DENVER (AP) — Republican Mitt Romney, looking to jolt his struggling presidential campaign, accused Barack Obama of misrepresenting his positions as the two candidates shared a stage for the first time in a high-stakes presidential debate.
With the long presidential campaign entering
its final month, Romney needed a strong showing in the debate before
tens of millions of television viewers as polls show him falling behind
the president in what has been a tight race.
It is not clear what
effect, if any, the debate will have. But Romney, often seen as wooden
and lacking passion, seemed more at ease than Obama. In a rare
post-debate concession, some Democratic strategists not involved in the
campaign conceded the president was not at his best and missed
opportunities to challenge his rival.
Romney was clearly on the
offensive, blaming Obama for the weak U.S. economy — the biggest issue
in the campaign. “Going forward with the status quo is not going to cut
it for the American people who are struggling today,” Romney said.
He
repeatedly accused Obama of misstating his positions, virtually
lecturing him at one point after the president accused him of seeking to
cut education funds. “Mr. President, you’re entitled to your own
airplane and your own house, but not your own facts.”
Obama
sparred back, accusing Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, of
seeking to “double down” on economic policies that led to the
devastating economic downturn four years ago — and of evasiveness when
it came to prescriptions for tax changes, health care, Wall Street
regulation and more.
After Romney said he would repeal and replace
regulations passed after the 2008 financial crisis, Obama responded:
“Does anyone think there is too much oversight and regulation of Wall
Street? Because if you do, then Governor Romney is your candidate.”
Obama,
a former legal scholar, seemed somewhat professorial at times. He
avoided themes that his campaign has used against Romney, including
criticism of Romney’s private equity firm, Bain Capital, which the
Democrat has demonized as a corporate predator. Obama also did not
mention that Romney has personal assets in Swiss bank accounts.
More
surprisingly, Obama made no reference to a widely publicized secret
recording of Romney, in which he said that 47 percent of Americans view
themselves as victims who depend on the government and refuse to take
responsibility for their lives.
The debate, the first of three
this month, had been widely anticipated. Polls showed that the public
expected Obama, a gifted speaker, had an advantage over Romney, and
Romney’s campaign pushed that viewpoint to lower expectations for their
candidate.
Neither candidate appeared to make any major gaffes
likely to change the course of the race. At times the debate turned into
rapid-fire charges and retorts that drew on dense facts and figures
that were difficult to follow. The men argued over oil industry
subsidies, federal spending as a percentage of the GDP, cuts to the
health care program for the elderly, taxes and small businesses and the
size of the federal deficit and how it grew.
The candidates’
answers reflected their general philosophical differences. Romney and
fellow Republicans see the federal government as too big, taxing
Americans excessively, running up deficits and hindering job creation
through unnecessary regulations. Obama and his fellow Democrats see
government as a potential force for good, providing the infrastructure
and education needed in a dynamic economy and giving even poor Americans
the opportunity to succeed.
The debate began on a friendly note.
The two rivals clasped hands and smiled as they strode onto the debate
stage at the University of Denver, then waved to the audience before
taking their places behind identical podiums. They faced questions from
moderator Jim Lehrer of PBS.
There was a quick moment of laughter
when Obama referred to first lady Michelle Obama as “sweetie” and noted
it was their 20th anniversary. Romney added best wishes, and said to the
first couple, “I’m sure this is the most romantic place you could
imagine, here with me.”
Though Election Day is more than a month
away, many Americans have already started casting ballots because some
states allow early voting. That put extra pressure on Romney to come up
with a showing strong enough to alter the course of the campaign.
The next two debates are Oct. 16 in New York and Oct. 22 in Florida.
Vice President Joe Biden and Romney’s running mate, congressman Paul Ryan, have one debate, Oct. 11 in Kentucky.
