Election 2012: Second Presidental Debate, Town Hall

3rd & 7 37yd

If Romney wins, it will be a foreign policy nightmare.

by Pablo 10/17/2012 2:32:30 AM
@NaplesFL: Concur, Obama is has at least 2 minutes more mic time.

by newtoncd84 10/17/2012 2:32:41 AM
it's not who wins, it's who can shout down their opponent

by Micky 10/17/2012 2:32:45 AM
It takes more than 4 years to turn around such a massive problem.

by Nick 10/17/2012 2:32:54 AM
Mitt Romney has been campaigning for 8 plus years, he doesn't even know what he stands for any more

by STEELERS 10/17/2012 2:32:58 AM
.@hildabast and @TheresaBrown sit rapt, listening to debate. lockerz.com

by scotthensley via twitter 10/17/2012 2:33:00 AM
Really? Must you? 2-0 Tigers, top 7th. RT @DLeonhardt: @kairyssdal I'm watching debate. Any chance of Yankee update?

by Kai Ryssdal via twitter 10/17/2012 2:33:01 AM
this was NOT a good format for them!

by Janet W 10/17/2012 2:33:21 AM
It is amazing to me how two people can watch the same debate and draw such different conclusions. If you think Romney won this debate...you much be watching the Jim leherer one!

by Nick 10/17/2012 2:33:34 AM
Fair? Apple makes tons of money by not paying people much in China. Is that fair??

by Hope 10/17/2012 2:33:46 AM
Things not mentioned. RT @MsBarry_GCTOY: @kairyssdal Environment, education, Afghanistan, abortion, poverty, aff. action, gay rights

by Kai Ryssdal via twitter 10/17/2012 2:33:57 AM
I appreciate the format a bit more than the prior one.

by krsnell 10/17/2012 2:34:14 AM
Many economists believe that the U.S. should cede low tech products to China and expand the manufacturing of high-value products in the U.S. That's the point Obama is making. Eventually the Chinese would catch up there too.

by Frank James / NPR 10/17/2012 2:34:25 AM
I do't see a winner. I see embarassment.

by Dee 10/17/2012 2:34:30 AM
Invest in people to grow the country.

by cincygirl 10/17/2012 2:34:37 AM
It might not have been a good format for them, but it was a good format for us.

by D Scully 10/17/2012 2:34:46 AM
Obama won.

by Mass Lib 10/17/2012 2:42:25 AM
We've been in a housing-sector depression since 2007 - and still no discussion of housing. Is that not a little weird??

by Marilyn Geewax / NPR 10/17/2012 2:42:29 AM
Obama was rude.

by marjgasper 10/17/2012 2:42:33 AM
The President did very well tonight. Romney seems harsh.

by David 10/17/2012 2:42:34 AM
This was much closer of a debate that the first . Dare I say that Obama has it?

by Debate Listener 10/17/2012 2:42:41 AM
You only win if it gets you more votes.

by rick 10/17/2012 2:42:57 AM
Obama won. Romney was too aggressive and a bully.

by Danielle 10/17/2012 2:42:58 AM
Both ladies wearing pink! Way to show girl power!

by grendel 10/17/2012 2:43:01 AM
@jordan what debate did you watch?

by smb 10/17/2012 2:43:01 AM
A definite Obama win, but both were on the whiney and brittle side.

by Mexico Grip 10/17/2012 2:43:06 AM
Through out the whole debate, Obama was in charge, in control, addressed the issues brought up.

by Carl 10/17/2012 2:43:13 AM
Obama won!

by Papo_Boricua1 10/17/2012 2:43:41 AM
Performance is a key indicator and a plan is just that a plan. There are so many complexities for a president to manuever that it would be unfair to blame all of this country's shortcomings on him alone. Perhaps we should focus our attention on the show stoppers in congress.

by Katba 10/17/2012 2:55:29 AM
the problem is that the debates are just lacking in true details. "this is what i want to do" But HOW will you do it, need real details not "a plan" that you refuse to discuss details

by AZ voter 10/17/2012 2:55:37 AM
Their are no winners people! A president can't destroy a country in 4 years just as much as a president can't fix one in 4 years.To blame Bush and levy no criticism on Obama is hilarious. Both have their faults, but one is up for reelection. He is what matters and he hasn't got it done.

by Matt 10/17/2012 2:55:53 AM
A follow up on @ryan's post earlier giving the quote from the Rose Garden - it wasn't the same transcript. We just finished comparing the video ( www.whitehouse.gov ) to the published transcript ( www.whitehouse.gov ) and this is the relevant quote (which is different from what @ryan posted):

"As Americans, let us never, ever forget that our freedom is only sustained because there are people who are willing to fight for it, to stand up for it, and in some cases, lay down their lives for it. Our country is only as strong as the character of our people and the service of those both civilian and military who represent us around the globe.

No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character, or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for. Today we mourn four more Americans who represent the very best of the United States of America. We will not waver in our commitment to see that justice is done for this terrible act. And make no mistake, justice will be done." www.whitehouse.gov

by Kate Myers / NPR 10/17/2012 2:56:01 AM
we are better off than four years ago. It's only temporarily because we haven't grown the economy. it's been held up by the government spending money they haven't even collected yet.

by Jordan 10/17/2012 2:56:06 AM
Glad that Obama was able to remind people that 800,000/week were losing their jobs when he took office. That's more than the entire working population of the State of Maine.

by Eric 10/17/2012 2:56:13 AM
Romney called himself a "Pastor". There are no "pastors" in the LDS/Mormon tradition. He was pandering to the evangelical right wing vote.

by Tim W. 10/17/2012 2:56:25 AM
@grendel, you'll get to vote someday. good thing you're paying attention then

by mia 10/17/2012 2:56:33 AM
Just driving around where I live, there aren't NEARLY the amount of abandoned houses in foreclosure... Either "renting" or "buying" has definitely improved...

by spinnmama 10/17/2012 2:56:45 AM
Romney won the debate because he has had a real job and has accomplished job creation and understands how to run something. Obama only knows how to run it into the ground

by Reesie 22 10/17/2012 2:56:57 AM
Vote third party if you don't like either candidate... Voters are too scared to "waste their vote", when the reality is your vote already doesn't matter unless you're in one of the "swing states".

by Charlie 10/17/2012 2:57:05 AM
i work in mfg and our whole company is much better off than 4 yrs ago

by misu 10/17/2012 2:57:09 AM
I'm small businessman with 6 employees and I think we are seing more orders then 4 years ago

by Reality 10/17/2012 2:57:17 AM
Also there are always going to be jobs that dont pay well. its just a fact of life. its deppressing but true. it would be great if everyone could could make 50k and up

by AZ voter 10/17/2012 2:57:25 AM
4 years ago the economy was tanking and people were losing lots of money. My grandpa has told me that he has regained all the money lost in his retirement account. If the economy had kept going, we would be worse off than we are now.

by Nick Haas 10/17/2012 2:57:25 AM
Obama has failed small business the past four years. Mitt Romney has my vote.

by slenz 10/17/2012 3:04:05 AM
NPR commentators seem flummoxed. Romney is a good study, but Obama IS the Commander in Chief.

by SzCa 10/17/2012 3:04:57 AM