'Energetic' Obama to 'lock horns' with Romney in second presidential face-off
Washington, Oct. 15 (ANI)
President Barack Obama's advisers have promised that he will be more energetic and ready to 'lock horns' with his Republican rival Mitt Romney during the second presidential debate on Tuesday.
The faceoff at Long Island's Hofstra University will be Obama's chance to bounce back from his lacklustre performance in the first debate.
"He is going to make some adjustments," the New York Daily News quoted Obama's senior adviser David Axelrod, as saying.
The campaign has said Obama's poor performance at the first presidential debate on October 3 in Denver was simply the result of Romney's 'flip flop' on previous campaign platforms on taxes, education and health care, the report said.
"Certainly the president is going to be willing to challenge him on it," Axelrod said.
According to the report, another top adviser, Robert Gibbs, suggested that Americans tuning in won't see Obama studying his notes, speaking haltingly or looking down like he did two weeks ago, it added.
"He knew when he walked off that stage and he also knew as he's watched the tape of that debate that he's got to be more energetic," Gibbs said.
But Romney's senior adviser Ed Gillespie predicted a second-round win for him, no matter how fired up Obama is.
"The President can change his style. He can change his tactics. He can't change his record, he can't change his policies," Gillespie said.
According to the report, he dismissed criticism that Romney had 'morphed from a conservative candidate to a more middle-of-the-road Republican to woo undecided voters watching the debate'.
"He is running on the same platform he's run on through the Republican Party primary," Gillespie said, adding: "The country is a center-right country."