By: Channel 9 Eyewitness News
news@kcautv.com
Wednesday night President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney finally went head to head. Right out of the gate, the candidates boiled down their economic arguments: President Obama said, "governor Romney has a perspective, cut taxes and skew toward wealthy and roll back regulations, we'll be better off. I have a different view." Romney countered, "the President has the same view as when he ran 4 years ago, trickle down government. That's not right for America."
Romney's comments about the 47 percent have taken a toll on his campaign, even before that leaked video, polls showed that Americans think he favors the wealthy over the middle class. On Wednesday night he clearly wanted to try and change that perception. Romney said that middle class Americans are getting crushed. He went on to say that under any circumstance he will not raise taxes on middle income families.
The President said his rival doesn't have the right solutions, and that Romney cannot keep his goal of cutting taxes and not adding to the deficit without hurting the middle class. The President said, "now 5 weeks before the election he saying his bold idea is never mind."
The debate later turned to the President's health care law, which Romney says he'll get rid of if elected. The President tried to bring it back to Romney's own health care law, which he says is quite similar.
There were few fireworks and fewer surprises. Both candidates were very deliberate in laying out their policy points but as a result they seemed more focused on a checklist than connecting with voters.
