Round 2: Live thread for second Obama-Romney debate
UPDATE at 10:28 p.m.: Predicted sound-bite highlights of the night: Romney’s devastating rundown of the failed economic recovery the past four years, Obama’s comment that it’s “offensive” for Romney to suggest he and his administration weren’t forthright about Benghazi attacks. The former was the best, most sustained argument of the night from either man. The latter, a perfect way for Obama sympathizers to say “the president is back!” We’ll see which one — or something else — resonated the most with voters.
***
UPDATE at 9:54 p.m.: One story line tomorrow will be the way Romney dinged George W. Bush for his budget deficits. And, also in his answer to the way he differs from Bush, says his party “has been focused on big business for too long” and should be more focused on small business. That answer flies in the face of one of Obama’s main lines of attack tonight.
***
UPDATE at 9:36 p.m.: Obama says, “It’s just not true.” Romney says, “It’s absolutely true.” The topic doesn’t matter — it’s been like that all night. This one will go to the fact-checkers.
***
UPDATE at 9:15 p.m.: So far, “aggressive Obama” sounds a lot like “lecturing Obama.” He also is making a big bet that viewers will believe his argument that Romney only cares about Big Business and “the rich.” We’ll see how well the two work as a combo.
***
Will we finally see a second-term vision from President Obama tonight? That’s the advice from Democratic consultant extraordinaire James Carville’s firm, Democracy Corps:
The campaign has reached a tipping point where we believe the president has to offer a bold narrative, policies and choice if he is to win re-election and get to a substantial enough victory that enables him to govern and face the great challenges ahead. The first debate really did disrupt the race and presents a painful real-time test of what happens when the president tries to convince people of progress and offer a very modest vision of future change. Voters are not looking for continuity but changes that help the average Joe.
So far, Obama’s second-term vision consists of more of the things he did with Democratic majorities in Congress or would have accomplished, if it weren’t for those darn Republicans after the 2010 midterm “shellacking.” Put another way: leftovers.
Carville’s firm suggests he try something else — but in fact, the advice looks a lot like using better, more poll-tested ways of saying essentially what he’s been saying all along. This is a bit reminiscent of Obama’s customary excuse that he just hasn’t explained himself well enough. And if Obama does come out with new proposals tonight, will that be satisfactory to undecided voters — or will they see it as a cynical ploy this late in the game?
We shall see. The live-blogging will commence shortly after the debate does, and I’ll be tweeting my thoughts as well.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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361 comments Add your comment
mike
October 16th, 2012
9:24 pm
Not so easy this time around, huh, Mitt? Kick some *** Barack!
Your pathetic policies are coming to the fore.
iggy
October 16th, 2012
9:24 pm
Is that the Wicked WItch of the West? ACK!
mike
October 16th, 2012
9:27 pm
Lower taxes for the middle class? What a f****** joke. Hey! We’re gonna eliminate your mortgage interest deduction, your property tax deduction.
Don’t worry, though, you’re $1.00 interest from your bank will not be taxed!
What a f******* joke!
iggy
October 16th, 2012
9:28 pm
No tax on Captial Gains….I think Im gonna vote for Romney…TWICE!!
Michael H. Smith
October 16th, 2012
9:28 pm
Obama can lie all he wants about his failed energy policy. Too many people know what they pay at the pump. Fuel costs have gone up far too high for the poor and middle class Obama the class war master claim to represent.
How many acres of southwestern oil shell did Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar take off our energy table Mr. Obama?
mike
October 16th, 2012
9:30 pm
What’s to worry about? I don’t have to worry about my capital gains tax and I don’t have to worry about my tax on my interest on my $million dollars I have in my bank account.
mike
October 16th, 2012
9:33 pm
It’s about jobs!
All you young folks living in your parent’s basement just learn Mandarin and get yourself a job in China! You’ll like living in that company barracks and eating the company food! Hey! It’s just the way it is!
Bruno
October 16th, 2012
9:33 pm
Is it just me, or does Obama’s voice sound an octave too high?? That’s usually a sign of being under extreme stress.
iggy
October 16th, 2012
9:33 pm
Romney has Obama bent over his knee and is spanking his fanny.
JDW
October 16th, 2012
9:34 pm
It’s just math…mittens
mike
October 16th, 2012
9:35 pm
Governor Romney: Here’s my plan. Well, I’m not prepared to divulge it right now. I’m going to reveal all of the details after the election.
cc
October 16th, 2012
9:36 pm
Yep, Bruno, it is . . . he’s on the edge and may go over!
iggy
October 16th, 2012
9:36 pm
Romney will tell you his plan when the time is right. Be patient…
JDW
October 16th, 2012
9:37 pm
But mitt’s not answering the question…he is saying just trust me
iggy
October 16th, 2012
9:37 pm
Great question, Katharine. No please sit down and SHUT UP!
Michael H. Smith
October 16th, 2012
9:38 pm
And where did all the oil increase come from? On private lands that permits were issued on before OOOOOPPPPS obama the liar took office.
JDW
October 16th, 2012
9:38 pm
Hey iggy you must be watching a different show…
cc
October 16th, 2012
9:38 pm
Mitt doesn’t have to tell Mike. Mike already knows it all . . .
mike
October 16th, 2012
9:38 pm
The debt’s all Obama’s fault! Even though he inherited an economy running a $1.2 trillion deficit.
Lame argument.
Go get ‘em President Barack Obama! It’s all over now!
jack
October 16th, 2012
9:39 pm
all you Romneyites are scary. If you believe all that malarkey coming out of his mouth,,, how about sending me $100.00 today,,, and in six months I’ll give you $1,000.00. Don’t ask me how,,, just trust me.
JDW
October 16th, 2012
9:39 pm
Uhhh mks…check my post…public lands…UP 13 percent…it’s just math
mike
October 16th, 2012
9:40 pm
cc: In fact, I do know it all. Thanks for the acknowlegement. Now go back to sleep.
jack
October 16th, 2012
9:41 pm
If he was such a GREAT Gov of Mass,,why was he not re-elected ? Why is he so drastically behind in the Presidential race in his “home” state of Mass ???? Maybe they know the real Mitt ??
Michael H. Smith
October 16th, 2012
9:41 pm
Yeah the math obama can’t do, like the economic source he quoted that later repudiated everything obama claimed.
JDW
October 16th, 2012
9:41 pm
So mitt is going to address women’s labor issues by giving them a MA cabinet job…
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 16th, 2012
9:42 pm
Obozo’s having a tough time defending his sorry record. He’s fine on hopey-changey, until the actual results are brought up, which President Romney is doing in spades.
mike
October 16th, 2012
9:42 pm
President Barack Obama gave Mitt a bye in that first debate. It’s payback time, now!
Michael H. Smith
October 16th, 2012
9:44 pm
uhh brucie check your own wrong facts I don’t give a rats butt how many lies you tell to defend a failed energy policy and higher energy costs.
mike
October 16th, 2012
9:45 pm
There is a universal truth to be accepted here. You simply can’t run on policies that benefit the 1% and expect the rest of the country to vote for you.
If you do, you’re either stupid, uninformed, or ignorant or all of the above.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 16th, 2012
9:45 pm
LOL! Obozo slams President Romney for wanting to put Washington in charge of healthcare, then brags about how he’s already done it! What a moron!
Bruno
October 16th, 2012
9:45 pm
When all else fails, Obama starts promising more Free Stuff. I can only hope that people are smart enough, and moral enough, to realize that there are no freebies in life.
iggy
October 16th, 2012
9:46 pm
Look at Obama…”time limits” crying like a little girl.
Michael H. Smith
October 16th, 2012
9:46 pm
A combative obama has done anything but be combative and all the rah rah from the liberals on a blog has done even less.
Bruno
October 16th, 2012
9:46 pm
You simply can’t run on policies that benefit the 1% and expect the rest of the country to vote for you.
You’re right, but there aren’t any candidates in this race who are proposing that.
mike
October 16th, 2012
9:48 pm
Praise G**! We’re energy independent! We don’t need that oil in Iraq, Iran, etc. So we don’t need any wars to steal their oil! What a revelation. Our children are safe!
JDW
October 16th, 2012
9:48 pm
Biggest dodge of the night…difference between Bush and Mitt…none
getalife
October 16th, 2012
9:48 pm
Told ya our President will finish him off.
JDW
October 16th, 2012
9:49 pm
Iggy iggy that was Romney whining about time
Bruno
October 16th, 2012
9:50 pm
Obama’s back on making excuses. It’s still all Bush’s fault.
Seriously, don’t any of you Libs ever get tired of your Messiah’s excuses?? That’s what wimps do: Make excuses.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 16th, 2012
9:50 pm
Ain’t no escaping record unemployment, record poverty, and record deficits, eh?
iggy
October 16th, 2012
9:50 pm
Obama says…”Tax cuts dont work…Im gonna double down on the middle class tax percentage.”
mike
October 16th, 2012
9:51 pm
Uh oh! The China card! Bain is China! China is Bain! Can you speak Mandarin? Can your childrens speak Mandarin? There are plenty of jobs out there. They’re just in China and they pay $2.00/hr.
Politico
October 16th, 2012
9:52 pm
Bruno
Free stuff? Did you missed Romney’s Pell Grant diatribe?
td
October 16th, 2012
9:52 pm
Obama is definitely not answering this man’s questions.
jack
October 16th, 2012
9:53 pm
Speaking of Bush,,, has ANYONE here EVER seen a Presidential Election where a political party has done such an excellent job of not having ANYONE from the previous administration involved in the current election ???? Seriously,,, where’s W ?,, where’s Cheney (the real last Repub President),, where is Condoleeza ??,, Where are ANY of them ??? anyone,, anyone ??? go ahead,, I’ll wait ,,,,,,
mike
October 16th, 2012
9:53 pm
Kick some gluteous maximus, President Barack Obama! Tell it! Speak it! Let all hear it!
getalife
October 16th, 2012
9:53 pm
Did you catch that spoiled brat look on mitt’s face when he said What? in a nasty tone to the moderator.
Classic .
td
October 16th, 2012
9:55 pm
We can not repeat the last four years.
Michael H. Smith
October 16th, 2012
9:55 pm
Oh no a guy just hit obama with the increased costs he has suffered as a result of obama’s failed economic polices.
There’s no inflation, what’s wrong with that guy… where has he been shopping… doesn’t he know?
I mean hasn’t he heard fuel and food costs don’t count?
No Artificial Flavors
October 16th, 2012
9:56 pm
Obama’s plan: just set up more task forces…I love me some task forces