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KTLK will carry the Vice Presidential debate live at 6 p.m.

Washington -- In the aftermath of President Barack Obama's startlingly lackluster showing against Mitt Romney in last week's debate, Thursday's vice presidential debate occurs as national polls show a tightening race, a new momentum for Romney and new pressure on the Obama camp.

Vice President Joe Biden faces the greater burden in his debate with Republican Paul Ryan, who must forcefully confront Ryan and by extension Romney, while making a case for Obama's policies that strikes an emotional chord with voters.

Ryan, whose upbeat campaign style has been a Romney asset, must fend off attacks on the conservative fiscal policies the Wisconsin congressman has promoted as chairman of the House Budget Committee. He also has to embrace or answer for the more moderate tone Romney is employing as he seeks to attract independent and undecided voters.

While it's tempting to cast the vice presidential debate as a pivotal event, the encounter is more likely to set a tone and a foundation for Tuesday's town hall style debate between Obama and Romney in Hempstead, N.Y. Still, if Biden or Ryan emerges as a clear winner, it could either help correct the bad story line Obama provoked by his debate performance last week in Denver or strengthen Romney's image as a surging challenger.

There's plenty of material to explore over the 90-minute encounter that will cover both foreign and domestic issues.

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