Obama strikes on Romney’s 47 percent comment
During their first debate, President Barack Obama never mentioned Mitt Romney’s videotaped remarks that 47 percent of Americans are dependent on the government. This time it was his closing argument.
Obama brought it up during the final question of the second debate, preventing Romney from answering.
Asked about public misperceptions of their candidacies, Romney said Obama’s campaign tried to turn him into something he’s not.
Romney said — quote — “I care about 100 percent of the American people.”
Obama responded that when Romney said “behind closed doors” that 47 percent of the country considered themselves victims, “think about who he was talking about.”
The president said that group included the elderly receiving Social Security retirement benefits, veterans, students and soldiers. He said: “If they succeed, I believe this country succeeds.”
Obama, Romney tangle over immigration
President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are clashing over immigration, with the Republican accusing Obama of failing to reform the immigration system during his first term.
Romney said during the second presidential debate Tuesday night that the U.S. needs to stop illegal immigration, noting that 4 million people are trying to gain American citizenship legally. He says he won’t grant amnesty to people who come to the U.S. illegally. Nor would he allow “magnets” for illegal immigrants — including giving them driver’s licenses.
Romney said he supported providing children of illegal immigrants a pathway to legal status. Obama shot back that Romney opposed the DREAM Act, a failed bill that would have provided just that for many young illegal immigrants.
Obama also accused Romney of supporting Arizona’s tough immigration law; Romney said he has only championed part of it.
Obama says buck stops with him on Libya
President Barack Obama says the responsibility for what happened at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, falls to him and to no one else. Republican rival Mitt Romney says the president’s team either didn’t know all the details — or didn’t tell the truth — about the death of four Americans there immediately after the attacks.
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney after the 2nd US Presidential debates.
Obama and Romney met Tuesday for their second debate and sparred over the United States’ response to the Sept. 11 attacks that killed America’s ambassador andf three other Americans in Libya. Obama says he wants to find out exactly what made possible those four deaths and calls Romney’s response offensive and designed to score political points.
Romney says the attacks represent the unraveling of Obama’s foreign policy.
Voter asks Romney how he differs from Bush
Mitt Romney says he differs from fellow Republican George W. Bush on energy policy, China and deficits. President Barack Obama says the biggest difference is that his Republican rival is more extreme on social issues than Bush.
A voter during Tuesday’s town hall-style debate asked Romney how he was different than Bush, who left office deeply unpopular. Romney says that he would govern under different conditions that would allow him to make North America energy independent from Arab and Venezuelan oil. He also says he would crack down on China’s currency manipulation and cut the deficit by increasing trade.
Obama was ready with a quick retort. He says Romney, unlike Bush, would cut funding to Planned Parenthood and that Romney would pursue a more stringent immigration policy than Bush did.
Obama and Romney court female voters during debate
President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are trying to appeal to female voters during the second presidential debate.
Responding to a question about pay equity for women, Obama notes that the first piece of legislation he signed made it easier for women to seek the same pay as men for doing the same work.
Romney says that as governor of Massachusetts, his administration had a number of women in senior leadership positions. He says many women have suffered job losses and moved into poverty during Obama’s tenure and that creating more jobs would help women.
The president questioned Romney’s commitment to women’s health care, pointing to the Republican’s vow to eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood. He calls health care a “pocket book issue” for women and families.
Obama and Romney clash on stage
President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have had a number of pointed exchanges during the second presidential debate, challenging each other on energy policy, pointing fingers and often speaking over one another.
Without a desk between them, the candidates approached each other on stage at one point during a discussion on energy.
As Romney answered a question on gas prices and oil drilling, Obama stood up and moved toward his Republican challenger. Romney turned to the president’s direction and they quarreled as they stood only a few feet apart.
At one point, Obama sharply rejected Romney’s arguments, saying, “Not true, Gov. Romney.”
When Obama interjected with his energy positions, Romney responded, “You’ll get your chance … I’m still speaking.”
AP
