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ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney participate in the second presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012.
Published Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012 | 7:39 p.m.
Updated Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012 | 7:54 p.m.
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — An aggressive President Barack Obama accused challenger Mitt Romney of favoring a "one-point plan" to help the rich and leveling offensive criticism about the recent deadly terrorist attack in Libya Tuesday night in a debate crackling with energy and emotion just three weeks before the election.
Romney pushed back hard, saying the middle class "has been crushed over the last four years," that 23 million Americans are struggling to find work and that the death of the U.S. ambassador to Libya was part of an unraveling of the administration's foreign policy.
The president was feistier from the outset than he had been in their initial encounter two weeks ago, when he turned in a listless performance that sent shudders through his supporters and helped fuel a rise by Romney in opinion polls nationally and in some battleground states.
Obama challenged Romney on economics and energy policy, accusing him of switching positions and declaring that his economic plan was a "sketchy deal" that the public should reject.
Romney gave as good as he got.
"You'll get your chance in a moment. I'm still speaking," the former Massachusetts governor said at one point while Obama was mid-sentence. He said the president's policies had failed to jumpstart the economy and crimped energy production.
The open-stage format left the two men free to stroll freely across a red-carpeted stage, and they did. Their clashes crackled with energy and tension, and the crowd watched raptly as the two sparred while struggling to appear calm and affable before a national television audience.
The rivals disagreed about taxes, measures to reduce the deficit, energy, pay equity for women and health care issues. Immigration prompted yet another clash, Romney saying Obama had failed to pursue the comprehensive legislation he promised at the dawn of his administration, and the president saying Republican obstinacy made a deal impossible.
Under the format agreed to in advance, members of an audience of 82 uncommitted voters posed questions to the president and his challenger.
Nearly all of them concerned domestic policy until one raised the subject of the recent death of the U.S. ambassador to Libya in a terrorist attack at an American post in Benghazi.
Romney said it took Obama a long time to admit the episode had been a terrorist attack, but Obama said he had said so the day after in an appearance in the Rose Garden outside the White House.
When moderator Candy Crowley of CNN said the president had in fact done so, Obama, prompted, "Say that a little louder, Candy."
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has taken responsibility for the death of Ambassador L. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, but Obama said bluntly, "I'm the president and I'm always responsible.
Romney said it was "troubling" that Obama continued with a campaign event in Las Vegas on the day after the attack in Libya, an event he said had "symbolic significance and perhaps even material significance."
Obama seemed to bristle. He said it was offensive for anyone to allege that he or anyone in his administration had used the incident for political purposes. "That's not what I do."
President Obama struck me as an arrogant, pathetic excuse for a leader of our country. The debate was a draw overall on points, but on style, Obama was an embarrassment to the office.
In terms of body language, I would have been slapped up side the head by my third grade teacher if I acted like the President did.
Obama clearly lost this debate. He has proven just as weak when he prepares as he is when he as altitude sickness.
Only have a minute... But excellent job Mr. President ~ 4 MORE YEARS ~ Yes We Can, Yes We Will ~ Yes We Did ~ Yes We Will Do it Again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
President Barack Obama clearly WON this debate! GREAT Job Mr. President!!!!!
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
A vote for a better tomorrow is a vote for OBAMA/BIDEN.
Obama just digs himself deeper and deeper into the Lybia coverup. Obama states in this 2nd debate that it was an act of terror with no explanation from him about the many times he mentions it being tied to the video or his administration blaming it on the video or Clinton blaming it on the video. For 14 days they blamed it all on the video and this mass fictiscious mob. Also no mention by Obama explaining why he didnt boost security when our ambassador begged for it.
I cant wait to see the actual video proof showing the facts of EXACTLY what the president and his people said, when they said it and then their denials. This video timeline proof will haunt Obama.
Everyone saw the president blame it on the fake mob but now he denies it. In todays world everything is on video and the president should know better and this is gonna turn out to bite him badly destroying his career. First Clinton thrown under the bus, then Biden denying now Obama this just keeps getting worse and worse for the Obama administration.
The Obama house of cards is falling fast.
2007 CANDIDATE OBAMA SAID IF ELECTED HE WILL CURE MUSLIM HOSTILITY......JUSTANOTHER LIE FROM OBAMA....GREAT JOB OBAMA MUSLIM COUNTRIES HATE US MORE TODAY THAN EVER BEFORE...OBAMA NOT ONLY DESTROYS OUR ECONOMY BUT OUR FORIEGN RELATIONS TOO.
CLICK BELOW TO HEAR OBAMA SAY THIS W/ YOUR OWN EARS
Obama Will Cure Muslim Hostility"
Quote Candidate Obama 11/21`/07 -
http://www.breitbart.com/Br...
Libya: It is well known that crowds can be manipulated by people with a malicious intention. It happened in Libya, it happens in the US, it happens everywhere.
First, while terrorism was the action, the tool of the terrorists was in controlling the crowd was the video. Not the first time either.
So, Obama was correct. It was terrorism and the video that spurred the rioting crowds.
Which terrorist group? That took a bit of time to absolutely identify. It was a Libyan terrorist group that was used by Al Qaeda.
Additionally, the normal process is to investigate, which the FBI did, as was there responsibility.
Libya, with a new democracy, feeling it's way, and friendly to the US, was also in need of being respected and helped to deal with a disastrous event for them. There were demonstrations to show the people's sorrow for the events and their support for the US.
Then there's Romney's precipitous and out of order politicization of the event, sending the media into a feeding frenzy. It was a disgrace, and shows his lack as Presidential material. The biggest of Romney's continual foreign policy gaffs and ineptness, which will get us into another unfunded war, or a huge tax increase to pay for it. I think we should expect and plan for the latter.
Behaviors: Obama held his own while Romney continued his aggressive, disrespectful, rude, dictator style, toward the Obama. the moderator, and the questioners. I guess Romney wants to fire them all for not letting him have his way. It's a wonder he didn't lay down on the carpet and throw a temper tantrum.
Both avoided some answers in more depth, or all together, in order to get their messages out.
Fact checkers will do their job in showing where the candidates were exaggerating, misleading, distorting, or, in Romney's case, seemed to lack an understanding of how things work.
Obama won the debate, in my opinion and a majority of others polled.
Let's see, in Romney's plan everyone gets a 20% tax cut, the rich get a free gift of no inheritance (unearned) taxes, and the Alternative Minimum Tax for individuals, corporations, trusts, and estates.
The current exemption on inheritance is $5.12 million, with anything over that taxed at 35%.
If the inheritance is cleverly divided between multiple recipients, the actual tax can be less.
Why is this a biggy for Romney (and friends)?
Under current law, in 2013, the exemption drops to $1 million with anything over that taxed at 55%.
Next, the ATM, which applies to individuals, corporations, trusts, and estates.
The ATM is too complex to explain here. Most people aren't subject to it now due to the decimation of the middle class and increasing poor since the 70's.
It is enlightening to see the readable, all inclusive summary in the Wiki article on the ATM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative...
Also see the Tax Policy Center on the ATM.
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxtopics...
The IRS documents are divided by each category.
Everyone, or maybe the rest of us, get a $25,000 Deduction Basket to select what they want to deduct.
That needs to be fleshed out. Does it include the personal deduction, or is that eliminated? If you rent, you lose, if you paid off your home, you lose, if you haven't got enough to contribute to charity, you lose, if you don't have medical expenses, you lose. And, will the deductions still have a % of income to meet before they are deductible?
I want to read the tax experts response to that plan. That must be part of the $5 trillion that increases the debt over 10 years.
OK, the debt is going to be reduced by privatizing SS, changing Medicare to Vouchercare, and repealing the Obamacare (ACA).
But wait, there is also an increase in the military budget.
For those who want to read the various articles on Romney's plan, try this index on the Tax Policy Center. There are loads of questions about how Romney will pay for his plan without increasing taxes on all those earning less than $200,000 per year.
http://search.urban.org/texis/search?dro...
peacelily with your comments about Libya having anything to do with a video show just how out of touch you and others are.. You should be working for this administration as you are as clueless as they are about the reasons this disater happened.
You should stay on point with your divide the US into three seperate countries idea. Send it to the President for the last debate so he can use it as deflection from his record.
Comment removed by moderator. Same (or similar) comment posted on multiple stories.
chuck333,
your comment about my idea of dividing into 3 countries shows how hout of touch you are. I changed it to 5 countries. LOL
Lighten up man! ;-D