Long Island’s Hofstra University was the scene of the second presidential debate this election cycle. This time the questions didn’t come from a moderator but from undecided voters of Nassau County, N.Y., whose questions were screened by CNN’s Candy Crowley. These uncommitted voters, selected by Gallup, did in fact, “drive the night,” as Crowley mentioned in her introduction.
The stakes were especially high for both President Obama and former Governor Mitt Romney in this debate as they stood before an audience of 82 undecided voters and millions of viewers at home. After Obama’s lackluster performance in the first presidential debate, he vowed to come out alive and ready. Romney, for his part, was tasked with continuing the momentum he built up after the first debate. Overall, the two came out swinging, proving this debate would be very different.
Besides the differing format, the town-hall style featured questions on domestic issues, national security, immigration, higher education, and energy efficiency. The following word clouds for Obama and Romney give greater prominence to words that were said more frequently in their remarks. Use these to compare, contrast, analyze and share!
Check back Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET for a post-debate Google+ Hangout. Join the conversation by following Heritage on Google+.
*Note: You will see two mentions of president in Romney’s word cloud; one lower case and one upper case. Lower case is used when stating something such as “If I am elected president” and upper case when referencing President Obama or a former President.