White House Turns Over Debate Prep to Obama Campaign

POLITICS -- October 1, 2012 at 6:08 PM EDT

White House Turns Over Debate Prep to Obama Campaign

When President Obama arrived in Henderson, Nev., over the weekend to hunker down to prepare for Wednesday's debate with Republican nominee Mitt Romney, he had all the usual entourage and support staff who attend to his official duties as president.

But when the preparations are underway, it will be campaign -- not White House staff -- in charge of readying their candidate.

White House officials have tried to draw a bright line between their duties and the functions and priorities of the Chicago-based Obama campaign -- even limiting the kinds of press questions they answer, deferring many to campaign aides who recently began travelling aboard Air Force One.

The separation cuts both ways for Mr. Obama, according to a top press staffer who we spoke to ahead of Wednesday's meeting between the candidates.

Cassie M. Chew shot and edited this video.

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