1) Hire a real debate coach before even forming an exploratory committee;
2) Hire a video coordinator (assistant debate coach) who will run you through montages of all the critical Akin, Mourdock, "Romney 47%", Cain foreign policy, et al. blunders, frame by frame, once a day.
reference your (2) don’t forget “I am not a witch!” It amazes me that anyone with three functioning neurons thought she was a plausible Senator.