Deeds and McDonnell Prep for Saturday

With just a day left before their first debate, gubernatorial candidates R. Creigh Deeds and Bob McDonnell are huddled with aides practicing and prepping for battle.

It's not the first time the two men have clashed. They took part in a series of skirmishes in 2005 when the two were running for attorney general, so they have a pretty good idea of one another's temperament.

Helping them get ready--debate sparring partners. For the Deeds camp, David Hallock Jr., former deputy counsel to Gov. Mark Warner, is playing the part of McDonnell. Pretending to be a Republican should come easy to Hallock. He played Jerry Kilgore when Gov. Tim Kaine was prepping for debates in 2005 and then acted as Jim Gilmore for Warner when the two were running last year for the U.S. Senate.

Meanwhile, McDonnell's got several helpers. One person who has been serving as his Deeds: campaign chairman and former Republican National Committee chief Ed Gillespie.