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US election: Obama and Romney clash in Denver US election: Polls show Romney won TV debate with Obama
(35 minutes later)
  • href="/news/world-us-canada-19825263">Romney 'wins' US debate
  • href="/news/world-us-canada-19825603">Mardell: Romney in command
  • Key moments
  • href="/news/world-us-canada-19787806">As it happened
  By Adam Blenford BBC News, Denver 		 
US President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney have clashed over their economic plans in the first of three televised debates. US Republican candidate Mitt Romney won the first of three televised debates with President Barack Obama, polls and analysts say.
In their Denver duel, the candidates contrasted their approach on taxes, the deficit and healthcare. After the 90-minute duel centring on taxes, the deficit and healthcare, polls gave Mr Romney a 46-67% margin with Mr Obama trailing with 22-25%.
Mr Obama said he would ensure Americans were "playing by the same rules". His rival said re-electing Mr Obama would continue a "middle-class squeeze". Commentators said Mr Romney appeared in command while Mr Obama was hesitant.
The president has held a narrow lead in recent opinion polls. Mr Obama has led national polls and surveys in the swing states that will decide the 6 November election.
He went into the debate ahead in national polls and in many surveys in the swing states that will decide the election. The BBC's Mark Mardell says if the gap narrows or Mitt Romney starts moving ahead of Mr Obama, that will be a huge boost for his campaign, and suggest he could win the White House.
Trickle-down v top-down However if they hardly budge, then the Republican challenger will be in deep trouble, the North America editor adds.
But he faced a confident opponent on the debate stage, with Mr Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, sounding bullish throughout. Stopping slump
President Obama appeared hesitant, occasionally asking moderator Jim Lehrer, of US public television network PBS, for time to finish his points.
As theatre, a battle of image and confidence, Mitt Romney was the clear winner. He had obviously practised so hard and so long that he was nearly hoarse. But not quite. Instead his voice was a touch deeper. No bad thing.As theatre, a battle of image and confidence, Mitt Romney was the clear winner. He had obviously practised so hard and so long that he was nearly hoarse. But not quite. Instead his voice was a touch deeper. No bad thing.
He looked Mr Obama in the eyes as he interrupted with animation, overriding the moderator, insisting on a comeback. He didn't seem rude. He did seem in command and to be enjoying the scrap.He looked Mr Obama in the eyes as he interrupted with animation, overriding the moderator, insisting on a comeback. He didn't seem rude. He did seem in command and to be enjoying the scrap.
President Obama on the other hand looked as though he'd much rather be out celebrating his wedding anniversary with his wife. He started out looking very nervous, swallowing hard, not the confident performer we are used to seeing.President Obama on the other hand looked as though he'd much rather be out celebrating his wedding anniversary with his wife. He started out looking very nervous, swallowing hard, not the confident performer we are used to seeing.
Republicans certainly feel that they have used the debate to shift the perception of their candidate, shake up the etch-a-sketch and talk about his passion for job creation and focus on the middle classes.Republicans certainly feel that they have used the debate to shift the perception of their candidate, shake up the etch-a-sketch and talk about his passion for job creation and focus on the middle classes.
The next string of opinion polls could hardly matter more. If they narrow or he starts moving ahead of Mr Obama, that will be a huge boost for his campaign, and suggest he could win the White House. However if after an acclaimed victory the opinion polls hardly budge, then it would mean he is in a very serious hole indeed.The next string of opinion polls could hardly matter more. If they narrow or he starts moving ahead of Mr Obama, that will be a huge boost for his campaign, and suggest he could win the White House. However if after an acclaimed victory the opinion polls hardly budge, then it would mean he is in a very serious hole indeed.
By contrast, the president at times appeared hesitant, occasionally asking moderator Jim Lehrer, of US public television network PBS, for time to finish his points. The two candidates traded barbs on their economic plans, with Mr Obama describing his rival's approach as "top-down economics" and a retread of Bush-era policies.
Throughout the debate, each man attempted to paint his rival as a disaster for working American families.
They traded barbs on their economic plans, with Mr Obama describing his rival's approach as "top-down economics" and a retread of Bush-era policies.
"If you think by closing [tax] loopholes and deductions for the well-to-do, somehow you will not end up picking up the tab, then Governor Romney's plan may work for you," he said."If you think by closing [tax] loopholes and deductions for the well-to-do, somehow you will not end up picking up the tab, then Governor Romney's plan may work for you," he said.
"But I think math, common sense, and our history shows us that's not a recipe for job growth.""But I think math, common sense, and our history shows us that's not a recipe for job growth."
Mr Romney derided Mr Obama's policies as "trickle-down government".Mr Romney derided Mr Obama's policies as "trickle-down government".
"The president has a view very similar to the one he had when he ran for office four years ago, that spending more, taxing more, regulating more - if you will, trickle-down government - would work," Mr Romney said."The president has a view very similar to the one he had when he ran for office four years ago, that spending more, taxing more, regulating more - if you will, trickle-down government - would work," Mr Romney said.
"That's not the right answer for America.""That's not the right answer for America."
Mr Romney pledged not to reduce taxes for wealthy Americans, and said Mr Obama had misrepresented Mr Romney's tax plans on the campaign trail.Mr Romney pledged not to reduce taxes for wealthy Americans, and said Mr Obama had misrepresented Mr Romney's tax plans on the campaign trail.
He hit out at the president for failing to cut the budget deficit in half as he pledged in 2008, and insisted that the US must not allow itself to go down the path of Greece or Spain. Both camps rushed to defend the respective performances.
Clashing repeatedly with Lehrer over the time clock, Mr Romney said that in order to reduce the $1.1tn US budget deficit he would repeal Mr Obama's 2010 healthcare law and cut other unspecified programmes. "The average person at home saw a president who you could trust," Obama adviser David Plouffe told reporters. "That's what the American people are looking for."
Mr Obama deflected criticism of his fiscal management, highlighting Mr Romney's pledge not to raise additional tax revenue. He said Mr Romney's approach to deficit reduction was "unbalanced" as a result. But senior Romney aide Eric Fehrnstrom said the president had spoken "only in platitudes".
"There has to be revenue in addition to cuts," Mr Obama said. "If this were a boxing match, it would have been called by the referee," he said.
Commentators largely agreed that Mitt Romney had performed better.
ABC News quoted one of its consultants and Democratic strategist Donna Brazile as saying: "Mitt Romney did a lot of good... was a little more aggressive than the president."
Washington Post conservative columnist George Will said Mr Romney's performance had "stopped [his slump in the polls] in it's tracks".
A CNN/ORC International poll of 430 people who watched the debate showed 67% thought Romney won, compared with 25% for Obama.
A CBS News poll found a 46% support for Mr Romney, 22% for Mr Obama and 32% saying it was a tie.
And a Google survey gave Mr Romney a 47.8% advantage against 25.4% for Mr Obama.
Clash on 'Obamacare'Clash on 'Obamacare'
On healthcare, Mr Romney said that Mr Obama's "Obamacare" reform law of 2010 had increased health costs and kept small businesses from hiring.On healthcare, Mr Romney said that Mr Obama's "Obamacare" reform law of 2010 had increased health costs and kept small businesses from hiring.

Race to the White House

See more polls on our poll tracker

Race to the White House

See more polls on our poll tracker
Even as he pledged to repeal Mr Obama's health law, Mr Romney praised and defended a plan he himself had previously signed as governor of Massachusetts that is widely hailed as the model for the Obama law.Even as he pledged to repeal Mr Obama's health law, Mr Romney praised and defended a plan he himself had previously signed as governor of Massachusetts that is widely hailed as the model for the Obama law.
Mr Obama, meanwhile, said his plan had kept insurance companies from denying coverage to sick people.Mr Obama, meanwhile, said his plan had kept insurance companies from denying coverage to sick people.
As the debate ended, each candidate's allies rushed to talk up their man's performance.As the debate ended, each candidate's allies rushed to talk up their man's performance.
"The average person at home saw a president who you could trust," Obama adviser David Plouffe told reporters. "That's what the American people are looking for."
But senior Romney aide Eric Fehrnstrom said the president had spoken "only in platitudes".
"If this were a boxing match, it would have been called by the referee," he said.
The University of Denver debate was the first in a series of three presidential forums and one vice-presidential encounter this month.The University of Denver debate was the first in a series of three presidential forums and one vice-presidential encounter this month.
Running-mates Joe Biden and Paul Ryan will meet in Danville, Kentucky on 11 October, before the second presidential debate on 16 October.Running-mates Joe Biden and Paul Ryan will meet in Danville, Kentucky on 11 October, before the second presidential debate on 16 October.