Red, White and Blue/Photo Gallery
Obama-Romney debate II wraps up
-
-
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, left, addresses President Barack Obama during the second presidential debate at Hofstra University, in Hempstead, N.Y.
-
Moderator Candy Crowley, center, addresses President Barack Obama, left, and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney during the second presidential debate at Hofstra University, in Hempstead, N.Y.
-
President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney speak during the second presidential debate at Hofstra University.
-
President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney participate in the second presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.
-
President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney exchange views during the second presidential debate at Hofstra University.
-
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney answers a question as President Barack Obama listens during the second presidential debate at Hofstra University.
-
.jpg)
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama spar during the second presidential debate at Hofstra University.
-
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, left, heads back to his seat after speaking during the second presidential debate with President Barack Obama at Hofstra University, in Hempstead, N.Y.
-
President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney shake hands at the end of the second presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.
-
During the contentious debate, Romney and Obama frequently interrupted each other.
-
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama spar during the second presidential debate at Hofstra University, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, in Hempstead, N.Y. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
-
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama shake hands after the second presidential debate at Hofstra University, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, in Hempstead, N.Y. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
-
Republican presidential candidate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, left, listens as President Barack Obama answers a question from a member of the audience during the second presidential debate at Hofstra University, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012 Hempstead, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
-
Image by 620wtmj.com -
Image by 620wtmj.com -
Image by 620wtmj.com -
Image by 620wtmj.com -
Image by 620wtmj.com -
Image by 620wtmj.com -
Image by 620wtmj.com -
Image by 620wtmj.com
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y.- President Barack Obama sought a steadier showing, while Republican challenger Mitt Romney strove for further political gains in their second of three campaign debates Tuesday night, a nationally televised town hall-style encounter exactly three weeks before Election Day.
Both men rehearsed extensively for the 90-minute encounter, a turnabout for Obama, whose low-energy performance in the first debate nearly two weeks ago sent a shudder through the ranks of his partisans and helped spark a rise in the polls for his rival.
"I had a bad night," the president conceded, days after he and Romney shared a stage for the first time, in Denver. His aides made it known he didn't intend to be as deferential to his challenger this time, and the presidential party decamped for a resort in Williamsburg, Va., for rehearsals that consumed the better part of three days.
Romney rehearsed in Massachusetts and again after arriving on Long Island on debate day, with less to make up for.
"The first debate was huge and we've seen our numbers move all across the country," his wife, Ann, said before joining her husband in New York.
In a campaign filled with controversy, even the evening's ground rules sparked one.
Candy Crowley of CNN, the moderator, said she expected to be following up at times on questions from the audience. A formal memorandum drafted by the two campaigns said her role would be more limited, but she and the evening's sponsor, the Commission on Presidential Debates said they weren't party to it.
The questions were from about 80 undecided voters inside the hall in a deeply Democratic state. But the audience that mattered most watched on television and was counted in the tens of millions. Crucially important: viewers in the nine battlegrounds where the race is likely to be settled.
The topics ranged widely, unlike the first debate, which covered the economy and domestic issues. The final one, next Monday in Florida, will be devoted to foreign policy.
This site uses Facebook comments to make it easier for you to contribute. If you see a comment you would like to flag for spam or abuse, click the "x" in the upper right of it. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use.