In their highly anticipated first presidential debate, Republican candidate President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney clashed on issues of Obamacare, the economy and the suffering middle class.
The two candidates went head to head Wednesday night at the University of Denver, moderated by Jim Lehrer from “NewsHour” on PBS.
The debate was dominated by issues related to the economy and both candidates’ appeals to the middle class .
The debate was dominated by issues pertaining to the economy, with both candidates presenting their plans for the future.
“My number one principle is that there will be no tax cut that adds to the deficit,” Romney said.
Obama said there is no way that Romney’s plan of a $5-trillion tax cut would work, to which Romney repeatedly said was not his plan.
Additionally, Obama said there is no way he could implement those tax cuts and not lose revenue because the deductions and loopholes he is going to cut will not cover tax cuts of that expense.
Romney presented his economic plan in five basic points. He said he wants America to become energy-independent, open up more free trade, give Americans the skills to succeed with the best schools, balance the budget and champion small business.
Obama presented plans that not only focuses on taxes, but also education reform. He also addressed his proposal to lower the corporate tax rate and create tax break incentives for companies who are investing in the U.S. and not overseas.
Obama also said he aims to look to energy sources of the future, such as wind and solar power.
Both candidates emphasized their support for the middle class. Romney detailed a plan where he would lower tax rates for the middle class and without losing revenue. The key to providing relief, he said, would be in lowering deductions and exemptions that the upper class is using as loopholes.
But Obama said Romney’s plan would not work.
“It’s math,” he said. “It’s arithmetic.”
The debate turned to health care and the role of government with the candidates clashing over their visions for the federal government.
Romney said he would repeal Obamacare and replace it with something else, but that he would want to give the American people the option of choosing a health care plan with Medicare or private care.
“The best course for healthcare is to do what we did in my state — craft a plan at the state level that fits the needs of the state,” he said. “And then let’s focus on getting the costs down for people.”
Obama said, however, that Obamacare is the same as what Romney did in Massachusetts, and that they had the same advisors.
The first debate was considered a potentially pivotal moment in the election, just 34 days before Nov. 6.
Tobe Berkovitz, an associate professor in the College of Communication at Boston University, said this debate is pivotal for the elections.
“Currently this presidential campaign is almost a 50–50 race,” Berkovtiz said. “Something like the debates could be what determines how undecided and persuadable voters end up casting their ballot on Election Day.”
Kevin Franck, communications director for the Massachusetts Democratic Party, said the clear choice before American voters could not be more clear after the debate.
“I think that what we [the Mass. Democratic Party] thought tonight was that the president delivered specific details about his concrete plan to keep America moving forward,” he said.
Tim Buckley, communications director for the Massachusetts GOP, had a different opinion.
“Gov. Romney did exactly what he needed to do to reach undecided voters,” he said. “He presented a clear contrast, he demonstrated that the President’s last four years have been four years of failure and he presented a plan to move forward.”
COM Dean Thomas Fiedler said he thought the debate was essential for discussing policy.
Fiedler also said to measure the success of the debate, viewers must measure what the goals for each candidate were and who achieved those goals.
He said Obama did well, but if he were to grade himself, he would grade his performance as only mediocre and average.
The first goal for Romney, Fiedler said, was to appear substantive.
“Here he is shoulder to shoulder with the president of the United States, so he had to at least look as if he had the capability of being president,” he said. “I think he achieved that.”
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