Who Won the Debate: Obama Makes a Comeback

Obama and Romney are getting ready to bump heads again this Tuesday, and this time it is going down town hall style. The second presidential debate will take place in Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. The moderator will be Candy Crowley, the Chief Political Correspondent at CNN.

The first presidential debate showed a new, fiery side to Romney that Republicans have been waiting for. On the other hand, the bland and uncharismatic President Obama left Democrats wondering what their usually passionate leader was doing. This second debate will be Obama’s chance to regain the lead he has lost since November 6, or allow Romney to build up on his new found likeability.

The format of the debate will allow undecided voters to ask questions to the candidates on foreign and domestic issues. The candidates will each have two minutes to respond, and an additional minute for discussion.

This format could be beneficial for either candidate. Obama has the ability to connect more with the crowd, and can be more expressive. He can also focus more on his economic vision; especially the tax breaks for the middle class.  Romney also has experience with town hall style debates, and can do well with them. This does not take into account that many have said that he cannot be a man of the people. He seems robotic, and often times cannot find ways to really associate with crowds.

Perhaps this time, Obama will finally step up and call out Romney when he goes against his own plans, does not hold up what he has said in his own campaigns, and when he blatantly lies to the audience. After all, we wouldn’t want him to break Chris Matthews again. 

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Oct. 16 Debate: 

Topic: Town meeting format including foreign and domestic policy

The second presidential debate will take the form of a town meeting, in which citizens will ask questions of the candidates on foreign and domestic issues. Candidates each will have 2 minutes to respond, and an additional minute for the moderator to facilitate a discussion. The town meeting participants will be undecided voters selected by the Gallup Organization.

PolicyMic will be covering the presidential debate live. For live updates, bookmark and refresh this page.

Biggest misconception about these candidates...round about jabbering that has given us nothing. There is no substance, just sound bites. 

UPDATE: 10:40 p.m.

Finally, the 47% came up. Why did he wait until the end? 

UPDATE: 10:32 p.m.

Apple just came up. Whoop!

UPDATE: 10:27 p.m.

Plans to put back and keep jobs in the United States?

Romney: Bring down tax rate on small employers so that they want to stay here, make America more attractive to entrepreneurs, and make sure China plays by the rules. 

UPDATE: 10:24 p.m.

UPDATE: 10:19 p.m.

Obama: Keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill. Wants to get a broader conversation about gun control. 

Romney: Parents need to talk to their kids about this. There need to be more 2 parent families and traditional marriages.  

UPDATE: 10:14 p.m.

Obama: Secretary Clinton has done an amazing job, and she works for me. I am always responsible. 

There are some things there that I still don't think are true, but it was a solid answer. 

UPDATE: 10:13 p.m.

UPDATE: 10:07 p.m.

Someone just shouted: I MISS  MARTHA! There is no one like Martha, lol.

UPDATE: 10:02 p.m.

Obama: Streamline the system, add more border patrol, and give them a pathway to citizenship. He didn't answer Romney's jab at not passing an immigration reform bill during his first year as president with a super majority in Congress. 

UPDATE: 10:00 p.m.

Romney: Wants to create an employment verification system to sanction people who employ illegal immigrants. Says that the kids of those who are illegal should be able to get an opportunity...through the military. 

UPDATE: 9:59 p.m.

Immigration on the chopping block. Lie your heart out Romney. 

UPDATE: 9:56 p.m.

Last question from the audience was why should people who voted for Obama in 2008 vote for him again?

Romney is listing off everything that hasn't happened in the last four year. Some of it is fair, but some of these things are out of the president's hands. On poverty, 32 million people on food stamps, and now 47 million on food stamps. Policies like these are killing the economy according to Romney. 

UPDATE: 9:55 p.m.

UPDATE: 9:47 p.m.

Romney's answer: I won't spend money like Bush.

Obama is up, and I never thought I would see a day where Obama would praise Bush so highly. This is fantastic. Romney is not like Bush with social policies, which won't help our economy or the people. Solid answer.  

UPDATE: 9:46 p.m.

Wow, Romney! Just ignore that poor woman who just wants to know how you differ from Bush. 

UPDATE: 9:45 p.m.

"This is a family issue and an economic issue."This should be part of someone's drinking game."

UPDATE: 9:44 p.m.

Well, pay equity just got tossed out into the streets. This debate is about healthcare people!

Women don't get choices with the Romney healthcare plan. 

UPDATE: 9:40 p.m.

Question now is about pay equity for women. 

Obama used his grandmother as an example of the glass ceiling, and that this is about families and the economy as well.  Romney is using a recruiting story, and says there needs to be more flexible schedules. He has said again that 3.5 million women in poverty right now. 

UPDATE: 9:38 p.m.

Romney is just a tad to aggressive right now. Crowley, keep them in check please. 

UPDATE: 9:37 p.m.

Romney is using his experience to go in for the kill. He knows how to balance budgets, he did it with Bain, did it with the Olypmics, and now he is using his magic to fix the 16 trillion deficit. I still don't hear specifics though. 

UPDATE: 9:35 p.m.

BIG BIRD JUST CAME UP! Drink everybody.

UPDATE: 9:33 p.m.

Crowley just turned the debate over to Obama again. Romney wants to raise the defense budget, keep Bush tax cuts, and still make sure that this won't raise taxes. It doesn't add up. Point Obama.   

UPDATE: 9:28 p.m.

Obama's plan cut taxes for middle class, and small businesses. Obama wants to continue these tax cuts, and will make wealthy pay a little more. 

Obama pointed his finger at Romney and his "allies". Yeah, that just happened. Thank goodness he is actually doing something though. He is not holding the charisma back. 

UPDATE: 9:26 p.m. 

According to Romney, middle income people will get a tax break with his plan.

In the words of Biden, that math isn't possible. 

UPDATE: 9:21 p.m.

Having Romney and Obama walk around makes me feel like we are in a dance off. They are getting catty up in here!

UPDATE: 9:18 p.m.

Obama calls Romney's bluff. Obama is going to use coal and do it cleaner than Romney will, and building more efficient cars. 

UPDATE: 9:17 p.m.

Romney is pushing to have us energy independent by more drilling, and more licenses. Ha, that's not going to help. Sounds like Sarah Palin. 

UPDATE: 9:14 p.m.

Obama is pushing for natural gas, and lower gas prices. Then he attacks Romney's plan that has no plans for helping the environment. Oh, and Jeremy gets a job out of it too! 

UPDATE: 9:11 p.m. 

There is the charisma we were missing from Obama. Romney has a "one point plan", make a lot of money and pay lower tax rates. 

UPDATE: 7:02 p.m.

After all the huff and puff from the Romney and Obama campaigns about the role a moderator should play during debates, the matter has finally been settled. Candy Crowley, tonight's moderator, will be allowed to ask follow-up questions tonight. 

UPDATE: 6:48 p.m.

Undecided voters make up 6% of the electorate, and will be the ones asking the questions tonight. 

UPDATE: 4:30 p.m.

Hahahaha, yes!  We are only hours away. Someone get Obama a Red Bull.

UPDATE: 4:07 p.m.

Mitt Romney managed to make himself so much more favorable since April. Maybe tonight's town hall format will change that? 

UPDATE: 1:21 a.m.

The first debate really shifted how people view Obama. This debate really can make or break him with some undecided voters. Some thought it was impossible for him to lose his huge lead only a few weeks ago. Boy, where they wrong. 

Here is what a national survery conducted by the Pew Research Center has to say about tomorrow's debate: