Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama wave to the audience during the first presidential debate at the University of Denver, Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012, in Denver. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
“The status quo is not going to cut it,” declared the challenger.
Obama in turn accused his rival of seeking to “double down” on economic policies that actually led to the devastating national downturn four years ago — and of evasiveness when it came to prescriptions for tax changes, health care, Wall Street regulation and more.
Click to see a debate transcript.
The economy dominated the evening, as it has the race for the White House all year. Pre-debate opinion polls showed Obama with a slight advantage in key battleground states and nationally.
Layla Shipman, public relations director for the Republican Party of Floyd County, said felt like Romney reached some of those undecided voters.
“I think that tonight Romney proved to some of the independents in our party who didn’t know him that well why he is our nominee and why he is the right man for the job,” Shipman said. “I have been excited for this election but I am extremely fired up for it tonight.”
She thought Romney made some great points Wednesday night, including the waste of money that could have gone toward funding a better way for the United States to end its dependence on foreign oil.
With early voting already under way in dozens of states, Romney was particularly aggressive in the 90-minute event that drew a television audience likely to be counted in the tens of millions — like a man looking to shake up the campaign with a little less than five weeks to run.
Romney said he had plans to fix the economy, overhaul the tax code, repeal Obama’s health care plan and replace it with a better alternative, remake Medicare, pass a substitute for the legislation designed to prevent another financial crash and reduce deficits — but he provided no new specifics despite Obama’s prodding.
Said Obama: “At some point the American people have to ask themselves: Is the reason Governor Romney is keeping all these plans secret, is it because they’re going to be too good? Because middle class families benefit too much? No.”
Wendy Davis, an officer for the Democratic Party of Floyd County, agreed that Romney was vague and contradictory on his plans for if he is elected president, including the details on his tax cut proposal and how he wants to repeal Obama’s health care bill.
“I think those of us who have followed the election didn’t hear anything new tonight,” Davis said. “But it will be interesting to see those who haven’t been following the election if what was presented tonight will be believable to them.”
For Davis, Romney seemed to be presenting more of the same from his party.
“I found it astounding that he can lack such specificity in his plans and present nothing that past Republican presidents haven’t tried before and got us in the mess that we are in,” she said.
The two presidential rivals are scheduled to debate again on Oct. 16 in Hempstead, N.Y., and Oct. 22 in Boca Raton, Fla.
Vice President Joe Biden and Republican Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin have one debate, Oct. 11 in Danville, Ky. Both men have already begun holding practice sessions.
Staff Writer Jeremy Stewart contributed to this report.
Last night, my friends, things spun out of control. There are things that happen in life....unexpectedly, I might add...that we never ever see coming out of the clear blue. The debate performance was flawed...but it wasn't neither mine...nor yours...fault.
You see....it all started to unravel when the Belt Buckle Teleprompter 201 Model malfunctioned. The screen was fuzzy...difficult to read....thus, you are mistaken, my friends, when you criticize the debate performance.
Without a clear screen...clear messages....clear correspondence with Jon Stewart and the Ladies on The View...how can you expect your President to look the camera and viewers in the eye and give a clear and precise answer...Just isn't gonna happen.
Do not be disheartened...Like the dead Ambassador and the four dead in Libya, this. too, is just another "bump in the road" moment.
All this will soon pass.
Remember, be sure to Vote Early and Vote Often....No voting ID required in many Democratic controlled states near you.
My fellow American's. Do not be dismayed. Last night's performance was not what it appeared to be.
I have credible sources (MSNBC) that have informed me that the supposed "live" feed was hijacked by airwave pirates working covertly with Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and Fox News. These pirates then reinserted a "mock" debate between two lookalike actors that remarkably looked like Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.
Re-fed back into the system, this new tape was presented as the "real" debate. This bogus and rehearsed fake debate was taped somewhere in central Alabama, protected by gun-toting hillbillies and inbred coondogs. I have asked Eric Holder to investigate into these allegations, but I have yet to hear back from our Attorney General....My next step is, failing to hear back from the same man who thoroughly investigated the Black Panther voter intimidation video, the ACORN prostitution video, the killing of our American ambassador to Libya, the killing of border agent Terry,and the killing of an American on a jet ski on the Texas-Mexican border by Mexican drug lords....will be to contact the ladies on The View for a real investigation into the incident.
Remember, my Democratic friends... Vote Early and Vote Often in a precinct near you. No proof of identity required in many Democratic controlled states near you.
Ryan is a 3 Touchdown favorite and Biden will have several turnovers, a missed extra point,interceptions,an onside kick,and several delay of game!