Live blog: Second debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney
President Obama and Mitt Romney are debating at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. CNN's Candy Crowley moderates and the debate is in a town hall format.
Follow the stream below for fact checks and analysis by Boston.com and Boston Globe staff.
Staff contributors include:
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President Obama and Mitt Romney enter the second presidential debate Tuesday night with vital missions: the incumbent needs to display the urgency he lacked in the first debate, while the challenger is hoping to build on his momentum of the past 10 days. >> Full story (Matt Viser, Globe staff) -
MASS. SENATE: Women's rights activist Sandra Fluke to appear with Elizabeth Warren at her morning campaign stop in Somerville... #mapoliby Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 10:00:00 AM -
MITT ROMNEY: Announces endorsement of Ross Perot. "At stake is nothing less than our position in the world," says former candidate. #mapoliby Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 11:40:03 AM
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RT @steveholland1: Mitt Romney has arrived on Long Island for tonight's debateby Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 1:50:40 PM -
Rich Beeson, claiming momentum in Ohio: "Our internal polling shows strong movement toward Governor Romney over the past two weeks."by Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 2:35:30 PM
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"I feel fabulous," Obama says in Va., per pool. "Look at this beautiful day." Asked if Hillary was to blame for Benghazi, he kept walking.by Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 2:56:05 PM
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CAMPAIGN 2012: Awesome overflight of Manhattan en route to Hofstra for debate tonight... #mapoli p.twimg.com
by Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 4:19:48 PM -
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John Kerry spotted by pooler @reidepstein at hotel "flashed a half-smile, no teeth and gave a thumbs-up sign with his right hand."by Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 6:35:51 PM
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RT @steveholland1: Romney is at the Hofstra U debate site for his walk throughby Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 7:06:52 PM
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CAMPAIGN 2012: The president has some backing in the local Hempstead area... p.twimg.comby Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 7:13:48 PM
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CAMPAIGN 2012: Little windy in Hempstead today... p.twimg.com
by Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 7:24:53 PM -
CAMPAIGN 2012: Two area factoids: Hofstra right across from Mitchel Field, where Lindbergh took off on the first nonstop to Paris...by Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 7:26:15 PM
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CAMPAIGN 2012: Hofstra also host campus to training facility for, ugh, The New York Jets...by Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 7:27:05 PM
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CAMPAIGN 2012: Protestors outside gates to Hofstra... p.twimg.comby Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 7:44:22 PM
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CAMPAIGN 2012: Highway snowplows are pressed into early duty as temporary road barricades around debate site...by Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 7:45:43 PM
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"Mitt Romney will be the Mitt Romney you saw last time," Rob Portman says. "It's unknown what Barack Obama personality will show up."by Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 8:39:55 PM
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CAMPAIGN 2012: Inside the Hofstra media center... p.twimg.comby Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 8:54:20 PM
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CAMPAIGN 2012: Fox News position in spin room right next to Obama campaign set... p.twimg.comby Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 8:56:19 PM
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CAMPAIGN 2012: Outside the media filing center... p.twimg.com
by Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 8:57:46 PM -
CAMPAIGN 2012: Stand-up media positions for local broadcasters w/ actual debate hall as backdrop... p.twimg.comby Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 8:59:25 PM
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Competing stages in the spin room instagr.am
by Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 9:08:32 PM -
CAMPAIGN 2012: @jaketapper has a 6:30 live shot... p.twimg.com
by Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 10:02:39 PM -
CAMPAIGN 2012: Senator John Kerry works the spin room pre-debate... p.twimg.comby Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 10:23:48 PM
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CAMPAIGN 2012: Kerry, who stood in for Romney, says, "I think the president's really looking forward to this.." p.twimg.com
by Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 10:24:59 PM -
CAMPAIGN 2012: Previewing debate lines, Kerry says Romney numbers "don't add up" and he raised fees as governor of Massachusetts...by Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 10:26:14 PM
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CAMPAIGN 2012: "This is the most film-flam" thing ever, Kerry says, as he complains about Romney running from health plan like his in Mass.by Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 10:28:34 PM
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CAMPAIGN 2012: Foreign reporter asks Kerry question in French. He could answer - but so could Mitt Romney...by Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 10:34:23 PM
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John Kerry just spent 10 minutes ripping into Mitt Romney, the person he played in debates against Obama.by Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 10:39:51 PM
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"The numbers don’t add up the record is not real," Kerry says of Romney. "This is one of the great charades of all time in my judgment."by Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 10:40:05 PM
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"The most telling thing of all? He’s not even contesting the state that he governed," Kerry says. "Mass is not there for Mitt Romney."by Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 10:41:36 PM
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Kerry: "This guy loves elevators. He has an elvtr in his home for his cars & when he was in the SH he insisted on having his own elevator."by Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 10:42:44 PM
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The debate tonight is viewed as a vital moment for President Obama, whose poor performance in Denver breathed new life into Romney’s campaign, allowing it to close the gap in polls from many battleground states and giving it the swagger of a campaign finding its groove. >> Full story (Brian MacQuarrie and Matt Viser, Globe Staff) -
"Folks, this is artistry," Kerry says of Romney. "This is the most flim-flamest political artistry I’ve ever seen."by Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 10:47:55 PM
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If John Kerry's comments are any indication, Obama is going to try and make Mitt Romney's record in Massachusetts THE ISSUE of the debate.by Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 10:52:13 PM
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CAMPAIGN 2012: Former Clinton spokesman Mike McCurry, now co-chair of Commission on Presidential Debates... p.twimg.comby Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 10:54:41 PM
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Kerry criticizes GOP for making Libya "a political football." "I don’t remember a political football when 3k people died [in NYC on] 9/11."by Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 10:55:03 PM
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RT @TheFix: "Dinner is rotisserie chicken, with sides of spinach and baked potato." -- Romney pool report. Turns his back on Cheesecake ...by Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 10:56:46 PM
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RT @FabSintes: Portman + Kerry dans la spin room AVANT le debat ça donne une idée de l'enjeu. Kerry sur l'ascenseur à voiture de Romney ...by Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 10:57:08 PM
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Kerry to Howard Dean: “You’re losing weight. What are you doing?” Dean: “I just lost a little weight, that’s all.” Kerry: “Scary.”by Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 10:58:39 PM
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Howard Dean to Kerry: “We’re going to kick some butt, huh?” Kerry: “Your words.” Dean: “Yeah, right. See ya. Good to see ya.”by Matt Viser via twitter 10/16/2012 10:59:20 PM
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CAMPAIGN 2012: While McCurry works spin room, other Debates co-chair Frank Fahrenkopf enjoys an Ultra in hospitality tent. No worries here.by Glen Johnson via twitter 10/16/2012 11:01:11 PM
