Second Presidential Debate – the questioning

Question 1: (Romney first) “What can you tell me to reassure me about being able to support myself after graduation?”
- Romney – make college affordable and make a job-friendly environment
- Obama – make sure good-paying jobs in this country, manufacturing
- To Romney: What about long-term unemployed who need a job right now?
- Obama follow up (talking about Detroit, favor the rich)

Question 2: (To Obama) “It’s not the job of the energy department to lower gas prices?”
- Missed responses

Question 3: (To Romney) “What are your positions on the current tax deductions in your plan to lower the tax rates?”
- Romney – Limit deductions and credits for people on the top end (top 5%), no tax on investment interest/savings
- Obama – Cut taxes for middle class and small businesses, raise taxes on top earners
- Romney – explains tax cut philosophy
- To Obama: “Romney says he wants to leave the top 5% alone. Settled?”
- To Romney: “If there isn’t enough tax revenue to come in, would you look at… [interrupted]”

Question 4: (To Obama) “How would you resolve the inequalities (women) in the workplace?”
- Obama – Enforce the laws, do not tolerate discrimination
- Romney – Improve jobs and create strong economy
- Obama – Lily Ledbetter bill, women health care

Question 5: (To Romney) “What is the difference between you and Bush?”
- Romney – My five point plan is different than the policies of Bush, technology is different, crack down on China (Bush didn’t), return to a balance budget
- Obama – Romney won’t get tough on China, sent jobs there.

Question 6: (To Obama) “What have you done to earn my vote in 2012 (voted for him in 2008)?”
- Obama – I’ve cut taxes, using “savings” from ending wars to support businesses
- Romney – Obama’s stimulus plan to bring unemployment down didn’t work. No immigration plan. No budget. Doubled deficit.

Question 7: (To Romney) “What do you plan to do to (illegal) immigrants who do not have green cards?”
- Romney – Should require a lawyer to get into the country. Stop illegal immigration (no amnesty). Kids of illegals should have a pathway to citizenship.
- Obama – toughen borders, kids of illegals should have a pathway to citizenship. Romney said he would veto the DREAM Act.
- To Romney: Talk about self-deportation
- Romney – Why didn’t Obama tackling immigration in his first year as promised? We’re not going to round up 12 Million people. Deny them the benefits set aside to citizens and make them decide if they are better off back home.

Question 8: (To Obama) “Who denied enhanced security in Libya and why?”
- Obama – Avoided question, talked about response to the attack, exiting Iraq and Afghanistan
- Romney – Took days for the Administration to note that it was a terrorist attack not a demonstration
- To Obama: Clinton says she takes responsibility. Does the buck stop with her?
- Obama – I’m responsible, saying we were misleading the public is offensive

Question 9 (To Obama) “What has your administration done to keep assault weapons out of the hands of criminals?”
- Obama – I want to get the weapons out of the hands of the criminals, catch “violent impulses” earlier, pro 2nd Amendment
- Romney – Enforce current gun laws, change culture of violence, need parents to raise the kids, Fast and Furious
- To Romney: Why do you no longer support an assault weapons ban?
- Obama – Goes off and talks about education

Question 10 (To Romney) “What are your plans to keep manufacturing jobs in the US?”
- Romney – Trickle down government doesn’t work, ensure fair trade policies, label China “Currency manipulator”, lower tax rates, deregulate, replace Obamacare
- Obama – lower corporate tax rates, punish companies who have/move jobs off-shore
- To Romney: How can we get iPhones made in the US?
- To Obama: We can’t get those low-wage jobs here, right?

Question 11 (To Romney) “What do you believe is the biggest misperception does the voters have about you?”
- Romney – President tried to cast me as someone who doesn’t care about American people
- Obama – They say I don’t care about free enterprise