Does Romney need the President to debate him?

I am a big believer that getting all the information on both sides of any issue. So yes, I'm looking forward to listening and watching the debates this fall between Mitt Romney and President Obama. But I really wonder if Romney needs the President to even be there. Couldn't he just debate himself? Mitt could take the Tea Party view on any issue, and then have someone run a tape of him taking the opposite side. He could say that he believes that domestic spending could be cut as described in the Ryan Plan, which he has endorsed, and then the tape of him saying that during slow economic times like this, domestic spending should never be cut, which he did in June of this year. He could also be shown a tape of him requesting funds for the Salt Lake City Olympics, saying it was imperative that the federal government help out the state of Utah. He could take the Tea Party view that taxes should be lowered for all. Then the tape could be played where he says that he did raise hundreds of fees as governor, and says that if the person wants to think of them as a tax, they could. He could take the Tea Party view that marriage should only be between a man and a woman, and then the tape could be played that explained why when running for Senator, he promised to be more liberal on gay rights than Ted Kennedy. Now, of course the Affordable Health Care Act is wrong for the entire country. He says that every day now. But there's tape of Mitt from 2009 saying that the Massachusetts was completely legal, and was a model for the rest of the country. Getting the idea? Really Mitt, are you sure you need the President there when you debate? Couldn't you just debate yourself? And if you can't defend your views now from your past beliefs, how do you plan on debating the President?