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Obama for America Press Secretary Ben LaBolt talks with Alan about who won the first debate between the president and Mitt Romney.
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Let us know welcome available Press Secretary Obama for America.
Ben thank you so much going back on the program appreciate it very much on minute.
I'm hearing both from my listeners from Obama supporters.
That they had wish he had an and you probably heard this tonight Heredia that he'd been a little stronger and coming on to Romney.
Holding his feet to the fire letting -- to get away with a lot of stuff that just was not true.
Well I don't think that that was the -- gold and -- the president's goal was to do exactly what he did look directly into the camera.
Get millions of Americans to eating and tonight many for the first time many undecided voters and to -- out the choice in this election between building the economy from the middle class out.
And the top down and away at its plan to restore economic security.
For the middle class -- I got to tell you I was surprised by how much time.
Mitt Romney spent on the defensive tonight he came in to prosecute a case against the president.
And instead been spent most of the debate defending his Medicare plan -- -- his tax plan he still can't identify.
How -- paper that five trillion dollar tax cut for millionaires and billionaires without raising tax.
Well I I really want -- -- I and I really if they wanted to see Romney really have to be on the ropes with that because he talked about.
You know we deny that he adds up five trillion dollar that's gonna cost -- tax cut yet the center of urgent priority said exactly that.
He talked about the seven and sixteen dollars in Medicare being cut when it's really Sloan is the rate of growth the same amount the Ryan plan and I really thought he could have been hammered -- Well you know that the president's goal wasn't -- -- anybody at Mitt Romney's goal was to come in and landed series of punches you know.
But that the American people or you know the Mitt Romney can -- attack the president -- -- that on the campaign trail for the pats.
-- year and a half they were looking for his plans to restore economic security for the middle class tonight instead.
He double down on bad policies did you see his reaction but when the president made clear that Mitt Romney supported maintaining.
Tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas.
Did that needed to get a new accountant -- against -- media monitor take a look at his private.
I wanted to point and I think I tweeted this at the time that you know and his leadership that money overseas -- -- to hit out I just step.
What do you think this will change -- dynamic in anyway do you see it being the status quo after tonight's debate.
You know I think this race has been close to competitive for the past year and a half I think that there are.
-- still undecided to -- are looking for.
But those plans for the middle class and they didn't get that from Mitt Romney tonight they get -- same Whitney of the tax.
That's for Mitt Romney the -- for the -- -- and -- and even the Romney campaign admitted when they take Paul Ryan that that was insufficient.
That voters are looking for an economic choice and rather than being on offense over the economic choice tonight Mitt Romney was on defense.
I think I've seen them that Mitt Romney just misrepresent the president so many times be dishonest about what the president's plan is skate on his own plan hardly talk at all about his.
His record as governor Massachusetts and inflating.
Or -- -- -- refusing to inflate Obama care and Romney care.
And that was very -- -- you know bit -- in Massachusetts said that his Health Care Reform plan should serve as a national model.
This same advisors -- help develop Romney care develop the Affordable Care Act.
It did serve as a national model.
And Mitt Romney is trying to run away from his only accomplishment -- Massachusetts.
Apparently supposed all the things you've supported Health Care Reform in Massachusetts.
At a national level now that he's running for different office.
He says he'll repeal the Affordable Care Act but he can't tell you what will replace it -- By the way the president leaves Romney 6032 in Massachusetts.
The moment basically in the poised at thirty point lead.
And and -- ran away from his own tax plan tonight.
Saying he wants a cut tax rates -- percent.
But then he says well he's not gonna cut taxes really for the rich but doesn't explain with a loop -- are -- gonna pay for -- and understand that at all.
That's exactly right -- there were two new plants today and they were still the same as the old plants which is independent economists say they don't add up.
He says he's going to get the deficit under control.
At this same time it is going to start by giving millionaires and billionaires -- five trillion dollar tax cut.
-- to raise defense spending to an arbitrarily high level two trillion dollars in additional spending that the Pentagon had requested.
And the numbers simply don't add up without raising taxes on the middle class and that's -- want specified what deductions he's talking.
I was really hoping tonight -- be that he be forced to give specificity.
And -- those loopholes would be clubs.
-- and and you know he's he's he's.
Trying to prepare -- on his -- for the past couple weeks and they always do the same conclusion he won't rule out.
It cutting things like the mortgage interest deduction which middle class families across -- cut through line.
Do you see a different strategy for the president than to win the next two debates and a -- different topics next time they'll be foreign policy thing in the third debate.
Is there a strategy as we get closer to the election to -- ramp up the rhetoric and some degree to some degree.
I gotta tell you I think it's the opposite strategy I think Mitt Romney is trying to play to the pundits scorecards.
In which they're judging how many punches that are landed forever after the president's convention speech.
All the pundits out there are saying well -- made out of -- the right now it's -- and we saw the polling the American people.
But within -- -- said wait a second he -- out the economic choice in this election as planned to restore economic security for the middle class.
From the Republicans in Tampa we just saw the same -- of debunked attacks and you saw that -- start to crystallize with undecided voters in swing states.
And I think you'll see that in the weeks.
I had really the -- you got to reach that maybe 7% of whatever does something like that I guess of the voters who haven't decided we will be unique number of voters in this election already made their choices that are not going to be sway.
It is that's exactly right did we have two goals right now one is mobilizing our supporters to get to the polls -- states like.
Island Ohio they're already voting in states like Colorado.
More than 60% of voters will voted by Election Day so.
Part one -- turn out part two is persuasion of those remaining undecideds Mitt Romney was on the defensive tonight.
I couldn't guarantee the middle class that he wouldn't raise their taxes I couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't turn Medicare into a voucher program and I think undecided voters took -- -- that.
Do you think there was a clear winner the debate do you think it was awash in name but by being a -- the incumbent usually -- But you know I think the run -- campaign was looking for Reagan like that breakaway performance that would entirely.
I shake up the race tonight they certainly didn't get like that they get anything like that.
-- challengers but standing next to the present United States in the past five out of six.
Elections.
-- sometimes been viewed as the winner.
By a number of pundits.
But I think that Iran did tonight was surprisingly on the defensive for somebody said he wanted to come in and prosecute a case against the president.
As I -- -- he was looking for that moment but -- -- that moment every -- Then I appreciate he's always thank you very much coming on the program tonight -- -- read it now thanks so much billable Press Secretary Obama for America.
