Thread: Everyone In Town Hall Debate Audience Has Spouse Who Lost Health Insurance And Is Dyi

First Question From Debate Audience Somehow Comes From Paul Ryan

October 16, 2012 | ISSUE 48•42 | More News



HEMPSTEAD, NY—Following the opening statements by President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney during tonight’s town-hall-style debate, the first question asked by an audience member somehow managed to come from Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan.

“Gov. Romney, let me start off by saying I have a lot of admiration for you and your family, and it’s a great honor to have this opportunity to speak with you,” said Ryan, who wore a flannel shirt tucked into jeans and was introduced by debate moderator Candy Crowley as “Paul, an undecided voter from Wisconsin.” “As a man of faith who hails from America’s heartland and is deeply devoted to his wife and three children, I am very concerned about the direction our country is headed in. Like many voters four years ago, I was skeptical of Barack Obama’s leadership skills, and as we all know, the American people are now paying a terrible price for having elected him president of the United States. This economy has left a lot of good folks out of work, and when our struggling families look at how every single policy enacted by the Obama administration has only made things worse, they can’t help but worry about what will happen if this man is given a second term. I must admit, Gov. Romney, I share their fears. I believe I speak for a lot of us voters who are still on the fence in this election when I say that in your last debate performance—which, by the way, was tremendous—you presented an admirable plan to rein in the deficit and bring back jobs to America. All of this pertains to my question, which I’ll get to in a moment, but first I want to quickly build on my earlier statement and note that I’m both a religious man and a family man, and it’s been a tremendous reassurance to hear you speak of your commitment to families and to the values that define who we are as Americans. I do want to wrap this up, but not before I tell you that my wife, my children, my mother, and all the people I know stand behind you. America stands behind you. God bless you, Gov. Romney, and God bless America. Now, given the savagery with which Barack Obama has worked to destroy everything we hold dear in this country, will you be able to reverse each of his failed policies in your first 100 days in office—or can you do it even faster than that?”

The vice presidential candidate then sat down and immediately raised his hand again for a “follow-up question.”

First Question From Debate Audience Somehow Comes From Paul Ryan | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Obama Excited To Participate In First Debate

October 15, 2012 | ISSUE 48•42 | More News

The president says he is aware “how crucial this first debate is” and is eager to give a strong performance.

WASHINGTON—Saying he was excited to “finally get out there” and defend his policies in front of the entire nation, President Barack Obama told reporters he was energized and eager to participate in his first debate of the 2012 election cycle Tuesday night.

“Everyone—myself, my opponent, pundits, the media—we all recognize how crucial the first debate is, and that’s why I can’t wait to knock it out of the park,” Obama said Monday during a break from his near constant debate training sessions, which he described as essential for making a strong first impression on viewers. “After all the sound bites and attack ads, it’s great to at long last have the opportunity to appear alongside my opponent and offer a full-throated argument in support of my plan to return our middle class to prosperity.”

“You don’t get many chances to clearly articulate your policies and rebut those of your opponent in front of the entire nation,” Obama continued. “And I don’t intend to let this opportunity slip by.”

Telling reporters he needs to be at top of his game if he hopes to win over independent voters in the first debate, the president said he has been hard at work honing his rhetorical skills so he can set the tone for the rest of the campaign. He noted that in particular he has focused on not being afraid to go on the offensive and on perfecting his body language, which he said would be “absolutely essential” for gaining the upper hand in the first contest between the candidates.

Moreover, after months of being attacked on the campaign trail, Obama acknowledged he was looking forward to finally dispelling what he described as baseless allegations leveled against his administration, saying he would “relish the chance to set the record straight once and for all.”

In addition, sources confirmed Obama has eagerly awaited “this, the first of three debates,” so he can seize on the Romney campaign’s numerous gaffes and repeatedly draw attention to the GOP nominee’s shifting policies. Hoping to employ Romney’s own words against him, Obama said it was vital that he use his initial debate appearance to “drive home” the message that his opponent is unprincipled and out of touch.

“Look, it’s the first debate, which many people would argue is the most important of them all, so I have a responsibility here to come out swinging and really set the pace for the next two matchups,” Obama said. “Now, Gov. Romney is also aware of just how important the first debate is, so we expect him to be on the attack. But now is my first chance to really show people I’m completely focused and not at all rusty, so expect a spirited discussion.”

Admitting a subpar performance on his part could give Romney a significant bump in the polls and critically shift the electoral landscape just weeks before Election Day, Obama vowed to approach the first debate very seriously. The president said he and his team had devised rebuttals to every possible Romney answer and were working on ways he could stay bold, aggressive, and on-message throughout the evening, adding that he did not want to take any chances in the first debate and be forced to rely on a rebound in the next two.

Obama also told reporters he was fully aware that the first debate would be watched by as many as 70 million Americans, and that “this is the big one.”

“The bottom line is that I have a much stronger plan for middle-class families, I actually have consistent and detailed policies on the economy and the deficit, and I have proven myself to be strong on national security,” Obama said. “All I need to do in the first debate, really, is make this distinction to the American people, and then this first debate should pretty much seal my reelection.”

“Frankly, it’d be pretty embarrassing if I couldn’t pull that off,” Obama added.

Obama Excited To Participate In First Debate | The Onion - America's Finest News Source