SECOND PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE – TOWN HALL: “Mitt Romney was ready for President Obama to come out swinging after his barely-there performance in the last debate.
“He wasn’t ready enough.
“A focused and combative Obama kept Romney on the defensive from early on, accusing him of rigging his policies to favor the rich, trying to hide his conservative positions, and above all not telling the truth. Over and over, Obama responded to Romney’s answers with the same refrain: “It’s not true.”” — Talking Points Memo 10/17/12
“In the closing moments of the first presidential debate in Denver, supporters of President Obama stared at the clock waiting in vain for mention of Mitt Romney’s infamous “47 percent” line on stage. At the second of three debates Tuesday night, the secretly recorded quote — more specifically the Democratic take on it — got the last word.
“The final question from the audience at the town hall debate was about what “the biggest misperception” each candidate felt the public had about him … “
“Obama, who answered the question last, pivoted off of Romney to hit the Republican hard on 47 percent.” — Talking Points Memo 10/16/12
FINAL PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE – FOREIGN POLICY: “As quickly became apparent, President Obama and Mitt Romney walked onto the debate stage at Lynn University with two very different strategies. Romney’s, to present himself as a steady moderate and not a return to the Bush era, and Obama’s, to attack Romney relentlessly as an untested and dangerous alternative.
“Conservative foreign policy leaders couldn’t be more upset by Obama’s foreign policy. Throughout the campaign, they’ve accused Obama of being weak, feckless, appeasing, ill-informed and downright dangerous. Yet when Romney met Obama on stage in Boca Raton, it was often in the spirit of agreement.” — Talking Points Memo 10/23/12
SUPREME COURT ALLOWS EARLY VOTING IN OHIO: “The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to take up an appeal by Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted. The refusal keeps intact earlier court rulings that allow in-person early voting for all voters on the final three days before the Nov. 6 election.”
“In-person early voting will be available to all Ohio voters on Nov. 3, 4 and 5 under a directive Secretary of State Jon Husted issued immediately after the court denied his application for a stay of an appellate court decision to allow early voting the weekend before the election.” — Cleveland Plain Dealer 10/16/12
AT RANDOM 