WASHINGTON (CNN) --
With the first of three presidential debates out of the way, the Democratic and Republican vice presidential candidates were intensely preparing for their face-off Tuesday in Cleveland, Ohio.
Democratic Sen.
John Edwards of North Carolina is in Chautauqua, New York, this weekend, working with Sen. John Kerry's senior advisers Bob Shrum and Ron Klain, and Edwards' wife, Elizabeth.
There will be two run-throughs, with Washington attorneys Bob Barnett in the role of Vice President Dick Cheney and Andy Pincus playing moderator
Gwen Ifill, a senior correspondent for PBS. Barnett also played the role of Cheney in 2000 for Sen. Joe Lieberman.
Edwards had wanted a podium or town hall format, but at the Bush-Cheney team's insistence, the two will sit a few feet from each other across a desk. Edwards "feels comfortable" with the format, spokesman Mark Kornblau said.
The debate will start at 9 p.m. ET and will last 90 minutes. There is no limit to the topics that will be included in the 16 questions Ifill will ask.
Cheney will answer the first question, a decision made by coin flip.
In the presidential debate Thursday,
Kerry answered the first foreign policy question from
Jim Lehrer, anchor of "The NewsHour" on PBS. Kerry and
President Bush will debate Friday in St. Louis, Missouri, in a town hall format. Their third debate, on economic and domestic issues, is scheduled for October 13 in Tempe, Arizona.
Asked whether Edwards' experience as a trial lawyer will help him, Kornblau replied, "They are two very different things -- arguing in front of a jury [instead of] millions of people. This is a political debate, not a trial."
Kornblau acknowledged that Cheney, in contrast with Edwards, is an experienced one-on-one debater.
Cheney began practicing regularly on weekends in mid-August with help from Rep. Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican.
The vice president studied Edwards' mannerisms and body language by watching closing arguments the senator made during trials and in his floor speeches in Congress. He also watched Edwards' performance in debates during the primaries.
In 2000, Portman played the role of Lieberman, whom Cheney debated.
Last weekend, Cheney had two debate practice sessions at his home in Washington. This weekend, he is in Jackson, Wyoming, where he will have several practice sessions before heading to Cleveland.
CNN's Catherine Berger and Steve Turnham contributed to this report.
