Debate Two: Challenges for Obama, Romney
Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney would love another debate like the last one. President Barack Obama most certainly would not. Twenty-one days before Election Day, Debate Two comes as both candidates seek to break out of a neck-and-neck national race with the type of debate performance and vision that could help sway a narrow band of undecided voters in a handful of crucial states.
Stand-ins for Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, left, and President Barack Obama, right, run through a rehearsal with moderator Candy Crowley, back to camera, ahead of Tuesday's presidential debate, Monday, October 15, 2012, at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.
The candidates will take questions on domestic and foreign policy from an audience of about 80 of the coveted uncommitted voters whom both campaigns are so furiously courting with just three weeks left until Election Day.
In this picture, Hofstra Public Safety officer Ronald Nardo watches as stand-ins for Romney, rear left, and Obama, right, run through a rehearsal, on Monday, October 15, 2012, at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.
The importance attached to this year's debates is reflected in the significant chunks of time that both candidates have spent preparing.
In this picture, Romney is seen in his vehicle as he leaves a debate preparation session at a hotel in Burlington, Mass., on Monday, October 15, 2012.
Obama, faulted for being ill-prepared for the first faceoff with Romney, largely dropped out of sight for the last three days to attend "debate camp" at a resort in Williamsburg, Va.
In this picture, a worker prepares a set in the media filing center in preparation for the Presidential debate at Hofstra University, on Monday, October 15, 2012, in Hempsted, New York.
And Romney, the clear victor in Round One, has devoted big blocks of time to rehearsals over the last several days as well.
A worker walks past a sign in the media filing center before Tuesday's presidential debate, on Monday, October 15, 2012, at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.
Moderator Candy Crowley of CNN will choose those who get to speak, after reviewing proposed questions to avoid repeats.
In this picture, Billy Koske, left, and Jose Reyes look at signs hanging in the media filing center before Tuesday's presidential debate, on Monday, October 15, 2012, at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.
The final debate of the campaign will be October 22 at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., focusing on foreign policy.
In this picture, Ed Gillespie, right, senior adviser to Romney, and campaign strategist Stuart Stevens leave a debate preparation session at a hotel in Burlington, Mass., on Monday, October 15, 2012.
Romney needs to reinforce his case that he's an agent of change and raise further doubts about Obama's economic tenure in the face of some positive signs of recovery. Obama must reverse the corrosive story line ignited by his lame performance in the first debate and make a convincing case for four more years of his presidency.
In this September 7, 2012 file photo, Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greet supporters in Portsmouth, N.H.
For Obama: This debate comes with Obama's approval ratings hovering around 50 percent. The economic and fiscal picture is mixed. Since the last debate, the government announced that the unemployment rate dropped to 7.8 percent after 43 months of being above 8 percent. Still, the Treasury Department on Friday reported that the federal deficit for the 2012 budget year that just ended was $1.1 trillion.
In this October 11, 2012, file photo Obama campaigns at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla.
For Obama: Romney, as he did in the first debate, will focus on the downside of the ledger - 23 million people struggling for work or better jobs, 15 per cent poverty, a rising national debt. Obama will have to draw attention to the improvements under his administration, echoing the points made in a television ad released on Monday that emphasizes hiring by the private sector, including more than 5 million jobs in the last 30 months.
In this October 3, 2012, file photo, Romney and Obama wave to the audience during the first presidential debate at the University of Denver in Denver.
For Obama: On another front, Obama and his administration have struggled to explain the circumstances that led to an attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans, including US Ambassador Chris Stevens. A congressional hearing last week revealed past decisions by the State Department not to increase diplomatic security in Libya.
In this October 11, 2012, file photo Obama speaks at a campaign fundraiser at the JW Marriott Marquis Miami in Miami.
For Obama: In his debate last week, Biden declared that "we weren't told" about the Benghazi consulate's requests for additional security, prompting Romney to accuse the vice president of "doubling down on denial" and forcing the White House to explain that Biden was referring just to the White House, not the entire Obama administration.
For Romney: He has to live up to the high expectations he set in the first debate. His presentation then was an effective introduction to undecided or persuadable voters. Strategists from both parties said Romney particularly helped himself with Republican-leaning independent voters. He must now complete the sale with undecideds who may be leaning Obama's way.
In this October 12, 2012, file photo Romney campaigns in Lancaster, Ohio.
For Romney: Illustrating Romney's expectations burden, a Pew Research Center poll found that 51 per cent of voters expected Obama to win the first debate compared with 29 per cent who thought Romney would win. This time, a new Pew poll shows expectations for both candidates are nearly evenly divided, with 41 percent expecting Obama to prevail compared with 37 per cent saying Romney will likely win.
In this picture, Romney and Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, emerge from debate preparation at a hotel in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, October 13, 2012.
For Romney: Romney (L) can expect to be challenged more forcefully on his economic plan than he was two weeks ago. Both Romney and Ryan have declined to specify how they would be able to cut tax rates by 20 per cent across the board without raising the deficit. Obama (R) will argue that cutting taxes for wealthier taxpayers can only result in higher taxes on the middle class, a notion Romney disputes.
Photo Credit : AP
For Romney: Romney must also be ready to defend the more moderate political image he demonstrated in the first debate. Obama is eager to portray Romney as an out-of-the-mainstream conservative and will force Romney to explain himself on health care and changes in the government's regulatory regime, positions Romney recently softened after taking hard lines during the Republican primaries.
In this picture, Romney walks with wife Ann at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Belmont, Mass., on Sunday, October 14, 2012.
For Romney: In the end, while the debates are attracting millions of viewers, the target audience for each campaign is becoming an increasingly small number of fence-sitting voters in a handful of battleground states.
It's a loud megaphone for a small crowd.
In this picture, Romney kisses wife Ann as he leaves the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Belmont, Mass., on Sunday, October 14, 2012. TEXT & CAPTION: AP