1.32 – We’re just 30 minutes out from the start of the debate. Two weeks ago, very few people honestly thought the second debate would matter all that much. Incumbent Barack Obama would have it sewn up by then, surely? Wrong. The latest Gallup poll has revealed that challenger Mitt Romney has reached that key 50 per cent mark among ‘likely voters’. Today, most of the analysis is about how the President needs a big performance to stay in the race. The moral? Two weeks is a long time in politics. But so is 90 minutes. Bring it on.

1.39 – Tonight’s debate has a different format to the first of the campaign a fortnight ago. The town hall-style meeting is becoming a favourite across the water as it sees real-life voters asking questions rather than stiff moderators or pumped up reporters. The set-up has been described as a danger-zone for the candidates who have both been accused of not connecting or relating to the ordinary citizens of America. Awkward moments, ahoy!

1.42 – Although it will be members of the electorate posing the questions, there will still be a moderator tonight. CNN’s Candy Crowley has been chosen to referee this one and there is much chat tonight about how far will she go in pushing candidate’s for answers. Will she phrase supplementary queries? Will she interrupt when time is out?

1.46 – Romney and Obama have both arrived at the debate hall at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. Romney’s ‘Body Man’/personal aide @dgjackson has been tweeting images of the family to show how relaxed they are. Last time out it was Jenga, tonight it is ‘funny pictures’.

1.55 – With just five minutes to go, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. Although foreign policy will be discussed tonight, the debate will likely be dominated by domestic issues and, in particular, the economic struggle of the middle class.

1.59 – There are a number of issues that DIDN’T come up in the first debate, which will probably crop up today. Topical today is Libya after Hillary Clinton took the heat for the attacks on the US Embassy in Benghazi, stating that she was responsible for consulate security. That’s one for Romney.

On the other side, Obama supporters will be expecting him to play a little dirtier, bringing up the 47 per cent, Romney’s personal wealth and Bain capital – all weapons that weren’t deployed last time around.

2.04 – Let’s get the important stuff out of the way. They’ve swapped tie colours. Obama in red. Romeny in blue. It matters more than you think.

2.09 – Obama brings the question around to manufacturing and the auto industry, as well as energy and the need to develop green energy. Praises Jeremy for investing in his education but adds that he wants more people to go to college. Obama really trying to pack it all in – also mentions ending wars to bring money back into the country for investment.

2.14 – Obama says the US also has to look to the future and figure out how to produce efficient, clean energy which is environmentally friendly. He says oil imports are at their lowest in 16 years. Compares America to China and Germany, warning that he doesn’t want clean energy jobs going there instead of US.

2.21 – The gloves are off as Romney and Obama talk to each other directly about land leases to oil companies. Obama claims US oil, coal and gas production is up but Romney says it is not happening on federal lands. Tells Obama he will have a chance to respond in a minute. Obama sits down.

“If the President’s policy is working, you will see the price of energy come down,” continues Romney.

2.24 – Romney bosses the moderator once again and gets his spoke in even though Candy Crowley said he wasn’t due the time. Says he will pursue an aggressive policy on energy which will create jobs. Obama sits back, says he is “used to being interrupted”.

2.36 – Ding, ding, ding. Big Bird, Planned Parenthood, a successful investor who pays just 14 per cent – Obama finally hits Romney where it hurts. In one answer, Romney takes three hard blows.

And also, Obama’s criticism of Romney’s tax plan was basically this: RomneyTaxPlan.com

2.37 – Romney responds saying that Obama has set America “on the road to Greece”. He believes he can balance the budget as he did when he ran the Olympics and his businesses for 25 years.

2.42 – Romney also has an anecdote about how he made an effort to hire women in the past.

His Chief of Staff had two kids still in school – “fine, let’s have a flexible schedule” – he tells the audience. “I’m going to help women in America get good work….”

2.45 – Obama said women do not need Romney’s kind of advocacy. And he brings the topic around to women’s health and contraception through insurance. Links it to the economy as it is money out of a family’s pocket.

That all makes a difference to whether a woman can work, he says. These are family issues, and economic issues. The economy will grow when everyone is involved.

“I have two daughters and I want to make sure that they have the same opportunities as anyone’s son has.”

2.46 – QUESTION: How do you differentiate yourself from George W Bush?

This one is for Mitt. Obviously.

2.50 – Joseph in the comments section: “Jaysus he’s mentioned the 5 point plan again, has Romney been on the phone to Enda”

And maybe Seán Gallagher about having a job creator in the White House (sub for the Áras)

2.54 – Obama uses the question to Romney to his advantage. Says Romney is different to Bush for a number of reasons, but they are not economic ones.

Cites Planned Parenthood and how Bush did not cut funding to it. Mentions Bush’s embrace of immigration reform, comparing it to Romney’s suggestion of self-deportation. Brings up Romney’s healthcare voucher proposals as well.

3.01 – NEXT QUESTION: On immigration…what do you plan on doing about immigrants without Green Cards who are productive members of society?

All the topics that didn’t come up in Round 1 are being raised by the ordinary voters. Romney is up first and says America is a nation of immigrants but adds that illegal immigration must be stopped.

He will not grant “amnesty to those who come here illegally”. That’s bad news for the undocumented Irish in the US.

However, Romney says there should be pathway to citizenship for children of illegal immigrants. Serving in the US Army would be one such pathway, he explains.

3.01 – Obama defends his record on immigration.

Meanwhile, there is a new Twitter parody account following the former Governor’s claim that he went in search of women in Massachusetts and ended up with binders of information…

3.07 – “It’s not as big as yours.” Obama to Romney

3.17 – Clinton has done an extraordinary job but she works for me, says Obama.

“The day after the attack, I stood in the Rose Garden and said it was an act of terror and we would hunt down those who pertuated it.”

The suggestion that anyone on my team would play politics with this is offensive. Obama actually looks really, really cross about that one.

3.17 – Oh oh oh. Forbidden round-of-applause.

That was in response to the moderator’s confirmation that Obama did, in fact, call the attack on the embassy in Libya an act of terror. Romney had claimed he didn’t.

Both are partially correct.

3.27 – Obama and Romney agree on the importance of parents and schools in reducing violence seen in America.

3.32 – The New York Times has been fact-checking some of the more contentious or questionable claims made by the two candidates.

On Obama’s claim that Romney invested in a Chinese company that conducted video surveillance on citizens, Michael McIntire found:

The investment was actually made through a fund managed by Bain Capital, the private equity firm Mr. Romney founded and ran until 2001. Mr. Romney has as much as $2.25 million invested in three Bain Capital funds with sizable stakes in at least seven Chinese companies,including an electronics retailer accused of selling computers with pirated Microsoft software. He has millions more invested in Bain funds that control an auto parts company that is closing a United States factory and moving equipment and jobs to China.

Mr. Romney says his fortune is managed by a blind trust over which he has no control. However, the trust, managed by a law firm that also works for Bain Capital, would likely not meet federal requirements for independent management should be become president because of the close relationship between the law firm, Mr. Romney and Bain.

3.48 – Regardless of who won or whether it was a solid performance from both, we’ll be talking about Romney’s binders full of women tomorrow.

Not only does it have a Twitter account, it also has a Tumblr. The Internet can kill.

4.05 – General consensus following the debate is that both men performed proficiently but Obama probably shaded it because he was more prepared than last time out. He also tried to hammer home the idea that America knows him and knows that he means what he says. Better the devil you know was the message of night from the blue corner.

Romney’s own goal of accusing Obama of not calling the recent Benghazi an attack an act of terror may be the thing that is remembered in the morning. Let’s wait and see.

But that’s all from us right now. Good night and good luck.