Monday night’s third and final Presidential debate didn’t feature the clear and present victory of the first or the knock-down-drag-out pummeling of the second. It was a more measured exchange on, ostensibly, foreign policy in which cooler heads prevailed and the boxing gloves were left at home. The lion’s share of the debate focused on the Middle East, with the President defending his record and Governor Mitt Romney challenging it. There were a handful of zingers—most memorably when Romney accused Obama of shrinking the Navy by reducing the number of boats and Obama retorting, “Well governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets because the nature of our military’s changed.” Obama, in turn, accused Romney of being “all over the map” in regards to foreign policy, and saying that “every time you’ve offered an opinion, you’ve been wrong.” For his part, Romney maintained his stance that Obama has embarked on an international “apology tour.” Early viewer polls from CBS and CNBC said Obama won the debate, while a CNN poll listed Romney as the night’s champ.
One casualty of the debate appeared to be facts, with neither candidate coming off as sterling according to Politifact …