Yahoo News asked voters for their quick-hit reaction to the second presidential debate between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. Here is a roundup of their thoughts.
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So President Obama does indeed have a pulse. That might be the single most important "fact" that came out of the second presidential debate. The informal town hall format allowed more opportunity for direct engagement, which Obama particularly took advantage of in delivering what has so far been the only true zinger in the two presidential debates: "I don't look at my pension that often," he told Romney during a discussion of whether the candidates had invested in China or other offshore locales. "It's not as big as yours."
Round three awaits.
-- Dan Berthiaume, Haverhill, Mass.
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Well, that was a hot mess, wasn't it?
It's hard to say who won that match. Romney was kicking rocks and whining a lot about President Obama's rebuttals and time allotment, and President Obama was stuck on energy and community colleges. If you were undecided going into this, you're probably hunting down a decent third-party candidate. To me, they both lost. There wasn't much of a debate. It was like a "Real Housewives" reunion more than anything.
Bottom line? Disappointment.
[Audience member] Michael Jones only wanted to know why everything is so expensive in his life, and he still doesn't know. None of us does.
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As a teacher, I stand behind the root of all issues: education. The first question pertained to education, specifically finding jobs after college. Gov. Romney described a vague two-step plan to solve finding jobs after college. This plan explained the importance of continued growth of Pell Grants and making it easier to afford college (yes, but how?). President Obama offered a more detailed answer that included putting more funding toward education (yes, but how?) and keeping manufacturing jobs in the United States. This was all before the president trailed off topic to controlling energy sources, leaving the topic of education in the dust.
-- Jennifer Brook, Milwaukee, Wis.
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The second presidential debate showed more energy and feisty rhetoric from President Obama. Mitt Romney, on the other hand, picked up exactly where he left off from the first debate. Of importance to me: Energy independence, within eight years for North America, is one of Romney's goals if he takes office. Obama explained how the domestic oil industry is on the rise.
This debate was a lot closer, [but] my vote is leaning toward Romney.
-- D. Emile Delaney, Austin, Texas
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Tonight, Barack Obama brought his A-game. He called Mitt Romney to task on every lie. He let nothing slide. He championed the truth.
Obama sets the facts straight starting with the lower unemployment rates, women's rights, immigration, education, clean energy, the 47 percent of Americans Romney callously dismissed, the war in Afghanistan, jobs, and Libya. His knock-out punch was delivered with presidential dignity in his summary at the end. A stellar performance by our president.
-- MaryAnn Myers, northeast Ohio
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The energy President Obama brought to the stage changed the dynamic. Both candidates believe they know what is best for America and what is said about the opposing candidate are denied by the other side. I see why undecided voters have a hard time choosing a side. However, I am not undecided.
President Obama shows he understands the challenges women face and I believe he will make decisions that affect my life with my best interests at heart.
-- Nadirah Khalifah, Hampton, Va.
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You could cut the tension with a knife as President Obama and Mitt Romney locked horns once again. But unlike the last presidential debate, President Obama seemed to come alive after a disappointing performance, calling Romney on his many missteps and proving to be a worthy opponent.
Romney did not back down when Obama took his jabs; however, this time around he appeared to be on the defensive, as if he seemed unsure of what he needed to say next. That was most apparent during the talks on Libya, when Romney stated that president did not refer to the attack as a terrorist action, and both the president and moderator Candy Crowley corrected him.
-- Jake Guerra, McAllen, Texas
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I was shocked that Romney said that gasoline went from $1.86 per gallon to more than $4 under the present administration. Everyone knows that it was only that low because of dire economic conditions and as expected, President Obama took the credit for the improving economy. Talk about delivering a fat pitch to your opponent!
