The series of debates between Republican presidential candidate John McCain, and Democrat Barack Obama couldn't come at a better time.

Those in tune with American politics are hungry for a credible forum. After months of lobbing long-distance verbal bombs into each others' campaign camps, the candidates will meet face-to-face in three scheduled debates - the first set for Friday at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Miss.

So far, many Americans have been inundated with campaign ads - many dripping with spin rather than substance.

Rumors - some of which hold some truth, others which are just so much Internet garbage - have also been circulated freely. The debates could go a long way in restoring some propriety to the campaigns.

With so much interest in the November presidential election, and with so many undecided voters left, the upcoming debates between John McCain and Barack Obama will command a huge television and radio audience.

While Obama leads in national polls, he and McCain are running in virtual dead heats in some of the key battleground states - such as Florida, Ohio and Missouri - that could help catapult the victors there into the White House. Gaining an advantage through the debates with just 40 days left until Election Day, is all-important.

"These debates … they could be crucial in these undecided Americans making up their minds," said Paul Steinhauser, CNN's deputy political editor. "And those undecided Americans are the ones who are basically going to sway the election and move it one way or the other."

Foreign policy will be emphasized in the first of the 90-minute debates on Friday. The second, on Oct. 7, will cover issues raised by audience members and Internet participants, in a town hall format. The final debate, on Oct. 15, will focus on domestic policy.

Thrown into the mix will be an interesting showdown between the vice presidential candidates, Republican Sarah Palin and Democrat Joe Biden. That Oct. 2 debate will focus on domestic and foreign policy.

A hefty percentage of American minds are already made up one way or the other. For them, it really doesn't matter if their candidate bombs. They will come up with some way to rationalize why their candidate "won" the debate.

For undecided voters, however, this is when things get serious. The series of debates could swing momentum toward one campaign or the other.

In a race this tight, it could be the deal-maker.