CNN: Forceful Obama bests defensive Romney in foreign policy debate

Source: CNN

(CNN) -- A forceful President Barack Obama put Republican challenger Mitt Romney on the defensive on foreign policy issues on Monday night, scoring a solid victory in their third and final debate just 15 days before Election Day.

Obama displayed the experience of a commander-in-chief in explaining U.S. policy under his leadership and attacking the views and proposals of Romney, a former Massachusetts governor with little experience on overseas issues.

Romney ended up supporting most of the Obama administration's steps involving hotspots, like the civil war in Syria, and preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, giving the president the advantage in a debate in which his GOP rival needed to question foreign policy of the past four years.

Analysts agreed that Obama won the debate on points, but questioned if the debate would have a big impact on voters and the race as a whole.

"There's no question debate coaches would score this one for the president," said CNN Chief National Correspondent John King, while CNN Senior Political Analyst David Gergen said Obama "dominated the middle of the debate" and emerged as the winner.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/22/politics/debate-mainbar/index.html