Town Hall Presidential Debate Format Decoded

Wonkbook’s Number of the Day: 3.1 percentage points. That’s the swing towards Mitt Romney in the Real Clear Politics average of polls between October 3rd, the day of the first debate, and today. Smarter poll readers than me have looked at these numbers and concluded that at least some of the movement towards Romney had begun prior to the first debate. Nevertheless, the first debate was clearly a huge, disruptive event in the presidential election, vaulting Romney to his first lead in 2012. The question tonight is whether Barack Obama can get some of those percentage points back, and if so, how many. Top story: Previewing the second presidential debate Tonight is debate night in America, round two. ”President Barack Obama and his Republican rival, Mitt Romney, enter their debate Tuesday night with different goals than the last time they met: Mr. Romney will try to build on growing strength among centrist voters that arose from his performance in the first debate, while Mr. Obama will aim to portray Mr. Romney as more conservative than his opponent has recently suggested…Aides said Mr. Romney has been focused in his debate preparations on how best to contrast his own policies with those of Mr. Obama on taxes, health care, Libya and other matters, while also connecting with voters.” Laura Meckler, Sara Murray, and Carol E. Lee in The Wall Street Journal.