KCRW and To the Point hosted a live chat during last night’s debate, and guests agreed it was a far livelier match up than the first presidential debate.
The general consensus was that Obama came out strong, with varying takes on Romney’s performance. “This is a draw so far, “Joshua Treviño of RedState observed during the chat, “but note that the President is at his best, and the challenger is underperforming.”
Both candidates’ broad appeals to female voters and Romney’s “binders full of women,” as well as the combative demeanor of both debaters seemed to be major takeaways in today’s news roundups and during our live chat.
“The two took pains to fashion their arguments toward female voters, with the debate seeming at times entirely directed at them,” Jeff Zeleny and Jim Rutenberg write in today’s New York Times.
“So how soon till they start swinging? I mean physically?” asked L.A.-based writer-comedian Rachel Hastings as Romney and Obama squared off within swinging distance of one another.
Some live chat guests also questioned the leanings of the so-called undecided voters who posted questions during the 90-plus minute standoff.
“Dear Mr. President, could you please hit this softball?” wrote KCRW News Director Gary Scott after one voter asked the President to recount his accomplishments over the past four years.
“Governor Romney, I am an undecided voter who hates George W. Bush and Republicans,” Treviño wrote after another woman asked Romney how he differed from the 43rd president.
Overall, there was agreement that Obama succeeded in stepping up his game after his lackluster performance last week, while Romney still came off as an effective challenger. But outside the theater of the horse race, not everyone is impressed.
“I found the substance of tonight’s debate incredibly depressing,” writes Josh Barro in Bloomberg, “because neither candidate made a remotely convincing case that he can fix America’s economy.”
How do you think Obama, Romney and the American public fared last night? You can read the full chat, below!
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