by Mario T. García
President Barack Obama hit a home run last night in his second debate with Gov. Mitt Romney. The Yankees could have used the president's big bat.
Not only was he more engaged and on top of his performance compared to his lackluster first debate, but also he clearly demonstrated his key differences with Romney and pointed out the governor's contradictory positions on things like taxes and immigration numerous times. Obama put Romney on the defensive, and the more Romney tried to defend his positions, the more frustrated and harried he looked.
The president noted that Romney had only one economic policy, and that was to further reduce taxes for the very wealthy like himself. When the debate moved on to other issues, it became apparent that policy really is the only position Romney has, period. At least last night, he didn't seem to have any concrete and substantive responses to other issues raised by the audience. He had no real suggestions on gun control, immigration, job discrimination against women, etc. In fact, on the issue of women's rights, all he could muster up was that when trying to appoint women to offices when he was governor of Massachusetts, he relied on some names in a file. Did he not personally know any women capable of serving in his administration?
I can't believe the Los Angeles Times this morning said Romney had held his own. No, he didn't hold his own at all. He seemed flustered and almost hysterical in trying to bully moderator Candy Crowley and take over the stage in addition to his platitudes. There is no question who won the debate and that Obama, almost like a surgeon, skillfully but with style, cut Romney to ribbons.
