By 
Like Vice President Joe Biden's touchdown-scoring tactic in his Oct. 11 debate with Congressman Paul Ryan, President Barack Obama came out swinging and controlled the agenda from the opening bell in his second campaign debate Oct. 16 with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.Now the score is tied at 1-1. Romney won the Oct. 3 debate in Denver. However, counting Biden's victory on Oct. 11, some might say the White House is actually ahead by a 2 to 1 score. The third and final presidential debate is Monday, Oct. 22 at Lynn University in Boca Raton, FL. Bob Schieffer of CBS News will moderate the event.
An estimated 67 million television viewers sat in on the first debate. An estimated 90 million viewed the Oct. 16 affair. An estimated 100 million are expected to watch the final debate. Talking TV Heads say that except for some past Superbowl games, the 90-minute, no commercials debates collectively are drawing the largest volume of viewers in television history.
According to a CNN/ORC International poll, 46% of respondents who watched the debate thought Obama won, compared to 39% for Romney. The result was within the survey's margin of error, and responses to other questions showed the overall impression was generally positive for both candidates.
Obama clearly won on points in the Oct. 16 debate. He came right out and asked for the job. He said he wants to show America he can turn the economy around in his second four years in the Oval Office.
Romney scoffed at that claim. He told the audience, "You are going to get the same performance as you got in his first four years."
Romney, too, scored points, but they were all made on the defensive. Obama took to the offense from the beginning and never let up. Both men have an intense hatred for each other. That could be plainly seen in their body language. Obama moved briskly to answer questions from the Hofstra University audience. Romney sort of shuffled out to handle the questions directed at him..
One of the questions thrown at Romney clearly took him by surprise. The question: If elected, how would your administration differ from that of former President George W. Bush, since you are both Republicans."
Romney cited several policy differences between himself and Bush, including a pledge that he would "get tough on China."
Obama came in fast with a zinger. "You are the last person (in the world) who is going to get tough on China." That was a reference to several of the governor's formerly-owned private companies having had dealings with China. Romney grinned and let that one go by.
But Romney came back strong fielding another audience question on equal pay and equal opportunities for women in the corporate world. Romney cited his direct role in hiring women to cabinet positions when he was governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007.
He proudly said he had asked women's groups to help find qualified female applicants for top state government jobs. Romney said the response was overwhelming and he had received for review "whole binders full of women."
Ouch. That comment, "whole binders full of women" apparently struck a discordant note with thousands of tweeter users. They called in, blasting Romney for being socially out of touch with the rest of nation; labeled him old-fashioned and said they would not vote for him.
Obama picked up quickly on Romney's gaffe. He reminded the audience the governor, if elected, said he would end funding for the women's health organization called Planned Parenthood, and has backed legislation to allow employers to decide whether to offer contraceptive coverage to women.
"That is not the kind of advocacy that women need," the President said.
Both debaters didn't excite the Hofstra University audience or TV viewers by repeatedly using stump-like speeches to drive home their points.
Both Obama and Romney often strayed from the facts in presenting their views on a mix of issues. Both threw an array of specifics at their audience but several of their explanations lacked total accuracy.
Like on a question on infrastructure. Obama stated, "Let's take the money that we've been spending on war over the last decade to rebuild America's roads, bridges and schools. If we do those things, not only is your future going to be bright, but America's future is going to be bright as well."
Well, the facts are that Obama didn't mention that much of the money that has been paying for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan was borrowed. The government borrows nearly 40 cents for every dollar it spends. So using money that had been earmarked for wars to build schools and infrastructure would involve even more borrowing, adding to the federal deficit.
The Communist government in Beijing currently holds $3 trillion in debt loan notes from the U.S. American's total debt is $16 trillion.
Now it's on to Boca Raton, FL where the third debate Oct. 22 will focus on foreign policy. That should be another fast-paced event.
I don't see Romney winning that one, or even coming close.
