Va. Hopefuls Prep With Sparring Partners

The Democratic candidate has held several informal preparations in Northern Virginia and Richmond and has done at least two full run-throughs, complete with lecterns, colored signs to indicate how much time is left, and stand-ins for the moderator and reporters.

Hallock has provided Kaine with a debating opponent who stays on message and whose answers are polished mini-speeches, reflecting the campaign's belief that Kilgore will be well practiced when he arrives for the debate.

"He will have gone through what they foresee as every possible scenario, so he is tightly scripted," Skinner said. "We expect that they've scheduled a lot of time for debate prep. We don't underestimate Jerry Kilgore."

Strategists and advisers in both parties said preparing candidates for debates has become a virtual obsession in recent years. Campaigns devote weeks to the chore and try to steal the candidate away from precious time on the stump to make sure he's ready.

Alan Albert, a lawyer and Democratic lobbyist, has played such Republican gubernatorial candidates as Mark L. Earley and James S. Gilmore III during the last two campaigns. He also played Del. Robert F. McDonnell (R-Virginia Beach) in helping to prepare Sen. R. Creigh Deeds (D-Bath) for a debate in the attorney general's campaign.

Albert said the primary goal is a defensive one: To make sure your candidate doesn't make a gaffe that becomes a distraction for the rest of the campaign.

"When you're preparing for debates, as much as anything it's to avoid an unfortunate moment," Albert said. "Nothing different than I would do with a key witness in a case I was trying."

Aides to Kaine and Kilgore said they are videotaping the practice sessions so their candidates can see their mistakes.

"There are no handlers during that 90 minutes to run interference," said David Botkins, Earley's former communications director. "Very little can be done about a poorly delivered answer."

One thing that can be done is an immediate response from campaign staff. Each side said it will set up a war room at the Greenbrier, complete with fax machines, printers and high-speed Internet access. Press staff will rush out responses to candidate answers even before the debate is over.

One longtime Republican who has participated in coaching sessions likened the debates to NASCAR races.

"People go there looking for a wreck," said the GOP adviser, who asked not to be identified because of the ongoing campaign. "If there's not a wreck, do you remember it?"

Albert said he believes debates can be a "window" into the true personality and competency of a candidate because it's often less scripted than a speech. The goal of debate preparation is to make sure that window doesn't offer too clear a view, he said.

"It's not that you want to shut the window," Albert said. "You just don't want any frogs or bats to fly out of it."