No winners in the last debate

The presidential debate Monday night didn’t have a clear winner.

This is partly because the two candidates don’t have wildly different positions on foreign policy. Even Glenn Beck tweeted at one point, “I am glad to know that Mitt agrees with Obama so much.”

However, there were still several prickly exchanges between the two men.

Obama’s “fewer horses and bayonets” response seems poised to become the “binders full of women” or the “big bird” line of this debate.

He also seemed set on reminding Romney that he is the one with the all-important commander-in-chief experience.

He referred several times to the challenges this position has brought him and with which he has effectively dealt, reminding voters about Obama’s well-received foreign policy record, while at the same time reminding them of Romney’s lack of
experience.

Romney avoided gaffes, sure to please Republicans fearing a reprisal of some of the awkwardness of his foreign tour during the summer.

Both Romney and Obama emphasized maintaining a strong relationship with Israel, and Romney further said that the administration has been too weak in regards to the possibility of a nuclear Iran.

An annoyed Obama denied a New York Times report suggesting he was considering one-on-one negotiation plans with Iran. He said he was pursuing stringent measures against Iran, including crippling sanctions.

With few exceptions, the foreign policy debate focused almost entirely about the Middle East.

Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa came up only fleetingly. Romney walked back earlier comments about Russia being our greatest geopolitical foe.

More than anything, both men continually emphasized how foreign policy comes back to the domestic economy.

Voters overwhelmingly say they care about job creation and the deficit over foreign policy, so it makes sense that both men would remind viewers of the most salient domestic issues.

When the opportunity presented itself, the candidates discussed issues ranging from Romney’s tax plan, to the federal auto bailout or teachers.

It was on these economic issues that the men’s strongest opposing viewpoints came into light. Obama challenged Romney after Romney once again insisted he supported federal help during bankruptcy for the auto industry.

Although Romney pointed to his five-point plan to revive the economy, he still didn’t provide some of the detail voters have been hoping for, instead directing voters to look at the plan on his website and reminding viewers of his experience in
business.

The presidential debates are now finished, but the candidates are still in a dead heat.  
If the election stays this tight, the candidates will likely duel it out in the nine important battleground states until Nov. 6.

­— gwinslow@indiana.edu