That's it for us. An at-times heated debate, with a much, much better performance from Barack Obama compared to the first debate. Here's the Guardian's DC bureau chief Ewen MacAskill, at the scene:
Barack Obama staged a strong comeback in his second showdown with Mitt Romney, with the president describing his Republican opponent as "offensive" in suggesting he was playing politics over Benghazi and portraying him as more extreme than George W Bush on social issues such as women's rights.
The extent of the personal dislike between the two was evident in the second presidential debate, held at Hofstra University, Long Island In one explosive scene, the two, only feet apart, wagging fingers at one another, talking over one another, accusing each other of lying.
Obama more than matched Romney and ended the stronger of the two on the night, leaving the Republican candidate looking flustered at times, particularly over Libya.
The president was animated, confident, clearer, in contrast with Denver. If Obama had produced a performance like this in the first presidential debate in Denver on 3 October, he might not have seen his poll leads overturned and now in a deadheat with Romney nationally and in many swing states. It was not a bad performance by Romney but Obama edged him out on the night.
Will Romney's performance still leave him struggling to win over women voters? Or will they buy into his 'binder full of women'? That's US gymnast McKayla Maroney, btw.
Romney has been rather pugnacious at points. Here he gestures towards the president when talking about the tragic events in Benghazi last month. But the aggressive posturing backfired, as Richard Adams writes:
Oh dear, Romney just shot himself in the foot right there. After Obama makes another play about taking responsibility for the events in Libya, Romney thinks he's got him for claiming he called it terrorism in his Rose Garden address the day after.
Wrong, Mitt Romney, Obama interjects "Look at the transcript," and Candy Crowley backs Obama up: he did call it terrorism. Romney's lower lip actually wobbles a bit there as he stutters, and Obama steps off his stool and ends the question.
Mean while the obligatory question on gun control prompts an animated response from President Obama.
A question about equal pay for women launches Mitt Romney into an anecdote about how, when he was governor of Massachusetts, he tried to get more women in his cabinet.
"They brought us whole binders full of women," Romney recalled.
Here's Ewen Macaskill, at the debate at Hofstra University:
The extent of hostility between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney exploded into view on the stage at Hofstra University, the two men feet apart, pointing fingers and shouting over one another.
They accused one another of lying, with looks that bordered on contempt. Romney, dispensing with the last vestiges of respect for the office of the president, said: "You will get your chance in a minute. I am speaking." Republicans will love the sight of Romney squaring off against Obama. And Democrats will just as much love Obama squaring off against Romney. But independents might view Romney's behaviour as rude.
Not a lot of people know that Mitt Romney really, really likes dogs. He nursed this one back to health after Ann hit it in one of her Cadillacs. One day the dog had wandered out into the garden on its own. That was how he knew it had fully recovered. "Who let the dogs out?" he sang cheerfully. Everyone smiled.
Here's the format. Romney takes the first question, on college education. He tells a young man concerned about his prospects that "the key thing is that you need to be able to get a job when you out of school".
The problem is "more debt, less jobs," says Romney.
It's that time again... Obama and Romney are pulling on their gloves behind the scenes in Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY, ready to do battle/debate.
Join us here to enjoy the debates in GIF format, which is now accepted as the way to watch presidential candidates put forward serious political arguments which could have severe implications for the US and the rest of the world.
Common consensus, which is nearly always correct, suggests that Obama needs to give Romney a good hiding tonight after taking a metaphorical beating in Colorado.
Comments (…)
Sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion