On Wednesday night, President Barack Obama opened up about that debate for the first time in an ABC News exclusive.
Questions from Diane Sawyer put the president in a place Americans aren't used to seeing him: the defensive.
"Gov. (Mitt) Romney had a good night, I had a bad night," he said. "It's not the first time I had a bad night. But I think what's important is the fundamentals of what this race is about haven't changed."
"There's no doubt that I can make a better case, which is why I'm so looking forward to Tuesday," he added.
Polls show a clear shift in momentum towards Romney since that debate. In Ohio on Wednesday night, Romney looked energized and tried to dispel attacks on his honesty.
"It was a chance for people to see what we actually believed," he said to his supporters.
The remaining debates could make a critical difference in this close race, especially after last week's presidential debate.
The stage was being set for the vice-presidential candidates to square off in Danville, Ky. It will be a matchup between 69-year-old incumbent Vice-President Joe Biden and 42-year-old congressional budget guru Paul Ryan.
