2012 Election: First Debate Recap

Oct 4, 2012

2012 Election: First Debate Recap

Were you as excited to watch last night’s debate at the University of Denver as we were? It’s such a great experience seeing the two candidates talk face to face and address accusations right there on camera. Poor Jim Lehrer couldn’t get a word in when it came to moderating… but the President and Governor were quite determined to explain their thoughts on a host of topics focused on domestic policy.

Takeaways from the debate included President Obama noting the challenges facing him when he came into office, focusing on the progress his administration has made (such as healthcare and tax cuts for the middle class and small businesses), and emphasizing looking to the future and the next four years. In contrast, Governor Romney focused on the past four years and what he believes to be the failures of the Obama Administration, specifically spotlighting the President’s policies on the economy, unemployment, and entitlement programs.

Both candidates focused on how they would improve life for middle-income American families through various policies, from healthcare to creating more jobs. In keeping with conservative viewpoints, Governor Romney discussed making some federal programs instead based at the state and local levels and also emphasized the importance of the private sector. On the deficit, the President encouraged voters to check out his specific plan for lowering the deficit by $4 trillion, while suggesting Governor Romney has yet to share specifics for his deficit reduction plan, along with other plans.

Both candidates agreed that the general structure of Social Security policy is in good shape, but differed on their plans for Medicare. Governor Romney suggested President Obama’s plans for Medicare would cut $716 billion from the program. On healthcare, the President defended Obamacare, while Governor Romney vowed to repeal the law and supports implementing a program similar to the healthcare program he implemented in Massachusetts.

While the candidates’ positions are imperative, we want to know your thoughts. Did you watch the debate? What did you think? Did anything surprise you? What topics do you wish they had debated more or less? Did this debate change your mind at all on any topics or either candidate? Who do you think, “won” the debate?

We’ll be back on October 12 to re-cap the Vice Presidential debate on October 11.

Did you miss the first debate? Check our Guide to the 2012 Elections for details on registering to vote, absentee voting, important swing states, and the official debates calendar!

Carrie Pastor

Sedowling2

I want to hear about the future, not the past. We all know about what hasn’t been accomplished. I want to know how that is going to change going forward.
Brittanie F.

I feel incredibly split with the candidates this time around. Although not mentioned last night, I do not agree with Gov. Romney on his views about Gay Marriage and Women’s Healthcare. But I do agree with most of his economic policies and repealing Obamacare. However, in analyzing the debate last night I think President Obama got it right in focusing on what he did right and how he will plan to continue that in the future. Whereas, I felt like Gov. Romney was playing attack all night. I think he could have done a lot more if he outlined some of his biggest plans to show contrast to President Obama instead of repeating, “What I did in Massachusetts.” I am from Arizona and go to college in Colorado. I’m about as far away from Massachusetts as a person in the United States can get. I needed more of a reassurance that he was going to actually change what is going on, not empty phrases.

http://www.facebook.com/nbaltikahn Nina Baltierra Kahn

Interesting to hear from someone who hasn’t already made up her mind! Really good points, Brittanie. I felt like Romney acted like a bully and masterfully didn’t answer many questions, while Obama seemed tired and didn’t jump on certain things that would have been easy to refute. Obama’s my guy for a lot of reasons, but that debate was a boring mess.
Lisavioletto

Brittannie – if you are receiving any kind of Student Aid, Romney has clearly said numerous times that he is going to drastically reduce them and in repealing the Health Care Law if you are still on your parents health insurance as most college students are you may loose that as well and have to pay for your own insurance plan. Two really good reasons to support Obama, who while not perfect, is really trying to help the middle class and those of us struggling to remain middle class.

Bonnie

Lisavioletto, Romney has stated numerous times that, assuming he would be able to repeal parts or the whole of Obamacare, any new plan would maintain the rule that children are allowed to stay on their parents plan until the age of 26. This aspect of the plan has been so popular that it would be political suicide to not maintain it and he has been very clear in that he plans on maintaining it. The aspects of Obamacare that discourage small businesses from hiring new employees and hurt the self-employed are what Gov. Romney and myself, as a 22-year-old business owner are gravely concerned about and wish to repeal.

Elizabeth

This election is crucial for women. Take a look at what Romney/Ryan promise to do to women’s healthcare. It’s not pretty. If you care about your future as a woman in this country, the choice is pretty clear…and it’s not Romney.

Alyssa Gapske

The debate was strange. I could see how people would want to vote for Gov. Romney based on his presentation alone. However he did make a lot of promises and I wasn’t too happy with the lack of support he gave. For example, he kept mentioning that he was going to replace Obamacare, but he never specified with what.

President Obama did seem tired and not as aggressive, but he did stand by his decisions and gave statistical and factual support for his future plans. That is what I’m looking for in leader. I don’t want to just know what you will do, I want to know how and why.

I think Jim Lehrer could have been a bit better at moderating. President Obama and Gov. Romney walked all over him. He needed to handle that better.
Emily

Great recap!
My thoughts are here: http://isntthatcharming.blogspot.com/2012/10/lets-talk-about-political-debates.html

In summary — I thought it was a lot of back and forth/talking about the past. I didn’t think that it was much of a debate but rather a show & tell. But, I guess that’s politics, right? I wish Romney didn’t bully so much, he didn’t set a very good example in my opinion.
Sccotton

I thought the debate was interesting to watch, feel like Romney did a good job and was strong with his accusations & showing his record. Obama has not been held responsible for the deficit that he has doubled in the last 4 years, that unemployment has been much higher in the last 4 years & I think when the teleprompter is off Obama has a difficult time defending himself…he didn’t even look at Romney during much of the time, but instead looked down. I didn’t think that Romeny came across meanly at all, felt they were both cordial to each other.
Another 4 years of Obama is scary to me & I’m hoping that Romney is able to continue to hold Obama accountable for some of the awful decisions he has made.

A.E.S

As a woman, 4 years of Romney terrifies me.

- He wants to repeal Roe v. Wade
- He wants to “get rid” of Planned Parenthood (which provides affordable women’s health services, including breast exams and birth control)
- He doesn’t believe in emergency contraception
- He vetoed emergency contraception for rape victims in 2005
- He doesn’t believe in gay marriage OR civil unions
- He thinks students should “borrow money from their parents” for college tuition (not all of us were born into wealth like him!)
- He said verbatim he doesn’t care about 47% of Americans

Pretty scary stuff.

Elizabeth

Can we just stress how critical services like Planned Parenthood are for young women and their families? Regardless of your stance on abortion (and by the way, NO government funding supports this), Planned Parenthood saves lives through breast, cervical, and ovarian cancer screenings that are affordable even for women without insurance.
Mountain

Although I’m Canadian, I have been following the election and hearing what may be coming for women if Romney takes office scares me for American women. These are international issues and we need to keep moving forward with equality rights. With Romney’s proposed changes that have already been made public knowledge, what other outragoues changes will happen for women if he IS elected? I hope we don’t find out.

Elizabeth

The Unemployment rate is at its lowest since 2009: 7.8% as of 10/5. As the Washington Post reports: “…what had seemed to be a summer lull in employment increasingly appears not to
have been much of a lull at all.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/unemployment-rate-plunges-to-78percent/2012/10/05/bdb6e5bc-0ee7-11e2-a310-2363842b7057_story.html

Have you batted an eye at Romney’s stance on jobs yet, by the way? He plans to create 12 million jobs from thin air. I can’t wrap my head around the idea that people are supporting him even though he refuses to put forth any sort of detailed plan. He’s all talk and big ideas.

Here’s the terrifying thing about Romney: He’s been completely forthright about his economic plan…to cut taxes for the wealthy and burden the middle and lower class.

I cannot afford to support Romney because…
1.) I am a woman
2.) I am not a millionaire
3.) I have student loans
4.) I believe in fair rights for all

In my President, I’d like a good person who believes in protecting the people of this country–all of them–and that person is not Mitt Romney.

Lani

It wasn’t much a debate. Although Obama is great at giving speeches, he is not a debater. I think throughout this entire election, both candidates have done their fair share of bullying. With all the mudslinging and popularity voting, it sounds more like a high school election. With that being said, the debate did not put my confidence in either candidates. I’m getting sick of voting for the best out of the worse…again.
Kelly

People seem to be talking a lot about style. Haven’t seen much on substance. Personally, I skip the debate and wait for the next day’s fact checking round up, like so: http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/debates/presidential/2012-10-03
Meg Wed Aug

The debate in my opinion was an ass kicking – in Romney’s favor. Only 20% of americans polled thought that Obama did good… Finally, America is waking up! I liked how Romney called out Obama on all his empty promises from 4 years ago and showed how middle class Americans are being hurt by all the tax INCREASES, Obamacare, and unemplyment!!! I am not in love with Romney, but I will vote for him because he is the lesser of the two evils.

LisaVioletto

Hi Meg – look at your tax returns and you will see you are paying less- Obama decreased the payroll taxa (your employer pays 1/2 & you pay 1/2) by several percents. Obamacare is actually good for the middle class – you can now get annual gyn check ups at not extra cost, if you are in college you can stay on your parents plan till you are 26 and you can’t be denied coverage for a pre-existing condition. If you are young you many not think this is a big deal but if you face any kind of serious illness or accident it will be a real and financial lifesaver. Besides, Romney really concerns me since he promoted the Massachusetts Health Plan which is almost identical to Obamacare except it is on a national basis, and the people of Massachusetts are happy with it. Now Romney says he will repeal Obamacare and put in his MA plan (the same thing?) what’s that’s about?

Denverlady

All Romney is saying is that the federal government creating a one-size-fits all plan will not work for states that are extremely diverse in terms of finances, demographics, history, etc.

That means, he would create more competition by opening up insurance company markets between the states thus driving down costs, retain the ability for people under 26 to stay on their parents insurance, and mandate that people cannot be denied coverage for pre-exisiting conditions.

The only difference is states will have the ability to tailor health plans for themselves and not be forced into some program that the federal government “deems” appropriate on a national level.
Meghan

Without getting into specifics, maybe the percentage of what my employer is taking out of my pay has decreased, but my deductions on my taxes are decreasing as well. As for Obamacare (socialized healthcare) is scary in and of itself. And, just to interwine the two – the only way that Obamacare was even passed through the courts was by passing it as a TAX – meaning… Obamacare is INCREASING taxes on EVERYONE….. everyone – not just the middle class. Read the rulling please.

Thebluehaiku

Just because the tax was constitutionally justified as within the powers of the federal goverment via their taxing and spending power doesn’t actually mean that if functions as a tax in practice. The only reason the healthcare law is monitored via the tax code is because it would be grossly inefficient to set up an entirely new system through which people would report to the government given that people already do that with the IRS. The purpose of the law is NOT to raise revenue (the goal is for everybody to get healthcare, in which case nobody would ever pay the penalty and this “tax” would raise no revenue). A constitutional analysis of federal authority is not an indicator of economic outcomes.

Also, if you’re worried about your deductions, Romney is not your guy. He wants to eliminate most deductions (although he has never specified which ones) and then lower the marginal rate. Guess who benefits most from deductions? The middle class.

http://livingmylifeasiknowit.wordpress.com/ Christina Tamm

At this point and time my decision on who to vote for hasn’t changed and I doubt it will..

I think people need to understand that four years isn’t enough time to change, it is barely enough time to make a difference when you come into a postion with quite a bit needing to be fixed or changed. All you can hope for is to make a difference.

To be honest I don’t even think 8 years is enough time to make change. Its an on going thing and no matter what each president has to work on making a difference to obtain making a change.

IMHO

Shouldn’t 4 years be enough time to see at least some inkling of change?

Every recession since the great depression has seen a snap back in terms of employment and real GDP growth. These past four years are the only exception to this rule.

People need to understand that wishful thinking wont change the dire situation we find ourselves in. In four years the middle class has seen real income drop $4,000 dollars, real unemployment figures are anywhere from 10-15%, and 48% of new college graduates won’t have jobs when they graduate this year.

I can’t fathom four more years of that reality.

Elizabeth

Unemployment numbers are at 7.8% and Romney has no solid plan for job growth, while Obama is steadily working toward 1 million new manufacturing jobs by 2016.

Do you have student loans? If yes, do you still think Romney is a good idea? If again, yes, you better do your research.

IMHOx2

I do have student loans. And I am out of work. And I have a masters in econ.

7.8% isn’t a real, accurate percentage. If you know about how the BLS figures out the unemployment rate, you’d know that 7.8% is completely unrealistic.

If you don’t know how they figure out the unemployment rate it’s this: there are two surveys, a household and establishment survey with economists and, typically, the BLS taking the establishment survey as the baseline because it is less volatile. The establishment survey says 114,000 jobs were created in September. The Household survey? The one the media, BLS, and every independent organization downplayed during Bush (and rightfully so), says 873,000 new jobs were created.

Thats a difference of more than 750,000 jobs. At some point people need to wake up and quit accepting everything the media tells them to think and start doing some independent research.

I’m tired of hearing that women’s rights are on a precipice (and I’m a woman), that the middle class isn’t being crushed (real income fell 4k), and that the lower and middle classes aren’t baring the brunt of Obama’s policies especially on energy (see here: http://washingtonexaminer.com/how-obamas-green-energy-policies-are-bad-for-the-poor/article/2509505#.UGoLp0LYdFJ). For once, I want people to understand that this President doesn’t get it when it comes to what hurts the lower and middle class. And I’ve done my research. Now you do yours.

http://livingmylifeasiknowit.wordpress.com/ Christina Tamm

We can’t look at the past 4 years as the issue. We have to as a society/country look at the past 12 years. Someone can’t change 8 years of mistakes in 4 years. He can however start to make a difference which he has in multiple way – taxes, health care, birth control laws, etc…

My issue with Romney is listening to him over the previous Republican debates and hearing him say things he was going to do or not do and then hearing him speak and in this debate basically change some of his stances.

Unfortunately in the current situation our country is in there isn’t going to be any change no matter who becomes president. Slight differences will come about but society change will not. This is a greater issue at hand that is going to take more than just the president, it take congress (our biggest issue), as well as majority agreement between all changing presidents to come to work towards a better country.

The biggest issues we have now are our congress who don’t want to pass laws or bills that need to be passed as well as, president after president going into office to change what was done the past 4-8 years (even if it was a positive change).

IMHOx2

A few things:

A lot of what you wrote I didn’t understand, but here goes.Can you be specific on what stances Romney has changed (other than abortion)?You’re right, Congress has been an issue. The Democratic Senate hasn’t passed a budget in three years (violating federal law), and Obama’s latest budget presented before Congress didn’t garner a single vote. From either party.That said, can you explain what Obama was doing when he had a majority in the House and a fillibuster proof majority in the Senate the first two years of office? He literally could pass anything that he believed would be beneficial to America, that would create jobs, increase overall utility, etc….and he passed healthcare….without a single Republican vote using a Parliamentary trick that is only used to pass budget cuts. Now he’s complaining about those “stubborn” Republicans. We can sit and complain about the structural limitations of our current governmental system, but that doesn’t get to the root of the question: which candidate is better for America? Not only for this generation but also the next 10 or 15 generations?

Bonnie

You’re right Christina, four years is not a long time. But it seemed to be long enough for Obama to double the deficit.

Cait

Honestly, those that say Romney was a “bully” need to think about what this event was. This was a debate. The candidates were meant to have a back and forth conversation about their platforms, plans, etc. Just because Obama stumbled and seemed uncomfortable does not make Romney a bully. It means he was better prepared. Romney does not need to catch slack for Obama’s shortcomings. Had the tables been turned I think President Obama would have acted in the same aggressive manner. This will decide our country’s leader who will have to go against foreign powers. If one can’t hold his own on national television in a moderated conversation, he should not be our president. At the end of the day they are competitors and if they were warm and fuzzy and shot rainbows out of their fingertips it would have made an awkward circumstance. This is coming from someone who isn’t crazy about either.
G-Woman

Romney does NOT want to repeal Roe VS. Wade, he has said repeatedly he will not challenge it. He does believe you should have the opportunity to get a job, work and pay for your own health care, not ask those of us who pay taxes to pay for your birth control. He is trying to inpower women rather than have them dependent on whatever the government wants to dish out. There is NO WAR ON WOMEN. It was a divide and conquer strategy of Obama’s. The same strategy with gays and along race and economic lines. 40% of working wives outearn their husbands and 75% of women say they can advance as far as their amiition and skills can take them. We have women Supreme Court Justices, Governors, Senators and Congresswomen. Women FBI Agents, Chiefs of Police, college presidents, Admirals, Generals, successful women in every walk of life if they are willing to work for it, not expect it to be given to them. Romney has no problem with women being successful if she is willing to work for it.
G-Woman

Unemployment fell only.2 of a point and those numbers are being challenged. Obama tripled the national debt since he took office. The housing market remains severly depressed. A failed and fatal foreign policy alienating our trusted allies. An AG held in contempt by Congress for withholding documents in the Fast and Furious scandal where a Border partol Agent died as did countless Mexican citizens. Obamacare taking 17 billion our of Medicare and will cost all tax paying Americans more as we pay for those who pay no taxes. Congressional Budget Office says Obama’s plan will ADD 3.5 trillion in the next ten years To the debt. The downgrade of the US credit rating by Standard and Poors under Obama for the first time in nearly a century. Overheard on an open mike to the Soviets that he could be “more flexible” in nuclear negotiations when he is re-elected! This election is not just about your worry over student loans or unfounded fear that abortion would not be available. How can an American, in good conscience, vote for a man who has been such an abysmal failure? The fear of a failed economy is real, but the bartering of our national security is truly life threatening.
http://twitter.com/kelevents kelevents

The Book On Mitt Romney: Here Is John McCain’s Entire Opposition Research File

http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/the-book-on-mitt-romney-here-is-john-mccains-ent