If Mitt Romney stumbles during Wednesday's presidential debate, it won't be for a lack of preparation.
The Republican presidential nominee has spent at least eight days over the past month getting ready for the three debates against President Barack Obama.
The reasons are clear: The stakes are enormous given that Romney trails the president in surveys in key states and in national polls that show a close race, and the debates are one of the Republican's final opportunities to shift the dynamics of the race.
As Romney has prepared for the first matchup, one question has loomed over the others among both advisers and observers: Will he provoke Obama or will Obama provoke him?
The first of three matchups will take place in Denver.