Obama, Romney spar in contentious second debate

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama spar over energy policy during the second presidential debate at Hofstra University, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, in Hempstead, N.Y.

/ AP

Updated: 11:48 p.m. ET

Facing off for the second time in the 2012 election, President Obama and Mitt Romney went head-to-head Tuesday in a spirited, wide-ranging presidential debate over which candidate would best serve the country as president -- with Mr. Obama going after Romney for what he cast as his "sketchy" economic proposals, and Romney casting Mr. Obama's presidential record as an exercise in failed promises and empty rhetoric.

Mr. Obama, whose performance in the first debate was panned as listless and dispassionate, was aggressive with his attacks right out of the gate, immediately targeting his rival for 2008 comments he made opposing the auto bailout, and for having what he called a "one-point plan" for the country: "To make sure that folks at the top play by a different set of rules."

"That's been his philosophy in the private sector, that's been his philosophy as governor, that's been his philosophy as a presidential candidate: You can make a lot of money and pay lower tax rates than somebody who makes a lot less; you can ship jobs overseas and get tax breaks for it; you can invest in a company, bankrupt it, lay off the workers, strip away their pensions, and you still make money," Mr. Obama argued. "That's exactly the philosophy that we've seen in place for the last decade. That's what's been squeezing middle class families."

The president also reiterated the critique -- cited by Democrats as well as a number of independent tax policy groups -- that the numbers don't add up in Romney's tax proposal.

Calculating what he says are the costs of implementing Romney's various proposals at $8 trillion, Mr. Obama argued that Romney hasn't been able to explain "how are you going to do it, which deductions, which loopholes are you going to close? He can't tell you."

• Poll: Obama edges Romney in second debate
• Analysis: Tougher Obama rebounds in second debate
• Fact-checking the second presidential debate

Play Video

Obama: Eliminating "Big Bird" one of Romney's only specifics

"We haven't heard from the governor any specifics beyond Big Bird and eliminating funding for Planned Parenthood in terms of how he pays for that," Mr. Obama said. "Governor Romney was a very successful investor. If somebody came to you, Governor, with a plan that said, here, I want to spend $7 or $8 trillion, and then we're going to pay for it, but we can't tell you until maybe after the election how we're going to do it, you wouldn't take such a sketchy deal and neither should you, the American people, because the math doesn't add up."

Romney defended his tax proposal, arguing that he will not "under any circumstances, reduce the share that's being paid by the highest income taxpayers," and that his proposal, unlike the president's, will stimulate the economy and create jobs. 

"And I will not, under any circumstances increase taxes on the middle-class. The president's spending, the president's borrowing will cost this nation to have to raise taxes on the American people," he added. "I want to get us on track to a balanced budget, and I'm going to reduce the tax burden on middle income families. And what's that going to do? It's going to help those families, and it's going to create incentives to start growing jobs again in this country."

He said that "of course" the numbers add up, but did not provide further information regarding the details of his proposal, pivoting instead to an attack of Mr. Obama's record.

"When we're talking about math that doesn't add up, how about $4 trillion of deficits over the last four years, $5 trillion? That's math that doesn't add up," he said. "And then we have his own record, which is we have four consecutive years where he said when he was running for office, he would cut the deficit in half. Instead he's doubled it. We've gone from $10 trillion of national debt, to $16 trillion of national debt. If the president were reelected, we'd go to almost $20 trillion of national debt. This puts us on a road to Greece."

Play Video

Romney: I had "binders full of women" to staff my cabinet

Romney and Mr. Obama also went back-and-forth on pay equity for women, during which Romney cited calling for "whole binders full of women" when searching for qualified women to interview during his tenure as governor.

On immigration, Romney blasted the president for not having made good on his 2008 campaign promise to implement reform, and said he would implement a way to give green cards to "people who graduate with skills that we need," as well as "put in place an employment verification system and make sure that employers that hire people who have come here illegally are sanctioned for doing so."

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[jiabaoyu]

Just a kind reminder for all the politicians and bussiness owners: Please understand this: No matter how wealthy your country is, how advanced your technology, how powerful your military force, if a country cannot even ensure each and every of its own people a decent life (while other advanced countries can), if this country does not do its best to help the poor and justice all around the world (but work with governments that oppress and exploit their people), if this country does not demonstrate self-discipline over material possession and lust, such country is not a good role model, it is not good enough to be the leader of the world, nor can it make any contribution to the CULTIVATION and EVOLUTION of human kind.

If we do not achieve wealth and power through decent deeds and speech, we will only acquire wealth and power, not RESPECT. Don't think others don't know what we have done. We know, they know, the God know.

History will have us evaluated. God will have us judged. We are the one who choose our own future. Please, do NOT choose money, power or lust.

[wfw3536]

What I liked about Romney is his tax plan to cut taxes for folks earning less than 200,000 where he will cut the capital gains tax, which means if you earn money with interest or stocks you will not be paying taxes. And what is Obama's response, tax the evil rich, when this tax will affect close to a million small business owners who are the job creators.

[prm777]

The documentary "Obama 2016" is now On-Demand and in theatres. I recommend that everyone take some time to watch it and see for yourself, in Obama's own words, what his vision is for America. You owe it to yourself.

[PourpaixPourpaix]

I agree that the documentary should be watched. However, being highly political, it's a good idea to research all the contentious issues and make up your own mind. Every time I watch GOP-sponsored documentaries, especially those backed by the Koch brothers, their contentions don't hold up when compared to objective sources. I generally conclude the GOP is therefore lying through their teeth because their real agenda is self-serving and illicit.

Ole Mitt wants to fault Obama for not fixing the greatest financial mess since the Great Depression in only two years (yes, two not four, since the obstructionist Republicans held up every suggestion made by Obama after taking control of the House in 2010). Gee, a little ineffectiveness or ineptness is nothing compared to the depraved damages wrought this nation by Bush, junior grade. Wars, elimination of civil rights, focus solely on feeding the greed of big business.

This isn't the first time a Republican said that the Democrat in the President's office is so bad that anything would be an improvement. Nixon said the same thing about Johnson and implied that Humphrey (Johnson's vice pres) is exactly the same. Vote for Nixon, for nobody could be worse than the previous administration. Didn't Nixon work out splendidly?

[tngaco24]

This documentary is pure speculation and conjecture. It claims that Obama is "Anti-Colonialist" and that he wants to actively reduce the global influence of the United States, which is silly. Any president, Democrat or Republican, would want to maintain United States Global hegemony. Instead of watching a movie, why don't you read each candidate's position on fiscal, domestic, and foreign policy, research them, and then come to your own conclusion. Watching a pseudo-documentary is taking the easy way out.

[steeepe]

Romney is a phony and a lying piece of excrement. Period.

[prm777]

Care to elaborate, or is 1st grade name calling all you're capable of?

[LILYGARLOW]

WOW OBAMA ADMITTED HE WAS THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR DENYING SECURITY REQUESTS FOR OUR EMBASSY IN LIBYA--The military presence alone protects our Embassies around the world everyday-- our military could have protected and saved the Ambassadors life and the 3 others When Pelosi has a larger security detail than those working in the Middle East it is just incompetence and stupidity--That is what Obama admitted too last night, incompetence, stupidity and dishonesty!!!!

[PourpaixPourpaix]

What would you expect? The people's mandate requires spending cuts. We're not going to pay for our debt by increasing spending. First you slam Obama for runaway spending, then you slam Obama for cutting spending. Unfortunate deaths happen, and pouring more money into it isn't going to stop it. We had a whole building full of marines in Beirut. That didn't do us a whole lot of good, now did it?

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

P711 says:
Where is the outrage on this "mans" war on women. He harbors back to the glories of the 1950's or the mormon worldview on women!!
-Men make decisions on rather women get contraceptives, no need for planned parenthood
-Gun violence is the fault of single mothers
-you want equal pay for equal work women, I tell you what you can have, you can leave early to make dinner for pappa bear
HE IS DISGUSTING and this man is sick of his attacks on my Mother, sisters, daughters, and friends!
OBAMA 2012
-------------------------------
He showed himself to be the Male Chauvenist Pig that he is last night!

[Lindag20]

I had to turn the TV off a couple of times when Romney began his well rehearsed lies. He makes me want to go through the screen and choke him!!! I can't believe the STUPIDITY of American voters who support this snake oil salesman. The people that do my yard can't "wait" for Romney to be elected despite the fact their business has improved this last year to the point they needed more help. Their son got to quit his minimum wage Wal-Mart job and go to work for them. They're great people, work hard and do a nice job on my yard. But totally sold on Romney.

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

I wanted to slap him! I yelled at him! But I wanted to hear every time he shot himself in the foot last night and that he did! LMAO!!
: )

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!

"Binders of Qualified Women"!!!

OMG!!!! Romney showed himself to be the Male Chauvenist Pig that he IS!!!

Good Morning CBS! : )

[Lindag20]

That was SO bogus. He DIDN'T answer the question and claimed that MORE jobs was somehow going to magically erase the inequities in the workplace. Why would ANY woman support that nonsense. Obama advocates FOR women.

[prm777]

It's amusing how you focus in on the most insignificant things and try to make them issues. Anyone who was listening knew exactly what Romney meant when he said "binders of qualified women". He was recounting how he, as Governor of MA, went out of his way to seek out qualified women candidates and how his administration, as a result of his efforts, was number one among all 50 states in terms of the number of women hired. That was certainly relevant to the issue and shows a much different attitude toward women than you would like to project. You should really be ashamed of your blatant misrepresentation.

[LILYGARLOW]

WOW OBAMA ADMITTED HE WAS THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR DENYING SECURITY REQUESTS FOR OUR EMBASSY IN LIBYA--The military presence alone protects our Embassies around the world everyday-- our military could have protected and saved the Ambassadors life and the 3 others When Pelosi has a larger security detail than those working in the Middle East is just incompetence and stupidity--That is what Obama admitted too last night, incompetence, stupidity and dishonesty!!!!

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

No. Obama admitted that the buck stops with him.
The investigation is not over.
And that he does not play Politics with American Lives!

[msimamaji]

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asked for more security funding last January. The GOP slashed the security budget of the State Department.

Also the writer of this blog does not understand that embassy security is the responsibility of the host country. We simply cannot send the Marines into Libya - that's a declaration of war.

Think of how you'd feel if the Saudis sent in a couple of battalions of Saudi soldiers into Washington DC to protect their embassy.

This blog shows how misinformed the writer really is.

[JTP711]

Where is the outrage on this "mans" war on women. He harbors back to the glories of the 1950's or the mormon worldview on women!!
-Men make decisions on rather women get contraceptives, no need for planned parenthood
-Gun violence is the fault of single mothers
-you want equal pay for equal work women, I tell you what you can have, you can leave early to make dinner for pappa bear
HE IS DISGUSTING and this man is sick of his attacks on my Mother, sisters, daughters, and friends!
OBAMA 2012

[prm777]

Obama claims to be all "for" women, yet 3 million more women are now below the poverty level than when he took office... oh, but at least the government is paying for their free contraceptives. Also, he blasted Romney for not signing the Lilly Ledbetter bill, when in fact "Lilly Ledbetter was not an equal pay law. It was about opening up the statute of limitations for lawsuits" which would be yet another job-killing piece of legislation. This president may have all the good intentions in the world, but he is going about things completely backwards. Restore the economy, get people back to work and everyones' lives (men, women and children) will be better. He says that he believes in growing the economy "from the middle out", but the middle class, even according to Joe Biden, has taken a beating over the past 4 years, with median incomes down by almost $5,000 while the cost of gas, food, tuitions and other necessities continues to rise. The bottom line is that nobody, including Obama and Biden, can tell you what their plan is for the next four years that would be any different than the past four: more printing money to pump into the economy to artificially mask the problem, while inflating the deficit to levels where soon we will be unable to pay even the interest; thereby jeopardizing the futures of our children and grandchildren (male and female, alike).

[thetruthwillkillyou]

Romney does not legislate tax rates, Obama is in a lower tax bracket than we are....he has avoided making that known. He has had 4 years to change that law...he never even attempted. The top 1% pay most of the taxes in this country, even with their deductions, around 64% I believe. He also has said that he will not NEGOTIATE with the Republicans....so who is to blame now! You can only deny, deny, deny for so long. If re-elected this 4 year LAME DUCK President will have more time to hang with his celebrity friends, spend more time on Letterman and continue to be "eye candy" for The View. So does he really care about the middle class...with his above activities he doesn't even know that there is any really poor, working poor or middle class people in this country...we are not important to him!