US Presidential Debate BBC News Special

experience at this kind of format. But the president prefers this

format. The President likes having people around. He wanted more

people in the room. You can see the crowd and the town hall four mac.

Originally the day commission was planning to have 20 people sitting

uncomfortable lunches. The White house said that would not do. We

like it when the President has surrounded by people. We live shots

of him to show people in the background. There have reconfigured

the set. Mitt Romney has plenty of expense this year with debating,

perhaps that is why he did better in the first debate. Barack Obama

has been in this room and this four mac four years ago. He took on John

McCain and the Town Hall debate at Hofstra University in this very

same room. He's comfortable with the space. There would not be the

first time a sitting president has been knocked back in a fierce

debate in recover them later debates? They are a certain

examples of that. He is that people are talking about most in terms of

this debate four mac, one has 2,000., Algol against George bush.

He went into the three debates with a five-point lead in the opinion

polls, performed very badly in all three debates, specially the town

hall debate. Squandered his lead, came out of the debate three points

behind, and George bush went on to win the 2,000. Election. That is

the nightmare scenario for Democrats. I just spoke to current

democratic states are just before coming on me and he said he is very

nervous. Because that is the series of debates he is during the

parallels from. That is the moderator making her introduction.

The economy likely to feature very strongly? We expect to the killing

of the US ambassador to Libya to be prominent? I think that will come

out. The presidential aides say he makes responsibility for the

security situation in Libya. But the economy is very important for

these voters. These are 80 undecided local residents call to

participate in this town hall meeting. They have submitted the

questions to the moderator. She has chosen those questions and they

will be a mixture of foreign policy, Libya but predominantly the economy

and what Barack Obama has to do is say things are getting better but I

understand that they're not as good as I won them to be. Here is Barack

Obama taking on Mitt Romney in the Thank you for joining us tonight.

lot of folks have been waiting all day to talk to you. Governor Mitt

Romney, you won the Toyn cost. The first question will go to you. We

will go to a first-time voter. President, as the 20-year-old

college student all year from professors and neighbours as the

when I graduate I will have little chance to get employment. What can

you say to reassure me and my parents I will be up to support us

off after a graduate? Thank you, I appreciate your question and thank

you to everybody who has come. Thank you to Hofstra University

University for organising and leading this event. Thank you

Barack Obama for being part of this debate. Your question is one that

is being asked by college kids all over this country. In Pennsylvania

I was with someone had just graduated. She said, I have my

degree, I cannot find a job. I have three part-time jobs. They have

barely enough to pay for my food and my apartment I cannot pay back

my student loan. We have to make it easier for kids to afford college

make sure when they get out of college there is a job. When I was

governor of Massachusetts, to get a high-school degree you have to pass

an exam. If he graduated in the top quarter of the class we gave you a

scholarship. Four years' tuition free at the College of your choice.

A one to make sure we keep our grant programme dying. We will also

have our loan programme so people can afford school. The key thing is

to make sure you can have a job when you get out of school. The

last four years have been very hard for the young people of America. I

want you to be able to get a job. I know what it takes to get this

economy going. With half of college graduates graduating this year,

without a college level job that is unacceptable. And you have more

debt on your back. More debt and less jobs, I will change that. I

know what it takes to create good jobs again. To give you the kind of

opportunity you deserve. Kids across this country will recognise

you're bringing back an economy. It will not be like the last four

years, with a middle class has been crushed. Jobs have been two skis. I

know what it needs to bring them back. When you graduate? 2014. I

presume I will be President. I'll make sure you get a job.

President. Your future is bright. The fact you are making an

investment in higher education is critical. Not just you but the

entire nation. The most important thing we can do is make sure we are

creating jobs in this country, but not just jobs, good paying jobs.

Ones that can support a family. I want to build on the 5 million.

Jobs were created over the last 30 months and the private sector and

there are a bunch of things we can do to make sure your future is

bright. Number one, I want to build manufacturing jobs in this country

again. When Mitt Romney said we should let Detroit go bankrupt, I

said we would bet on American workers and it has come surging

back. I want to do that in industries, not just under Troy but

across the country. That means we change the tax code so we are

giving incentives to companies investing in the United States and

creating jobs here. We're helping them in small businesses to export

around the world and new markets. Number two, we must make sure we

have the best education system in the world. The fact to I don't hop

college is great. But I want everybody to get a good education.

We have worked hard to make sure student loans are available to

people like you. We want to make sure colleges have slots for people

to get retrained for jobs out there in the future. Number three, we

have to control a wind energy. Not only oil and natural gas but we

month to make sure we are building the only G source of the future,

not just next year but 20 years from now. That's why we invest in

Seoul and wind and bio Fuels, energy-efficient cars. We have to

reduce the benefit but do it in a balanced way. Let us take the money

we have been spending on war over the last decade to rebuild America.

Roads, bridges schools. We do those things, not only will your feature

be bright but America's future will be bright. I'm asking you for a

more immediate answer Mitt Romney, we are looking at a situation where

40% of the unemployed have been unemployed for six months or more.

They do not have the two years that Jeremy has. What about the long-

term unemployed that need a job just now. 23 million people

struggling to find a job. A lot of them have been able out of work for

a long time. The presidential policies have been exercised over

the last four years may have not bought Americans back to work. We

are fewer people with a day than we had when the President will coffers.

The unemployment rate was 7.8% when he took office. If we take back the

people who dropped out of the work force, we have 10.7 %. We have not

made the progress it takes to get people back to work. I have a five-

point plan to get America 5 million new jobs and a rise for take-home

pay. It will help people across the country who are unemployed right

now and how Jeremy get a job and he comes out of school. Barack Obama

said we should take Detroit bankrupt. My plan was to get a

business to come out stronger and go bankrupt. He keeps saying you

want to take Detroit bankrupt. But he took Detroit bankrupt and the

top Chrysler bankrupt and he took General Motors bankrupt. He

actually did. I think it is important to know that was a

process that was necessary to get those companies back on the feet so

they could start hiring more people. That was precisely what I recommend

it and what happened. What Governor not from the seed is not true. The

one to take them into bankruptcy without giving them any way to stay

open. We would have lost a million jobs. Take the executive's word for

it. They may even support Governor from the some of these executives.

Governor Bromley says he has a five-point plan. He has a one. Plan.

That plan is to make sure that people at the top play by different

set of rules. That has been his philosophy in the private sector,

as governor, and as a presidential candidate. He can make a lot of

money and pay more tax breaks on somebody makes a lot less. You can

shift jobs overseas and get tax breaks for it. You can invest in a

company, bankrupt at a strip away the pensions and you still make

money. That is exactly the theosophy we have seen in place for

the last decade. That is what has been squeezing middle class

families. We have fought back for four years to get out of that mess.

The last thing we need to do is to go back to the very same policies

that got us there. Mitt Romney, plenty of chances to go on.

Detroit answer is way off the mark. We will have lots of time to answer

on that question. I want you to move on to something connected cars.

We want to get a question from this man. Your energy sector, has now

been on record three times stating it is not policy of this department

to help lower gas prices. Do you agree with the senator that this is

not the job of the energy department? The my asked important

thing we can do is to make sure we control our own energy. This is

what I've done since I have been President. We have increased oil

production to the highest levels and 16 years. Natural gas

production has the highest it has been in decades. We have seen

increases in coal production. And coal employment. What I have also

said his we cannot just produce traditional sources of energy, we

need to look to the future. That is why we doubled fuel efficiency

standards on cars. Next decade, any car you buy, you will go it twice

as fast when you use the gas. All these things have contributed to

asked lowering our oil imports to the lowest levels in 16 years. I

want to build on it. That means we still continue to open up new areas

for drilling. Make it a priority for us to go after natural gas. We

are potentially 600,000 jobs and 100 years' worth of energy beneath

our feet with natural gas. We can do it and an environmentally sound

way. Have to continue to find out how we have efficient energy,

because that is how we will find out how to reduce demand and he gas

prices of. Mitt Romney will say he has a plan but his plan is to let

the oil companies write the energy policies. He has got the oil and

gas part but he does not have the clean energy park. If we are only

thinking about tomorrow and the next day and not thinking about ten

years from now, we will not control our own economic future. China,

Germany they are making these investments. I will not cede those

jobs for the future to these countries. I expect the new energy

sources to be built in the United States. That will help Jeremy get a

job and it will make sure you are not paying as much for gas. Mitt

Romney? Me it does look to the policies of the President as

opposed to the rhetoric. We have had for years of policies being

played out. In terms of the additional oil production, none of

it came on federal land. Oil production is down 14%. Gas

production is down 9%. Because the President cut in half the number of

licences and premises for drilling on federal land and on federal

waters. Whether the increase come from. A lot of that came from a

range in North Dakota. The administration border criminal

action on the people drilling for oil. This huge new resource we have.

What was the cause? 25 birds were killed in a bought out a migratory

bird apt to go after them. I want to make sure we use our oil, our

If we don't be the President from keeping us to take advantage of

coal and gas. Talk to the people in the industry. I was in coal country.

People said, please, saved my job. We cannot build a coal plant. It is

virtually impossible, given our regulations when the President ran

for Office. They said, who will go bankrupt. That is not the right

course for America. Let us use the resources and energy we have. If we

do what I plan on doing, getting energy independent, North American

energy independence within eight years, you will see manufacturing

jobs come b jobs come blow cost. We have a bond and energy. I

would get North America at energy independent. We will have more

permits and licences. We will have pipelines from Canada. The

President said no to that. How well their jobs back. But the move to

the gist of the question. Tomorrow morning, people will break up and

find the price of gas at $4 a gallon. Is it within the purview of

the government to bring prices down or are we looking at he knew

normal? There is no doubt demand and production has gone up. We are

using energy more efficiently. What Governor Romney said is true. We

opened up public lands and a drilling more than the previous

administration. Natural gas is not just appearing magically. We are

encouraged in it and working with the industry. When I hear he say,

he is a big coal die, but when he was the governor of Massachusetts,

he stood in front of a coal plant and said, this plant kills. He shot

it down. Now, he is a champion of coal. I try to be consistent. With

respect to call, we invested in clean coal technology. We are

producing clean and more coal. Smarter and cleaner. Our oil

imports are down to its lowest levels in 20 years. Oil production

is up. Natural gas production is up. We are starting to build cars that

are more efficient, creating jobs. Those cars can be expect --

exported due to demand. It will save you money. That is the

strategy we need. But that has not what you have done in last four

years. That is the problem. You could perm it and licences. That is

not true. We have produced more oil. This is what we did. There were

question. How much did you cut it by? I am happy to answer. He had

oil companies. They had leases on public land they were not using. We

said, you cannot sit on this for 30 years. And decide when you want to

drill and produce. These are public lands. If you want to drill, you

use it or you use it. We took away those leases and we are relating

them so we can make proffered. corruption on private land is down.

Reduction in gas is down 9%. That is not true. It is absolutely true.

We have produced more oil and gas and water on federal land. Coal

jobs and production are not up. Many people have lost their jobs. I

don't think anyone believes that you are a person who will push for

oil, gas and coal. I don't believe people think that is the case. I

will fight for all coal and natural gas. The proof of whether the

strategy is working his from the price. If you are paying less than

a year or two, the strategy is working. But it was higher when the

President came into office. Electricity prices are up. If the

policies are working, the cost of energy will come down. I will fight

to create more energy in this country. Part of that is bringing

in a pipeline of oil from Canada. Drilling offshore in alas, and the

junior. Those things would get us the energy we need. -- Alaska and

Could you address what the Governor said? If the energy policy is

working, the price of gasoline would not be $4 a gallon. He said

when I took Office, the price of gasoline was $1 a T. The economy

was on the verge of collapse. We were about to go through a

It is conceivable that Governor Romney will bring in those gas

prices. We might be in the same first. I want to create an economy

-- same mess. We have built enough pipeline to wrap around the entire

Earth once. I am all for pipelines and oil production, but not for us

ignoring the other half of the equation. Wrongly said these were

imaginary jobs. People in Iowa, Colorado, are working, creating

wind power with good manufacturing jobs. The Republican senator in

fire what is all for it, providing tax press to make this work.

Governor Romney says, he is opposed. That is not an energy strategy for

the future. I have to move you along. I get the last question and

asked answer. I will give you a chance. I promise you. I'd known to

want to leave all these guys sitting here. I don't have a policy

on stopping wind jobs in higher war. I appreciate those jobs. I

appreciate the jobs in coal, oil, gas. Thank you. Energy resources

will bring back manufacturing in America. We will get an aggressive

energy policy. It is critical to our future. We will give you long

to taxes. -- book you along to Governor Romney, you say you will

plan to reduce tax rates for all tax brackets. And you will work

with the Congress to eliminate reductions to make up for the loss

in revenue. Concerning these deductions, the mortgage deduction,

the charitable deduction, the child tax credit... You are doing great.

The education credit. It is important to me. I have children in

college. What are your policies on those things? You are absolutely

right. I want to bring the rate down and simplify the tax code, and

want to get people to get more taxes. Middle income taxpayers will

have no taxes. They have been buried over the last four years.

Gasoline prices have gone up $2,000. Health insurance premiums have gone

off. Food prices and utility prices have gone up. The middle income

families have been crushed in the last four years. How about

deductions? I will bring rates down across the board for everyone. I

will limit exemptions and credit for people at the high end. They

will not play -- pay less than they are paying now. The top 5% will

continue to pay the income tax. Middle income people are going to

get a tax break. To bring debt reduction, we will say, everyone

will get $25,000 in reduction in credit. You can decide which one to

use. Home mortgage reduction, charity, child tax. Your rate comes

down, and the burden comes down. Every middle income taxpayer no

longer will pay any tax on interest, dividends or capital gains. No tax

on your savings. It makes life a lot easier. If you are getting

interest on a bank, a statement from a mutual fund, don't worry

about filing taxes. They will be no taxes for anyone making more than

$200,000 a year on dividends and capital gain. Under the last four

years, they have been buried and are what to help the middle class.

I will not reduce the share that has been paid by the highest income

taxpayers. I will not increase taxes for the middle class. The

President's spending and borrowing will cause this nation to raise

taxes. Not just at the higher end. People in the middle classes C

$4,000 a year of higher taxes duty the spending and borrowing of the

middle -- administration. I will reduce the tax burden on middle

income families. It will help those families and create incentives to

start growing jobs again in this country. My philosophy on tax has

been simple. I want to give middle class families and folks who are

striving to get in the middle class some relief. There has been hit

I said awarded to cut tax. That is what I have done. I said I would

cut tax for small businesses. We have cut them 18 times. I want to

continue those tax cuts for middle class families and for small

businesses. If we are serious about reducing deficit, if this is

genuinely a moral obligation to the next generation, we need to make

sure that the bourse to do a little bit more. Your first $250,000 of

income, no change. 98% of American families and small businesses will

not see a tax increase. I am ready to sign that be all right now. But

Governor Romney's allies in Congress have denied the 98%

hostage. They would tax-breaks for the top 2%. Four of 250,000, we can

go back to the tax breaks we have That is what took us from deficit

to surplus. It is good for the economy and job creation. Governor

Romney has a different philosophy. He was on 60 minutes just two weeks

ago. He was asked, is it fair for someone like you, making $20

million a year, to pay lower tax rate. He said it was fair. He said

that is what grows the economy. I fundamentally disagree. Would Crows

the economy is you get tax credit in place, that grows the economy.

We make sure small businesses are getting assistance. We have a

different theory. When Governor Romney stand here after a year of

campaigning, he stood on stage and said I will give tax cuts. He did

not say tax rate cuts, but tax cuts, including the top 1%. That has been

his history. That is exactly the type of Economics that will not

work, if we want a strong middle Governor Romney, you should reply

here. My tax plan, the top 5% pay 60%. I am looking to cut taxes for

middle-income people. Why do I want to bring rates down at the same

time lower exemptions and reductions from people at the high

end, if you bring rates down, it makes it easier for small business

to keep the capital and hire people. For me, this is about jobs. I want

to get the American economy going again. 54% of American workers we

can businesses that are taxed as individuals. When you bring those

rates down, those small businesses are able to keep more money and

hire more people. I look at what has happened in the past four years

and say, this has been a disappointment. We can do better.

We do not have to settle for 43 months with unemployment above 8%.

23 million Americans looking for a job now. Three-and a-half million

women living in poverty than when the President took office. We do

not have to live like this. We can get this economy going again. My

plan does it. Energy independence for North America and five years.

Opening up more trade with North America, cracking down on China

when a cheat. Training programmes for workers, championing small

business. I wonder how small businesses grow and thrive. I know

how to make that happen. I spent my life and the private sector. I know

why jobs come and why they go. They're going up because of the

policy of this administration. need to ask the President about

something you said. Mitt Romney says he will not allow the top 5%

to have a tax cut, That'll all even out and what he wants to do is give

the tax cut to the middle class. Settled? And No It is not settled.

The cost of Loring Rake's for everybody, across the board 20%

along with what he wants to do in terms of eliminating the state tax,

in terms of corporate, changes in the tax code it costs five trillion

dollars. Mitt Romney wants to spend two trillion dollars on conditional

military programmes even though the military is not asking for. That is

seven trillion dollars. He wants to push tax cuts for the wealthiest

Americans. That is eight trillion dollars in total. What he sees his

he is going to make sure that this does not add to the deficit and he

will cut middle class taxes, when he is asked, how would you do it,

which deductions which loopholes will you do you cannot tell you.

The fact that he only has to pay 14% on his taxes were a lot of you

are paying much higher, he is taken that on board, capital gains will

continue to be at a lower rate. We will not get money that way. We

have not heard from the governor at any specifics beyond Big Bird and

eliminating funding for planned Parenthood in terms of how the

place for that. Mitt Romney was a very successful investor. If

someone came to governor with a plan and said I want to spend seven

or eight trillion dollars, we will pay for it, but we cannot tell you

until after the election how we will do what, you would not have

taken such a sketchy deal. And neither should you, the American

people. Because the maths does not add up. What is at stake here is

one of two things, this blows out the deficit, because this is just

to pay for the additional spending he is talking about, 17 trillion

dollars before we get the debt so we already have. Alternatively it

has to be paid for, not only by posting reductions for wealthy

individuals, you will be paying for it. You will lose some deductions.

You cannot buy this sales pitch. Nobody who has looked at it as

series believes it adds up. Governor, before we get into a vast

array of who says what, if it should not add up, but somehow when

you get in her There is not enough tax revenue coming in, but somehow

the numbers do not add up, would you be willing to look again at a

20%? They do add up. I was someone who ran businesses for 25 years. I

balanced the Budget. I ran the Olympics and balance the Budget.

Around the state of Massachusetts as a governor and balanced the

Budget for four years. When we talk about maths that does not add up

how about two trillion dollars and deficits over the last four years.

That his manner that does not add up. We have a president talking

about his plan in a way that is completely foreign to what my real

planners. Then we have his record which is we have four consecutive

years will he has said when he was running of this he would cut the

deficit in half, unsteady is double whammy. We have gone from 10

trillion dollars of debt to 16 trillion dollars of debt. If the

President were re-elected we would go to 20 trillion dollars. This

puts us on a road to Greece. I know what it takes to balance budgets.

I've done my entire life. It is not a cup because I'm offsetting some

of the reductions with holding down similar deductions. I understand,

but I will get run up of town. have keeping on track. Barack Obama,

this is Katrine Fenton who has a question for you? In what new ways

to intend to rectify the inequalities in the workplace.

Regarding females making only 72% of what my counterparts earn.

great question. I was raised by a single mum. She had put herself

through school while looking after two kids. She worked hard every day

and a lot of sacrifices to make sure we got everything we needed. A

grandmother, she started off as a secretary in a bank. She never got

a college education. Even though she was smart is a work. She worked

her way out to become vice- president of the bank but she had a

glass ceiling. She trained people who would end up becoming her boss

was. In the course of her job. She did not complain, that was not what

you did in that generation. This is one off of reasons why why the

first pill assigned was something called them we Leadbetter bill. It

was named after this amazing woman who had been doing the same job as

a man for years, found out that she was getting paid less, and the

Spring Court -- Supreme Court said she could not bring sued because

she had not found about it earlier. So we fix to that. There is an

example the kind of advocacy we need. Because women are

increasingly the breed winners of the family. This is not just a

woman's issue, this is a family issue and a middle class issue.

That is why we have to pay for it. It also means we have to make sure

that young people like yourself able to afford a college education.

Earlier Mitt Romney talked about he wanted to make education accessible

for younger people. But we have done that. We have expanded

programmes for millions of people including millions of young women

across the country. We took $60 billion there was going to banks

and lenders as middlemen for the student loan programme and we said

let us cut out the middleman and give the money directly to students.

As a consequence, millions of young people can afford college. They

will make sure young women can compete in the market place. We

have to enforce the laws which is what we're doing. We have to make

sure that in every walk of life, we do not tolerate discrimination.

That has been one of the hallmarks of my administration. I'll continue

to push on this issue. Mitt Romney, Pay Equity for women? An important

topic and one which I learned a great deal about when I was serving

as Governor for my state. At the chance to pull together a Cabinet

and all the applicants seemed to be men. And I went to my staff and I

said, how come all the people for these jobs are men. He said well

they have the qualifications. I see cannot we find some women who are

qualified? So we took a concerted effort to go out and find women who

had backgrounds that could be qualified to become members of the

Cavill. I went to a number of women's groups and asked them to

find winners. They found us binders full of women. I was proud of the

fact that after I start my Cabinet that the University of New York at

Albany did the survey of all 50 states and concluded mine had more

women in senior leadership positions than any other state in

America. One of the reasons I could get so many good women to be part

of the team was because of the recruiting effort. I also

recognised if you gonna have Women and the work force only to be more

flexible. My chief of staff, she said I cannot be here until seven

at night. I have kids at school. Have to get home at five o'clock so

I can make dinner for my children and be with them when I get home

from school. I said OK let's have a flexible schedule. We will have to

have employers in the new economy that I will bring to play that will

be so anxious to get good workers, they will be anxious to hire women.

And the last four years, women have lost 580,000 jobs. That is what has

happened. I mentioned, three-and-a- half million women, more and

poverty than four years ago. What we can do to help young women and

women of all ages is to have a strong economy, so strong that

employers are looking to find good employees and bring them into the

workforce. Adapt them to a flexible work schedule that gives them the

opportunities they would otherwise not afford. This is what I have

done. That is what I look forward to doing and I know what it takes

to make an economy work. There are no order working economy looks like.

Unemployment 7.8 employment -- unemployment is not a strong

economy. An economy with 23 million people looking for work is not a

strong economy. An economy with students graduating he cannot find

a job as not and a good economy. We have to support women in the

workforce. Mr President, can you get on as? I wonder. Out there when

Mitt Romney was asked about the lily Leadbeater bill he said I

would get at you. That is not the kind of ad this could see we need

in any economy. There are issues that have a bearing on how women

succeed in the workplace. The first one is healthcare. A major

difference in this campaign is that Mitt Romney feels comfortable

having politicians in Washington decide the healthcare choices that

women are making. I think that is a mistake. And my healthcare bill, I

said insurance companies need to provide contraceptive coverage to

everybody who is insured. Because this is not just a health issue it

is an economic issue for women. It makes a difference. This is money

out of the family Pocket. Mitt Romney not only opposed it, he

suggested that employers should be able to make the decision as to

whether or not a woman gets contraception through insurance

coverage. That is not the kind of advocacy women need. When Mitt

Romney said we should eliminate funding for planned Parenthood,

there are millions of women across the country who rely on planned

Parenthood for not just contraceptive care but mammograms,

cervical cancer screenings that is a pocketbook issue for women and

families all across the country. That makes a difference in terms of

how well an effect of the women can work. When we talk about child care,

and the credits we are providing, that makes the difference in terms

of whether they can go out there and in the living for the family.

These are not just women's issues. These are family issues. These at

economic issues. One of the things that makes us grow as an economy is

when everybody participates and women are given the same deal as

men. I have to doctors and I want to make sure they have the same

opportunities -- daughters as any body's son's hair. That is part of

what I'm working for as part of the United States. This is a question

from Susan it is for Mitt Romney. Since both you and President Bush

are both Republicans, I fear the returns of all policies if you win

this election. What is the biggest difference between new and George W

Bush and how the different ship herself from him? Thank you. I

appreciate that question. Thes The timekeepers are all working.

Use these two minutes. The question is on the floor. I don't believe

bureaucrat in Washington should tell someone whether they should

use contraceptives or not. Every woman in America should have access.

The President's statement and one policy is totally wrong. Let me

answer your question. President Bush and I are different people and

these are different kinds. My five- point plan is different. We can, by

virtue of new technology, get the energy we need in North America

without having to go to the Venezuelans or Arabs. We start with

a robust policy. We will become energy independent. I would crack

down on China. President Bush did not. And we will expand into Latin

America in terms of trade. I want to add more free trade agreements.

I would get us to a balanced budget. President Bush did not. President

Obama was right. It was outrageous to have deficits as high as

trillions of dollars. He was right. But then he put it in deficit twice

that size. It will be forecast for the next four years. Championing

small businesses. Our party has been focusing on big businesses for

too long. I came from small business. I understand how hard it

is. I will help small businesses grew and their jobs. I will keep

their taxes down. Far want regulators to see their jobs as

encouraging small enterprise, not When you talk to small businesses

and ask what they think about the ObamaCare, it keeps them from

having the people. President Bush had a different path for a

different time. Bypass is designed to get small businesses to grow. --

It is important to tell you that we came in during tough times. We were

losing 800,000 jobs a month when I start up. We have been digging our

way out of policies that were misplaced and focused on the top.

We have seen 30 consecutive months of job loss. Five. 2 million new

jobs were created. The plans I talked about will create even more.

When Governor Romney says he has different economic plans, the

centrepiece of his plans are tax cuts. That is what took us from

surplus to deficit. When he talks about getting on top of China, keep

in mind, Governor Romney invested in companies that were pioneers of

outsourcing to China. He is currently investing in countries,

in companies, building surveillance equipment for China to spy on their

own people. Governor, you are the last person to get tough on China.

But it comes to trade, we will not only signed a new trade deals to

open up new markets, but we will go after anyone taking advantage of

American workers and businesses. The broad twice as many cases

against unfair trading practices than the previous administration.

When I said I wanted to protect our tyres, from China, Governor Romney

said I was being protectionist. But that was required. There are some

things where Governor Romney is different from George W Bush. He

did not propose to turn Medicare into a voucher. He embraced

comprehensive immigration reform. He did not call for self

deportation. George W Bush never suggest that we eliminate planned

Parenthood. There are differences between Governor Romney and George

W Bush but not on economic policies. In some way, he has gone to an even

more extreme place when it comes to social policy. That is a mistake.

For the next question, it is similar. I will call on Michael

Mr President, I voted for you in 2008. I am not that optimistic as I

was. Most things I need for everyday living are expensive.

have gone through a tough four years. Four years ago, I said I

would cut -- cut taxes for middle class families. I did. I said I

would cut taxes for small businesses. I have. I said we would

end the war in Iraq. I did. We have gone after Al-Qaeda's leadership.

Osama Bin Laden is dead. I said we will put in place healthcare reform

to make sure insurance companies cannot check your around. -- jerk

you around. I said I would rein in the excess of Wall Street. We have

passed the toughest Wall Street reforms since the 30s. We have

created five million jobs. We are making progress. We saved the

automobile industry. Does that mean you are not struggling. No. Many of

us are. That is why the plan I have put in for manufacturing, education

and reducing deficit is sensible. We are saving -- ending wars and

putting people back to work. We are controlling our own energy of today

and the future. The commitments I have made, I have kept. Those I

have not been able to keep, it is not for lack of trying. We will get

them done in the second term. Pay attention to this campaign.

Governor Romney has made commitments as well. He will keep

those as well. When Republicans say, we will sign a no tax pledge so we

don't ask a dime from people to reduce the deficit to invest in

education and help kids go to college, he fooled me to. -- he

That is not the kind of leadership you need. You expect that those

promises other types he will keep. His promises will be more likely to

help you in your life and make sure your kids go to college and make

sure you are getting a good paid I think you know better. These last

four queues have not been good. He did feel like you are confident the

next four years and will be better. If you let Obama, you are going to

get a repeat. We cannot afford four used like the last four years. He

said we have unemployment at 5.4%. The difference is 9 million

Americans without work. I was not the one he said 5.4%. This was the

President's plan. He said he had, by now, put forward a plan to

reform Medicare and social security. He would get that done. He has not

even made a proposal on either one. He said he would put up an

immigration plan and deal with immigration challenges. He did not

even file it. He has not been able to do what he was able to do. He

said he would cut the deficit, he had not even done it either. He had

doubled it. He said middle income families would have a reduction in

health insurance premiums. It has gone up. If ObamaCare is passed or

implemented, it will be another 200 He keeps saying, I created five

million jobs, but that is after losing five million jobs. The

unemployment has not been reduced. The number of people still looking

for work is still 23 million Americans. There are more people in,

-- poverty. What about food stamps? Today, 40 million people on food

stamps. What about the growth of the economy? It is growing more

slowly this year and last year. And slower than that here before. He

want to do well. But the policies he has put in place, including

ObamaCare, these policies combined have not led this economy to grow.

In the Reagan recession, unemployment hit 10.8%, but the

recovery created twice as many jobs. Five million jobs does not keep up

with our population growth. The unemployment rate since law today

because the people who have dropped out of the workforce. The

President's policies have not work. He is great as a Speaker and

describing his plan. But we have a record to look at. It shows he has

not been able to speak -- cut the deficit and put the reforms into

place to get the rising in comes. The median income has decreased.

Millions are out of work. This is what the election is about. Who can

get the middle class in this family a bright and prosperous future?

Don't go away. We are aware of the clock. I'll want to bring in a

different subject. We have a question about ectopic not heard of

Romney, what do you plan on doing with immigrants without their green

cards that are living here as productive members of society?

Thank you for your question. This is a nation of immigrants. We

welcome people coming into this country. My father was born in

Mexico. His father was born in Wales. We welcome legal immigrants.

I want our legal system to work better. I want it to be streamlined

and clear run. You should not hire a lawyer to figure out how to get

in this country legally. We should give green cards to people who

graduate with skills we need. People around the world with

accredited degrees will get a green card stapled to the diploma and

come to the country. We will have to stop illegal immigration. There

are 4 million people waiting in line to get here legally. Those who

have come here illegally... I will not grant them amnesty. I'll put in

place and employment verification system and make sure employers hire

people will be sanctioned -- employers who hire people here

illegally will be sanctioned. Illegal immigrants will not get

driver's licence. The children of illegal immigrants should have led

halfway to become a permanent resident. -- should have a pathway.

When the President ran for Office, he said he put in place a

legislation, a bill. It would reform our immigration system and

protect legal in -- legal immigration and stop illegal

immigration. He did not do it. Why I've looked forward to it. We are a

nation of immigrants. We were a few miles away from our silent. We

understand what this country has become because talent from all

around the world wants to come here. People want to take risks. People

who want to build on dreams and make sure kids have bigger dreams

than they have. We are also a nation of loss. We need to fix a

broken immigration system. I have done everything I can on my own and

sought co-operation from Congress to make sure we fix the system. The

first thing we did was streamline the illegal immigration system to

reduce the backlog and make it easier and cheaper for people

waiting in line, obeying the law to make sure they could come here and

contribute to the country. That is good for the economic growth. They

will start new businesses. They will make things happen to create

jobs and the United States. Number two, we have to deal with our

border, we put more border control on than any time in history and the

flow of a undocumented people across the border is lower than it

has been in 40 years. If we're going to go after illegal

immigrants, we should do it smartly and go after folk to a criminals.

People who were hit in the community. Not after students or

folks who were here because they try and figure out how to feed

families. That is what we have done. I have also said that for young

people who come here, Portia by the parents often times, have gone to

school here and pledged allegiance to the flag, think of this as their

country. Understand themselves as Americans. We should make sure we

give them a pathway to citizenship after giving them papers. That is

what I've done administrator plea. Mitt Romney has said he wants to

help those people to but during the Republican primary said he would

veto the act which would allow people to have access. His main

strategy during the Republican primary was to say we will

encourage self- deportation. Making light so miserable on folks that

they will leave. He called the Arizona law a model for the nation.

It said that law-enforcement officers could stop folks because

suspected it looked they could be a undocumented workers. And check the

papers. If my daughter, or yours, looks to some body like they are

not a citizen, I do not want to empower somebody like that. We can

fix this system, in a comprehensive way and when Governor Romney says

the challenge it is he did not try, it is not true. I sat down with

Democrats and Republicans at the beginning of my term and I said

let's fix this system including senators who reported on the

Republican side. It is very hard for Republicans in Congress to

support comprehensive immigration reform of the standard bearer has

said that this is not something I'm interested in supporting. It may

get Mitt Romney. Speaker the idea of self- deportation? Let me go

back and speak to the point the President made and let's get them

correct. I did not say the Arizona law was a model for the nation. I

said there are five portion of the Arizona law which is a portion of

the law which says that employers should be able to determine whether

someone is there illegally or not fully believe was a model for the

nation. Number two, ousted President a question. I think his

ban acts and in aggressions -- immigrant flow of the nation has

asked. I asked him why he did not file legislation during his first

year? He said the standard bearer was not for it. Four years ago, you

said in your first year you would file legislation. In his first year

or, I was licking my wins from having been beaten by John McCain.

My view is as present should have won it is promised to do as he said.

Then the mention one other thing. Self- deportation means people can

make their own choice. I did not say I would surround up people and

take them out of the nation. Instead people should make their

own choice. If they cannot get the benefits that they want and they

cannot find the job than they will make the decision to go to replace

with a big opportunities. I'm not in favour of rounding up people and

taking them out of this country. I am in favour, as the President has

said, and I agree with them, we have to get them out of the country.

Let me mention none other thing the President has said. He was

describing Chinese investment. on a second. Governor Romney?

Mitt Romney finish. Make it short. All these people have been waiting

for you. Any investments made by me over the past four years have been

managed by a blind trust. Mr President, have you look to your

pension? I do not look at my pension, it is not as big as yours.

The let me give you some advice. Look at your pension you have

investments and Chinese companies. He had investments through other

trusts. We are way off topic here. We are completely off it. Thank you

Mitt Romney. I want to make sure we understand something. His Gaia on

immigration is the man who designed the Arizona law. That is his policy.

It is a bad policy. It will not help us grow. When we think about

immigration, we have to understand there are people around the world

who still see America as the land of promise. They provide us energy

and they provide us innovation. They start companies like Google

and we want to encourage that. We have to make sure that we do it in

a smart way and a comprehensive way and we make the legal system better.

When we make this into a divisive political issue, would we do not a

bypass and support, I can deliver a whole lot of Democrats to get

Immigration Reform done. We have not seen Republicans serious about

this issue at all. It is time for them to get serious. This used to

be a bipartisan issue. I want you to talk to this woman who has a

switch in topic for us. This question comes from a brain trust

of my friends at global telecom. We were sitting around talking about

Libya. We were reading and became aware of reports that the State

Department refused extra security for embassy in Benghazi prior to

the attacks that killed four Americans. Who was at that denied

enhanced security and why? Let me talk about our diplomats. They each

serve all around the world. They do an incredible job in a very

dangerous situation. These are not just represents of the United

States, they are my representatives. I send them there. Often into

harm's way. I know these folks and their families. Nobody is more

concerned about the safety and security than I am. It soon as we

found out the Benghazi consulate was being overrun I was on the

phone with my national security team and I gave them instructions.

Number one was beef up the security and procedures, not just in Libya

but every consulate in the region. Number two, investigate what

happened. Regardless of what the facts lead us. To make sure people

are held accountable and it doesn't happen again. Number three, we are

going to find out who did this and we will hunt them down because one

of the things I have said throughout my presidency is, when

folks mess with Americans we go after them. Mitt Romney had a

different response. While we were still dealing with our diplomats

being threatened, Mitt Romney put out a press release. Trying to make

political points. That is not how I Commander-in-Chief operates. You do

not to national security into a political issue. Certainly not

right when it is happening. Not everybody agrees with some of the

decisions I have made. When it comes to national security I mean

what I say. I said I would end the war in Iraq and I did. I said we

would go after al-Qaeda and Bin Laden and we have. As it we will

transition out of Afghanistan and start making sure Afghans were

responsible for their own security and that is what I'm doing. It

comes to this issue, when I say we will find out exactly what happened,

everybody will be held accountable. I am ultimately responsible for

what is taking place because these are my folks and I'm the one who

has to greet those coffins when they come home. You know I mean

what I say. I will move us a long, Mitt Romney. They're due for your

important question. I think the President said that the bark does

stop at his desk and he takes responsibility for the failure in

providing security resources of. In those terrible things may happen

from time to time. I feel deeply unsympathetic for families who lost

loved ones. Today there is a memorial service for one of those

lost in the tragedy. There were other issues associated with this

tragedy. There were many days that passed before we knew whether this

was a spontaneous demonstration will were there was a terrorist

attack. There was no demonstration involved, there was a terrorist

attack. It took a long time for that to be told the American people.

Whether that was misleading or whether we did not know what

happened, we have to ask ourselves why did we not know five days later

when the ambassador at United stations went on TV to say this was

a demonstration. How could we not have none. I find a more troubling

that on the day following the assassination of United States

ambassador, the first time this has happened since 1979 when we head

for Americans killed be, and a Pawley we didn't know what happened.

The day after that happened, flies to Los Angeles for a political

fundraiser. I think these actions taken by a president and leader

have symbolic significance. Perhaps even material significance in that

you would hope during that time we could call in the people who why

Mrs. We have read their accounts of what happened. This was not an

demonstration. This was an attack by terrorists. This calls into

question the policy of the President in the Middle East. Look

what is happening in Syria and Libya. Consider the distance

between ourselves and Israel. The President said he would put

daylight between ourselves and Israel. We have around closer to a

civilians killed by military and a strategically significant player

for America that the presidential policies through the Middle East

began with an apology and to pursue a strategy of leaving behind and

this is unravelling. I want to get some people. I want to ask Barack

Obama something. Your Secretary of State has said she takes

responsibility for the attack on the diplomatic mission in Benghazi.

Does the buck stopped with your Secretary of State? She has done an

extraordinary job. She works for me. I am the President. I'm always

responsible. That is why nobody is more interested in finding out what

happened and I did. The day after the attack, I stood in the rose

garden and I told the American people and the world that we will

find out what happened. That this was an act of terror, I also said

we will hunt down those who committed this crime. A few days

later, I was there reading the caskets as they came in at the Air

Force Base and grieving with the families. The suggestion that any

body in my team, Secretary of State our UN ambassador, any body on my

team would play politics or mislead when we lost four of their own,

Did it interesting. The President said the day after the attack, he

went into the rose garden and said it was an act of terror. It was not

a spontaneous demonstration, is that what you are saying? Please

proceed, governor. It took the President 14 days to call the

attack in Benghazi an act of terror. Can you say that a little louder?

He did call it an act of terror. It did take two weeks or so. You are

correct. the administration said of this was a spontaneous reaction to

the video. It took them a long time to say it was a terrorist act by a

terrorist group. Am I correct? The ambassador to the UN went on the

Sunday television shows and spoke about the spontaneity. I want to

move you on. People can go to the transcript. Standard fare for a

second. I want to introduce you to During the Democratic National

Convention in 2008, he said you wanted to keep AK- 47 as part of

the hands of criminals. What has your administration done or plan to

do to limit the availability of assault weapons? We believe in the

Second Amendment. So do I. We have a long tradition of hunting,

sportsmen, and people who want to make sure they can protect

themselves. There have been too many incidents there have had to

comfort fam comfort fam lost somebody. A couple of weeks ago, I saw a

mother who I met at the dead side of her son who was shot in the

field. Her son was shot in the hen. We spent some time. We said a

prayer. -- in the head. Two months later, this young man and his

mother showed up. He looked unbelievable. Good as new. But

there are many families who do not have that good fortune. Their sons,

daughters, husbands did not survive. My belief is, we have to enforce

the laws we have, make sure we are keeping guns out of the hands of

criminals, and those who are mentally ill. We have done a better

job in terms of background checks. We have more to do. I share your

belief that weapons designed for soldiers war situations do not

belong on the streets. I want to get their broader conversation on

how to reduce violence generally. Part of it is seeing if we can get

weapons banned. Part of it is looking at sources of the violence.

There is a lot of violence in my hometown, Chicago. They are using

cheap handguns. How do we make sure young people have opportunities.

That schools are working. If there is violence on the street, we can

catch it before it gets out of control by working with faith

We should get weapons out of the hands of criminals and the mentally

ill. We should go deeper and see if we can make sure we can catch

violence in pulses before they occur. I am not in favour of new

pieces of legislation on plants and taking guns away, or making certain

guns illegal. We don't want We should make enormous efforts to

enforce the gun laws we have and change the culture of violence we

have. How do we do that? He mentioned good schools. I agree. We

should do a better job in education and it will give people who hope

and opportunities they deserve. We should mention parents. Parents

raising children. Where it is possible, of the benefit of having

two parents in the home. To tell their kids before they have babies,

is a great idea. For to my parents in a family, the prospect of

poverty decreases dramatically. -- for two parents. We should bring

people away from violence and gives an opportunity to bring them into

We have a programme under this administration. It is called fast

and furious. Thousands of automatic and AK- 47 Cup weapons were given

to people related to drug lords. They used for those weapons against

their own citizens and killed Americans. This is a programme of

the government. I can't imagine for the purpose of the programme. But

it is a tragedy related to violence, which occurred during this

The administration has prevented the information from coming out. I

want to understand who did this and what the idea was, and why it led

to violence. Thousands of guns going to Mexican drug lords.

question questionult weapons for that once were banned

and are no longer banned. I know you signed an assault weapons ban

in Massachusetts. With this question, you belong to support

that. Given the kind of violence we see with ma see with mave

you changed your mind? In my state, the pro guns and antique guns

people came together and put together a legislation. They both

came together, providing opportunities for both. They were

hunting opportunities that were not previously available. It was a

mutually agreed upon piece of legislation. We need more of that.

Things are in gridlock now. We have not had the leadership in

Washington to work at by Patterson faces. I was able to do that in my

Governor Romney was for a ban importance of parents and the

importance of schools. I believe that if young people have the

opportunity, they have less likely to engage in violent acts. We will

not animate everyone who is We will make sure people succeed.

We did not put a bad education much. It is important to understand the

reforms we put in place, where scenes schools succeed. We are

We are retraining workers, including done people who have

dropped out of school. We are giving them a chance. We are

training them for jobs that exist. Employers are looking for skilled

workers and we are matching them up, education. We are making sure that

millions of young people power getting access to education they

cannot get before. We need to move a long. Just one second. This is

important. When Governor Romney was asked, whether hiring more teachers

was important to growing our economy, he said it does not grow

our economy. This topic is related to guns. But this will make a

difference on whether or not we move forward. This question is for

Governor Romney. The outsourcing of American jobs overseas has taken a

toll on our economy. Ford plans to you have to keep jobs in the United

We have seen manufacturing jobs go to China. It is now the largest and

factoring country in the world. It used to be in America. --

manufacturing country. People think it is more attractive to go

offshore than to stay here. We have made it less attractive for

enterprises to stay here. I want to make it more attractive to come to

America again. We should not trickle-down government, taking

more company from people and hiring government workers and rising taxes.

The trickle down system has not worked here or anywhere. I want

America to be attractive for small business and entrepreneurs and big

business, to invest and grow in America. As we trade with a

nation's, we have to make sure they play by the rules. China has not.

They artificially hold down the valley of the currency. It means

their prices of goods are of low. It makes them advantageous in the

marketplace. We used sales. Manufacturers in the US making the

same product cannot compete. China has been a good minute later for

years. -- manipulator. I will label China as a currency manipulator

from day one. It will allow me as President to put in place tariffs

where they are taking and fair advantage of manufacturers. We need

to make sure people play by the rules. What is key to bringing back

jobs queue is not just finding It is also to make America the most

attractive place in the world for businesses of all kind. I want to

bring in a small and big employers. Canada's tax rate on companies is

15%. Ours is 5%. We have to be competitive if we want to create

more jobs. Regulations have quadrupled under this President. I

talked to small businesses across the country. They say they feel

like they are being under attacked. ObamaCare has been an extraordinary

deterrent to enterprises of all kinds hiring people. My priority is

making sure people get tired. If we have more people hired, get back

manufacturing jobs, all types of jobs, we will see rising income

again. Income is down because unemployment is high. I know what

it takes to happen. My plan is to make sure China plays by the walls.

Mr President, two minutes before we go to the last question. We need to

create jobs. Their Governor Romney and I agree we should, corporate

tax rates. It is too high. I want to close loopholes. They allow

companies to deduct expenses when they moved to China. It allows them

to profit offshore. They have tax advantages offshore. All those

changes in in back tax codes will If you are a small business or a

big business, you have to pay even the reduced rate Governor Romney is

talking about. It is estimated that We will create jobs by not just

changing the tax code but doubling exports. We want to create tens of

thousands of jobs by doubling exports. That is why we are kept on

pushing trade deals, trade deals that make sure American workers and

American businesses are getting a good deal. Mitt Romney talked about

China. As I indicated, in the private sector, Mitt Romney's

company invested in pioneers of outsourcing. Not my phrase. What

reporters called it. As by his currency manipulation, the currency

has gone up 11% since I have been President because we have pushed

them hard. We have put unprecedented trade pressure on

China. That is why exports have significantly increased under my

presidency. That has helped create jobs here. Barack Obama we have

time for a quick discussion. I have had and I find, they are all

manufactured in China. That is why Labor is cheaper there. How do you

convince a great American company to bring the manufacturer and back

here? Recant compete with anyone in the world. We can compete with

anyone in the world as long as China -- the playing field is level.

China has been stealing our intellectual property and it is a

counterfeit Apple store selling counterfeit goods. To hack into our

computers. We have to have people play on a fair basis. We have to

make America the most attractive place for entrepreneurs and people

who want to expand the business. The President's characterisation of

my tax plan is completely false. let me go to the President. Can we

get wages like that? Cannot be sustained here? There are some jobs

that will not come back. Because they are low wage low-skilled jobs.

We have to emphasise manufacturing and advanced man of factoring. We

have to make sure we have the best science and research in the world.

When we talk about deficits, if we're adding to a deficit for tax

cuts, for people who do not need it and we are cutting investment for

research and signs that will create the next Apple. Create the next

innovation that will sell products around the world we will lose the

race. If we are not training engineers to make sure they are

equipped in this country, then companies will not come here. Those

investments will help make sure we continue to lead this world economy

not just next year but ten years from now. Thank you Mr President.

Government does not create jobs. Here is the last question from the

audience. This is Barry. It is a tough question. Each of you. What

do you believe is the biggest misperception that the American

people have about you as a man and a candidate using specific examples,

can you take this opportunity to do a bunk that misperception and set

us straight? Thank you that is an opportunity for me. In the nature

of a campaign, it seems that some campaigners have focused on

attacking a person rather than prescribing their own future and

the things that like to do. In the course of that the President's

campaign has tried to characterise me as someone who is different from

who I am. I care about 100% of the American people. A one them to have

a prosperous future. I care about our children. I understand what it

takes to make a prosperous future for America. I spent my life in the

public -- private sector are not government. My passion flowers from

the fact I believe in God. I believe we are children of the same

God. We have responsibility to care for one another. I served as a

missionary for my church. I served as a pastor in my congregation for

ten years. I sat across the table from people who are out of work and

worked with them to try to find new work. I went to the Olympics, to

try to get them on track. As Governor of my state, I was able to

get hundred % of my people insured. All my children could get out

schools ranked number 1 in the nation. I understand that I can get

this country on track again. We do not need to settle for what we're

going to. Gasoline at $4. We do not need to settle for unemployment at

a chronically high level. We do not want to settle for 47 million

people on food stamps. 47% of kids coming out of college not able to

get work. 23 million people trying to find a good job. If I'd become

President, I will get us on track to a balanced Budget and get us

working again. Make sure we reform Medicare and social security to

preserve them for coming generations. The President said he

would he did not. I will get in comes up and I have done these

things. I served as a governor and showed I could get them done.

Barack Obama. Last five minutes. think a lot of this campaign has

been devoted to this notion that government creates jobs that that

his answer. That is not what I believe. I believe the free-

enterprise system is the greatest engine of prosperity the world has

ever known. I believe and self- reliance. And individual initiative.

And risk-takers being rewarded. I fair shot. Everybody should do the

Shia and play by the same rules. Because that is how the economy's

growth. That is how we built will's greatest middle class. That is part

of what is at stake in the selection. A fundamentally

different vision about how we move the country forward. I believe

governor Romney is a good man. He loves his family, cares about his

faith. I also believe that when he said behind closed doors that 40

fit 7% of the country consider themselves victims, or refused

personal responsibility, think about who he was talking about.

Folksong social soup purity have worked all their lives, veterans

who sacrificed for this country. Students who were out there trying

to advance their own dreams but this country's dreams. Soldiers

overseas fighting for us right now. People working hard every day, pain

payroll tax and guest access do not make enough income. I want to fight

for them. If they succeed, I believe the country succeeds. When

my grandfather fought World War II and came back and he got a GI bill

that allowed him to go to college, it was not a handout. There was

something that advanced the entire country. One to make sure the next

generation has those opportunities. I want to vote and I'm asking for

another four years. Mitt Romney, Barack Obama thank you. We have

come down to the end of this town hall debate. Thank you to the

participants for the time. And the people of Hofstra University

University. We are live from Long Island New York. The second

televised debates from the two candidates for the American

election. Barack Obama admitted he perform badly in and debate. With

elections in three weeks, this was crucial. We have our correspondent

in Washington. It was striking that these two candidates were directly

contradicting each other on figures and fax, sometimes toe-to-toe on

that stage. Voters can only reach the conclusion of one of those men

is not telling the truth. It welcome back to it is most likely

they will believe? I think you are correct. They can come to the

conclusion, that these men do not like each off of. There was a lot

of standing up and each other's body space. Half-a-dozen times they

went back and forth over you are lying and I'm the one telling the

truth. Voters will find it very difficult, from this for me to get

a clear idea of policy proposals for either man because they were

interrupting each other so much. When asked questions, often they

did not use the questions as an opportunity to explain their own

policies as they used them as an opportunity to attack each other.

This was a real attack 90 minutes from both candidates. Going after

each other's policies in a way that at times got very personal. I

wonder how much voters would have liked what they saw on that. What

you think voters will make of them individually. This was a much more

energetic and more concise Barack Obama. He was scrappy without being

aggressive. Mitt Romney was on the ball. He was not friendly and not

an ultra-conservative that the Democrats have tried to paint him

as. He was pushing the Republika ING line that he should be

sympathetic to the President. Giving people who voted for him an

excuse not to vote for him because he has tried and failed. My over or

takeaway was that Barack Obama performed much better than he did

in the debate in Denver. There was no clear winner in this debate and

no clear loser as the was on the first presidential debate. Barack

Obama did what he needed to do to put an end to the narrative that he

is not engaged, that he did not come up with ideas and he did not

attack Mitt Romney. Democrats watching social media during the 90

minutes were very happy with his performance. He called me from the

out when he needed to. He put forward his own policies. He spoke

directly to women voters. He defended his administration and a

way that he did not do during the first debate. Which was disastrous.

Republicans, Mitt Romney held his mind during the debate. He was

confident and he went after Barack Obama. At one point he said I have

not finished. You can get your answer in a moment. He was not

cowered by being on the same stage as the President. He gave a good

defence of his own policy positions. In that respect, it will be

interesting to see how poll's respond to this debate. Barack

Obama did what he needed to do to stop the panic amongst Democrats.

How much will it matter that Mitt Romney got himself and a bit of a

tangle. Egypt at Barack Obama on his pension, Barack Obama came back

with a smart retort and there was a stumbling tangle over what was said

when about the fatal attack on the American consulate. We have been

talking about the role of political fact checkers. During these debates.

At one point the moderator came in and played live fact checker when

she said which contradicted Mitt Romney that it took the

administration 14 days to say this had been a terror attack in Libya.

next day in the rose garden. Mitt Romney said no you didn't. The

moderator said he did. He did say it was an act of terror. I did then

there was a moment where the Republicans have been preparing for

this in the debate, they feel this is somewhere they can paint Mitt

Romney as a stronger leader than Barack Obama is for America. If he

Comman Commander-in-Chief. They did not

play that very well. He fluffed an opportunity. I suspect she will not

be hearing as much from the Mitt Romney campaign about Libya. Few

light moments during the 90 minutes. As you said, the one that there was