First 2012 US Presidential Debate Live Blog and Tweetcast

Good morning, the debate in Denver will begin at 2:00 am British Summer Time but there is an hour of pre-game so welcome! I’m Denis Campbell, Editor of UK Progressive (@ukprogressive).

Joining me on the analysis desk from Toronto is the always excellent Charley James (@SuddenlyHomeles).

Throughout the debate we will update this live blog regularly so simply hit ‘refresh’ on your Web browser every so often to keep up.

04:00 OK, calling it a night. Pundits will blather on and on while I sleep. Obama was off his game and, we still do not know which Mitt was there. Romney demonstrated one thing tonight, he will say anything he has to to reach his audience so just forget the last nine months… OK? Nuts.

03:35 It’s over. Strangest debate I have ever seen. Will come back later in the am to add more. Who is this Romney talking about middle class he despises? A string of lies built one on the other by Etch a Sketch Mitt. Every word from primaries and before is.. poof gone!

03:22 Got very snarky there Mitt.

03:22 Who is this Mitt in this debate, going back over the notes here and he has repudiated every word uttered on the trail the last nine months?

03:12 Hey Jim, just go home, Romney acting like a child, ran over the moderator? Will he do that to Congress? Cabinet?

03:10 Mitt Romney once again is Mr. Etch a Sketch. Looking moderate after 9 months of fie breathing RWer?

03:08 Getting very dense. You can hear Middle America switching channels…

03:03 (via Charley) Fact Chek Romney: Always said he’d repeal ACA, last week he’d keep part of it, noiw sez repeal it all

03:01 One hour in and this has been tedious… Women’s reaction off the charts when President speaks about Obamacare.

02:57 Fact Chek Romney: He’s denying he wants to repeal Dodd Frank but has campaigned on repeal for 2 yrs

02:52 Regulation is essential? Then attacks it? Romney repeal and replace but no specifics ever…

02:50 Fact Chek Romney: Blows smoke on voucherization, what he sez now isnt what’s in GOP platform

02:47 (Charley) Fact Chek Romney: Obama calls out Romney on Vouchercare instead of Medicare

02:46 (Charley) Fact  chek Romney: His Medicaid block grant plan would harm sick kids, disabled

02:43 Romney still fell into the trap. Could have moved on. Wait for it…

02:42 Smooth move: PBO trumps $716 bn argument out of the box.

02:41 (Charley) Fact Chek Romney: Spain wouldnt be in trbl if Germany ECB acted rationally

02:38 (Charley) Fact Chek on Romney: Spain pblms not from borrowing but from collapse of real estate mkt 

02:37 (Charley) Fact Chek On Romney: He said Obama will borrow $ from China but 80% of US debt owned by US

02:37 34 minutes in: ’Deduction for moving plants overseas, is crazy’ moves lines of both men and women! PBO is just getting warmed up!

02:31 Watching the CNN dials, they never seem to move. Remember a tie goes to Obama…

02:29 Almost 30 minutes in. Anyone else getting tired of the Romney smirk? It is very unbecoming.

02:26 (Charley) Obama: We’ve tried Romney approach under Bush-Slowest job growth in 50 yrs

02:24 President Obama: math, common sense and our history show this is not a common sense approach, same pitch made in ’01 and ’03. Moved from surplus to deficit.

02:22 should have let Jim ask new question. Way over time.

02:19 BOOM BABY! For 18 months been running on his big bold idea, four weeks out he says ‘never mind.’

02:17 (Charley) ZING! Obama shows how Romney tax plan willo cost middloe class $2K/yr

02:15 Both of them are off for to a tense, slow start. Can you imagine the pressure? I can’t.

02:12 Obama wants to throttle this guy. Letting him fire the wad at the top then BAM!

02:10 (Charley) Romney saying same thing GOP been saying for 40 yrs / Romney starts by lyting about his tax plan / Obama setting up clear difference with Romney, “us v them”

02:07 Romney the populist? The common people touched his sleeve?

02:05 (Charley) Smiles all around but eyes look bitter as Obama/Romney come on stage

02:04 Rumour debunked by Lehrer on the candidates seeing topics beforehand.

02:00 Katty Kay of the BBC looks cold outside the hall on the Beeb. 50-100 million watching she says? Really? Last time 38 Million… the Beeb inflates?

 01:58 We need Michael Buffer “Let’s get ready to rummmbbbblllleeeee!

01:56 Jim Lehrer just finished a practice run with the Teleprompter. Telling jokes now.

01:54 Debate Moderator Jim Lehrer of pbs NewsHour is seated and ready to go.

01:50 inside the hall the preliminaries are underway. Wives have air-kissed each other and the rules are being delivered by Jim Lehrer

01:46 CNN commentator actually challenging Romneynomics? Wow…

01:40 James Carville has just shown up. All Obama has to do is recite Bill Clinton’s points one by on and it is over. All the GOPers about left their seats.

01:36 Meeting her in May and watching her in action in The White House she is quite possibly the best Frist Lady in history.

01:33 FLOTUS and brother seem cool and centered as opposed to rather strident desperate Ann Romney.

01:31 Our own Charley James @SuddenlyHomeles breaking story of Krugman possibly headed to WH Chair Council of Econ Advisors is lead on Daily Kos.

01:24 Rest of the world covering Syria and Malaysia Rare Earths facility (BBC). As if to say how much can we say?

01:23 POTUS motorcade arriving at University of Denver auditorium.

01:14 Ann Romney thinks running is hard? Wait until Mitt comes upstairs to the residence having soiled himself at the first security briefing?

01:11 Ann Romney on CNN is losing the plot. She is almost as breathless as the interviewer? If she says see him who he is one more time? 

01:06 BST CNN has to keep the buzz going for an hour. BBC and Al Jazeera covering real news, CNN interviewing Ann Romney?

01:02 BST despite schedule both BBC and Al Jazeera are showing stores and footage of the clash in Syria with Turkey involved. CNN focussing on its latest dizzying technology.

01:00 BST and here starts the pre-game. CNN on the telly, AL Jazeera on the iPad and BBC on the PC. 

00:57 BST We’re coming up on 1-hour before the debate starts so we’ll update this leading up to the debate, the debate and post-game. Our main video sources on this side of the Pond for this debate will be the BBC, CNN and Al Jazeera (English)

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Denis G Campbell is the author of 6 books including 'Billionaire Boys Election Freak Show,' 'The Vagina Wars' & 'Egypt Unsh@ckled.' He is the editor of UK Progressive Magazine and provides commentary to the BBC, itv Al Jazeera English, CNN, MSNBC and others. His weekly 'World View with Denis Campbell' segment can be heard every Thursday on the globally syndicated The David Pakman Show. You can follow him on Twitter via @UKProgressive and on Facebook.
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