Axelrod: Obama will be better in second debate

A top aide to President Obama said no one was a harsher critic of his first debate performance than Obama himself, and he plans to rectify that in Tuesday's re-match.

Senior campaign adviser David Axelrod told Fox News Sunday that Obama plans to cite Republican rival Mitt Romney for "walking away" from many of his ideas. He says a major tax cut would lead to program cuts and higher taxes for the middle class.

"Certainly the president is going to be willing to challenge him on it," Axelrod said. "We're going to give Gov. Romney another chance in this debate to square that circle."

One potential model, Axelrod said: Vice President Biden's aggressive performance in last week's debate against Romney running mate Paul Ryan.

Even Democrats called Obama listless in the debate Oct. 3, and Romney's position in many polls has improved in the days since.

Tuesday's debate is at Hofstra University on Long Island, N.Y. It will be a town hall-style format featuring undecided voters.

In preparing for the second of three debates, Obama is practicing this weekend at a resort in Williamsburg, Va.

Romney is preparing for the next debate from his home near Boston.

Romney senior adviser Ed Gillespie, also speaking on Fox, said the Republican candidate will continue to talk about the differences between his economic plan and Obama's economic performance.

"The governor is going to do what he did in the last debate," Gillespie said.

Gillespie said Romney expects a more aggressive Obama, but "even if he changes his style ... he can't change his record and he can't change his policies."