To get in the debating mood, Republican John McCain will host a town-hall event and take a short nap. His rival, Democrat Barack Obama, will work out or shoot hoops.

Sen. Obama will spar for the debate with Greg Craig, a Washington lawyer and former official in the Clinton administration who is one of his few gray-haired advisers. A McCain spokeswoman declined to discuss who will practice with Sen. McCain.

After weeks of TV attack ads and prepared remarks on the stump, the candidates will face off on stage without teleprompters or advisers. With the presidential race in a near dead heat, neither candidate can afford a costly gaffe that sends his campaign into a tailspin. The nationally televised debates are set to begin on Friday and are certain to be among the most watched in history. Each campaign is seeking even the smallest advantage.

Obama advisers, for example, are considering how to provoke Sen. McCain into anger or showing what they say is how out of touch, or old, he is. Advisers have told Sen. McCain to watch out when Sen. Obama uses the phrase, "As I've said before..." One McCain adviser said it is used "when Obama actually changes his position, to pretend it's what he's always said."

Democratic vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden is preparing for the debate with his Republican rival, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, by practicing against another female governor, Jennifer Granholm of Michigan. The campaign selected Gov. Granholm, who like Gov. Palin is also a sports mom and former beauty-pageant winner, to make sure Sen. Biden doesn't comes across as sexist or superior. The McCain campaign is having some trouble finding the right person for Gov. Palin's practice sessions. Sen. Joe Lieberman was considered, but dropped for being insufficiently fiery and loquacious to do a good Biden impression.