--SUPERS --
:16 - :33
Candy Crowley
Debate Moderator

:40 - :47
Ana Navarro
Republican Strategist

:48 - :52
Maria Cardona
Democratic Strategist

1:04 - 1:07
Mitt Romney
(R) Presidential Candidate

1:08 - 1:10
October 7, 2008

1:11 - 1:15
October 17, 2000

1:16 - 1:44
October 15, 1992

1:49 - 1:53
Maria Cardona
Democratic Strategist

2:02 - 2:11
Ana Navarro
Republican Strategist

2:11 - 2:17
Candy Crowley
Debate Moderator

--LEAD IN --
The debate season is well underway, and up next is perhaps the most interesting of the three presidential debates we'll get to see.
This time, tt will be undecided voters asking the questions.
Athena Jones has a look ahead.

--REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS --
ROUND TWO: PRESIDENT OBAMA AND GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY FACE OFF IN THEIR SECOND DEBATE TUESDAY, A TOWN HALL MODERATED BY C-N-N'S CANDY CROWLEY, WHO SAYS THE FORMAT PRESENTS UNIQUE CHALLENGES FOR THE CANDIDATES.
The challenge is that they've got to connect, not just with the people that are looking into the television and watching them, but to the people that are on the stage with them -- some 80 or so undecided voters as chosen by Gallup, so they have to keep those folks in mind. It's a much more intimate and up close adventure with voters.
PRESIDENT OBAMA IS UNDER PRESSURE, AFTER HIS LAST TURN ON THE DEBATE STAGE GOT BAD REVIEWS.
One bad debate is losing a battle, two bad debates could very well mean he loses the war.
I think you'll see a very different President Obama this time around. He's got to be seen as being aggressive, but yet he can't be seen as being overly aggressive.
ROMNEY HAS ENJOYED A POST-DEBATE BOUNCE IN NATIONAL POLLS, AND A BOOST OF CONFIDENCE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
I've had the fun of going back and forth across Ohio and this week I was also in Florida and Iowa, I was in North Carolina, in Virginia and you know what there is a growing crescendo of enthusiasm. People recognize that this is not an ordinary campaign; this is a critical time for the country. There is more energy and passion. People are getting behind this campaign.
AT A TOWN HALL -- WITHOUT A PODIUM AND WITH AUDIENCE INTERACTION -- THE CANDIDATES' STYLE AND BODY LANGUAGE CAN TAKE ON ADDED WEIGHT.
AT THE FIRST TOWN HALL-STYLE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE IN 1992, PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH REPEATEDLY CHECKED HIS WATCH; A SIGN, SOME THOUGHT, THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE THERE.
COMMENTATORS SAID BILL CLINTON WALKING TOWARD THE AUDIENCE TO ANSWER A QUESTION ABOUT THE RECESSION HIGHLIGHTED HIS ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH VOTERS.
ONE THING THAT CAN MAKE IT HARD FOR A CANDIDATE TO BE AGGRESSIVE, IS A QUESTION LIKE THIS.
The amount of time the candidates have spent on this campaign trashing their opponents' character and their programs is depressingly large. Why can't your discussions and proposals reflect the genuine complexity and the difficulty of the issues to try to build a consensus around the best aspects of all proposals?
ANALYSTS SAY THE FORMAT COULD BE GOOD FOR THE PRESIDENT.
He will absolutely be able to draw from that energy from the energy of the public and the crowd.
AS FOR ROMNEY:
One of his big challenges during this entire campaign has been not being able to connect with the common man, woman, and child. He's got to be able to come across as connecting, he's got to come across as genuine, as caring, as likeable.
The candidate that makes a connection with the person asking the question is also making a better connection with the person back at home.
THE STAKES COULDN'T BE HIGHER.
ATHENA JONES, CNN, WASHINGTON
-----END-----CNN.SCRIPT-----

--KEYWORD TAGS--
PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE BARACK OBAMA MITT ROMNEY