What the NY debate offered
A verbal duel over economy, taxes, and social issues set the tone for the second round of presidential debate in New York.
A combative Obama hit back at Romney in a town hall style debate, saying his Republican rival's plans on outsourcing will only result in more jobs in China and India. The candidates frequently spoke over each other and fought for time with moderator Candy Crowley of CNN.
After a lacklustre performance in round one two weeks ago, this time Obama seemed to dictate the terms of the debate questioning Romney's approaches towards China, immigration, taxes, unemployment, gun laws and other domestic and foreign issues.
According to The Boston Globe report, the challenge for each candidate was to connect personally with voters, both in the hall and among the millions watching nationally, while undercutting the other man without appearing overly combative.
Romney retorted claiming US has been losing manufacturing jobs to China as enterprises feel it is "more attractive" to go offshore than to stay here.
A snap CNN/ORC International poll showed 46% of respondents thought Obama won, compared to 39% Romney.
Both Obama and Romney fielded questions on topics like gas prices and Libya from members of the audience, a group of 82 undecided voters from New York's Nassau County.
A CNN report stated that an awkward phrase by Romney in addressing gender pay inequality was creating the most buzz around the debate. Before the debate was over the phrase "binders full of women" had a Twitter hashtag, a series of memes on Tumblr, and a Facebook page with over more than 100,000 fans. It was the third-fastest rising search on Google during the debate.
Click here for the full transcript of the second presidential debate (Source: The New York Times)
The question on outsourcing of American jobs overseas came at the fag end of the debate, which saw an aggressive and assertive Obama take on Romney.
Responding to the question on what plans they each had to keep jobs in the US, Obama said while Romney and he agreed that the corporate tax rate should be lowered, there is a difference on the way they both would approach the issue.
"I want to close loopholes that allow companies to deduct expenses when they move to China; that allow them to profit offshore and not have to get taxed, so they have tax advantages offshore. All those changes in our tax code would make a difference," Obama said, slamming Romney for wanting to expand the tax breaks.
Romney retorted saying "If you elect President Obama, you know what you're going to get -- you're going to get a repeat of the last four years."
Responding to his criticism of not having done enough on China's policy of currency manipulation, Obama said China's currency has gone up 11% since he took over as president "because we have pushed them hard."
"We've put unprecedented trade pressure on China. That's why exports have significantly increased under my presidency. That's going to help to create jobs here," Obama said.
Romney touted his five-point plan that aims to create twelve million new jobs in four years and rising take-home pay.
In one of the first moments of aggression by Obama, the president said Romney does not have a five-point plan.
"He has a one-point plan. And that plan is to make sure that folks at the top play by a different set of rules. That's been his philosophy in the private sector, that's been his philosophy as governor, that's been his philosophy as a presidential candidate," he said.
Campaign Stops blog on The New York Times: The question now is whether that kind of straightforward reassertion is all Obama needed, or whether the public’s post-Denver willingness to consider Romney anew shifted the dynamics of the race in a way that a closely-fought debate can’t quite reverse. That’s something that no snap survey can tell us. The proof will be in the polls a week from now.
Watch the complete video of the New York debate (Source: Youtube)
Key issues: What Obama and Romney had to say
On job creation:
Romney: I know what it takes to create good jobs again and make sure that you have the kind of opportunity you deserve. And kids across this country are going to recognise we’re bringing back an economy.
Obama: What I want to do is build on the 5 million jobs that we’ve created over the last 30 months in the private sector alone. I want to build manufacturing jobs in this country again. I want to change our tax code so we’re giving incentives to companies that are investing here in the United States and creating jobs here.
On gas prices:
Obama: Natural gas production is the highest it’s been in decades. We’ve got potentially 600,000 jobs and a hundred years’ worth of energy right beneath our feet with natural gas. And we can do it in an environmentally sound way. But we’ve also got to continue to figure out how we have efficient energy, because ultimately that’s how we’re going to reduce demand, and that’s what’s going to keep gas prices lower.
Romney: I’ll get America and North America energy-independent. I’ll do it by more drilling, more permits and licenses. We’re going to bring that pipeline in from Canada. How in the world the president said no to that pipeline, I will never know. This is about bringing good jobs back for the middle class of America, and that’s what I’m going to do.
On women and workplace
Obama: The first bill I signed was something called the Lilly Ledbetter 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 Supreme Court said that she couldn’t bring suit because she should have found out about it earlier, when she had no way of finding out about it. So we fixed that. And that’s an example of the kind of advocacy that we need because women are increasingly the breadwinners in the family. I’ve got two daughters, and I want to make sure that they have the same opportunities that anybody’s sons have. That’s part of what I’m fighting for as president of the United States.
Romney: 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 bringing them into their workforce and adapting to a — a flexible work schedule that gives women the opportunities that — that they would otherwise not be able to — to afford.
On Barack Obama’s accomplishments:
Obama: Well, we’ve gone through a tough four years; there’s no doubt about it. But four years ago I told the American people and I told you I would cut taxes for middle-class families, and I did. I told you I’d cut taxes for small businesses, and I have. I said that I’d end the war in Iraq, and I did. I said we’d refocus attention on those who actually attacked us on 9/11, and we have gone after al-Qaida’s leadership like never before, and Osama bin Laden is dead. The choice in this election is going to be whose promises are going to be more likely to help you in your life, make sure your kids can go to college, make sure that you are getting a good-paying job, making sure that Medicare and Social Security will be there for you.
Romney: If you were to elect President Obama, you know what you’re going to get. You’re going to get a repeat of the last four years. We just can’t afford four more years like the last four years. This is a president who has not been able to do what he said he’d do. He said that he’d cut in half the deficit. He hasn’t done that either. In fact, he doubled it. The president has tried, but his policies haven’t worked.
Post NY debate infobytes:
Debate performance has energised supporters: Obama campaign
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