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Candidates' differences on full display in third debate
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
October 23rd, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
October 23rd, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
The third and final presidential debate in Boca Raton, Florida was far less confrontational than the one held previously. Both incumbent Barack Obama and GOP contender Mitt Romney sat facing each other, making for a less tense atmosphere - but the zingers still flew. Obama called Romney "all over the map" on international affairs while Romney chided Obama for his "weakness" on the world stage.
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Obama accused Romney of pushing a foreign policy that was either "wrong" or some version of what the president himself had already done, only "louder." Romney lambasted the president for his so-called "apology tour" and the president's strained relationship with Israel. Overall, Romney used a lighter touch at last night's debate.Obama and Romney sparred over the economy and the budget. Surprisingly, the foreign policy side of things, ostensibly the focus of the debate barely grazed on the most heated topic, the Libya terror attacks.
Romney at times scolded Obama for being too aggressive. After Obama told him, "every time you've offered an opinion, you've been wrong," Romney responded: "Attacking me is not an agenda."
Romney has recently strongly recovered in a string of national and battleground polls.
There were moments of agreement between the two. Romney. Along with President Obama ruled out military action in Syria, and supported continuing to support sanctions against Iran and supporting the withdrawal timetable in Afghanistan. The Republican nominee rejected Obama's suggestion that he would be eager to lurch into war with countries like Iran. He also brushed off Obama's claims that Romney would return to the foreign policies of the prior administration.
Romney's chief criticism of Obama was that he has not provided a clear example of American leadership for the world, whether it be in Syria or Iran or Russia.
Obama, on the other hand, portrayed Romney as someone who would be unsteady on the world stage, with a risky mix of poor judgment and antiquated views. The president used biting words to describe Romney's lack of experience.
After a tense exchange on al-Qaeda, the president said: "I'm glad that you recognize that al-Qaeda is a threat, because a few months ago when you were asked what's the biggest geopolitical threat facing America, you said Russia, not al-Qaeda.
"The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back."
Obama later mocked Romney for complaining about the Navy having fewer ships than it did a century ago.
"Well governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets because the nature of our military's changed," Obama said. "We have these things called aircraft carriers where planes land on them. We have these ships that go under water, nuclear submarines, and so the question is not a game of Battleship where we're counting ships, it's what are our capabilities."
Romney, in turn, criticized Obama's lack of progress in the war on terror, and the continuing threat from al-Qaeda. "It's certainly not on the run. It's certainly not hiding," Romney said of al-Qaeda. "This is a group that is now involved in 10 or 12 countries."
Romney commended Obama for ordering the raid that killed Osama bin Laden and other strikes on Al Qaeda leaders, but said "we can't kill our way out of this mess." He said al-Qaeda remains an "enormous threat," despite Obama's claims that the terror group is on the path to defeat.
© 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.