The campaigns of President Obama and Mitt Romney, after attacking each other for months in TV ads, on the campaign trail and through surrogates, upped the ante this weekend - challenging each other to face-to-face talks on such key issues as helping the middle class and saving Medicare.

GOP vice presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan was the first this weekend to say he's ready for both sides to get in the same room, and the Obama campaign appeared to respond to the challenge Sunday.

"Now, you've heard the president has been talking about Medicare a bit lately," Ryan, R-Wis., said Saturday at a central Florida retirement community. "We want this debate. We need this debate. And we are going to win this debate."

Obama deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter said twice Sunday on ABC's "This Week" that the president and his team are ready for a debate on plans to help the middle class and save Medicare - if Mitt Romney and Ryan provide more details on their plans.