California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and challenger Phil Angelides will face off for the first and only time Saturday night.

“Angelides needs a home run. All Schwarzenegger needs to do is coast,” said Republican political strategist Arnold Steinberg.

Recent polls have Schwarzenegger leading his Democratic opponent by anywhere from 10 to 17 points.

However, even some Republican strategists said Schwarzenegger himself could reduce that lead during the debate.

“The governor has an uncanny ability to actually create his own crisis, by saying something utterly preposterous. So, we can never underestimate the possibility he will make an issue of himself in the debate,” said Steinberg.

Recently, that included his caught-on-tape comment about a “hot” Latina lawmaker.

But in other areas, Schwarzenegger has been shrewd.

He has rebuffed accusations he cannot work with Democrats. He has been photographed with actor George Clooney, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and union officials, but would not meet with President George W. Bush when he was in California.

“I think the people see through that,” said Art Torres, chairman of the California Democratic Party.

Torres is spending millions of dollars on TV ads, trying to tie the governor and president together in the minds of voters.

“What the governor cannot walk away from is the fact that his entire top staff is from the Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney White House,” added Torres.

There is still a small number of undecided voters and a month to go, which are seen as factors that may be more beneficial to Angelides, who has served as California’s State Treasurer since 1998, than the incumbent.

“Not just because it is an incumbent, but because it is an incumbent that everyone that planet Earth has heard of. So, it’s a tougher road for Schwarzenegger to make converts,” said political author Joe Matthews.

But, if the current poll numbers are anywhere close to accurate, the governor may not have to.

Schwarzenegger and Angelides will face off in an hour-long forum sponsored by the California Broadcasters Association on Saturday, Oct. 7.

The debate will be carried live starting at 6 p.m. on 10NewsChannel, channel 110 on Cox Cable and 210 on Time-Warner.