With the presidential debate Tuesday night, a couple of area debate coaches used their expertise to describe how Barack Obama, John McCain, Sarah Palin, and Joe Biden can improve their debate skills.

Around James Madison University's campus, rather than focusing on McCain and Obama, students are more critical of Biden and Palin.

JMU Sophomore Michela Pearl says, during the vice presidential debate, Palin said what she was coached to say. On the flip side, freshman John Tran believes Biden barely "wiggled" his way through the debate.

That's where experts say the fun begins. A live debate allows the participants to show some of their personality. Former debate coach and current JMU Professor, Dr. Pete Bsumek, states live debates allow comments like "there you go again, Joe."

Christopher Gray is a JMU political communications minor who says candidates should give clear answers. He states that in the first presidential debate, neither Obama nor McCain answered questions about the economy.

Bridgewater College Professor and debate coach, Ben Erickson, says voters need answers before they get turned off.

So, here are some professional coaching lessons for all four candidates from Bsumek:

- Palin should be more diplomatic instead of attempting to identity with Joe Six-Pack and Hockey Moms.

- Obama should use his body language to be more assertive.

- McCain should stop "redefining" his campaign from "mavericks" to "we're not Bush."

However, Bsumek says Biden's coaches can take a break because he says Biden did "quite well" in the vice presidential debate.

Erickson says both candidates should come across as average people for the presidential debates. That is the key to doing well this election year.