How to win a war of words

With the debate participants reduced to two, the dynamics have changed. For one thing, the exchanges can take on a more personal edge.

The candidates "have to be very cautious to keep their emotions in check," said Thomas Hollihan, a professor at USC's Annenberg School for Communication who has written about presidential debates. "The public doesn't like nasty."

At the same time, he said, viewers will get the opportunity "to focus on the differences between these candidates" -- as well as on how the two Democratic contenders distinguish themselves from the Republicans on issues such as the war in Iraq.

What does each candidate need to do to win? To pick up some tips, The Times talked to Hollihan and another political communication expert, Craig Smith, a Cal State Long Beach professor and Republican political consultant.

This is some of their advice:

For Clinton

Dress to convey authority: "She's been coming in with a scarf around her neck; she's been wearing pearls. That's all nice, but it doesn't convey the kind of authority that a suit does for a woman," Smith said.

Don't get mean: In the Democrats' South Carolina debate, "when she made the comment about him working for a slumlord, it really came off as mean-spirited," Smith said. "It's something a man can get away with easier than a woman can. That's unfair, but that's the way things are. If a woman does it, it seems bitchy. If a man does it, it seems masculine."

Stay upbeat: "The only time she's not been effective is when she seems to get defensive or when she has permitted herself to come across as a little bit whiny," Hollihan said, adding: "She gained from the use of a feminine style."

Emphasize competence: "When she says she's going to be ready on Day One, we know what she's saying -- she's saying, 'He isn't going to be ready on Day One, and I am, therefore I'm more competent.' . . . She makes a mistake when she tries to swing over to the change side -- it fuzzes up her message," Smith said.