Possibly the hottest topic on the tips of American’s tongues today, is the presidential race between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. The latest polls show the sentiment of voters towards the two competitors to be close, with approximately a 5 percentage point gap between the two.

As the first presidential debate draws closer, many Americans wonder how the two candidates will be preparing themselves for this showdown. The first of these meetings is scheduled to air at 9:00 pm EST, and will be held at the University of Denver, in Denver Colorado.

These debates have long been a time of both serious discussion, and also lighthearted jesting. Many people still remember Ronald Reagan’s 1984 debate with Walter Mondale, when the moderator, Henry Trewhitt, of the Baltimore Sun, pointed out that during the Cuban missile crisis, John F. Kennedy was forced to stay awake for several days. The moderator stated that Reagan was already the oldest president in history, and asked if he would be able to handle such a rigid schedule in the face of a crisis. Reagan replied with a witty remark which made the entire crowd burst out laughing, and even Mondale himself had to chuckle.

 He said: ” I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit for political purposes, my opponents’ youth and inexperience.”

While he was making a definite statement of his ability to continue running the country effectively, Reagan had a way of doing so in a tactful manner, which put those around him at ease.

 This year, politics have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, during this year’s presidential campaign. President Obama has accused Mitt Romney of lying on his taxes, not caring about the elderly, and even tried to link him to the death of a cancer patient. However, there have also been some lighthearted moments on the political trail as well.

Clint Eastwood made a surprise appearance to speak at the Republican National Convention, and his 12 minute speech was interesting to say the least. Eastwood approached the stage, on which sat an empty chair. He then proceeded to spend 12 minutes conducting an interview with the non-existent president Obama. His dialogue included both serious pointed attacks on the policy of the administration, along with some Hollywood humor, which only Eastwood could have brought to a political campaign.

This year’s presidential election promises to be not only interesting, but possibly life changing for Americans. Barack Obama has many new policies, which conservatives find very disturbing in nature. On the other hand, Mitt Romney’s association with the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints (LDS), or Mormon religion, has also raised some eyebrows on the liberal side of the fence.

It will indeed be interesting to see exactly how each candidate prepares for the upcoming debates, and also how Obama does answering questions without a teleprompter. This year, whether you’ve ever taken an interest in politics or not, you just might want to watch the debates. After Eastwood speaking at the convention, anything could happen, and you don’t want to miss the fun.

Written by Joshua Rarrick