Third Presidential Debate

Third Presidential Debate

It's the last chance for President Obama and Mitt Romney to make their case on the debate stage. Here are five things to watch tonight, from CNN's Peter Hamby and Paul Steinhauser

5 things to watch in tonight's debate

Boca Raton, Florida (CNN) -- President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney meet Monday night in the last of their three debates, this one focused on foreign policy.

Unlike last week's contentious town hall-style debate in which the candidates ambled around the stage and parried with each other, Obama and Romney will be seated at a table with moderator Bob Schieffer, who told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram what he hopes comes out of the debate:

"People are watching to judge character. I don't think it matters what the questions are about -- what matters is how candidates answer. Do they seem in control? ... I'm just there to help the viewers get a better understanding of who these people are."

Here are five things to watch tonight:

by CNN's Kevin Liptak 10/22/2012 10:04:56 PM
Wait 'til you see the image Mitt's Body Man captured today. Our profile on Romney personal asst @dgjackson on @CNNSitRoom later this hour.

by Jim Acosta via twitter 10/22/2012 10:12:07 PM
2night's topic: foreign affairs. But if you listen closely, you will also hear an entirely different conversation. www.cnn.com #CNN

by David Gergen via twitter 10/22/2012 10:15:13 PM
Sen. John Kerry speaks to Wolf Blitzer about tonight's debate:

by CNN's Kevin Liptak 10/22/2012 10:15:38 PM
Opinion: McGovern ahead of his time at.cnn.com

by CNN Politics via twitter 10/22/2012 10:27:00 PM
Greene on McGovern: Strong man who overcame defeat at.cnn.com

by CNN Politics via twitter 10/22/2012 10:27:01 PM
The state that doesn't vote at.cnn.com

by CNN Politics via twitter 10/22/2012 10:27:02 PM
Foreign policy: The hardest campaign promise to keep at.cnn.com

by CNN Politics via twitter 10/22/2012 10:27:04 PM
Paul Ryan says he's 'shocked and saddened' by Wisconsin shooting at.cnn.com

by CNN Politics via twitter 10/22/2012 10:29:08 PM
color: romney adviser peter flaherty, playing scheiffer in debate prep, wore purple socks all week. bob's worn them since tcu won rose bowl.

by Dana Bash via twitter 10/22/2012 10:32:02 PM
For a longer take on politics of tonight's debate--a key moment--please see my blog. Please join us live #CNNdebate. www.cnn.com

by David Gergen via twitter 10/22/2012 10:32:18 PM
Libya, Iran likely to be main points of contention in final debate at.cnn.com

by CNN Politics via twitter 10/22/2012 10:44:17 PM
Florida is not only the host state of this third and final presidential debate, it's also a key battleground state. But if you're here, you knew that. What you might not know is just how much the campaigns are spending to win the state's 29 electoral votes. Check it out on our Campaign Explorer: www.cnn.com

by Gregory Wallace, CNN 10/22/2012 10:45:14 PM
What are Romney's advisers expecting at tonight's debate? A more determined President Obama than they saw at the first presidential showdown, which took place at the beginning of October. Read more from CNN's Jim Acosta

Romney camp: We don't expect Obama to 'come out like a lamb'

Delray Beach, Florida (CNN) -- Mitt Romney appears to be gearing up for what could be another feisty debate and another aggressive performance from President Obama, a top campaign adviser tells CNN.

"I don't think he will come out like a lamb," a senior Romney strategist said.

by CNN's Kevin Liptak 10/22/2012 10:47:55 PM
CNN's Dana Bash talks with Dan Senor a Romney top debate adviser about preparation ahead of the last debate.

by Dana Davidsen, CNN 10/22/2012 10:48:55 PM
Now on CNN TV - Jim Acosta introduces us to Garrett Jackson, the campaign staffer who goes everywhere Mitt Romney goes.

by Gregory Wallace, CNN 10/22/2012 10:49:18 PM
I am on @cnn again right now, doing pre-debate talks. Point I want to make: O wants 2 get us out of Afghanistan, which will save $2B a week.

by Van Jones via twitter 10/22/2012 10:50:42 PM
We could save $100B a year, just by getting out of Afghanistan. Big part of O's economic strategy. But POTUS needs 2 make that more clear.

by Van Jones via twitter 10/22/2012 10:53:02 PM
Outside the Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center at Lynn University in Boca Raton, FL where just over two hours from now President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney will face-off in their final debate. (Getty Images)

by Dana Davidsen, CNN 10/22/2012 10:53:59 PM
For Obama, this is a major opportunity to hone in on the group that may be most important to his election: women. www.cnn.com #CNN

by David Gergen via twitter 10/22/2012 10:56:12 PM
Announcing the @AndersonLive Viewer #CoHost Challenge! Do you want to be my co-host for a day? Submit here: andr.tv

by Anderson Cooper via twitter 10/22/2012 10:56:42 PM
How foreign policy hits close to home at.cnn.com

by CNN Politics via twitter 10/22/2012 10:56:53 PM
How are students at Lynn University preparing for tonight's debate? A pool party, of course. Maybe they're planning the CNN Debate Drinking Game -- for rules click here: www.cnn.com (Getty Images)

by CNN's Kevin Liptak 10/22/2012 10:57:12 PM
Why is Pauley Shore in the spin room? instagr.am

by Jim Acosta via twitter 10/22/2012 10:59:01 PM
Jeanne Moos is talking about the best buzzwords and slogans of 2012 - will there be a new one today? Check it out on TV.

by Steve Krakauer, CNN 10/22/2012 10:59:17 PM
Pauly Shore weezin' the juice in Boca yfrog.com

by Peter Hamby via twitter 10/22/2012 10:59:39 PM
#CNNDebate coverage begins NOW!

by CNN Politics via twitter 10/22/2012 11:00:44 PM
Remember this guy? The Obama campaign invited him to the debate.

Obama's re-election campaign confirmed Monday that they invited Scott Van Duzer, a pizza shop owner who lifted the president off the ground in a bear hug last month, as a guest for the final presidential debate Monday night.

politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com

by Dana Davidsen, CNN 10/22/2012 11:01:26 PM
Last and final debate of this Presidential Season. I wonder if one will shine tonight! #CNN

by HuntsmanMame via twitter 10/22/2012 11:03:01 PM
5 yrs ago yesterday at a GOP primary #debate, @SenJohnMcCain explained why he missed Woodstock in 1969: “I was tied up at the time”

by Robert Yoon via twitter 10/22/2012 11:04:44 PM
CNN exculsive picture from National Political Correspondent Jim Acosta: Garrett Jackson, Mitt Romney's body man, and the Republican nominee at the debate roundtable at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida

by Dana Davidsen, CNN 10/22/2012 11:07:12 PM
Where does the race stand going into this final presidential debate? It's as close as can be. This morning's CNN Poll of Polls show both Obama and Romney at 47%.

The CNN Poll of Polls is an average of five live operator, non-partisan, national surveys of likely voters conducted over the past week, mostly after the second presidential debate (on Oct. 16). The surveys are the Gallup Daily Tracking Poll (Oct. 14-20); NBC News/Wall Street Journal (Oct. 17-20); Washington Times/JZ Analytics (Oct. 18-20); Politico/George Washington University/Battleground (Oct. 14-18); and Investors Business Daily/TIPP (Oct. 15-20). The Poll of Polls does not have a sampling error.

Read more on the CNN Political Ticker.

by CNN's Kevin Liptak 10/22/2012 11:07:20 PM
Meanwhile, from Jessica Yellin, on Obama's prep - watch details on CNN TV now, and more here: "Obama administration: Iran talks preferable to war"

Expect President Barack Obama to use the final presidential debate Monday night to question how Governor Mitt Romney would handle foreign policy differently than his administration has and prod him over whether he would keep the country in "endless" war.

by Steve Krakauer, CNN 10/22/2012 11:07:54 PM
Killing time before the debate? A perfect time to visit our Facebook page and "like" it. DO IT! www.facebook.com

by John Berman via twitter 10/22/2012 11:09:31 PM
"I think you're voting for war or peace," says Van Jones, live on CNN now. Watch for his tweets here in the live blog as well.

by Steve Krakauer, CNN 10/22/2012 11:11:43 PM
"The world is in much more turmoil," says David Gergen, calling back to just a couple months ago when this foreign policy debate may have been a calmer one.

by Steve Krakauer, CNN 10/22/2012 11:13:14 PM
Well it seems like most of you think it was split so far (probably Romney won first and Obama won second). We'll come back to that poll later...

by Steve Krakauer, CNN 10/22/2012 11:15:05 PM
Our Live Blog for the third presidential debate has polls, trivia, fun facts and live reaction from our political team: at.cnn.com

by CNN Politics via twitter 10/22/2012 11:15:47 PM
From Dana Bash - watch her report on Romney's debate prep live now on CNN, and more here: "Romney debate strategy: Make corner office relevant to Oval Office"

Mitt Romney is planning to shed the scrappy in-your-face debate strategy from last week's town hall and replace it Monday night with a calmer demeanor, someone voters can imagine as commander in chief, CNN has learned.

by Steve Krakauer, CNN 10/22/2012 11:18:30 PM
While domestic issues take up the biggest chunk of the candidates' stump speeches, Obama and Romney do talk foreign policy on the trail. Here's a look at what they say, and the facts behind their claims

Checking the candidates' facts on foreign policy and national security

by CNN's Kevin Liptak 10/22/2012 11:20:18 PM
Live-tweeting in 90 minutes #PMdebate RT @jackmillman looking forward to @piersmorgan s critique of the presidential debate later today

by Piers Morgan via twitter 10/22/2012 11:20:27 PM
Chicken-in-a-pineapple, dinner at the debate. lockerz.com

by Jessica Yellin via twitter 10/22/2012 11:21:03 PM
7 questions that you'd ask at tonight's debate: at.cnn.com @cnnireport #CNNdebate

by CNN Politics via twitter 10/22/2012 11:22:42 PM
...Boca:

by Steve Krakauer, CNN 10/22/2012 11:22:43 PM
Steve Krakauer please in this debate don't keep cluttering the screen with boring facts / polls pinned to the top. Eg. whcih cnn feature do you like best, over and over and over again is just irritating. just don't pin themcoopnzOct 22, 2012 at 7:19 PM
Ouch! Ok I'll do it...less. Thanks for the feedback...

by Steve Krakauer, CNN 10/22/2012 11:22:50 PM