Denver: U.S. President Barack Obama and his
Republican Party rival in the upcoming presidential election, Mitt Romney
sparred aggressively in their first televised debate here in the city of
Denver, Colorado on Wednesday night.
The 90-minute debate was focused on
domestic issues, including the economy, taxes, job growth, and the government
deficit over the years.
Striking chord with the U.S. people in a
high stakes presidential debate Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts Governor
and candidate for the top job accused Barack Obama of misrepresenting his
positions.
During entire debate Republican nominee
Romney appeared to dominate the first presidential debate, leaving his
opponent, President Barack Obama defending on the back foot.
"I think it's frankly not moral for my
generation to keep spending massively more than we take in, knowing those
burdens are going to be passed on to the next generation, and they are going to
be paying the interest and the principal all their lives, and the amount of
debt we are adding at a trillion a year is simply not moral," Romney
charged.
Obama in turns accused his rival of seeking
to “double down” on economic and job policies that was the reason for the
devastating national economic downfall four years ago.
"And we know where it came from: two
wars that were paid for on a credit card, two tax cuts that were not paid for,
and a whole bunch of programs that were not paid for and then a massive
economic crisis," Obama added, "and despite that, what we've said is,
'Yes we had to take some initial emergency measures to make sure we don't slip
into a great depression,' but what we've also said is, 'Let's make sure we're
cutting those things that are not helping us grow.'"
Obama added he had a different vision than his challenger Romney.
"And so the question here tonight is not where we've been, but where we're
going. Governor Romney has a perspective that says if we cut taxes, skewed
toward the wealthy, and roll back regulations, that we'll be better off. I've
got a different view," the U.S. leader said.
Obama outlined his recipe for turning around the U.S. economy.
"I think we've got to invest in education and training," Obama
explained. "I think it's important for us to develop new sources of energy
here in America; that we change our tax code to make sure that we're helping
small businesses and companies that are investing here in the United States;
that we take some of the money we're saving as we wind down two wars to rebuild
America."
Romney said the policies of President Obama were "not the right answer for
America."
"The president has a view very similar to the one he had when he ran for
office four years ago, that a bigger government, spending more, taxing more,
regulating more, if you will, trickle-down government would work," Romney
said.
Furthermore, Romney denied he planned to cut taxes for the wealthy, as charged
by Obama.
"And the answer is yes, we can help, but it's going to take a different
path, not the one we've been on, not the one the president describes as
top-down, cut taxes for the rich. That's not what I'm going to do,"
Romney added.
Obama said he faced a huge deficit coming into office, and that matters were
made worse by the economic crisis. "When I walked into the Oval
Office, I had more than a trillion-dollar deficit greeting me," he said.
Though there was a quick
moment of laughter when Obama referred to first lady Michelle Obama as
"sweetie" and noted it was their 20th anniversary. Romney added best
wishes, and said to the first couple, "I'm sure this is the most romantic
place you could imagine, here with me."
U.S. election is on November
6, i.e. more than a month is left, many Americans have already started casting
ballots because some states allow early voting. That put extra pressure on
Romney to come up with a showing strong enough to alter the course of the
campaign.
The country is left
with two more debates of the session that have been scheduled separately on Oct.
16 in New York and Oct. 22 in Florida.
Vice President Joe
Biden and Romney's running mate, congressman Paul Ryan, have one debate, Oct.
11, in Kentucky.