Prez debate: Obama concedes he had a bad night
US President Barack Obama has conceded he had a bad night at the first debate against his Republican challenger Mitt Romney, but insisted that the "fundamentals" of the presidential race haven't changed.
In this October 9, 2012 file photo, Obama speaks in Columbus, Ohio.
"Governor Romney had a good night. I had a bad night. It's not the first time I've had a bad night," he told ABC News Wednesday as he vowed "a little more activity" at their next encounter October 16 in New York.
Romney, meanwhile, out to capitalise on his post debate bounce, made three public appearances in the battleground state of Ohio Wednesday and plans to spend two of the next three days there.
In this October 5, 2012 file photo, Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney holds a couple of children during a rally in Abingdon, Va.
"We can't afford four more years of Barack Obama (R)," he said at a rally. "Ohio could well be the place that elects the next president of the United States," said Romney (L) telling voters: "I need you to do that job. We're going to win together."
Pizza Hut is offering a lifetime of free pizza, one large pie a week for 30 years, or a check for $15,600 to anyone who poses the question "Sausage or pepperoni?" to either Obama or Romney during the live Town Hall-style debate next Tuesday, October 16, 2012.
In his ABC interview on Wednesday, Obama, whose supporters have wondered why he didn't raise some contentious campaign issues during the Denver debate, said those omissions from the first debate would not be game changers in the November 6 election.
First lady Michelle Obama, left, greets a supporter during a campaign event at the Loudoun County Fairgrounds, on Tuesday, October 9, 2012, in Leesburg, Va.
Supporters have wondered why Obama did not press Romney over his remarks on the 47 per cent of Americans being "moochers" or reliant on government support, or Bain Capital, the private equity firm he co-founded, accused of shipping jobs to China and India.
Obama returns a Marine's salute as he steps off Marine One helicopter on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, on Tuesday, October 9, 2012.
"What's important is the fundamentals of what this race is about haven't changed," he said. "Governor Romney went to a lot of trouble to try to hide what his positions are."
In this picture, Obama shakes hands with supporters after speaking during a campaign event on Tuesday, October 9, 2012, in Columbus, Ohio.
"You look forward to the next one. And it makes you that much more determined. The difference between this and sports is that the stakes are so high." Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden and Romney's running mate Paul Ryan prepared to join battle Thursday in their lone debate with Democrats hoping to regain some ground conceded by Obama, while Republicans believe Ryan would keep their momentum going.
In this October 2, 2012 file photo, Biden speaks in Asheville, N.C.
But a new Pew Research Centre survey found that registered voters are not that hot on Biden with 51 percent of the 90 percent who gave an opinion viewing him unfavourably as against 40 percent of the 84 percent who viewed Ryan unfavourably.
In this picture, Republican vice presidential candidate, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., poses for pictures with supporters as he arrives at the Blue Grass airport, on Wednesday, October 10, 2012 in Lexington, Ky. TEXT: IANS, CAPTION: AP
The poll also found that Republicans are more confident that Ryan will win the debate than Democrats are about Biden's chances. However, the lower expectations could make it easier for Biden to exceed them and help reset the race in Obama's favour, analysts said.
A banner made by a local middle school depicting Republican vice presidential candidate, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., at left, and Vice President Joe Biden, at right, hangs on the wall inside the media center ahead of Thursday's vice presidential debate, on Wednesday, October 10, 2012, at Centre College in Danville, Ky.