What About That Plan, Mitt – President Barack Obama made sure to check Romney on his proposed five-point economic plan after moderator Candy Crowley asked both gentlemen about their intentions to address the unemployment woes. “Governor Romney’s says he’s got a five-point plan? Governor Romney doesn’t have a five-point plan,” said Obama. “He has a one-point plan. And that plan is to make sure that folks at the top play by a different set of rules.”
Obama Challenges Mitt’s Magic Gas Price Wand – During a testy early moment regarding the energy policies of both candidates, Romney nearly got into the face of Obama before cooler heads prevailed. When asked about rising gas prices compared to their former lows due to economic collapse, the President took aim at the governor’s policies with a sharp barb saying, “Romney could bring down gas prices because with his policies, we might be back in that same mess.”
The Measuring Contest – The debate nearly derailed itself again after the pair battled over immigration concerns and Romney chose to meander off topic as both men did often, to be fair. Incensed by a statement of investments he’s made, Romney asked the president if he’s looked at his own investments and pension. Obama gamely responded, “You know, I — I don’t look at my pension. It’s not as big as yours so it doesn’t take as long.” Ouch.
Mitt Gets Shut Down By Both Moderator And President – Obama showed grit when speaking on the attack at Benghazi which killed four Americans. The President looked his rival in the eyes and called Romney’s assertion that he was using the situation to play politics “offensive.” But it was Romney’s decrying of Obama’s statement – one that was confirmed by the moderator – that got downed the hardest. Obama told his opponent to “get the transcript” after criticism from Romney was mentioned regarding the two weeks it took to respond to the crisis.
Obama References Chicago Gun Violence – Crowley pointed the question of the availability of assault weapons, in particular AK-47s, to President Obama. His response was artful in how the President tied in the Aurora Batman film shooting tragedy and a family he encountered as a result. It was Obama’s mention of his hometown of Chicago, however, that stood out most of all. “Because frankly, in my home town of Chicago, there’s an awful lot of violence and they’re not using AK-47s. They’re using cheap hand guns,” said Obama before tying in the necessity for good schools and discovering the reason for the violence.
The 47 Percent Comment Finally Gets Mentioned – Although the men didn’t have closing statements as in their previous debate, they wisely used their last moments to address a wide variety of concerns. Dogged by his “47 percent” comment, Obama made smart use of the mention in answering his last question, doing so while acknowledging Romney positively. “I believe Governor Romney is a good man. Loves his family, cares about his faith,” said Obama. “But I also believe that when he said behind closed doors that 47 percent of the country considered themselves victims who refuse personal responsibility, think about who he was talking about.”
