Live Blog: Obama and Romney Square Off in First Presidential Debate
The Democratic incumbent and his Republican challenger address each other directly during a 90 minute exchange in Denver.
There's just one thing that's certain about tonight's debate between President Barack Obama and GOP nominee Mitt Romney: when it's over, their respective campaigns will each claim victory.
After half a week of suddenly declaring their candidate the inferior orator (after doing the exact opposite during their conventions) in order to lower expectations for the verbal sparring match, the spinmasters will say that (insert candidate here) made a clear case for his right to spend the next four years in the White House, and clearly connected with the American people. This will be the first of three about faces this month, and the stakes of executing a perfect, Gabby Douglas-esque balance beam walk are high: Obama leads Romney among likely voters by one point in the latest NBC/WSJ poll, and four among those registered to cast a ballot.
What to watch for? Well-practiced answers -- including some zingers -- and maybe some specifics. Obama has alternated his charges regarding Romney's policy proposals: that they're too vague, that they're too conservative, and that they are conservative when he used to be more liberal as the governor of Massachusetts. Romney, on the other hand, will work to put Obama on the defensive, hitting on the slow economy recovery.
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Romney says he would cut “Obamacare,” and apologizes for using that term, but Obama says, “I like it.”
Romney also apologizes to Lehrer for saying he would cut spending on public broadcasting.
He says he would only borrow from China that are worthy it.
Obama responds by listing programs and waste he has cut.
“We all know that we’ve got to do more, so I’ve put forward a specific $4 trillion deficit-reduction program,” wuth $1 in new revenue for $2.50 in cuts. -
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Obama says this is a major difference, because Romney said in primaries he would not even take $10 in cuts for $1 in revenue (read: taxes).
Obama says that would trigger massive program cuts.
“That is not a strategy for us moving forward,” says president.
Romney chides him for not claiming Simpson-Bowles report.
“You’ve been president for four years,” he says, and deficit has not been cut in half as Obama promised in first campaign.
“That doesn’t get the job done,” says Romney. -
FACT CHECK: Romney economic plan: Romney adamantly rejects the idea he has proposed more tax cuts for the wealthy and that he wants to lower individual tax rates because it could benefit small business.
While this is much debated, Romney’s plan would cut taxes but also eliminate tax deductions, which he has said make it revenue neutral. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center has drawn a different conclusion, saying it would decrease taxes for the wealthy but increase taxes for the middle class. -
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Obama says with “balanced approach,” you can help kids go to college, teacher cut classroom size.
“There has to be more revenue; Governor Romney has ruled out new revenue,” says Obama.
“Absolutely,” replies Romney.
He says he gets new revenue through economic growth.
His early debate jitters settled, Romney is now starting to bore into president over failure to meet 2008 campaign pledge of halving deficit during first term. -
For all of your Debate GIF needs.
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ANALYSIS: President Obama said his tax plan is a “balanced, responsible approach,” and he says that Mitt Romney’s tax approach is “unbalanced.” Using the phrase “balanced approach” is an easier-to-digest way of referring to his proposal that includes raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans. Romney is hitting back by saying that raising taxes during a recession is, in itself, unbalanced. The candidate who wins this "balance" argument could determine the winner of this debate. -
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FACT CHECK: Did Obama really spend $90 billion on green energy? Sort of. Here’s how that money breaks down, according to the White House:
$29 billion for energy efficiency, including $5 billion for improvements in the homes and apartments of low-income households
$21 billion for renewable electricity generation, including wind turbines and solar panels
$10 billion for grid modernization, including millions of “smart meters” that read themselves, eliminating the need for meter readers
$6 billion to help establish factories to make batteries for electric cars and other components of advanced vehicles
$18 billion for fast trains
$3 billion for research and development into capturing and sequestering carbon dioxide
$3 billion for job training and scientific advances in green energy
About $2 billion to help build wind turbines, solar panels and similar “green” products -
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Obama says without asking for new revenue, it would create “severe hardship” and not help country grow.
He predicts massive cut in Medicare, adding, “That’s a big problem.”
Obama says with “balanced approach,” you can help kids go to college, teacher cut classroom size. -
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Lehrer shifts to third segment: entitlements. He asks Obama if there is a difference between them on Social Security.
President says they have same basic approach, and “tweaks” might be needed.
Obama then segues to talk about values behind program and Medicare, saying his own family could be independent because of that safety net. Not an entitlement, he says, but a guarantee.
Romney starts point-by-point rebuttal, saying oil company gets nearly $3 billion in tax breaks but Obama gave nearly $90 billion to green energy industry.
“Don’t forget, you put $90 billion, 50 years worth,” into Solyndra, digging that president doesn’t just pick winner and losers, “you pick the losers.” -
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Buzzfeed's Ben Smith just called the debate for Romney, half-way through. Read his analysis here.
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FACT CHECK: 50 percent of doctors will stop taking Medicare patients because Obamacare reduces payments by $716 billion over 10 years: This claim comes from a very small and informal poll. From a Forbes article in August:
“Steve Daniels, a reporter with WTVD, led an investigation into problems with Medicare access in North Carolina. A team of volunteers used the ‘mystery shopper’ method, posing as Medicare beneficiaries looking for a new doctor. Of the 200 family physicians they called, nearly half said that they were no longer accepting new Medicare patients. -
Obama notes that Romney, in essence, favors voucher program for future potential recipients.
Says idea was initially proposed by Paul Ryan, “your running mate,” says president.
But Obama says that voucher wouldn’t keep up with inflation.
Romney says of Social Security, “Our seniors depend on these programs,” and “neither the president nor I” propose any changes for current retirees.
Then he corrects himself, saying Obama wants to cut $716 billion from Medicare by cutting rates paid to hospitals. Romney notes some hospitals and doctors say they won’t take more patient if that happens.
“I don’t understand how you can cut $716 billion for Medicare for current recipients of Medicare,” says Romney. -
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RT @MbasuCNN: Obama: I have become fond of the term Obamacare. #CNNDebateby Niketa via twitter 10/4/2012 1:50:48 AM -
ANALYSIS:Some networks are showing mostly a split-screen of the two candidates . On CNN, at least, this has often shown Obama looking down while Romney is talking. He has grimaced and occasionally flashed a smile. Romney often is shown looking directly at Obama while the president is talking. Over 90 minutes, will this imagery make a difference? Will viewers of networks that don’t feature the split-screen as often have a different impression of the debate than those who watched mostly split-screen broadcasts? And what will be the impact of Twitter, Facebook and, for that matter, live blogging with fact checks and analysis? All of this could impact how the debate is perceived on Thursday morning.
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Andrew Sullivan of The Daily Beast gives Romney the upper hand.
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We fully endorse the closing of loop-holes. #debatesby Loopermovie via twitter 10/4/2012 1:52:51 AM -
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Lehrer asks, can we agree there is a difference in the approach to Medicare.
“Absolutely,” says Romney, as Obama says, “Yes.”
Lehrer asks Romney if he supports voucher program. Romney says he favors no changes for current recipients on near-retirees, but younger people would be offered choice between voucher or government program. He says he would personally favor voucher.
And Romney retorts that top Democrats have supported competition in Medicare world.
“I believe in competition,” says Romney. -
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FACT CHECK: $716 BILLION MEDICARE CUT. The number is an estimate from the Congressional Budget Office of how much Medicare spending can be reduced between 2013 and 2022 by making health care more efficient for seniors. Romney calls it cuts, Obama calls it savings.
This article from the Washington Post, citing Harvard professor John McDonough's great book "Inside National Health Reform," explains it well: www.washingtonpost.com -
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I am listening and care about the future of Social Security. With the squeeze on middle-income female earners, who still earn less than their male peers, the prospect of not having a robust Social Security and Medicare plan in place for the future is scary both on the individual and national level. Mitt, you can have a private plan or 250 million. Not so for the 47% of us who work and pay taxes that provide our services and also support the infrastructure (including the working class) that you used to make your fortune and glean investment income.
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