Obama wins on points in town hall debate

Contenders and moderator - NY Times

Quick reaction to tonight's second debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.  President Obama showed up tonight and went toe to toe, landing more punches than former Gov. Romney.  Romney's strength remains: there is no boom - I know how to get it done.  Not that he is going to tell us to do more than trust him on the strength of his business record and his governorship in Massachusetts (the strengths of which owe nothing to him).  Romney's tax numbers still don't add up.
Obama's fightback lacks hard punching on the obstructionist Republican Congress and its refusal to pass the American Jobs Act, etc. I know that Romney was not in Congress but he cam be  fairly saddled with the legislative record and program of his party.  I estimate the race will be back to a draw in a week.  GOTV in swing states will decide our future.

And Candy Crowley deserves credit for journalistic backbone tonight - particularly in rebutting Romney's claim that Obama had not recognized as a terror attack the killing of Chris Smith - our Ambassador in Libya. In fact, the transcript of the Rose garden statement shows the President was correct:

"Of course, yesterday was already a painful day for our nation as we marked the solemn memory of the 9/11 attacks.  We mourned with the families who were lost on that day.  I visited the graves of troops who made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan at the hallowed grounds of Arlington Cemetery, and had the opportunity to say thank you and visit some of our wounded warriors at Walter Reed.  And then last night, we learned the news of this attack in Benghazi.
As Americans, let us never, ever forget that our freedom is only sustained because there are people who are willing to fight for it, to stand up for it, and in some cases, lay down their lives for it.  Our country is only as strong as the character of our people and the service of those both civilian and military who represent us around the globe.
No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character, or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for.  Today we mourn four more Americans who represent the very best of the United States of America.  We will not waver in our commitment to see that justice is done for this terrible act.  And make no mistake, justice will be done."