Huffington Magazine Issue 21 | Page 48

HUFFINGTON 11.04.12 MICHAEL REYNOLDS-POOL/GETTY IMAGES FEATURE_TITLE the president for personally after the third debate). After the town hall, an aide to Romney who saw him immediately after he came off stage said  Romney was “furious” with Crowley for speaking for the president when Romney was quizzing him on Benghazi, allowing the president to avoid answering why there were conflicting explanations from the administration. But, the aide said, Romney cooled off after he decided that the impact of the debate had been limited. The first debate had fundamentally altered the contest between Romney and Obama, because Romney, in the flesh, was not the malevolent creature that the Obama campaign had been telling voters about since the summer. The second debate, coming 13 days after the first (with a vice presidential debate in between), stanched the bleeding for Obama. He was forceful and in command. But the polls continued to show Romney gaining ground. The Republican’s momentum had slowed, but not stopped. Moderator Candy Crowley and presidential candidate Mitt Romney exchange words during the second debate at Hofstra University.