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Obama jets in for Hofstra debate and aims to stop Romney momentum Obama jets in for Hofstra debate and aims to stop Romney momentum
(11 days later)
Barack Obama is preparing to fly to New York from his Virginia retreat for the second presidential debate against Mitt Romney, in which the president has to put in a strong performance if he is going to halt Romney's poll momentum.Barack Obama is preparing to fly to New York from his Virginia retreat for the second presidential debate against Mitt Romney, in which the president has to put in a strong performance if he is going to halt Romney's poll momentum.
Obama's mission has been given added urgency by a new poll showing his lead cut to just four points in Pennsylvania, traditionally a Democratic-leaning state.Obama's mission has been given added urgency by a new poll showing his lead cut to just four points in Pennsylvania, traditionally a Democratic-leaning state.
Obama's task is a difficult one, given that the debate format is town-hall style in which questions come from the audience, meaning the president and Romney have to devote at least some of the 90 minutes to answering questions civilly, rather than in direct confrontation.Obama's task is a difficult one, given that the debate format is town-hall style in which questions come from the audience, meaning the president and Romney have to devote at least some of the 90 minutes to answering questions civilly, rather than in direct confrontation.
It is harder, too, for Obama to make the same impact as Romney did in Denver on October 3 as second debates usually attract fewer viewers than the first.It is harder, too, for Obama to make the same impact as Romney did in Denver on October 3 as second debates usually attract fewer viewers than the first.
Obama, according to aides, was spending his final hours before flying to New York working out, and undertaking a last round of debate preparation.Obama, according to aides, was spending his final hours before flying to New York working out, and undertaking a last round of debate preparation.
Obama's team said that in the debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, Long Island, he will challenge Romney on his remark about 47% of voters being freeloaders, and also on healthcare and his tax and deficit-reduction plans.Obama's team said that in the debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, Long Island, he will challenge Romney on his remark about 47% of voters being freeloaders, and also on healthcare and his tax and deficit-reduction plans.
The Democrats dismissed the minor controversy over how involved the moderator, CNN's Candy Crowley, should be. Obama's adviser David Axelrod tweeted: "Enough already about moderators. POTUS is ready for a vigorous debate and Q's from all comers!"The Democrats dismissed the minor controversy over how involved the moderator, CNN's Candy Crowley, should be. Obama's adviser David Axelrod tweeted: "Enough already about moderators. POTUS is ready for a vigorous debate and Q's from all comers!"
The Romney camp, based outside Boston, is bracing itself for the media writing, at the hint of an improvement by Obama, a 'comeback' story.The Romney camp, based outside Boston, is bracing itself for the media writing, at the hint of an improvement by Obama, a 'comeback' story.
Romney's campaign team, whose news management is improving, followed the announcement of $170m in fundraising in September with an announcement on Tuesday morning that their candidate is being backed by Ross Perot, who ran for the presidency as an independent in 1992 and 1996. Romney described him as "a living legend".Romney's campaign team, whose news management is improving, followed the announcement of $170m in fundraising in September with an announcement on Tuesday morning that their candidate is being backed by Ross Perot, who ran for the presidency as an independent in 1992 and 1996. Romney described him as "a living legend".
Perot, in a statement endorsing Romney, said: "The fact of the matter is that the United States is on unsustainable course. At stake is nothing less than our position in the world, our standard of living at home, and our constitutional freedoms."Perot, in a statement endorsing Romney, said: "The fact of the matter is that the United States is on unsustainable course. At stake is nothing less than our position in the world, our standard of living at home, and our constitutional freedoms."
But the big surprise is the Quinnipiac poll which put Obama on 50% to Romney's 46% in Pennsylvania, where neither side has spent much time campaigning, evidence it is not regarded as competitive by either team.But the big surprise is the Quinnipiac poll which put Obama on 50% to Romney's 46% in Pennsylvania, where neither side has spent much time campaigning, evidence it is not regarded as competitive by either team.
The Quinnipiac poll would need to be supported by a stream of similar poll findings before the Romney campaign would even consider diverting the vast sums that would be needed to fight the state.The Quinnipiac poll would need to be supported by a stream of similar poll findings before the Romney campaign would even consider diverting the vast sums that would be needed to fight the state.
The importance of Quinnipiac on Pennsylvania is dramatic evidence of the drift in the polls in Romney's favour since Obama's poor showing in the Denver debate. Quinnipiac shows a huge jump for Romney in Pennsylvania since last month, when Obama was on 54% to Romney's 42%.The importance of Quinnipiac on Pennsylvania is dramatic evidence of the drift in the polls in Romney's favour since Obama's poor showing in the Denver debate. Quinnipiac shows a huge jump for Romney in Pennsylvania since last month, when Obama was on 54% to Romney's 42%.
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