Mitt Romney Says President Obama Has Failed America's Women as He Recalls 'Great' Debate
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CHESAPEAKE, Va. - Mitt Romney offered his own summary of Tuesday's fiery presidential debate to voters here, saying President Obama has failed to present a plan for the next four years and has "failed America's women."
"Now, I have to be honest with you: I love these debates. You know, these things are great. And I think it's interesting that the president still doesn't have an agenda for a second term," said Romney. "Don't you think that it's time for him to finally put together a vision of what he'd do in the next four years if he were elected? I mean, he's gotta come up with that over this weekend because there's only one debate left, on Monday.
"I just think the American people had expected that the president of the United States would be able to describe what he's gonna do in the next four years, but he can't," said Romney. "He can't even explain what he's done in the last four years. I just think the American people had expected that the president of the United States would be able to describe what he is going to do in the next four years.
"But he can't. He can't even explain what he has done in the last four years. I mean, he spends most of his time trying to talk about how my plan won't work," Romney added. "Well, what about his plan? We know his plan has not worked!"
Romney and Obama faced off Tuesday at Hofstra University on New York's Long Island for a debate that had the two politicians answering questions ranging from the administration's handling of the terrorist attack in Libya to how the flailing economy is hurting Americans - especially women.
A poll earlier this week by USA Today/Gallup showed a narrowing split between the president and Romney when it comes to women voters, with Romney trailing 48 percent to Obama's 49 percent.
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Here today, Romney referred specifically to Katherine, a woman who had asked about women in the workforce during the town hall debate.
"[She asked]: Why is it that there are 3.6 million more women in poverty today than when the president took office?" said Romney. "This president has failed America's women. They've suffered in terms of getting jobs, they've suffered in terms of falling into poverty.
"This is a presidency that has not helped America's women," Romney said, "And as I go across the country and ask women what can I do to help, what they speak about day in and day out is, 'Help me find a good job, or a good job for my spouse. And help my kid. Make sure my children have a bright future, better schools and better job opportunities.' That's what the women of America are concerned about and the answers are coming from us and not from Barack Obama."
Romney did not mention his debate reference to having "binders full of women," a remark he made when talking about filling his cabinet as governor of Massachusetts.