President Barack Obama Wins Debate

President Barack Obama took the debate stage in Hofstra, New York 21 days before the election and reclaimed the momentum in the campaign. His performance was crucial after a lackluster appearance in the first Presidential debate on October 3. The President seized the opportunity to reenergize his campaign with a spirited and decisive win in this hugely important debate.

The President and Mitt Romney engaged in several combative exchanges. The most revealing came near the end of the debate when Romney questioned the President’s handling of the attack on the American embassy in Benghazi, Libya where the ambassador and three other Americans were killed. Romney accused President Obama of misleading the American people about the nature of the attack. He claimed the President took days to call the raid a “terrorist attack.” The President sharply corrected Romney, saying “get the transcript” of remarks he made in the Rose Garden the day after the attack during which President Obama described the killings as an “act of terror”. Moderator Candy Crowley acknowledged the validity of the President’s timeline.

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The town-hall debate format allowed undecided voters to query the candidates. A first-time voter started the evening. He was a young, college student who asked about his prospects for employment after graduation. Romney assured the young voter he knows “how to create jobs.” The Republican candidate, predicting a win, said the student would have a job when he graduates in 2014. President Obama pointed to the “five million jobs created” during his term, assuring the student that his future is bright and America’s future is bright.

There were several moments of confrontation and tension during the debate. Ignoring the guidelines for the debate, Romney approached the President and posed a question to him about his administration’s energy policy. President Obama stood his ground and responded. It was a marked departure from his reaction to Romney’s challenges during the Denver debate.

The undecided voters who filled the debate hall asked questions covering topics from the economy to education to energy. Both candidates promoted their policies that support women. In a close election, historical trends show that women voters decide the outcome.