2012 US Presidential Elections - Presidential Debate

US Presidential Debate

The Commission on Presidential Debates announced 4 debates -

• Wednesday October 3: The 1st Presidential Debate at the University of Denver in Denver,Colorado, moderated by Jim Lehrer of PBS – who has presided over more US presidential Debates than any news anchor

 First US Presidential Debate Wednesday October 3 2012
                                                  
 

The debate take place at the University of Denver in Denver,Colorado, moderated by Jim Lehrer of PBS

 

The 1st debate focused on domestic issues like health care, the budget deficit, and the “tender” issue of jobs.

Mitt Romney launched a series of attacks against President Obama, calling into question the president’s record on the economy, health care and the deficit, and arguing that he would take the country in a fundamentally different direction.

President Obama had no difficulty looking straight into the camera – and hence potentially to tens of millions of American viewers – while declaring certain responses. Including his retorts to Romney’s lack of specifics on plans for jobs and Medicare. 

• Thursday October 11: The Vice-Presidential Debate is scheduled to take place at Centre College in Danville,Kentucky, moderated by Martha Raddatz. 
• Tuesday October 16: The 2nd Presidential Debate is scheduled to take place at Hofstra University in Hempstead,New York, moderated by Candy Crowley 
• Monday October 22: The 3rd and Final Presidential Debate is scheduled to take place at Lynn University in Boca Raton,Florida, moderated by Bob Schieffer. 

Second US Presidential Debate Tuesday October 16 2012

                                                     

 The debate take place at Hofstra University in Hempstead,New York, moderated by Candy Crowley

The US presidential candidates, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, clashed at Hofstra University, New York.The 2nd Presidential debate will take the form of a town meeting, in which citizens will ask questions of the candidates on foreign and domestic issues. Candidates each will have two minutes to respond, and an additional minute for the moderator to facilitate a discussion.

The two candidates clashed over jobs, with Mitt Romney saying fewer Americans were in work now than when President Obama took office.
"We have not made the progress we need to make to put people back to work," he said.
"I want to make small businesses grow and thrive. I know how to make that happen."
In response, Barack Obama attacked his opponent's five-point plan for economic growth.

Mitt Romney said he wanted to simplify the tax code and give middle-income citizens lower taxes.
Barack Obama said he also wanted to give middle-class families and those "striving to get into the middle-class" some relief.

Mitt Romney criticised  Barack Obama over his handling of last month's consulate attack in Libya, in which the US ambassador and three other Americans were killed.
President Obama vowed that those responsible would be "hunted down".

Romney said his five-point plan would create 12 million jobs.
Obama responded “Gov. Romney doesn’t have a five-point plan; he has a one-point plan,” he said, adding that it’s a plan to make the rich richer and squeeze the middle class.

A more forceful and assertive U.S. President Barack Obama emerged from the ashes of his Denver debacle Tuesday in a town hall-style debate dominated by questions about America’s struggling economy, national security and its trillion-dollar budget deficits.Obama appeared more at ease than he was in the Denver debate, where his handlers claimed he was caught off guard by Republican rival Mitt Romney and his sudden conversion from a self-proclaimed “severe conservative” to the political middle ground.

 

Third US Presidential Debate Monday October 22,2012

The debate take place at Lynn University in Boca Raton,Florida, moderated by Bob Schieffer.

 

A forceful President Barack Obama put Republican challenger Mitt Romney on the defensive on foreign policy Monday night, with analysts and an immediate poll giving him the victory in their final debate just 15 days before the Nov 6,2012 vote.Barack Obama displayed the experience of a commander-in-chief in explaining U.S. policy under his leadership and attacking the views and proposals of Mitt Romney.Mitt Romney ended up supporting most of the Obama administration's steps involving hotspots, such as the civil war in Syria, and preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.
Barack Obama was the aggressor from the start. He criticized the Republican for lacking ideas on the Middle East, mocked his calls for more ships in the US military and accused Romney of wanting to bring the United States back to a long-abandoned Cold War stance.
Mitt Romney also repeatedly tried to shift the discussion to his strongest issue -- the continued high unemployment and slow economic recovery under Obama -- arguing that a strong foreign policy and national defense depends on a strong economy.