aides around a conference table at the elegant Chateaux at Silver Lake. They sorted through a variety of topics sure to come up in the three Presidential debates, like the state of the economy and the war in Afghanistan, and kicked around the best “test responses” to questions they expect Obama and debate moderators will toss at the ex-Massachusetts governor.

More such encounters are expected over the summer, but what one source called “podium practices” with an Obama surrogate won't happen for awhile — mainly because Romney doesn’t care for them all that much.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/election-2012/exclusive-mitt-romney-prepping-debate-obama-13-weeks-article-1.1109157#ixzz1zxE56Ke3

[liberal N proud]

1. No amount of practice can make a board look good against Obama.

[rfranklin]

2. He's going to care even less for the actual opponent...

I can see him losing his composure when Obama jabs him a few times.

[Frustratedlady]

3. He'll lose his composure as soon as Obama stares at him with that grin of his.

Maybe after he does that little chuckle in response to Romney's answers.

[progressivebydesign]

4. had no idea we had progressed to brain transplants.. because that is what it will take.

I only hope that the people running the debate will ABSOLUTELY call him on his flat out lies... they never do, though.

[monmouth]

6. My concern is who will be the moderator. Just POTUS's luck it will be D. Gregory...n/t

[SoutherDem]

5. My only worry about the debates are

There will such low expectations of Romeny as long as he doesn't trip while walking across the stage it will be considered the winner.

Debates have always been a puzzle to me. The rules usually mean they are nothing but paid political announcements and the candidates get "handicapped" like in golf. Someone can lose badly but be considered the winner because no one expected them to form coherent sentences. Or someone can run circles around the opponent and still not be considered the winner.

[demwing]

11. A debate is really just an opportunity to coin

a string of soundbites.

I don't think Mitt will have a Rick "I cant remember" Perry moment, that's not Romney's weakness. Romney has a glass chin, and doesn't respond well to a direct, powerful hit. He also doesn't do well when mocked - those are his failings.

I expect Obama to work both (I'd love to see Obama jokingly bet Mitt about some point, then say "$10, not $10,000 Mitt, I'm just the President, I don't make that kinda money...&quot and win the soundbite war to boot.

[CanonRay]

7. He's basically a lazy, spoiled, rich kid.

while also being a nasty bully. What an ass.

[leftyohiolib]

8. "best “test responses” that's what they'll be, focus tested lies. just like any republican, lie to

get in office then do whatever

[wandy]

9. Should be interesting. I expect that between moderators and handycaps.........

Obama will be hobbled and handcuffed in a way Kurt Vonnegut would have written in Welcome to the Monkey House.
I expect Obama to win when Mittens gets all huffy.

But darn it I was so looking forward to Obama debating Rick Perry.
Now that would have been "the giver of rules dealing with fools".

[demwing]

10. The only real opponent Romeny has ever faced was Kennedy in 94

Kennedy had some image issues over the recent William Kennedy Smith trial, and it was a bad year for Dems in general, but he still pounded Romney and won by 17 points.

Romney, on the other hand, struggled to beat Santorum. Think about that.

Obama has faced some serious competition and has been battle tested, plus he's charismatic as hell. Any other sitting president that had to deal with a similar economy would likely be trailing badly. Like Obama says, he's skinny, but he's tough.

Romney is out of his league, and Americans are waking up to that fact. When the debates are done, the alarm clock will have sounded, the "sleep" button will have been broken, and Romney will no longer be able to hide behind America's collective nap time.

[magical thyme]

12. I'm hoping Rmoney will have a big hump on his back

and somebody in the building will have jammed the signal. Or overpowered it, and inserts their own message. I need some serious comedy. Rmoney could be straight man and comic all in one...and never even know it.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

13. He might have to get some help from dumbya!

[DemocracyInaction]

14. Catch the last line...

Romney doesn't like podium practices........ummm, same trouble they had with the dimwit bimbo from Alaska last time. I seriously think we have a male version of her to a great extent. He believes he can buy this so why bother trying to charm those average American low lifes........