DENVER— The 2012 Election hit the ground running tonight with the first presidential debate at the University of Denver, moderated by Jim Lehrer of PBS’s “NewsHour”. The subject was domestic policy, which is considered one of the biggest issues of this election.
The competitors remained polite and proper, but agreed on very little.
The sputtering economy set the precedent and the tone of last night’s debate, as it has for most of the 2012 presidential campaigns.
Governor Mitt Romney began by pointing out the realities of today’s economy — a significant increase in food stamps, the economy growing “more slowly this year than last”, and “23 million people out of work.”
President Obama then pointed out the conflict of Romney’s refusal to raise taxes and how if he takes “such an unbalanced approach, then that means [Romney] is going to be gutting our investment in schools and education”.
Romney criticized Obamacare later in the debate. He stated that “it has killed jobs” and that the best approach is to “do what we did in [his] state”. Obama replied that he had become “fond” of the term Obamacare, and pledged federally monitored healthcare for Americans if indeed he were re-elected.
According to CNN polls, most say that Romney was the winner of this debate. His experience as a debater at Harvard and his law degree prevailed him last night.
According to this evening’s “HuffPost Pollster” tracking model, President Obama is ahead at 49 percent as opposed to Governor Romney at 45 percent; accrued by opinion polls collected and analyzed daily. With a lead of four points, it is one of Obama’s largest leads in this election.
But the race is far from over.
DEBATE SCHEDULE:
Vice-Presidential Debate:
WHEN: Oct. 11
WHERE: Centre College in Danville, Ky.
TIME: 9-10:30 p.m.
Presidential Debate:
WHEN: Oct. 16
WHERE: Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.
TIME: 9-10:30 p.m.
Presidential Debate:
WHEN: Oct. 22
WHERE: Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla.
TIME: 9-10:30 p.m.
