Vice presidential debates are not heavily focused on as the main presidential debates, but this year's election has changed that perception.
Following the first presidential debate last Wednesday with consensus stating Romney won, the eyes are on Joe Biden to help give Obama a needed boost.
The upcoming debate is also expected to have some fireworks compared to the 2008 vice presidential debate.
Back in 2008, Biden debated with then-Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin. Biden focused his attacks on John McCain rather than Palin to avoid criticism of bullying a woman.
Now in 2012, Biden doesn't have to avoid such accusations against Mitt Romney's running mate Paul Ryan.
According to Politico, Steve Schmidt, who helped prep Palin for her Biden debate said, "There's no sympathetic character up there with him this time. So he'll be bringing his proverbial nunchucks and brass knuckles."
Both men have the political experience, but Ryan has not debated on this level before.
According to Andy Sullivan of Reuters, viewers should also expect both vice presidential candidates to correct their stances on topics such as health care and taxes.
Sullivan noted, "Biden has said he won't let any questionable claims go unchallenged, and Democratic allies say it will be important to prevent Ryan from glossing over controversial policy details."
"You have to call these guys out if they're going to try to pretend to be people that they're not," said former economist for the Obama administration Jared Bernstein to Reuters.
Ryan's proposal for a privatized government-run medical plan and Obama's "Obamacare" will be a topic of discussion.
"Expect Biden to come out swinging on that one - Democrats have won elections for decades by warning that Republicans would gut the program, and the issue seems to be working in their favor this year," wrote Sullivan.
The debate will also focus on foreign policy, an aspect widely reported to be the reason Obama picked Biden as his running mate back in 2008.
Romney has stepped with their attacks on Obama's foreign policy, with Romney delivering a speech from the Virginia Military Institute on Monday on his stance on the Middle East.
Ryan has not been as vocal when it comes to foreign policy, and it could be Biden's advantage. Biden served as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee which handled the withdrawal process from Iraq.
The first-and-only vice presidential debate of the 2012 elections season is set for this Thursday at 9 p.m. EDT from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky.
The debate will be moderated by Martha Raddatz of ABC News and follow the theme of domestic and foreign policy.
Latinos Post will provide live streaming of the debate.
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