Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will face off tonight in their first televised debate ahead of the upcoming US elections. Up to 50 million Americans are expected to tune in for the 90 minute duel at the University of Denver, in Colorado, one of the swing states that both candidates will see as crucial to their plans to win the US presidency.

Both candidates approached the debates with hope of discussing the major issues the country is facing:

"These debates are an opportunity for each of us to describe the pathway forward for America that we would choose. And the American people are going to have to make their choices about what type of America they want. So I look forward to these debates. I am delighted that we are going to have three debates."

"What I am most concerned about, is having a serious discussion about what we need to do to keep the country growing and restore security for hard working Americans."

Passers-by in Ohio agreed, saying that the debates should make clear each candidate's plans for the Presidency:

I want to know what the candidates are going to do, when they are going to do it, and why they are going to do it."

"There's too much dancing going around in the political world and we need to know the exact plan of how each candidate will improve the economy and strengthen our country in to the future."

Obama and Romney will tackle issues on domestic and foreign policy, with the main talking points likely to be the tense relations between the US and the Middle East, as well as how to tackle unemployment and strengthen the nation's economy.

Written and presented by Alfred Joyner