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Both sides defend, attack candidates ahead of debate

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Wednesday night in Denver will be the fourth time President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney have met in public.

Both sides have fanned out their surrogates to push their candidate, including Romney's senior adviser, Barbara Comstock.

"What do you expect to hear from Gov. Romney that we haven't heard before?" Eyewitness News asked her.

"This is going to be a very large audience -- probably the largest audience in the whole season -- so it's just a great opportunity to talk directly to the American people and tell them about your heart for the middle class," Comstack said.

Comstack was quick to criticize Obama, saying he will likely attack success during the debate and that he doesn't get it.

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx defended the president. Foxx has recently been a strong supporter for the campaign.

"The president is a big supporter of success," Foxx said. "He wants people to be more successful. That's the whole idea of the middle class out strategy and growing our economy as opposed to a top down strategy that reinforces the structural problems we have in our economy."

Analysts say Romney is the one who has more to prove at the debate Wednesday, showing he can relate to middle America, but Comstock said that's not so.

"People want somebody who understands the economy and can turn it around," she said.

For the president, Foxx said it's about Obama showing what he can do.

"I think it's an opportunity, again, for the president to show who we all know him to be," he said.

Watch live video of the first presidential debate on wsoctv.com by clicking here.