Second U.S. presidential debate of 2012

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The second U.S. presidential debate of 2012 took place on Tuesday night, October 16, 2012 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York between President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney, moderated by news anchor Candy Crowley.^[1][2][3][4] The debate was organized in a town meeting format by the Commission on Presidential Debates.

The Gallup Organization selected 82 undecided voters from the New York area to attend the debate. According to the rules set out by the Commission on Presidential Debates and codified in a memorandum of understanding between both candidates, each candidate received two minutes to answer the question, followed by a two minute rebuttal. However, the candidates often chose to engage each other following the debate, and Crowley also followed up with candidates.^[5][6]

Although moderator Crowley had aimed to get fifteen voters to ask their questions, due to the length of candidate responses, only eleven questions were asked of the candidates by voters.^[7] The questions were:

• To Romney from a college student concerned about not being able to support himself after graduation
• To Obama on the role of the Secretary of Energy in reducing gasoline prices
• To Romney on his tax rate reduction plan and the potential of restricting or eliminating deductions and credits as a result
• To Obama on inequalities between men and women in the workplace, specifically women earning less than men for the same work
• To Romney on the differences between him and former president George W. Bush
• To Obama on what he has done or accomplished to earn the questioner's vote in 2012
• To Romney on his plans for immigrants without permanent residency in the United States
• To Obama on who denied enhanced security prior to the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi
• To Obama on his accomplishments in reducing availability of assault weapons
• To Romney on outsourcing and his plans on obtaining and retaining jobs in the United States
• To Romney on the biggest misperceptions about him^[8][9]

Obama's performance was compared favorably to his performance in the first debate, which he was widely perceived to have lost. Analysis characterized him as more assertive and "tough" in the second debate.^[10][11][12] Romney was perceived to have struggled compared to his previous performance.^[13] His comment that as governor of Massachusetts he received "binders full of women" qualified to serve in his administration was quickly turned into an attack on Romney with several social websites picking up on the meme.^[14][15] The Christian Science Monitor called it "the most memorable phrase" of the debate.^[16] Polls conducted by CBS, CNN, and Reuters/Ipsos found a plurality of voters who believed Obama had done better.^[17][18][19]

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein and vice-presidential candidate Cheri Honkala were arrested for disorderly conduct at the debate hall, while attempting to enter the hall in protest of the exclusion of lesser-known candidates from the debate.^[20]

• First U.S. presidential debate of 2012
• United States presidential election debates, 2012
• Binders full of women

• Full transcript of the debate at ABC News website
• Debate website at Hofstra University