Be Like Bill  (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)  President Bill Clinton
and Bob Dole prepare for opening remarks at their first
presidential debate in Hartford, Connecticut on October 6, 1996.
When President Obama and Mitt Romney stride onto the stage at
the University of Denver tonight, there will be a dramatic
contrast between the former law school professor and the former
private-equity executive.  Whichever candidate is best prepared
to play the hero in this drama will win tonight and, most
likely, on Election Night. Whoever merely memorizes zingers or
crams for a quiz show may as well start drafting a concession
speech.  Debate-prep is stagecraft. Bill Clinton understood
this, and as a campaign speechwriter, I saw him perform
masterfully. Of the other two nominees I worked for, Michael
Dukakis prepared for policy seminars—not debates—with
predictable results, while Walter Mondale rehearsed, stealthily
but skillfully, for the one memorable moment when he upstaged
the Gipper.   While devouring the briefing books t