It’s a further lowering of expectations ahead of the first debate in Denver next week. Democratic National Committee spokesman Brad Woodhouse tells Fox News he thinks Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney will win.

Woodhouse says the way the DNC sees it, challengers win the first debate when they are up against incumbents.

“Mitt Romney has had a lot more time to debate, the president has not debated in the past four years in terms, of a campaign debate. I think the president will hold his own, but he’s not known for sound bites. And these are 60 second, 90 second responses.”

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Woodhouse says Democrats are “trying to be realistic about expectations” because the president is “lucky to be able to devote three consecutive hours to debate preparation.”

Woodhouse also paints Romney as a good debater and gives him credit for “dispatching Newt Gingrich” who Woodhouse considers a pretty good debater.

Woodhouse said he wants to see Obama “talk from his heart about where the country was and where he wants to take the country.”

He’s looking to see the president connect with Americans during the debate, the way Woodhouse thinks Obama was able to do in Charlotte during the Democratic National Convention.

The first debate will focus on the economy, and Woodhouse wants specifics from Romney on his economic plans.

“It’s going to be interesting to see if Mitt Romney will bring more than just zingers to get under the president’s skin,” he said. “It would be nice if he came with some substance for example like his tax plan or his plan to voucher-size Medicare.”

Meanwhile, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie predicted Romney will do “extraordinarily well” in Wednesday night’s debate.

Speaking on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Christie conceded that it’s been a “tough couple of weeks” for Romney in his campaign and there’s no way to “sugarcoat” that.

But, Christie predicted after the first debate, “this whole race is going to be turned upside down.”

Every time Romney was backed into a corner during the GOP nomination fight, he “came out with a great debate performance because that’s where he shines,” Christie added.

With AP and Fox News

