[The debate is over and I am still calling it for Mitt Romney. He was a lot better than expected, more aggressive than most expected him to be and seemed to have Obama reeling at points. There were flashes of the old Obama in the last 15 minutes, especially when discussing Obamacare, but he looked a bit lost and trying too hard to be the calmer, more controlled candidate. Obama was certainly more open about policy details, effective in challenging Romney's sketchy ideas. But in terms of debate performance, Romney was more at ease, making his ZINGERS!~! (Big Bird for example) and had the right attitude. There was nothing game-changing in this, but Obama just seemed too cautious and too restrained.]
[TWITTER: @sullydish tweets: Mitt is sounding Reagan-like & compassionate. The Etch-A-Sketch is shaking, & the old Mitt is back]
0338: Closing statements now, starting with Barack Obama. Obama thanks Romney for an excellent debate, saying that the American people should get a fair share. Obama says he said he would fight everyday for the people and he would in a second term. Romney's turn now, saying it is an election bigger than both parties. Romney talks of Obama's records, saying he would create 12 million new jobs and he would repeal Obamacare. He said he would keep America strong and he would get the middle class working again. And end.
0324: Let's talk compromise beginning with Mitt Romney, who says he would work with Republican and Democrat leaders. He says leadership from Washington is needed. Obama responds by saying Romney would have a busy first day, meeting Democratic leaders while repealing Obamacare. Obama talks of his repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the ending of the Iraq War, the pursuit of Osama Bin Laden. He says there are times when you need to say no, but there are "fights that need to be had" and Romney would not say no to the "extremes of his own party."
0318: Talking about public education, Romney says federal money should go to the children not to the states. Obama again attacks the lack of detail in Romney and Paul Ryan's economic plan. Romney says he is not planning to make any cuts, saying that $90 billion could have got two million teachers rather than investing in green jobs. Romney talks of a school grading system, so parents know what schools to go to. "I care about education for all of our kids" finishes Romney.
0313: Back to the federal government, with Obama saying it can create "ladders of opportunity" for people to start businesses and make their own ideas. He says a better-trained workplace would create jobs. Romney touts his state's schools, calling them number one in the country, before promising to maintain military spending and religious tolerance. "The path we are taking is not working, we need to take a new path" says Romney.
0311: Romney stops Lehrer from moving on to reply. He says what he did in Massachusetts could be a model for everywhere.
0308: Mitt Romney says a board of 15 people should not tell people what healthcare to have, saying the federal government should not take over healthcare. Obama responds by saying that Romney cannot say how he will replace Obamacare, the same as his loopholes to fund tax cuts and regulations for Wall Street.
0306: [TWITTER: BBC Washington correspondent, Katty Kay tweets: If
twitter is the new judge of debates, Obama is definitely losing this one.]
0301: [We are two thirds of the way through and so far, Romney seems the better of the two candidates. Obama is not as confident as he was in 2008 and Romney has been the more aggressive out of the two.]
Obama says his healthcare bill was a Republican idea and how they use the same advisors. He talks of his so-called "death panels," dispelling some of the myths surrounding it.
0256: The next segment is on Obamacare; Mitt Romney tells stories of people he has met who cannot afford healthcare. Obama argues that families were worried they would go bankrupt if they were sick. He looks straight down the lens and says Obamacare means "insurance problems cannot jerk you around." Lehrer calls for an end but Obama laughs him off, saying he had five extra seconds because of Romney's interruption.
0251: A quick conversation on regulation, with Romney saying it is good but has become "excessive" and is "harmful to the economy." Obama says the economic crisis was because of "reckless behaviour across the board" and addresses the viewers directly saying that if they think there is too much regulation, Mitt Romney is their candidate.
0248: Romney talks of "competition in the Medicare world," an idea that came from Bill Clinton's chief of staff. Obama argues that the cost of healthcare needs to completely lowered, but Romney believes the private sector provides a better product.
0245: "If you are 54 or 55, you might want to listen" says Obama who says if Obamacare ("I like that") is repealed it would cost his grandmother and others like her.
0242: It's the role of the federal government and social security now, as we start with Medicare.
[TWITTER: The New York Times' David
Leonhardt tweets: I
feel like the conservatives in my feed are unhappy with Romney's performance and
the liberals are unhappy with Obama's.]
0237: Romney likes to use his hands to show a fall in rates - he is doing it a lot. He said he would like to take Medicaid money and give it to the states who can "care for their own poor."
0234: Obama talks of corporate taxs, saying that Exxon-Mobile doesn't need more money, challenging Romney to say what loopholes he will close to fund his cuts. Obama talks of a teacher in Las Vegas, using 10-year-old textbooks and how a cut to Medicaid would affect a family with an autistic child.
0232: "It's been four years" says Romney, who says the economy is growing slow and Obama's plan will kill 700 million jobs.
0226: Onto the deficit now, as Romney says it is "simply not moral" to add a trillion dollars a year. Romney would cut all programs that need to "borrow money from China" such as PBS, saying "I like Big Bird, I like you, Jim."
[ZINGER]
0223: Obama says they may have to move on before saying "math, common sense and our history" should prevail. Romney argues that he is not in favour of a $5 trillion tax cut, but to bring down rates. He talks of the last four years where 23 million people are in unemployment.
0221: "It's fun isn't it?" as Romney is stopped by Jim Lehrer who says they have long gone passed their first 15 minute segment.
0218: Obama is explaining his position on the removal of the Bush-era tax cuts for those who earn over $250,000. Donald Trump is a small business under Romney's plans, says Obama and does not need tax relief.
0217: Romney is going on the attack, calling Obama "inaccurate" and challenges the study that Obama references. Obama can be seen smiling and takes down notes.
0214: Obama says Romney is proposing in $5 trillion tax cuts with a further $2 trillion in military spending, citing analyst's claims that it would cost the average middle income family $2,000.
0212: "Middle income families are being crushed" says Mitt Romney who says tax rates need to come down. Romney also says "I like coal" with a wish to make America energy independent.
0209: Obama responds by giving some specific policy ideas of his own. He wants to hire more maths and science teachers, talks of Bush-tax era cuts and the need for cleaner energy sources.
0207: Mitt Romney is next. He outlines his five-point plan for promoting economic growth.
0204: We start with jobs. Obama wishes Michelle Obama a happy anniversary and cracks a joke about having it in front of 40 million people before Obama makes his case for investing in education and energy and reducing the deficit.
0200: Hello and welcome to Something Quite Witty - for a first, as I dip my toes into the water of liveblogging. It is kick off time at the Magners Arena in Denver, Colorado. Jim Lehrer is explaining the rules as Obama and Romney make their way onto stage.
