Debate II - - Here We Go

Now let's hear from the undecideds!

Job Q. from a college kid sets up Romney answer.  Promises the kid a job. An opening pander.

Obama - - right to the Q. Didn't waste time on the pleasantries. Hits Romney on letting GM go bankrupt. He's firing off the specifics. Taking the Q. to green jobs. Ending wars. Where was this fire two weeks ago?

Candy Crowley follow-up. Good for her.

Romney promising 12 million new jobs. We in WI remember Scott Walker's pledge. On the defense on GM.

Obama says Romney's answer was "not true." Says Romney has one-point plan: more for the wealthy. He's killing Romney on outsourcing, closing plants, making money. Obama on offense.

Q. Gas prices as federal responsibility. Obama is out with facts. Finally! Back on green jobs. Fuel efficiencies. Looking to the future. Obama is fighting for his presidency. Says Romney wants to let oil companies write policy, has no plan for the future.

Romney is for green jobs in the mix, too.  Romney just flashed us a little angry sneer. Not like last week's cakewalk.

Crowley - - pushing Obama on oil prices. "Very little of what Gov. Romney just said is true."  Obama wants traditional fuels cleaner and smarter. Obama is schooling Romney on permits, drilling.

I suppose the fact-checkers will have a field day with the drilling, permitting and production. Romney is avoiding the impact of world demand, and collapse of the economy. Obama gets a laugh over Romney's policies driving us back to bad times.

Q. to Romney on which deductions he'll cut. Still no answer. "I'll pick a number..."

Talking no tax on capital gains, investments. Says Obama will raise middle-class taxes.

Obama - - Got to nail him on the specifics. Listing his tax cuts to date...wants return to tax rates on the higher earners. Reprising Romney's past positions on tax cuts for the wealthy.

Romney reiterating his new position.Obama needs to go after the unspecified # in the "bucket."

These guys do not like each other.

Obama is doing the math. $8 trillion obligated. Rams home the lack of deduction cut specificity. Boom.  Calls it "a sketchy deal...the math doesn't add up." "You can't bu this sales pitch."

Q. to Romney, if the #'s don't add up..."Of course they add up." "We're on the road to Greece."

Q. to Obama - - On female job and salary inequities.  Personal history, Ledbetter bill.  "We fixed that." "Advocacy." "This is a family issue, a middle class issue., so we've got to fight for it." Got rid of middle-men in student loans. "We will not tolerate discrimination."

Romney talking about his service as MA Gov. Has no personal experience with this earlier? Flex time...

Obama won that answer. Romney is way over his time. Hey!

Obama is turning this to health care/choice. It's an economic issue, too. Again talks about advocacy. I see a theme here. The President and party as advocate. "These are not just women's issues. They are family issues. They are economic issues."

Q. Impact of Bush administration. "I fear a return to those policies." What is the biggest difference between you and Pres. Bush. Wow. Great Q.

Romney is back on his five-point plan. Oil in N. Am., not from Arabs or Venezuela.
"Our party has been focused on big business for too long." Interesting.

Obama says centerpiece of Romeny's tax plan is same as Bush. Says Romney outsourced jobs to China. Says to Romney - - "You are the last person to get tough with China." Boom!

Geo. Bush embraced comprehensive immigration, did not attack Planned Parenthood, voucherize Soc. Sec., etc. Faint praise damnation.

To Obama - - An '08 Obama voter who is unhappy with Obama.  Imagine getting to ask that Q, face-to-face!

A chance to reprise his entire record. Kept his commitments.Romney will, too. The Grover Norq. pledge, repeal Obamacare, kill Planned Parenthood.

Romney in closing statement attack mode. More poverty now, food stamps, etc. Mentions Doff-Frank.  No one knows shat that means. Says Obama is a geat speaker. Huh? Romney now in statistical mania.

At the one-hour mark. Half hour to go...

Immigration Q.  to Romney - - We welcome legal immigrants into this country. No amnesty to people who come here illegally. No drivers' licenses. Uses "Democrat" instead of "Democratic." Ignoramus.

Obama - - Wants to fix it. Streamlined the process. Added border patrol. Lowered the # crossing. Focus on illegals who are gang-bangers, not students. Stressing his admin. effort for the young people. Reminds questioner of Romney pledge to veto Dream Act, encourage "self-deportation." Hits Romney on supporting AZ law.

GOP in Congress did not and will not support it.

Q. on "self-deportation" from Crowley. Romney will not answer for it. Says it means "choice." Oh, please!

Obama gets off wisecrack on his pension not being as large as Romney's. Romney tried to duck out of his investments in Chinese firms. I guess he meant in his mutual funds? Romney is disrespecting POTUS.

Q. to Obama on Libya, denied security? This will be a Romney win, as the deed was done on Obama's watch. Said Romney tried to make political points while people were under attack. "Right when it was happening." Obama on broader answer. "I mean what I say."

Romney says Obama went fund-raising after the attack.

Obama says he's responsible. Says he said it was "terror" the day after. Romney said it took 14 days. Obama says Romney's attitude suggesting a coverup and politicization is "offensive."

Obama says "get the transcript."

Crowley corrects Romney. The Right will go nuts.

13 minutes left.

Q. on assault weapons. Q. to Obama - - 2nd amendment. 

Romney not in favor of new gun laws. Agrees w/Obama on changing the culture of violence. Better law enforcement. No one will touch this q.

Romney on two-parent families as an antidote-to- iolence. He hits Obama on fast and furious."Does he know it began under Bush.

Crowley returns Romney to the Q. He does say he signed an assault-weapons ban in MA.  Obama says Romney was for a ban before he was against it because he was running for President.

Q. on outsourcing: To Romney. Obama should kill it if he brings up Bain.  Says he's against trickle-down gov't. Pro-private-sector, tax-cutting, anti-regulatory talking point word salad. He's attacking China. Says Obama won't label China a currency manipulator. Says he will levy tariffs to enforce the rules.

Now he's attacking Obamacare as a jobs' killer. We are way off the topic. Waiting for Obama.

Obama wants to close loopholes that allow companies to move jobs overseas. Says Romney wants to expand those breaks.

Obama says media called Bain an outsourcing  pioneer.

Can Apple bring jobs back here from China?

Obama says low-skill/wage jobs will not come back.
He wants high wage/high skill manufacturing jobs here.

Last Q? Debunk what is mis-perceived about each of you. He says he cares about 100% of the people - - giving Obama the option to bring up the 47% remark. Says he isn't being given enough credit for his work as a pastor. Closing speech stuff. $4 gas? Again? Nice turn of the Q., but it's too talkingpoint-ish.

Obama - - Wants fairness. Ah - - the 47% tape is dropped on Mitt. Romney handed it to him. Fool. Obama is on a roll about who is in the 47% - - soldiers, workers, etc. "If they succeed, the country succeeds."

Obama gets the last word. Asks for your vote. Strong finish.