Latest Update on US Presidential Election 2012

The process of Presidential election includes a Debate session. On 31 Oct 2011, the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) announced four debates for the election-three of them involving the major party Presidential nominees and one for vice presidential nominee.

CPD requires three criteria for eligibility:-

• Constitutionally eligible
• Appearance on enough ballots to possibly reach 270 electoral votes.
• At least 15% on five selected national polls.       

Four candidates satisfy the first two criteria Democratic nominee Barack Obama, Liberterian nominee Gary, Green nominee Jill and Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Only two of them satisfy the third criteria Democratic nominee Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Hence, only these two candidates can take part in the 2012 CPD.

The first debate took place at the University of Denver, Denver, Colorado on 03 Oct 2012.  This 90 minute debate was moderated by Jim Lehrer. Both the nominees exchanged their views on the US economy including taxes, the national debt, the national deficit and how to recover from recession.

A CBS poll conducted after the debate on independent voters found 46% though Romney won, 22 % thought Obama had won and 32% thought it was a tie.  The Time Magazine quoted “It was one of the most incompetent performance I’ve ever seen by a sitting President.”

The main critiques of President Obama’s performance were that he looked detached, hardly addressed his opponent directly and was frequently looking down while Romney was speaking. Various fact checkers found that both Obama and Romney made factual discrepancies.

The schedule table for upcoming debates is:-

• October 11- Vice Presidential Debate at Centre college in Danville, Kentucky.
• October 16-    Second Presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.
• October 22-    Third Presidential Debate at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida.