The Token Republican Live Blog: Hofstra Debate
9:45pm: Calling it a draw. Romney led early and Obama finished strong. Obama was more aggressive than I thought he would be tonight. He consistently attacked Romney’s policies and closed out by mentioning Romney’s 47% gaffe. However, Romney offered more concrete policies and won most of the economy-related portions of the debate. I wouldn’t be surprised if the debate polls show either candidate as the winner, but I would be surprised if the result significantly influences the political landscape over the course of the next few weeks.
9:37pm: Obama closes. Everybody should have a fair shot. If he said “fair share,” Fox News would sponsor a “Obama is a socialist day.”
9:35pm: Can’t believe we made it to the last question before Romney mentioned God. However, he is ducking the question as a whole.
9:34pm: I love this last question. Romney is being granted a big opportunity here.
9:32pm: Romney really doesn’t like China. It sounds like he is trying to scare voters into agreeing with him.
9:28pm: Romney will name China a “currency manipulator” on day 1. He has a very busy 1st day in office.
9:27pm: Obama looks constipated.
9:25pm: The tweets about Romney’s answer to the gun violence question are borderline liberal extremism. If you can’t acknowledge when a candidate makes a valid statement, you shouldn’t be watching the debate.
9:24pm: Candy Crowley is a biased moderator. She’s playing the attack role almost as well as Biden.
9:22pm: Romney providing a perfect answer to the gun violence question. Improving education, poverty, and home-life is key to reducing violence.
9:19pm: Obama implies his support for an assault weapons ban. Considering it is the first new thing he has said all night, I’ll take it.
9:17pm: Why has Obama gotten 3 more minutes of speaking time? Isn’t the timer supposed to prevent this from happening.
9:16pm: Let’s stop arguing about Libya. Romney is just getting thrashed.
9:13pm: Wow, Wash U’s wifi is awful. Just missed a bunch about Libya. But anyways, Obama contradicts himself by saying that Romney shouldn’t use national security for political points. How many times has Obama used Bin Laden’s capture as a political point.
9:08pm: Both candidates are very awkward with the townspeople. Obama just called a guy “Kara”
9:07pm: From immigration to off-shore investments.
9:05pm: I can’t help but think that if Romney was the nominee in 2008 and McCain was the nominee now, this election would be a GOP landslide.
9:03pm: Yahoo finance poll showing 65% think Romney is winning. I’d call it a draw so far.
9:01pm: Romney would not deport children of illegal immigrants. Promote path for legal immigration.
9:00pm: “I will not grant amnesty to those who came here illegally.” – Mitt Romney, as he lays out a reasonable solution to our immigration problem.
8:59pm: First time immigration policy will be discussed.
8:56pm: More people in poverty, more people on food stamps, slowing economic growth. Goes to show that if Romney wasn’t such a flip-flopper, he would be blowing out Obama in the polls.
8:54pm: Obama promised 5.4% unemployment by now, medicare and social security reform, and halving the deficit. He has not even come close.
8:53pm: What has Obama done to earn my vote: kill Bin Laden. What has Obama done to avoid my vote: a lot more.
8:50pm: Obama is comparing and contrasting Romney to Bush quite nicely. Clearly a better answer than Mitt’s.
8:49pm: 31 consecutive months of job growth and over 5 million jobs created. We can do better, but point to Obama
8:48pm: “My priority is jobs. I know how to make that happen.” – Mitt Romney
8:46pm: Great Question: How is Romney different than Bush? His answer is his 5 point plan (kind of disappointing).
8:43pm:Obama claims that Romney is fine with Washington determining women’s health policy. However, isn’t Obama okay with the government death panels for Obamacare? Double standard.
8:41pm: Women have lost 580,000 jobs over Obama’s presidency?
8:39pm: Women in the workplace. If Romney provides a good answer, this may win him the election.
8:37pm: Romney doesn’t understand that he needs to stop talking when the moderator wants to change the question.
8:35pm: “Of course it adds up.” – smug remark from Mitt. However, I trust his math over Obama’s.
8:33pm: And we have our first Big Bird reference.
8:31pm: Clearly Romney was the former businessman. Obama can’t stand it when Romney talks.
8:29pm: Is Obama forgetting the tax increases from Obamacare?
8:26pm: Romney for the win! No taxes on dividends, interests, and capital gains for the middle class. Romney is killing it here!
8:25pm: Incomes are down in the middle class. Gas prices, healthcare costs, and food prices have gone up. You can’t argue with that.
8:23pm: Romney going past the time limit is not sitting well with the undecideds.
8:21pm: Obama, “I want to create an economy that is strong.” How are you going to do that? You haven’t shown me much these past 4 years.
8:19pm: Give these guys boxing gloves.
8:18pm: Obama calls Romney out on a flip-flop. Did Romney actually shut down coal plants when he was Governor?
8:15pm: Romney jabs Obama. Energy independence>environmentally friendly energy. I’d love to stop sending money to governments that hate us in the Middle East.
8:13pm: I agree with Obama about natural gas. Its an abundant resource that we aren’t taking advantage of. However, the emphasis on clean energy from an environmental stand point is just overkill.
8:11pm: Obama responds by saying Romney only cares about the rich. No examples. No policies. Just emptiness.
8:09pm: Romney making a good point about bailouts. Many companies have come out stronger after going through bankruptcy.
8:07pm: Obama looks confident. Using Romney’s strategy from the first debate of numbering his points. However, now it is obvious that he isn’t saying anything new.
8:05pm: Romney opens. First question is a good one. Romney assures a college student he will have a job by the time he graduates. Good reference to Massachusetts education system.
7:55pm: And here we are: 5 minutes away from the 2nd 2012 Presidential Debate. President Obama put on one of the worst debate performances last time around, giving Mitt Romney’s campaign a second wind. Romney looked like a long shot prior to debate #1, but he has since taken over the lead in not only the Real Clear Politics national average, but also in many swing states that were beginning to lean blue. I expect Obama to do much better this time around as he will be prepared and more aggressive, but I doubt this town hall debate will have much effect on the election as a whole.