Originally published: October 16, 2012 8:30 AM
Updated: October 16, 2012 9:04 AM
By BRITTANY WAIT AND TOM BRUNE [email protected]
Photo credit: AP | Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama will face off in the second presidential debate at Hofstra University.
The Hofstra University campus was in both a celebratory mode and political frenzy as it awaited the arrival Tuesday of President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney for a second presidential debate.
A helicopter was flying overhead Tuesday morning as multiple media outlets filmed groups of students and others, some holding signs and screaming in excitement. At almost every intersection on campus there were blockades with Nassau County police enforcing security measures.
Hofstra freshmen Montana Marsilio, 18, and her roommate Casey Regan, 17, joined close to 50 students near the Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center from 4:30 to 7:30 a.m. holding up Hofstra pride signs in front of news cameras.
PHOTOS: Hofstra debate | First debate | Key debate moments, 1960-now
VIDEOS: Presidential debates | VP debate
MORE: Cartoonists on the debates | Database: Who's funding Obama, Romney | PAC donors | All stories
The debate between Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Romney is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. at the university's Hemsptead campus. Hofstra said Monday that, of 1,000 people in the audience, about 300 will be students.
Unlike the other two debates, this one allows Obama and Romney to roam around a platform at the Mack Sports Complex as moderator Candy Crowley of CNN taps 10 to 15 undecided Nassau County voters to ask questions about anything from jobs, taxes and deficits to Libya and China.
The Hofstra presidential debate presents an opportunity for Obama to redeem himself and for his challenger Mitt Romney to press his advantage, political analysts say.
The pressure is on Obama after a subdued performance in the first debate, allowing Romney to reset his then-struggling campaign and to win a tie in some polls.
Vice President Joe Biden's aggressive performance -- Republicans say embarrassing for his laughs and constant interruptions -- in the debate with Romney running mate Paul Ryan, stopped that surge. Now it's up to Obama to try to turn things around with three weeks to go, analysts say.
"Obama absolutely can redeem himself," with a strong performance, passion for his views and a push-back against Romney, said David Birdsell, Baruch College public affairs dean, said Monday.
Romney can continue the momentum from the first debate, Birdsell said, if he keeps the focus on "what he is going to do in the next term," not the different positions he has taken.
Obama and Romney will be judged not just on their words, but on how they appear, Goodman said. "People really believe their eyes," he said.
Nassau County police are advising motorists to expect traffic delays Tuesday around the Nassau Hub because of the debate. For example, Earl Ovington Boulevard will be closed to all traffic between Hempstead Turnpike and Charles Lindberg Boulevard from 6 a.m. to midnight. And no commercial traffic will be allowed onto Hempstead Turnpike, between Oak Street and Merrick Avenue, from 6 a.m. to midnight. Westbound traffic will be diverted at Merrick Avenue and Hempstead Turnpike while motorists traveling eastbound will be diverted at Oak Street and Hempstead Turnpike, police said. All lanes of Hempstead Turnpike will remain open to passenger vehicles, but motorists should expect delays particularly in the vicinity of university's main entrance and near the Nassau Coliseum, police said. The department is advising motorists to use alternative routes or to avoid the area altogether on Tuesday.
With Candice Ferrette
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Updated: October 16, 2012 9:04 AM
By BRITTANY WAIT AND TOM BRUNE [email protected]
Photo credit: AP | Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama will face off in the second presidential debate at Hofstra University.
The Hofstra University campus was in both a celebratory mode and political frenzy as it awaited the arrival Tuesday of President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney for a second presidential debate.
A helicopter was flying overhead Tuesday morning as multiple media outlets filmed groups of students and others, some holding signs and screaming in excitement. At almost every intersection on campus there were blockades with Nassau County police enforcing security measures.
Hofstra freshmen Montana Marsilio, 18, and her roommate Casey Regan, 17, joined close to 50 students near the Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center from 4:30 to 7:30 a.m. holding up Hofstra pride signs in front of news cameras.
PHOTOS: Hofstra debate | First debate | Key debate moments, 1960-now
VIDEOS: Presidential debates | VP debate
MORE: Cartoonists on the debates | Database: Who's funding Obama, Romney | PAC donors | All stories
The debate between Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Romney is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. at the university's Hemsptead campus. Hofstra said Monday that, of 1,000 people in the audience, about 300 will be students.
Unlike the other two debates, this one allows Obama and Romney to roam around a platform at the Mack Sports Complex as moderator Candy Crowley of CNN taps 10 to 15 undecided Nassau County voters to ask questions about anything from jobs, taxes and deficits to Libya and China.
The Hofstra presidential debate presents an opportunity for Obama to redeem himself and for his challenger Mitt Romney to press his advantage, political analysts say.
The pressure is on Obama after a subdued performance in the first debate, allowing Romney to reset his then-struggling campaign and to win a tie in some polls.
Vice President Joe Biden's aggressive performance -- Republicans say embarrassing for his laughs and constant interruptions -- in the debate with Romney running mate Paul Ryan, stopped that surge. Now it's up to Obama to try to turn things around with three weeks to go, analysts say.
"Obama absolutely can redeem himself," with a strong performance, passion for his views and a push-back against Romney, said David Birdsell, Baruch College public affairs dean, said Monday.
Romney can continue the momentum from the first debate, Birdsell said, if he keeps the focus on "what he is going to do in the next term," not the different positions he has taken.
Obama and Romney will be judged not just on their words, but on how they appear, Goodman said. "People really believe their eyes," he said.
Nassau County police are advising motorists to expect traffic delays Tuesday around the Nassau Hub because of the debate. For example, Earl Ovington Boulevard will be closed to all traffic between Hempstead Turnpike and Charles Lindberg Boulevard from 6 a.m. to midnight. And no commercial traffic will be allowed onto Hempstead Turnpike, between Oak Street and Merrick Avenue, from 6 a.m. to midnight. Westbound traffic will be diverted at Merrick Avenue and Hempstead Turnpike while motorists traveling eastbound will be diverted at Oak Street and Hempstead Turnpike, police said. All lanes of Hempstead Turnpike will remain open to passenger vehicles, but motorists should expect delays particularly in the vicinity of university's main entrance and near the Nassau Coliseum, police said. The department is advising motorists to use alternative routes or to avoid the area altogether on Tuesday.
With Candice Ferrette
Be the first to rate:Click to rate