PORTSMOUTH — In my mind, a backstage glimpse at tonight's debate would show Mitt Romney doing push-ups, Michelle Bachman brushing up on her history books and Herman Cain shadow boxing in the corner.

PORTSMOUTH — In my mind, a backstage glimpse at tonight's debate would show Mitt Romney doing push-ups, Michelle Bachman brushing up on her history books and Herman Cain shadow boxing in the corner.



Ron Paul, however, would be taking a quiet cat nap on the couch while clutching the Constitution.



Meaning no disrespect, I came to this conclusion after recently sitting down with the Texas congressman for a one-on-one interview at a local coffee shop.



Much like last week when former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani took some time to talk, Paul agreed to chat with me for a few minutes.



When it came time to ask my first question during this recent interview at Popovers on the Square, I chose to inquire how the longtime politician prepares for events like tonight's debate in Manchester.



Paul, who is making his third bid for the presidency, was surprisingly soft-spoken in his answer.



Much like his demeanor, he wasn't flashy or glamorous in his response. He was honest.



"I get a good night's rest," he said.



Perhaps expecting to picture Paul training like in a scene out of "Rocky IV" was na�ve of me.



What stood out as the most impressive aspect of his answer was how razor-sharp he was in responding. He did not waver or stammer or throw me a few "uhhh"s.



His quick response proves he's battle-tested and knows how to play the game.



When it comes to his strategy for tonight's debate, it appears Paul's plan is simple. While talking about tonight's event, Paul made no indication that he was preparing for any particular candidate. Instead, the southern lawmaker said he groups everyone together into one "lump" and approaches the debate in a "me versus them" mentality.



"It will be what I believe in versus what this group believes in," he said.



I also questioned him about what his campaign slogan — "Restore America Now" — means. Again, Paul did not stammer.



"I think American traditions are great and I think our Constitution is good," he said. "But I think we have lost our way."



Paul made it very clear during our talk that his intention in seeking the Republican nod is to "restore the values that have made America great."



"That doesn't mean militarism and war mongering and interfering all around the world," he said. "I believe in free markets, property rights and restoring the values that made us the freest and most prosperous country ever."



But that isn't reality, according to Paul.



"We are the biggest debtor nation in the world and less free than ever," he said. "You can't even go on an airplane without being groped or X-rayed."



If there's one thing voters in the Seacoast and all across the Granite State should know is that Paul appears to understand how important New Hampshire is to his campaign.



"If you do well here, it builds that momentum," Paul said. "Obviously, it's crucial."



Our quick 10-minute interview also made it apparent to me that Paul hasn't made any major changes in his approach to the presidency. While the energy and message have remained, Paul said the biggest change is the amount of support he has this time around.



"There's real enthusiasm in the numbers," he said. "We have more people involved than ever."



Oh, and Paul said he's in good financial shape as well.



When I asked how he likes to stay fresh during what is proving to be a busy campaign already, Paul said the key is to balance his time on the road and his time at home.



On this particular Friday morning, Paul said the plan was to be home by midnight.



"I get a good sleep when I have the opportunity," he said. "I also use exercise as my tranquilizer."



Apparently Paul is a big fan of bike riding, swimming and walking. But as an equal to his exercise, Paul said he also makes sure to keep up on everything going on in the world.



"Keeping up with the news for me is very relative," he said. "I spend a lot of time reading and finding out what's going on around the world."



It wasn't until my final question did I notice that the soft-spoken legislator had a funny side as well.



The question: "What's it like having your son, Rand Paul, in the U.S. Senate?"



His answer: "I've explained it to him and told him that if he does a real good job in the Senate and is successful, that someday he might be able to have a seat in the House of Representatives."



Charles McMahon covers the city of Portsmouth for the Herald. He can be reached at 610-2234 or cmcmahon@seacoastonline.com.