The presidential contest is now one sided. Romney lags far behind Obama in America for various reasons. It may be argued comfortably why Obama is still popular even after the recession and unemployment. The brilliant, brave raid by U.S. Navy SEALS that resulted in the killing of bin Laden is regarded by the Americans as a major national security objective and it is a big victory for Obama. President George W. Bush initiated the war on terror. However, Bush, a member of a party with a reputation for being strong on defense - did not capture Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in the remaining seven years of his presidency. President Obama wound-down the controversial Iraq War and is trying to find some constructive end to the President Bush-initiated Afghanistan War.

America is a land of plenty but there is also poverty in the land of plenty. President elect Obama knows that hunger is an issue in America. As a child, Obama experienced hunger and as a presidential candidate he now finds out ways for tackling domestic hunger. Ronald Reagan once rightly said: “We fought a war on poverty and poverty won.” With 46 million Americans — 15 percent of the population — now counted as poor, it’s tempting to think he may have been right.” 15 million more people are poor today. Obama’s sense of realism prompted him to pledge to do something effective about the eradication of poverty. He understands first hand that federal nutrition and food assistance programs play a key role in minimizing the ill- effets of poverty. He also knows the need for improving the diet of the low salaried working families, especially children. Nutrition assistance programmes will be expanded and by 2015, there is a promise to end childhood hunger and poverty in the US.

Romney has not raised the issue of poverty which is Obama’s Achilles’ heel. The lowest percentage in poverty in the US was 11.1 percent in 1973. The rate climbed as high as 15.2 percent in 1983. In 2000, after a spurt of prosperity, it went down to 11.3 percent. The first thing needed is more jobs that pay decent wages. Amercia needs a full-employment policy and a bigger investment in 21st-century education and skill development strategies if a true way out of the impasse of the current economic malaise is to be found.

Half the jobs in the US pay less than $34,000 a year, according to the Economic Policy Institute. A quarter pay below the poverty line for a family of four, less than $23,000 annually. According to the most recent data available from the Census Bureau, 104 million people — a third of the population — have annual incomes below twice the poverty line, less than $38,000 for a family of three. They struggle to survive with low-wage jobs which be-devil tens of millions of people.

After the most severe U.S. recession since the Great Depression, and the long period of high unemployment (plus 8 percent), it is undesirable that Obama got bogged-down talking about repealing Obamacare, banning abortion (even restricting contraception), and about curtailing established civil rights for gays/ lesbians, and opposing a raise in the debt ceiling.

The nomination of former Massachusetts governor. Mitt Romney - a mid-quality candidate in a weak field has become an added advantage because his flip-flopping on issues reveals his lack of connection to the typical. So Obama will be the sure winner in the election contest irrespective of whatever happened in the first day of debate.