US Debate: Obama loses to Romney in polls for White House election
President Barack Obama seemed defeated by Mitt Romney’s speech in the first of three televised big debates...
15:38 04 October 2012
Republican Mitt Romney has given supporters hope that his campaign for election could now take a successful U-turn, after he beat President Barack Obama on polls following the first TV debate in America. The campaigning comes ahead of the election that will take place on November 6th.
Romney’s confident performance saw him emerge as the favourite, with after-show CNN polls reflecting that around 67per cent saw him as the winner, compared to around 25per cent opting for Obama.
The battle went before at least 50million viewers – according to stats in a report by The Guardian – and it lasted for 90 minutes.
Candidate Romney is thought by some to have been positively forceful, with reports commenting on his successful aggressive approach that lead Obama to react on the defensive.
As reported by The Guardian, James Carville told CNN there had been “one overwhelming impression … It looked like Romney wanted to be there and President Obama didn't want to be there … It gave you the impression that this whole thing was a lot of trouble.”
This backs some of the perceptions held by Obama’s critics, that Obama was perhaps not his usual leading self that his supporters are so used to seeing.
The debate saw the republican express plans where taxes which affect those better-off in society would not be touched. With regards to health, Romney slated the President over the cost of healthcare, saying that this had increased.
In response, Obama explained that his plan - rooted to 2010’s reform law - had in fact ensured that insurance companies could not deny ill persons a policy, according to reports.
Romney also made comments on Obama’s time in office, as quoted by the BBC, he said: “The president has a view very similar to the one he had when he ran for office four years ago, that spending more, taxing more, regulating more - if you will, trickle-down government - would work.”
He added: “That's not the right answer for America.”
“If you think by closing [tax] loopholes and deductions for the well-to-do, somehow you will not end up picking up the tab, then Governor Romney's plan may work for you,” Obama told the audience at one point, as quoted by the BBC.
“But I think math, common sense, and our history shows us that's not a recipe for job growth.”
Although Obama came out triumphant at times throughout the session, such as when Romney’s tax plans were touched on, it seems that Romney came out on top due to his stylistic approach to the debate.