President Obama vigorously and aggressively defended his record for the last 90 minutes. On every issue, he was a happy warrior, carefully and thoughtfully explaining the issues and how his plans have unfolded over the last four years and what he would plan to do over the next four years.
Romney was blustering and aggressive–not intellectually, but physically–invading the president’s space and lecturing the moderator. He seemed agitated and angry.
On taxes and budget, Romney ran away from the positions he has held as a candidate for six years. Obama reminded voters that Romney believes that his sub-14% capital gains tax rate, lower than the rate of his secretary, is fair.
On social issues, Obama reminded the audience that Romney wants to cut funding for Planned Parenthood, which provides vital healthcare for women across the country.
On women’s issues, President Obama reminded voters that he passed the Lilly Ledbetter Act to make it law that women get paid an equal wage for equal work. Romney, on the other hand, talked about what women do for him. He mentioned that he looked through “a binder full of women” and that as governor, he “let” female employees go home early so they could cook dinner for their kids.
On jobs, Obama touted his 31 months of jobs growth and reminded the audience that Romney argued to “Let Detroit Go Bankrupt.”
On immigration, Obama touted his support for the Dream Act and opposes policy driven by bigotry, and reminded the audience that Romney supports “self-deportation” and opposes citizenship.
On foreign policy, Obama said the buck stops here with him. He set the record straight that he acknowledged that the Benghazi attack was a terrorist attack on September 12th. Romney was caught with his pants down when the moderator pointed out he was wrong. Obama called Romney offensive for leaping into an ongoing national security situation and playing politics with murdered American diplomats.
On healthcare, Obama reminded the nation that his healthcare plan is the same as Romney’s was in Massachusetts. But now Romney wants to repeal it.
Obama reminded the country that Romney will send jobs overseas and his tax plans reward the rich and punish the middle class. Obama pointed out that Romney’s tax, deficit and defense plans, combined do not add up mathematically, with this gem:
“Now, Governor Romney was a very successful investor. If somebody came to you, Governor, with a plan that said, here; I want to spend 7 (trillion dollars) or $8 trillion, and then we’re going to pay for it, but we can’t tell you until maybe after the election how we’re going to do it, you wouldn’t have taken such a sketchy deal. And neither should you, the American people, because the math doesn’t add up.”
Obama gives a plan for the future with a smile and a serious tone. Romney gave a petulant whine about Obama’s record, but he has to gamble that voters are too stupid to remember anything before 2008 and he had to lie constantly about his record and his positions.
Then Obama concluded the debate by mopping the floor with the bloody carcass of Romney’s 47% comment. The president wove a moving tapestry of the American people and juxtaposed it with how woefully out of touch Romney is.
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