Romney: Debate about more than just winning

US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney greets supporters during a campaign rally at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in Denver, Colorado, on October 1, 2012. / Jewel Samad AFP/ Getty

(CBS News) DENVER, Colorado - Mitt Romney told a crowd here on Monday evening that he doesn't view his upcoming debate with the President in terms of winning or losing, but instead as an opportunity to lay out a choice for voters between two dramatically different paths forward.

"The American people are going to have to make the choice as to what kind of America they want," Romney told several thousand supporters at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum.

But Romney acknowledged that his performance at Wednesday's debate was bound to be scored and scrutinized by those both covering and watching.

"People want to know who's going to win," he said. "Who's going to score the punches and who's going to make the biggest difference in the arguments they make. And there's going to be all the scoring of winning and losing."

Both campaigns spent Monday continuing to try to lower the expectations for their own candidate's performance, while raising the bar for their opponent.

"There's only one person on stage that's done three nationally televised head to head debates in a general election format that's been president Obama," senior Romney advisor Kevin Madden told reporters on board the candidate's flight to Colorado on Monday.

Over on the president's flight to Nevada, Obama's campaign spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said that Romney and "his team have been clear, what they need, what they expect from the debates is a game-changing performance."

Romney laid out his own path forward at Monday night's rally in the Mile High City, focusing on his five-point plan - energy, trade, training, cutting the deficit, and encouraging small business - that he says will jump start the economy and create 12 million new jobs.

Romney, who was joined on stage by local hero and former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway, asked those in attendance to find someone who voted for Obama in 2008 and convince them to join his team.

"I need you to go out and find people and say, 'you know what, it's not working,'" Romney said. "We need someone who will get this America going again. I will, with your help."

[antoniof123]

What messag I have been out to the GOP and Mitt's site everyone should go it reads like this. Your going to feel good about America again and something like this freedom, freedom, god, guts and country.

There is nothing there.

[andie52]

In a move that some political observers are calling unprecedented, the Romney campaign today officially requested that Ann Romney be permitted to stand next to her husband during his three scheduled debates with President Obama

[newsgirl27]

Awesome!

Can't wait for Romney reboot 6.0. Give the guy a break, he's only had 6 years of running for Prez to introduce himself to the people. ;-)

[Jill_Kennedy]

Fox News has already declared Mitt Romney the winner of tomorrow night's debate...

Google: Fox News Declares Mitt Romney Winner

[newsgirl27]

Awesome!

Can't wait for Romney reboot 6.0. Give the guy a break, he's only had 6 years of running for Prez to introduce himself to the people. ;-)

[filmguy107]

Flip Romney will Flop.

[busterdawgggy]

Romney laid out his own path forward at Monday night's rally in the Mile High City, focusing on his five-point plan - energy, trade, training, cutting the deficit, and encouraging small business - that he says will jump start the economy and create 12 million new jobs.

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We need details, Mitt, details. We don't really know your positions, and some of them keep changing.

[AOCGUY]

Thats' great buster now how about expanding on that
1) Energy - what is his plan?
2) trade, well his plan in the past was to outsource manufacturing overses.
3) training - training who and for what and who will pay?
4) cutting the deficit - OK how?
5) encourageing samll business - again how? What is his pln.

All those are great platitudes but they are not a plan.

[filmguy107]

Flip Romney will Flop.

[usunus]

The fact,however,is a majority of the likely American voters ( more than the 47 % ) are quite comfortable with their current reduced economic status and the relatively sorry record of Barack Obama.This is in confirmity with the steady decline of America nationally and internationally.

[busterdawgggy]

Sources, please.

[antoniof123]

USUNUS, just because you say it doesn't mean it is true in fact most people are tired of the divide the same one you support.

[taxchurches]

WiseAsOwl said: And you're for Obama, I assume?? How pathetic... You've just gone down on record as supporting a liar and a Muslim Socialist.. Congratulations on "finding yourself"... and showing your true colors... and it sure as heck isn't "red, white and blue"...
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Wait a second, didn't WiseAsOwl also say we're supposed to make our judgements on the debates and refrain from name calling? I know it's too much to ask you say something intelligent, but how about trying for something original, at least? Obama is a lying Muslim Socialist? How about Romney is a lying Mormon Capitalist? How many times does it have to be said that even if Obama were a Muslim it would be entirely irrelevant? There's no law prohibiting a Muslim from being president, but the Constitution DOES say that there shall be "no religious test for office;" also, every time you insult Muslims, you insult millions of Americans, so clearly YOUR colors aren't very red white and blue, either. And since you're so opposed to socialism, when do we get rid of Social Security, Medicare and farm subsidies? Good luck selling that one. Incidentally, if you bothered to learn anything before opening your yap---you know, like actually asking a Muslim---you'd know that Muslims in general despise socialists. Muslims aren't socialists, they're theocrats. They don't espouse a collective ideology, they espouse religious rule---which sounds a lot more like Romney than Obama to me.

[zenia5]

Agree, Taxchurches....this is what 99% of Romney/Ryan supporters sound like....pure ignorance. They don't want to hear any facts or truths. They have one interest and goal: to demonize our President, no matter what he says or does. It isn't working, though.