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WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- Looking to redeem himself after a bland first debate, President Barack Obama will face off against Mitt Romney Tuesday in a town hall-style debate, in which audience members are able to engage the candidates directly.
Pre-screened, undecided voters will pose questions to Obama and Romney, and while the president has only held two town halls since he kicked off his re-election campaign, his stylistic approach to those events may indicate how he’ll approach Tuesday’s high-stakes debate.
In both town halls -- one with Cleveland voters in July, the other hosted by Univision in September -- the president strongly criticized Romney even as he answered audience questions about his own policies, a balance campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Monday that he’s trying to strike in this debate.
“He’s going to be firm, but respectful in correcting the record in the times we expect Mitt Romney will hide from and distort his own policies,” she told reporters at the president’s hotel, adding, “the audience is the people in the room, but also the people at home, and certainly he takes that into account.”
Related: First Thoughts: Why tonight's debate could be so crucial, Part 2
At the Univision forum, in fact, the president had a rejoinder for Mitt Romney’s secretly recorded comments about the “47 percent,” which he was panned for not bringing up at the first debate in Denver, Colo.
“When you express an attitude that half the country considers itself victims, that somehow they want to be dependent on government, my thinking is maybe you haven't gotten around a lot,” he told Univision’s Jorge Ramos in response to a question about the remarks.
And at the town hall in Cleveland, Obama easily steered responses back to criticism of his opponent, even if the question was not about Romney -- a tactic that might serve him well come Tuesday, given the prevailing view that he needs to be more aggressive against the former Massachusetts governor than in their first meeting.
When asked by an Ohio voter how he would try to “unite everyone” in a second term, the president decried partisan rancor in Washington before launching into a point-by-point policy comparison with his opponent.
The Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd takes a look at past town hall style presidential debates, and talks with veteran journalist Carole Simpson who moderated the 1992 town hall style debate.
“On things like ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell,’ Mr. Romney wants to reverse my position," Obama said. "On issues like immigration -- I believe in comprehensive immigration reform; he does not. On issues related to women, I believe that Planned Parenthood does a lot of good, and that women's health -- women should be able to control their own health care decisions. He does not.”
After laying out a few more of their differences, the president concluded his response to how he would unite the country by warning that the audience could count on a President Romney “implementing the plan that he and the Republicans in Congress have put forward. “
Even when he’s not seeking to criticize Romney, Obama has had no trouble steering a conversation to the question he wants to answer while relating it to the question that was asked.
And he also has a specific verbal tell when he’s about to change the subject -- or at least, broaden it: “first of all.”
When Univision moderator Jorge Ramos grilled Obama over why he hadn’t accomplished immigration reform in his first term, the president began his response by taking a rhetorical step back, framing his answer against a large contextual backdrop.
“Let me first of all, Jorge, make a point that when we talked about immigration reform in the first year, that's before the economy was on the verge of collapse, Lehman Brothers had collapsed, the stock market was collapsing, and so my first priority was making sure that we prevented us from going into a Great Depression,” he said.
He answered other questions similarly, using the phrase “first of all” seven times during the Univision town hall, in which there were 18 questions.
And at the Cincinnati event, he used it five times out of eight questions, including in a response to the mother of a gay son who asked what the president’s “next steps” were for the LGBT community.
Polaris
The path of the president-elect, from childhood to party leader
“First of all, I think what the American people have seen and made such progress on is recognizing the idea of equal rights, equal dignity, equal respect for everybody. That applies to everybody,” he said.
But those preambles eat up precious minutes that the famously loquacious president needs given Tuesday’s two-minutes-per-response format, lest he risk moderator Candy Crowley calling “time!” just as he is getting around to his point.
In addition to the length of his answers, Obama will also have to be mindful of his reactions to attacks Romney will level while standing just a few feet away. Obama was able to keep his emotions in check when the Univision moderators accused him of breaking his promises on immigration reform.
In fact, he joked about it at one point.
"Jorge, as you remind me, my biggest failure so far is we haven't gotten comprehensive immigration reform done,” he told the co-host.
While the president’s two previous campaign-season town halls may shed a bit of light on his stylistic performance, there are perhaps too few examples of them to make too definitive an assessment.
But if Mitt Romney, who has done seven town halls since clinching the nomination, has been reviewing his past performances as preparation for this debate, he’ll have just those two events to anticipate what sort of opponent he’ll meet at Hofstra University.
Leave a Comment:
All of this hang wringing & predictions from the chattering class are hysterical!
They could hold the debate in a barn, it wouldn't matter!
Make NO mistake, President Obama is bringing his "A" game tonight...
So let the excuses from the righties commence in 3...2...1...
Our President does great in a debate form because he is human and well liked; unlike that robotic MYTH Romney.
BTW: Why do all the people gravitate toward President Obama; even the little children. I also noticed the people in the events where our President is ;every one is happy; whereas people in Romney's event all look mean.
4 more 4 44
Obama/Biden 2012
Oh Pam.
Obama will try to bend town hall debate format to his advantage
In other words, he's gonna try to cheat and run from his record.
I would expect nothing less from this President.
Feisty, you made the same prediction before the first debate....
Maybe you were right....the first debate was Obama's "A" Game...and he only gets worse...
Don't talk to me about predictions probe-boy!
When you have an accuracy rate of about 0.001%...
Bland - Lacking strong features or characteristics and therefore uninteresting.
That kind of sums up the Obama's presidency, and also many of his loyal followers at FR.
Lets hope he gets to the debate location early so he can adjust to the altitude - Hempstead NY is at an elevation of 14 feet above sea level. Recall that Obama got woozy in the extremely thin atmosphere of Denver. Arriving early will eliminate one excuse of Barry's from the first debate.
"First of all, anything good that's happened in the last four years is due to me and my hard work and I get ALL the credit for it. Anything bad that's happened or anything that didn't get done is someone else's fault.
Want proof? Just ask Hillary about the Benghazi screw-up."
-Barry Obama 10/16/12, 9:10 PM EDT
The media will make sure Obama wins even if Romney rubs Obama's nose it like he did last time!!
Just ask Candy, she will make sure of it!!
Remember you heard it here first!!
Maybe Team Obama will do what they did with Biden and pump Barack full of nitrous oxide before the debate. The laughing, giggling, weirdness, creepy smiling routine seems to have done wonders with attracting voters to Obama's side.
Or was Crazy Joe just suffering from one of his manic depressive disorder episodes? Got to take those meds Joe. They are important.
White Collar Auto
In other words, he's gonna try to cheat and run from his record.
I would expect nothing less from this President.
Oh yea? it's better than Romney's.
Mitt Romney has ducked and side-stepped every attempt to get the details of his plan, which sticks the middle class with the bill for $5 trillion in tax cuts favoring millionaires and billionaires. Get the facts on his plan.
Romney tax plan is a Joke. There is no detail there.
Don't believe me? Click on it.
http://www.romneytaxplan.com/
4 more 4 44
Obama/Biden 2012
Say, Bob, what happened to your McDonnell avatar? You were so sure the vaginal probe governor would be the GOP VP nominee. Must have given you heart burn when McDonnell had to introduce lyin' Paul Ryan.
Actually, if the first debate had been judged by real debate judges, President Obama would have won on substance, on facts. Instead, the media judged it on the shiny but illusive object named Mitt Romney. In addition, the media ignored the shiny object retracting his debate comments the next day! So much for flashy and shiny if there was no there, there.
Beverly - every well know, independent group has said Romney's tax plan would increase the deficit by $4.8 trillion dollars. As usual Romney lies!
Obama/Biden 2012
It does beg the question - what is the accuracy rate of the predictions from his probes? I forget, does he force women to watch while he probes or does he allow them to look away?
Think Progress / By Rebecca Leber
Even Fox Is Calling Out Romney for Dishonesty
Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace pressed senior Romney adviser Ed Gillespie on the credibility of the six studies Romney repeatedly cites to support his mathematically impossible plan.
October 15, 2012
US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney delivers remarks at a victory
rally in Lebanon, Ohio, on October 13, 2012
For more than a month, Mitt Romney has cited six debunked studies to support his mathematically impossible plan to cut tax rates by 20 percent, while balancing the budget without raising taxes on the middle class.
On Sunday, Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace pressed senior Romney adviser Ed Gillespie on the credibility of these six studies, noting that each of them have serious issues:
GILLESPIE: Six different studies have said this is entirely doable.
WALLACE: Those are very questionable. Some of them are blogs, some of them are from AEI, an independent group.
GILLESPIE: These are very credible sources.
WALLACE: One of them is a blog from a guy who was a top
adviser for George W. Bush. These are hardly non-partisan studies.
GILLESPIE: Look Chris these AEI and other studies are very
credible sources of analysis .Two of the six studies are Wall Street Journal editorials that repeat familiar Republican talking points without crunching any numbers.
Wallace pointed out a third study from former Bush adviser Harvey Rosen, which assumes Romney’s plan would generate enough economic growth to pay for the revenue loss , the same tax logic used by George W. Bush. Yet another one of the six studies is a white paper from the Romney campaign itself. Even an AEI tax expert suggested Romney’s math wouldn’t work , saying “he’s going to need to cut rates significantly less than 20 percent if he wants to honor his other goals.”
But there is one study the Romney campaign hasn’t used. The Tax
Policy Center found that Romney would need to raise taxes on the middle class even if he closed every single tax loophole for the wealthy. Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Economy and an adviser to the 2008 McCain campaign, called that study the “ definitive” one on Romney’s plan.
I need to vote for Obama, because one guy at a Romney rally wore a racial teeshirt!
I certainly don't want to be a racist!!
lol, the fun continues!
Whats going on with women leaving Obama? Is it pocketbook issues that are driving the change?
JoAnnaSmith1
Maybe Team Obama will do what they did with Biden and pump Barack full of nitrous oxide before the debate. The laughing, giggling, weirdness, creepy smiling routine seems to have done wonders with attracting voters to Obama's side.
Or was Crazy Joe just suffering from one of his manic depressive disorder episodes? Got to take those meds Joe. They are important.
Now that is hilarious Sniff1
Coming from a person who suffers from anxiety when you can'r make it to your favorite broom factory sell. You know how exhilarated riding your broom stick makes you.
Maybe you should try laughing gas to make you get your eery laugh on.
Mostly. Also, when the Liberals are trying to force the phony "War on Women" charge against the GOP, and in parallel have Bill "I really respect women" Clinton out campaigning for Obama, women are noticing that disconnect.
just look at FR progressives. Pretty telling. Biden, Feisty, whats the dif?
which will be spin, deflect, avert? How many more synonyms do i need to throw out there?
funny because people like Feisty, NDD and Amy Portland think repub men are unfeeling, sexist brutes. Perhaps if the Repubs invested in the likes of Weiner, Edwards, Kennedy and Clinton, they would earn the respect of liberal women. Such fine upstanding liberal men. LMAO
This is BAD news for Willard...
Where oh Where can he hide his "cheat sheets"? lol
Hidden on the back pages of foxnews.com a story run by the AP
FACT CHECK: Romney spins one-sided story on trade, defense cuts in foreign policy speech.
Published
October 08, 2012
Associated Press
WASHINGTON
– Mitt Romney solely blamed President Barack
Obama on Monday for potential defense cuts that Republicans in Congress worked out with the White House and Democrats and left the misimpression that Obama has ignored free trade initiatives.
A closer look at some of the Republican presidential nominee's statements in his foreign policy speech:
ROMNEY: "I will roll back President Obama's deep and arbitrary cuts to our national defense that would devastate our military."
THE FACTS: "Arbitrary" defense cuts do not belong to Obama alone but also to congressional Republicans, including his vice presidential running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan. The first round of cuts in projected defense spending is the result of a bipartisan deal in. August 2011 between Congress and the White House to wrestle down the deficit.
Unless a new budget deal is reached in time, additional spending cuts will
begin in January across government, and the cost to the Pentagon would be $500 billion over a decade. Lawmakers are working to avoid that. Separately, Obama wants to slow the growth of military spending, now that the war in Iraq is ended and the war in Afghanistan is drawing to a close. The Pentagon's budget, including war costs, is $670 billion this year, or about 18 percent of total federal spending. Even setting aside the costs of the wars, military spending has more than doubled since 2001.
At its heart, Romney's statement marks
a disagreement with Obama over the proper level of military spending but also
skips past a deficit-reduction deal that he recently criticized Republicans in
Congress for negotiating.
ROMNEY: "The president has not signed one new free trade agreement in the past four years. "
THE FACTS: Obama hasn't opened new
trade negotiations, but he's completed some big ones, overcoming opposition
from fellow Democrats to do so. After taking office, he revived a free-trade
deal with Colombia that had been negotiated by his Republican predecessor but
left to languish without congressional approval and sought similar progress
with South Korean and Panamanian free-trade pacts. The president delayed
submitting the three deals to Congress while he tried to placate Democrats who
opposed some of the terms, but finally submitted them in 2011, and Congress
approved them.
ROMNEY: "I will recommit America
to the goal of a democratic, prosperous Palestinian state living side by side
in peace and security with the Jewish state of Israel. On this vital issue, the
president has failed, and what should be a negotiation process has devolved
into a series of heated disputes at the United Nations. In this old conflict,
as in every challenge we face in the Middle East, only a new president will
bring the chance to begin anew."
THE FACTS: With this statement, Romney
has moved toward the balance enshrined in U.S. policy from one administration
to another on the question of Israelis and Palestinians and away from his
provocative remarks to a May fundraiser that recently came to light.
In those remarks, he said "the
Palestinians have no interest whatsoever in establishing peace," ''the
pathway to peace is almost unthinkable to accomplish," Palestinians are
"committed to the destruction and elimination of Israel" and it would
be "the worst idea in the world" to put pressure on the Israelis to
give up something in hopes Palestinians would respond accordingly.
Now he is appearing to put faith in a negotiation process he all but dismissed before.
ROMNEY: "As the dust settles, as
the murdered (in the Libya consulate attack) are buried, Americans are asking
how this happened, how the threats we face have grown so much worse, and what this calls on America to do."
THE FACTS: It's unclear whether
terrorism has gotten worse. There has been no incident even remotely comparable in scope or symbolic meaning to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. After a score of counterterrorist successes, the Obama administration has been knocked back on its heels since the attacks' 11th anniversary, when assailants stormed the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and killed a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans. There has also been an uptick in attacks on American troops by supposedly friendly Afghan forces. But many counterterrorist experts say al-Qaida has been significantly weakened and the threats of global terrorism significantly better countered over the last decade.
ROMNEY: "When we look at the Middle East today — with Iran closer than ever to nuclear weapons capability, with the conflict in Syria threating to destabilize the region, with violent extremists on the march and with an American ambassador and three others dead likely at the hands of al-Qaida affiliates — it is clear that the risk of conflict in the region is higher now than when the president took office."
THE FACTS: Risk is always a matter of
perception, so it doesn't fall easily into the realm of truth vs. fiction. But
for the United States and the region, it's not clear that conflict has
increased in the last four years. Obama entered office in 2009 with the United
States still engaged in a conflict in Iraq. U.S. troops are no longer there.
And he came as Israel and Hamas just finished a three-week war. That was two
years after another war between Israel and an Iranian-backed force, in that
case, Hezbollah in Lebanon.
There has been no significant Israeli
military conflict since Obama has come into office. That said, Syria's conflict
has become the region's deadliest since the Iraq war. The U.S. has stayed out
of that conflict under Obama.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/10/08/fact-check-romney-spins-one-sided-story-on-trade-defense-cuts-in-foreign-policy/#ixzz29Ih1aPjQ
SeekingSanity
Beverly - every well know, independent group has said Romney's tax plan would increase the deficit by $4.8 trillion dollars. As usual Romney lies!
SeekingSanity,
Absolutely, did you click on Romney's tax plan? It's all a Lie.
http://www.romneytaxplan.com/
Obama/Biden 2012
Comments from Blatina - FR can you be any more bias today? Really.
I hope we will have a good debate. The environment blends itself for someone trying to hard and screwing it royallly. Big surprise is in the works and Romney keeps gaining and in some key states pulling ahead.
Like I have said already, I can't wait until is over, and with Libya in the mix and someone leaking that a drone attack is forthcoming. The only thing that I will regret is how the left wing libss on the site will react if the anointed one does not do well and get's fired in 2012?
perhaps it is good for Obama, this way the crowd can be directed to wiffle ball Obama. Pepperoni? Yeah Feisty you are a simpleton
Hats off to my libbiy friends - you all just keep running up that hill.
Of course Obama is going to win. Just like you assured us Mitt could never, ever hold his own on stage with O, the last time.
Sure he will. No contest really.
Besides, shouldn't Mitt be in jail for that SEC fraud?
Per TObamaDiary: Nice article.
“President Obama has expended a tremendous amount of energy over these last 4 years trying to keep himself from being consumed in the Washington bubble. He does that by reading at least 10 letters from ordinary Americans every night, visiting people in their homes/small businesses, having dinners with supporters and – to the dismay of the DC villagers – avoiding too much backslapping with them. I’d suggest that he does all that in order to keep his heart attuned to what really matters and why he chose to do this job in the first place.
That’s the well he will be drawing from tonight.”
http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2012/10/what-ill-be-looking-for-in-tonights.html
i expect big bird and 47% to be the issues. and pepperoni pizza. at least from Team O. maybe Obama can get Yo Gabba Gabba to throw him some help.
thetotas - in your dreams. Women are not leaving President Obama. They are and will continue to vote for him over Romney/Ryan.
Obama/Biden 2012
The problem is, that even Obama himself believes the media lies. So when he goes to debate, he is prepared with all the garbage that the left media has been spewing the entire election. But once this garbage is put to the test (debate) it withers and crumbles.
Ok Sanity, just for fun, how about you provide the basis for your comment?
Cause see, there appears to be substantial facts out there to suggest just the opposite of what you are saying.
Say, what is the RCP average today?
Wasn't Obama appointed to his Senate seat, then ran in the next election. But something happened to his opponent and Obama really didn't have to debate.
In the race against the many Dems running for president in '08, Barry didn't do all that well in the debates. Kerry was exposed as a fraud, Hill did well until she attempted to be a southern black in her speech. If you review the past, Barry wasn't much without the teleprompter.
His current off-the-cuff remarks prove this, as well as his first performance against Mitt.
So does he become over-agressive in this debate, or will he revert to his performance in debate-one? Will he answer a question directly in his two minutes, or will he talk without answering?
Will the host hold his feet to the fire as she probably will with Mitt?
I hope the audience asks those tough questions to BOTH candidates.
SeekingSanity - And you know that how? Care to post a link that backs you up? Women, mostly the ones with families, are more concerned about the economy, gas prices, jobs and education, all weak points with Obama. The younger women, mostly college age and single, will support Obama based on the so called "women's rights issue" like abortion and contraceptives.
Obama will probably win the women's votes but not by as large of a margin that he did in 2008.
bison999
Wasn't Obama appointed to his Senate seat, then ran in the next election. But something happened to his opponent and Obama really didn't have to debate.
What happened was his republican appoint i think Patrick Ryan had to get out of the senate race because, in his divorce from actress Teri Ryan, it was found out that he like to take her to sex clubs, and after the Illinois GOP asked him to tell the truth, he lied to them that he never tried to do that but it was found to be true, the only other option for the GOP was to run Alan Keys against him and it was a landslide.
Why?#s. Terrific article, thanks for posting it. Nothing like some truth telling to once again show Romney as either uninformed and incapable regarding foreign policy or willfully engaging in spinning a lie in the hopes it sticks....my guess is the later. VP Biden cornered Ryan on the military cuts as well as the cuts to embassy security spinning. Ryan couldn't spin his way out of his own spin.
bisson, try Google or are you merely speculating to spin another myth about President Obama? President Obama was elected to the Senate in a regular election in 2006; he was never appointed to fill any empty seat. After the regular GOP candidate had to drop out, the GOP tried to get a number of republicans to move and run--they got stuck with Alan Keyes.
Why?-3122622
I guess hell IS freezing over!
Hey Bev, speaking of hilarious, can you tell us about what is going on with Chicago's very own Jesse Jackson Jr?
miserable liberals
enjoying your new account?
JoAnnaSmith1
Hey JAS1, speaking of hilarious, can you tell us about what is going on with the full Republican support of disgusting Todd Akin?
JAS - the Jesse Jackson Jr. investigation is just beginning and no one really knows what is going on yet. And, that has WHAT to do with the debate?
As usual, because your candidate is such a lowlife, you deflect!
Obama/Biden 2012
You mean like full support like that disgusting Billy Clintoon has with the Democrats? That kind of support?
At least Jess Jr. is feeling better. Been seen hanging in the local bars in DC with his wife. Oh, wait, that wasn't his wife. Darn. Maybe Clintoon, Akin, and Jess Jr. can form a team, fight crime or something
Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Jesse-Jackson-Jr-Spotted-Says-Hes-Not-Well-174393201.html
SeekingSanity - Seen the latest PEW/Gallup poll? Women in the swing states now support Obama by 49 to 48 per cent. In non swing states a little bigger lead for Obama, but it's the toss up states that are important.
JoAnnaSmith1
so blah blah bla no comment on Todd Akin? The very Todd Akin YOU assured me the Republican Party disowned?
Yes, Clinton lied about a BJ which killed no one. George W. Bush lied about "evidence" to start a war that is responsible for the death of thousands of American sons/daughters, mothers/fathers, sisters/brothers.
Jackson, whether seen with a girlfriend or not, would not be any different then every single Republican hypocrite who screams Family Values but is caught with a girlfriend, boyfriend or a prostitute. Wasn't Newt Gingrich your candidate for the presidential ticket?
Todd Akin didn't lie. He believes that women who got pregnant due to rape were not raped at all because their bodies "didn't shut the whole thing down."
So again, how does the Republican Party feel about supporting disgusting Todd Akin?
I guess I spoke too soon! DELETED already.
Maybe Todd should apologize and go to sensitivity training? Take Clintoon and Jesse Jr. with him. That will make things good for you and all the Libs, right bays?
Mine personally? No. But do keep throwing stuff, somethings bound to stick.
About the same as the Democrats all out adoration for Billy Clintoon. Kind of makes you want to take a shower after you talk about either.
And ol'Jess Jr appears to have some other problems rather than just a little girlfriend issue.
Massachusetts-based A123 Systems Inc AONE -74.17%, maker of advanced batteries for electric automobiles, has announced it expects to miss payments on some of its debt, and may need to seek bankruptcy protection. The company, like others in its industry, has been a beneficiary of US federal government grants, in this case to the tune of $249m.
From today’s SEC filing (emphasis ours):
Next step bankruptcy.
Pat from Boston - I see Obama and his little minion Deval made another good investment of taxpayer's money with green technology.
Like Romney said how many teachers could have been hired instead of wasting taxpayers money to pay off Obama's cronies in green technology. Obama the fleeting of American. How many bankrupt green energy companies does that make now for Deval?
JoAnnaSmith1
again, no comment on Akin? I see you gave up your fake disgust with Todd Aking just like the Repubs did. Not surprised.
I'm sorry, I assumed you belonged to the R party which Gingrich is part of. My bad for using "you" and meaning R party.
the Dems don't try to force their holier-than-thou family values definitions on all Americans including those who might want to marry someone of the same sex.
you chose to convince me that the Republicans moved away from Akin for the right reasons. I told you that they are only doing it for votes. Now you keep using every single name other than Akin's which tells me you "forgave" Akin as well.
"Forgave" Akin? How? Like you "forgave" Clintoon"? And isn't forgiveness a character trait of the Democrats? Have you forgiven Clinton bayllie? Your party certainly has, he's an absolute hero and icon to the Left. Do you expect the same adoration from the GOP with Akin? Certainly haven't seen it. But both Akin and Clinton have some very serious flaws, don't you think? So one we're supposed to scorn and ostracize while the other is the idolized and revered. You don't find that odd?
The "right reasons"? What are the "right reasons"? And define "moved away". Do you mean moved away as prominent GOPers like Romney and Ryan calling for his withdrawal from the race? Do you mean that the national party will not support his campaign with any cash? Do you mean like many conservative commentators and writers asking for Akin to get out of the race? Have they not "moved away"?
ROTFLMAO!!!!!
If Barrack Hussein bends the debate to his advantage like he told us Obamacare will "bend" the cost curve down, Mitt has nothing to worry about.
ROMNEY/RYAN 2012 FOR REAL AMERICANS©
I love the town hall format.
I have my "popcorn" ready and can't wait to see which Romney will show up!
I think we can say with 100% certainty it won't be Truthful Mitt.
Red,
Why I don't believe I have ever met "truthful Mitt"... have you? ☺
Is anyone else annoyed by the rapid eye blinking by Romney? Always seems to happen when he's either confronted or lying thru his teeth. I think that bothers me as much as that laugh!
The key for the president is to answer the questions posed to him, and not use them to go into talking points. i'd like to see him address the questions up front, and then point out the differences between him and Mr. Romney.
This would be effective because Mr. Romney, just like Mr. Ryan, have nothing but their talking points. They have shown no ability to answer questions posed, but have to fall back on talking points that have been debunked or new position changes. If the president answers the questions asked, and uses the questions to point out differences after answering the direct question, he will show himself to be far more capable to lead this country where it needs to go.
answer the question, that is what voters want after all, answers and solutions, not talking points and mudslinging.
Tzalaran: I couldn't agree more. I know each base wants a knock down drag out but I want policy and specifics from both. I doubt that will happen from either but I can hope.
Deb,
Rapid blinking has been proven to be a way to identify a liar through body language!
Willard just takes it to a whole new level!
Never, never have. I'm hoping Mitt will tell us how many women he and Ryan plan to execute per year after they implement pro-life policies.
Feisty - the rapid eye blink combined with that disgusting smirk makes Romney so hard to watch. It will be interesting to see how much he avoids looking into the camera. Of course when you're a pathological liar like Mitt, you can do it with no hesitaton and you don't really see anything wrong with what you do.
Clearly his father had him pegged. So sad he had to watch his son become everything he totally hated.
Obama/Biden 2012
Yeah, and too bad Obama's been afraid his entire life which is now reflected in his inability to take responsibility for anything and his foreign policy.
"If you have always believed that everyone should play by the same rules, and be judged by the same standards, that would have gotten you labeled:
a radical 60 years ago
a liberal 30 years ago
and a racist today"
Thomas Sowell
Northstar, that's the very question I posed in my First Thoughts comment. Which Mitt Romney will we see tonight? He's been on every side of every issue at least twice, maybe more.
Ted Kennedy referred to Romney as Multiple Choice Mitt. Seriously, who would vote for Mitt, they don't even know what they are chosing? Can they honestly decide the man at the debate who is saying the opposite of what he said before is honest and trustworthy? To those undecided voters and to conservatives who will vote for anyone but President Obama, be careful what you vote (wish) for--a vote for Romney is a vote for another George W. Bush and we all know how that worked.
Is Obama really going to let Hillary take the blame for the cover up on the embassy/consolate attacks? I think it would be the end for him if he does, just sayin....
Sirie, now that Hillary has done her best Shakespearian death rattle after falling on her knife, it's easy for Obama to appear magnanimous and offer to take full and complete responsibility. He couldn't do it before now though. It would have been the stand up thing to do, but that's not how this president works.
Interestingly though, she avoided talking about the cover up, and just took the heat for the lead up to the attack.
Another one bites the dust. . .
A123, lithium battery maker that received almost three hundred million tax dollars to build a plant in Michigan, ( to build car batteries for Fisker), declared bankruptcy today.
I'm pretty sure it will come up tonight
I don't think I have ever met anyone who CHEERS failure the way Snookie-joe does!
Meet the modern day GNOP who enjoy betting against America!!!
what cheer?
did I miss something?
maybe it is just a reaction to blurt out when extremely nervous eh?
Blatina here. As they say in the movies " She is Back". No need to say who that is but wow she is posting 20 miles a second. Chicago will be handing heavy drugs for tonight. Straight Jackets are also being prepared.
Romney/Ryan 2012. Lets correct the error made in 2008.
nojoe,
Last week they reported a plant in Michigan ran by LG Chem has started putting employees on furlough before a single battery has been produced. Tax payer funds $150 million.
In 2010 Obama said this plant is proof that manufacturing jobs are coming back to United States.
Its good to invest in green jobs but at a cost of $90 billion, sometime less is better.
Like today is any different? lol
Nope!
Not the least bit nervous!
It's called confidence, you should try it sometime!
Say, maybe you can tell me why the right wing nitwits are so angry?
Aren't you supposed to win this thing? lol
What cover-up? Hillary has said Embassy Security falls under her domain investigations are underway to determine if security was adequate to have avoided deaths from the attack.
From Nordstrom, who was directly responsible for security:
Nah Feisty blurts meaningless stuff all the time. besides No Joe gets under Feisty's skin easily. its funny. No Joe keep posting Feisty will explode.
Great point Seeking, as usual.
Now perhaps you can tell us which one of them got busted, repeatedly for always looking sown during the last debate?
Too funny. Why it's almost like you have no memory whatsoever.
Oh and Sirie - Hillary just royally screwed O by jumping into the obvious vacuum of leadership.
Is it just me, or does anyone else smell the foul odor of burning brakes?
Perhaps you ought to go outside, eh Reddev?
Or do you actually think everyone is hanging out in your office with you?
RedDev - I just smell the foul odor of the usual radical righties on this site. Whatever will Spanky do tomorrow when his beloved traitor loses tonight?
Obama/Biden 2012
no way spanky, seeking is way super smart. she serves on two boards and a trampoline. she said so herself, all day, every day. we're just dum hicks flippin burgers. Seeking enjoys pools of water. Nihil Novus with seeking
yeah its polluting the liberal think tank. Remember FR is the liberal Forlorn hope. Sure RedDev, love reading the gems of wisdom you put out daily.
Feisty made a prediction. Let's all bow down to her obvious intelligence. Ok, Feisty, time to pull your head out of your butt and get a job now. Nap (dream) time is over!! What a pitiful waste of human flesh you are, all 500 pounds of you.
And smiling, llaughing while the opponent is speaking, and throwing arms into the air as Biden did means what? Despiration?
Those brakes are on fire today! lol
Best to let them burn themselves out! ;o)
bison999 - no it means the lies the opponent was telling were utterly ridiculous! You failed to mention that Ryan just kept talking way past his time limit because he had to reinforce the lies he was spewing!
kenva - when you make posts like yours you just look childish and desperate. Typical Republian!
Obama/Biden 2012
Hey NoJoe, A123 was supposed to supply batteries to Fisker for the Karma and the Nina. Since Fisker isn't building any cars, A123 isn't making any batteries and tyhey both go belly-up.
I guess this what is Government "Trickle Down" looks like, eh?
Trickle down Bankruptcy.
but to lefty liberals, that's a success
I'm not so sure Romney is the best person to bring up the subject of bankrupting companies.
WCA and CA -- touche'
Maybe the battery company needed a "trickle charger:
Obama "You didn't Build, um, uh You didn't BANKRUPT THAT"!!
Deb C-1357798
and the sprinkler-like movement
A123 Battery company in Massachusetts is also in trouble can't make their government loan payments. Another Obama success story!!!
Trouble? Their stock is at $0.06 per share, what trouble?!
The only criticism I have is why should only undecided voters be allowed to ask questions? Do the hosts know they are undecided voters or just take their word for it? Seems to me we should want the best questions asked regardless of who asks them.
Odd, though, how conservatives are pre-emptively criticizing Candy Crowley. Nothing like a pre-emptive strike just in case....reminds me of Bush/Cheney.
Just remember reality has a liberal bias so that crowd is going to be upset no matter what happens tonight regarding Romney.
Example: Sarah Palin: "Now Media try to get this right..." They did get it right and so did the majority of the voters. Lets hope they get it right again.
Jody,
Obama's camp has also express concerns about her roll tonight.
Her roll or her role?
Dan Austin, TX, yes, reality does have a liberal bias. True, the right will be upset no matter what.
I admit that I complain about the media for creating controversy where none exists, for feeding the nonsense that so often allows spin and chatter to replace good journalism, for allowing obviously false statements to go unchallenged. I blame the media for allowing hoopla, flash and style to overtake reality in the first debate but I do not blame the media for the failures of any candidate. President Obama did fine, as in okay fine in the first debate but he clearly was not his usual self; he had an off night even though on substance, he won. That said, the media ignored that the very next day Romney was walking back a lot of what he said in the debate; they rewarded falsehoods and flip flops with a win. That I found troubling.
thetotas, the Obama Team expressed concern but they also said they have no problem with Crowley if she interjects questions. That's a whole different thing that Romney's team which objected completely and right-wing media pre-emptively complaining that Crowley will be biased, making false accusations just as they did about Martha Radditz.
I think that the idea of this race being close is just a way to boost ratings, period. I believe the outcome at this point is inevitable but it provides a few more weeks of hype that this race is going to be close. I don't believe it will be close whichever way it goes(I have my ideas about which way it will go). Didn't tehy say the 2008 election was going to be close? :)
If it is indeed a close race I believe the outcome will be suspect to everyone. All that aside, while the debates are entertaining I don't think they are changing anyone's mind about either candidate.
Dan,
Thanks for the correction, I bet it gave you a rush.
Jody,
the Obama Team expressed concern but they also said they have no problem with Crowley if she interjects questions. That's a whole different thing that Romney's team which objected completely and right-wing media pre-emptively complaining that Crowley will be biased, making false accusations just as they did about Martha Radditz.
Jody,
I have gone over a few articles and found nothing about Romney completely objecting to Crowley and her possible bias.
Obama and Romney campaigns are already complaining about the moderator, CNN's Candy Crowley. Not about the content of her questions -- they're just worried she might ask one.
usatoday.com
President Obama and Mitt Romney have come together to fight for a common cause — limiting the role of debate moderator Candy Crowley in Tuesday’s town hall.
washingtonpost.com
thetotas: I was merely trying determine if you were implying something else or if it was just a spellcheck issue. A rush? (:^D There is no need to get upset about my question.
Both campaigns have AGREED upon changes that permits the moderator to ask follow up questions, thereby giving Crowley what she wanted in the first place. We have to wait and see how it works out, hopefully Crowley will not interject herself to much into the debate.
BTW, I am sure both sides will try and claim bias on the part of the moderator, no matter what.
I hope someone asks Romney when he is going to show ALL of his tax returns for the last 10 years and if not what he is hiding.
Adler - I'm hoping someone will ask him why he believes it is appropriate for he and Ryan to sign oaths to Grover Norquist. I would want him to explain why this isn't treasonous.
A President takes an oath to the country and no other oath shoud ever be signed.
Obama/Biden 2012
SS - please, oh please define treason.
Come on, it'll be great.
Oh yeah - 'member when Billy C. lied under oath? Perjury and all that?
I know you do.
I see the left has nothing but the usual tired talking points this morning.
I hope some citizen will ask some tough questions of Mr Obama, such as....
Mr President, explain exactly how you intend to create jobs?
Mr President, explain exactly how $80B gained from taxing the rich solves this year's $1.2T deficit, and how you intend to make up the difference?
Mr President, who sent Susan Rice to 5 separate Sunday Morning talk shows to proclaim Libya was because of a video?
Mr President, when did you first learn it was a terrorist attack?
The list of tough questions for Mr Obama could be endless...
commonamerican1,
Here are the answers to your questions..
1) The same way I have created over 5.2 million private sector jobs to date. Just think how many more I could have created if the Congress didn't fillibuster every jobs bill I introduced, rather than discussing it on the floor of the Senate or House.
2) The $80 billion is not intended to balance the budget by itself. But, when taken with the other steps I propose, it will help pay for the investments we need to make to move this Country forward. It is a balanced approach, such as Simpson-Bowles suggested. And, unlike Romney's tax plan, my plan would be truly deficit neutral
3) As much as the Right would like to make this political, and take advantage of the death of 4 Americans, I will not let them. It does no good making statements of facts until you have all the facts before you. The truth and facts were uncovered as we continued to investigate this horrible tragedy.
4) I first learned definitively that it was a terrorist attack approximately a week after the fact. We had our suspicions, but until we were 100% sure of the facts, I did not want to present falsehoods. 4 Americans were killed. They deserved better and the full truth.
So, in other, more succinct terms, Obama's responses are going to be Ole', and let the bull pass him by.
Could he further respond that his "job creation" is less than keeping up with population growth, and that on a % basis we have fewer Americans working now than almost ever before? That considering months of unemployment under 8%, his record is 1-43?
Could he further explain his "other steps" to reduce the deficit? Perhaps this is tied with his plan to grow the economy from the "middle class out"...as in increase the obesity of Americans and then tax the fat to pay for Obamacare?
Could he further explain how everyone but he and Biden apparently knew this was a terror attack within 24 hrs after the event, and how his response as you've provided it simply deflects? Could he discuss that 4 dead Americans in this circumstance is a direct result of his foreign policy, is not political, but is in fact an indicator of what we should expect in the future from his policies?
Could he further define the term "definitively", and how the information one week later was different than the information within 24 hours?
Sorry, I have more Q's for O, but I gagged when I saw you said he'd respond that "I did not want to present falsehoods". You do realize you were pretending to be Obama, right?
Yes, I did..
Let me ask you questions as if you were Romney..
1) You cite 6 'studies" that show you can cut taxes 20% across the board, increase defense spending, and renew the Bush tax cuts, and have it revenue neutral. Can you explain to me who the authors of those 6 studies are?
2) You were quoted, on camera, saying 47% of Americans are basically worthless and nothing more than takers..At the first debate, you said that you were for 100% of the people. Which one is the real Mitt Romney? Which one of the Mitt Romney's is here tonight?
3) Your running mate said your ticket wants to make all abortion illegal, even go so far as to change the definition of rape, and to pass a 'personhood" amendment. You have stated you want to overturn Roe vs Wade. Also, you have stated you would completely defund Planned Parenthood. Are these your positions too?
Okay, in a very brief window of time, I'll try to respond for Mr Romney...although let me be clear I'm more in the ABO camp than in Romney's. We already know what O stands for, and I'm not on the side of bigger government, class warfare, or divisiveness.
1- As I explain who the "6 sources" are who endorsed my plan, can I also discuss the Tax Center who proclaims to be apolitical but is actually an arm of the democrat party, and who completely misrepresented the plan?
2- Unlike Mr O, I've accepted responsibility for this statement, have said it was completely wrong. I'd further like to note I was speaking specifically of those who will vote for Mr O regardless of who's running against him, and the similarity of numbers in his camp and those who are on some form of government assistance helped to create my wrong statement. I will unequivocably state I'm for 100% of Americans. Mr O, sometimes words are misspoken, such as "clinging to guns and bibles" which I'm sure you're quite familiar with.
3 - I think the question of abortion is very personal. I believe the statement of making "all abortions illegal" misrepresents my view and the view of Americans. I am in fact a right to life proponent. I respect that early term abortion is a woman's choice, but I pray every night they would make a different choice. I am firmly against late term abortions...that's nothing more than murder.
Not one of your "answers" is an answer..Therefore, you are in fact a Romney clone..
And to you as well, Brad, although I think my responses for Romney had more truths than yours for Obama.
What is the number one issue for team red tonight?
What is the number one issue for team blue?
The posts make the answer obvious, and illustrate how separate but equally biased media
successfully manipulate the consumer into whatever mindset they target...
like, maybe... make their issue seem to be the one that everyone should be talking about maybe?
hmmm, is this a trick question?
;~p
Deep thoughts, brought to you by Dangerfield.
Of course the easy answer is the number one issue for each is to prevail.
But then again, I am super easy to manipulate. Unlike you Danger, of course. :)
Troll hold grudge and remember stinging line too well...lol
Romney just needs to hammer at Obama's 4 years of 'success'. Im sure we'll get big bird and 47%, maybe. Romney needs to point at Obama's record. show that 8.1 - 7.8 with less than jobs needed just to maintain the incoming work force isnt possible or success (unless...)
Where's Dennis to claim they've readjusted the numbers to 150k (the min amount to sustain incoming workforce). Dennis likes stats. Funny though the BLS only claims the monthly avg for 2012 is 146 k/month. Math doesnt seem to be the strong suit of our government. 2+2 = 22
It's hard to disagree with danger, because nobody really knows what he's talking about, him being a meta-blogger and such.
Romney's agenda - Jobs, tax plan, foreign policy
Obama's agenda - Big Bird, 47%, Bain
Dangerfield, You always make me smile.
I met a blogger?...Who Knew?
Who knows how the President is going to debate tonight! These debates can change on a dime. Oh no! Now the GOP/RNC "Outsourcer and Chief" will be crawling on the ground all night to find that dime. No one say the word 'bet' tonight! The GOP/RNC "Gambler and Chief" will walk around the debate stage asking if anyone wants to 'bet' him. The GOP/RNC "Speculator and Chief" has just won his $8 Million Dollar in Freeport Illinois. That is fact!
Heads-up, shoulder square, standing at attention, bringing-on his "A" game tonight.......Our President Barack H. Obama.....Representing all Americans...
.............................................All my chips are in...........................................
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
Obama will once again get his chance to lie, distort and bend the truth. Exaggeration and intimidation is what this administration is about. This country has had 4 years of this administrations lies and promises so tonight's debate won't matter. Time for a change.
Good to see you GOPTP freaks haven't changed your tactics. Your candidates have told so many lies, editors have been hired to break them into chapters for possible publication as a novella. And what does your party do .. rather than demand the truth from your candidates, you turn around and point the finger at Obama and call him a liar. The deceit never ends from you Koch loving loyalists, or to put it another way, you knock-kneed Koch suckers.
and pray tell - what lies / falsehoods is Mythe gonna try and sell?
GNOP don't need no fact checkers...GNOP CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!
C'mon Mythe - show us the 1040's. What ARE you hiding@?!
I just want a good debate, with facts and specifics, from both candidates. I hope Candy holds their feet to the fire and doesn't let them away with lies, inaccuracies and non-answers.
What I truly do not get is how someone can be undecided at this late date...unless they are so lazy they haven't paid attention the last several months to Obama and Romney's campaigns. What in a debate is going to sway someone to vote for a certain candidate...their looks, their attitude, their speaking? If someone is shallow enough to be swayed by debates....I hope they don't bother to vote.
A somewhat honest man like Obama trying to debate a pathological liar Romney is like a one-legged man at an ass kicking, the one-legged man will not be kicking much ass.
barak insane oblamo..
the epitome of incompetence..
how can anyone support/vote for this fool
trapp211 - your idiotic post says it all about you. You'll obviously support the lowlife Romney!
Obama/Biden 2012
We have been in a downward spiral and still are. Please think before you vote. Please people think. We definitely need a change. Obama is taking us down to the end of the meaning of life as we know it!!!!
Big Obama Lies
$800 billion and not increase the national debt or tax the middle class, while
the actual cost is projected to be $1-2 trillion and includes many new taxes on
the middle class that would start immediately while the healthcare changes will not be realized for many years.
passed his $787 stimulus package, actual cost including Fed accounting tricks,
multiple stimulus housing packages, bank bailouts and indefinite funding of
Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae together put the bill at $4 trillion and
growing.
actual jobs created 300-600k saved jobs do not count
automotive business, actual ownership of GM is over 60 percent and 80 percent of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.
resulted in the largest increase in taxes in a generation through the coming
wave of inflation, energy, health care and major increased in Federal Tax that
speaker Pelosi has already virtually guaranteed tremendous tax increases
Dear Mr. Romney,
With tonight being the second Presidential debate, I am writing to wish you well. I understand that you will be a President to re-unite this country, to improve our economy and to help to keep all Americans safe from enemies, foreign and domestic. You will return this nation to its former self; the self that our forefounders envisioned and many fought and gave their lives to defend. My prayers, all well as many, many others are with you. Let the United States of America see falsehoods uncovered and truths revealed.
May the Spirit Guide you and May Jesus be your Voice. ALOHA!
Respectfully,
Desiree
A very basic approach to deciding how to vote . . .
I cannot believe the number of people with so much time on their hands as to
spend so much of it ranting on this comment post. I'd like to say "GET A
JOB!" But, as we all know, there really aren't enough to even begin to go
around.
All of you can waste your time beating your heads against either the right wall or
the left wall. Whatever the case may be, you are only going to beat yourself
silly (if you haven't already).
Let me simplify the choice and put it into very basic layperson terms . . .
Take all of the biased lying crap out of it all, whether you're receiving it from
the left or the right side. Throw it out. Ignore it. Whether you want to blame
it on the media or blame it on the politicians, it doesn't matter. As a
layperson, you will never be able to decipher lies from truth, on a consistent
basis. Lots of information is confidential and privileged to the point that you
will never be able to realistically make a truly informed opinion.
You can think you know all the facts by referring to various websites, TV, radio
and internet news and commentaries, but what really leads you to believe that
any of that is honestly unbiased, factual, and true? Seriously.
Take a very basic approach when viewing this upcoming election. In the private
sector, much more so than with goverment and union jobs, if a person is hired
and promises to achieve certain objectives for a company, and all within
a set budget, that becomes the outline for the job's expectations. THIS is the
reason that person is hired. If the person does not perform as promised after
four years, in all likelihood, that person is dismissed, if it hasn't happened
before then. The LAST thing a company would do would be to offer that person
another 4-year contract. Like I said . . . Very basic.
The other option to offering up another 4-year contract . . .
YOU'RE FIRED!
Ali, how can you relate this:
To the cue in which Obama "broadens the topic" which you go over a great deal, including the number of times he used the verbal cue "first of all"? Each example you mentioned in which Obama used "first of all" are not used to criticize Mitt Romney whatsoever which makes you're argument a non sequitur. So I don't really know where you're trying to go with this.
REALLY . . . Stop making it so hard on yourself . . .
A very basic approach to deciding how to vote . . .
I cannot believe the number of people with so much time on their hands as to
spend so much of it ranting on this comment post. I'd like to say "GET A
JOB!" But, as we all know, there really aren't enough to even begin to go
around.
All of you can waste your time beating your heads against either the right wall or
the left wall. Whatever the case may be, you are only going to beat yourself
silly (if you haven't already).
Let me simplify the choice and put it into very basic layperson terms . . .
Take all of the biased lying crap out of it all, whether you're receiving it from
the left or the right side. Throw it out. Ignore it. Whether you want to blame
it on the media or blame it on the politicians, it doesn't matter. As a
layperson, you will never be able to decipher lies from truth, on a consistent
basis. Lots of information is confidential and privileged to the point that you
will never be able to realistically make a truly informed opinion.
You can think you know all the facts by referring to various websites, TV, radio
and internet news and commentaries, but what really leads you to believe that
any of that is honestly unbiased, factual, and true? Seriously.
Take a very basic approach when viewing this upcoming election. In the private
sector, much more so than with goverment and union jobs, if a person is hired
and promises to achieve certain objectives for a company, and all within
a set budget, that becomes the outline for the job's expectations. THIS is the
reason that person is hired. If the person does not perform as promised after
four years, in all likelihood, that person is dismissed, if it hasn't happened
before then. The LAST thing a company would do would be to offer that person
another 4-year contract. Like I said . . . Very basic.
The other option to offering up another 4-year contract . . .
YOU'RE FIRED!
People on the right may not know it but romney shot his wad on the first debate because what is there left for him to talk about foreign policy where he is totally clueless? What is he going to flip flop on next, is there anything left for him to try because besides lying everything else he is totally weak on. I really think romney is about to piss in the wind and its going to come right back at him and hit him in his face.
Rummey the Two-Faced Dummy will bring all of his personallities with him to the debate tonight. Why? Because he has no idea what questions will be asked? Tonight, we will see the multi-faceted Mittens ROBemALL, without a doubt! We will see the deceiever, the liar, the manipulator, the used car salesman, the snake oil seller, hell, you name it, we will see it! Mittens is a multi tallented liar!!!
On the other side, you will see a dignafied President Obama. The one man in this race, that has ALL Americans in his thoughts! Not just the one percent. ALL Americans. The one man who, has all the women in his thoughts! All the disabled. All the minorities. This is one President that has our backs! Now lets go out there, and have HIS BACK! Compare the two, one is a stand up guy, the other is a liar, and a deceiver. I will take the stand up guy everytime!!!
O & JOE THE ONLY WAY TO GO!!!!
The President is very strong in Town Hall Settings, and he will do very well. President Obama is the "President Of The People." He enjoys the feedback from his fellow citizens, and he loves being out on the road. The President really gets into his rallies, and has a winning personality with others. Now the very opposite is true of the GOP/RNC "Intervert and Chief." Now he loves very 'quiet rooms.'
Obama's tax plan is eliminate medicare and social security to increase obamacare and welfare. Tax the middle class to death until they hit the poverty line and start collecting welfare.
Elect honorary Mullah Barak Hussein bin Obama and his evil clown Joe Biden.