[Pix& Vid] Aggressive President Obama Slams Romney's Plans During Second Debate

A forceful Obama defended his record and challenged Romney on shifting positions in the 90-minute debate, arguing his Republican rival’s policies would favor the wealthy if elected.

Romney repeatedly attacked Obama’s record, saying millions of unemployed people and sluggish economic recovery showed the president’s policies had failed.


Obama was more animated and engaging than his understated and widely panned performance in their first debate nearly two weeks ago.

“Governor Romney says he’s got a five-point plan. Governor Romney doesn’t have a five-point plan; he has a one-point plan. And that plan is to make sure that folks at the top play by a different set of rules”, Obama said about his opponent’s approach for boosting the economy.

Romney shot back that Obama was “great as a speaker, but his policies don’t work”.

“That’s what this election is all about”, Romney said, saying he would prioritize middle class growth. “It’s about how we can get the middle class of this country a bright and prosperous future”.


However, Romney failed to provide further specifics of his tax policy, even when one audience member asked about unspecified deductions and loopholes the candidate says he will eliminate.

On a sensitive foreign policy topic, the candidates clashed at the front of the stage over the September 11 terrorist attack in Libya that killed four Americans, with Romney suggesting the Obama administration played politics by failing to immediately acknowledge what happened.

Obama shot back that the suggestion anyone in his administration would play politics on such an issue was “offensive”. When Obama said he called it a terrorist attack shortly afterwards, Romney challenged him, and Obama responded “check the transcript”.

“More debt and less jobs. I’m going to change that. I know what it takes to create good jobs again”, Romney said, addressing the first-time voter. “When you come out in 2014 — I presume I’m going to be president — I’m going to make sure you get a job”.


The most recent CNN “poll of polls” — an aggregate of the latest major surveys — showed Romney with a slight edge nationally at 48%-47%. In the battleground states considered up-for-grabs, polls show Romney has narrowed Obama’s lead or caught the president just three weeks before the election.

The Obama campaign conceded he had a bad night in the first debate and promised a more aggressive approach in New York. A third and final debate focusing on foreign policy will take place October 22 in Florida.