Final Obama-Romney debate to focus on international affairs

PanARMENIAN.Net - While foreign policy became an unexpected pivotal point in last week's town-hall style presidential debate, the final showdown Monday, Oct 22, will focus entirely on international affairs, CNN reports.

And with the U.S. government knee-deep in an investigation of its handling of the Benghazi consulate attacks and as reports emerge of planned negotiations with Iranian leaders, the topic could provide a pivot point in the tight race for the White House.

"I think it's going to be an important debate," senior Obama campaign adviser David Axelrod said Sunday, though he sought to lower expectations. "I don't think any one event is decisive, even though being strong at home and building our economy is the No. 1 issue."

President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney meet for their third of three debates in Boca Raton, Florida, the biggest swing state prize with 29 electoral votes. It marks the closing note of the debate season, one that landed Romney a much-needed boost after his widely applauded performance - and Obama's derided one -- in the first debate. The second matchup was considered more of a draw, with Obama edging Romney in several polls of debate-watchers.

Political observers say incumbents usually have an advantage on foreign policy because of their experience making decisions for the country and access to some of the most privileged intelligence.

A Pew Research Poll that came before the second debate showed Obama ahead of Romney 47% to 43% when voters were asked which candidate they thought would handle foreign policy decisions better. That's within the margin of error and is a much tighter poll than one taken by Pew in September, which showed Obama leading Romney 53% to 38%.