next week. >> heather: candidates scored points. >> he did call it an act of terror. >> he throws the president a lifeline with on the spot fact checker. was this moderator interaction or an intervention? >> i'm responsible. >> takes the blames for errors

surrounding the deadly terror attack in benghazi. and did it work? >> i'm here today, president obama. >> bruce springsteen becomes an obama group any singing the president's tune. and two candidates take time off the campaign trail for a few laughs. >> in the spirit of says any streets is brought to you by the letter "o" and $16 trillion. >> writer and fox news contributor, judy miller. we have richard grennel. jim pinkerton and ellen ratner. i'm jon scott. fox news watch is on right now.

governor romney doesn't have a five-point plan, he has one point plan. that plan to to make sure that folks at the top play by a different set of rules. >> we have a president talking about someone's plan in a way that completely foreign to what my real plan is. then we have his own record. we have four consecutive years where he said when he was running for office. he would cut the deficit in half. instead he has doubled it. >> jon: three weeks left. the two candidates faced off for a second time taking questions from supposedly undecided voters and taking a lot of shots at each other. one of big issues in this debate was the role of the moderator. what about the debate itself? tell us how the media handled the debate? >> i think the media were happy to see president obama woke up by his own admission and we're happy to say he won for the most

part. however, as i wrote for a conservative magazine and somebody went through the 1980 reagan campaign. the fact that president reagan did a good job and romney has been on the tv unfiltered by the media with 125 million people watching. something is changing out there. the media can't spin romney talking and standing up and articulating his views. as romney joked thursday night they are doing the best to obscure what he is saying. the reality is punching through and the gatekeepers can't deal with it. >> jon: so what about it? does it suggest the debates are more about style than substance? >> it's television, yes. of course that is through. i was struck by to the extent that people tended to stick to the vie they brought in to the debate. that includes the reporters.

the washington and "new york times" said more obama comes back as the lead editorial. the "wall street journal" said, president without a plan. so what you heard is what you wanted to hear from that debate. >> jon: you like president obama. the fact that he did better in this debate. did it cheer you up? >> it certainly cheered me up. i was a little dismayed at some of the press, particularly one that said people clapped in the press room. it did not happen. i was there. i also thought there was a lack of really talking about, although the daily mail did it, talking about some of the other groups. for instance, the fact that the green party candidate was arrested on her way into the debate because she didn't have a credential to get into the debate. i think there has not been

coverage of a lot of other issues that didn't happen at the debate. >> jon: did the media seem cheered by the fact the president showed nourp one and participated and seemed awake? >> i think what happened from the first debate is the bar was so low for the president, he just had to show up and talk. he was pretty good. he was back to being the president. i think judy hit something, "wall street journal" was the only ones to point out, we didn't hear any details from the president. the media are really missing that. we keep hearing that governor romney doesn't have details on this or that proposal and the president makes that charge. the president has not laid out a vision for his next four years. he is slamming romney and trying to develop this narrative and jim oh point is right. when you see governor romney unfiltered, that whole narrative implodes.

he is not a radical guy of the governor and the president doesn't have a plan. >> jon: "new york times" and wall street editorials both made that point. they both said in the course of their editorials, journal out of ammunition. there is no reason to think that obama's second term would be better than the first. so obama won the debate has no plan. that is out. there. i think it's very damaging. reporters don't want to get completely away where the friend is going. they are happy to be on one side but they don't want to look like idiots if obama loses by ten points. >> jon: they say they have portrayed mitt romney a certain way and now people can see him, they are changing their minds.

they are forming opinions on the man himself. do you agree? >> yes, but there is a qualifier. when you get a statement like binders full of women. when you hear a comment from governor romney, it's subjected to interpretation. gee, that is like i have a blackberry rather than an iphone. no, this is typical of this. you take away what you perceive. man. >> he missed a word. binders full of women's resumes. >> the word for the liberals, recycled binders. [ laughter ] >> let's be clear about one thing. the governor is talking about hiring more women. the liberals attack him for what the resumes are in. simple fact it could have been

two day story. cnn had this on for two days. carol costello asked facebook opinion polls, does this mean something about mitt romney. >> liberals were attacking the fact that he said he went out and asked for those binders when, in fact, he did -- >> they were making fun of the binders but the "washington post" cartoon, binders and the stories. that the liberals are trying to turn into a major thing. one called it a gaffe. a binder gaffe. >> this could be mentioned in a story but not a two-day story. >> jon: and mentioned that ann romney and michelle obama wore

pink. it was breast cancer month. here is headline in us weekly. ann romney wears $1690 dress to the debate. what they don't tell you that mrs. obama's dress costed $1,759 and she topped it with a jacket that cost almost $1500. so it cost twice as much. >> everybody knows when republicans wear nice clothes it's rubing their face in the poor and when democrats wear something like that, it's wearing something classy. >> i got the pink memo. i think this is all silly. the issue is how do these guy do. did they do well enough -- >> it's not silly when it all tilts one way.

>> if it was fair, if both are going to be silly on both sides let's talk about it. >> jon: we're going to have leave it there. next on news watch the moderator's effect on the debate. >> he did call it an act of terror. >> candy krou slay self-appointed fact checker but gets the facts wrong. did it sway the debate? that is next on news watch. in america tay we're running out of a vital resource we need

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you said in the rose garden the day after the attack it was an act of terror. is that what you are saying. >> please proceed, governor. >> i want to get that for the record. it took the president 14 days before he said 14 days before he called it an act of terror.

>> can you say that a little louder. >> he did call it an act of terror. it did as well take two weeks or so for the whole idea of being a riot about this tape to come out. >> the administration indicated that this was reaction to a video and was a spontaneous reaction. it took them a long time to say it was a terrorist act by a terror group. am i incorrect in that regard? >> jon: candy crowleyhe accepted out of her moderator on role and on the spotted fact checker position. it earned her a good amount of criticism. an internal memo reads, let's start with a big round of applause for candy crowley for a

suburb job. her reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, romney supporters are going after her on two points because their man didn't have as good night as he denver. on the fact checking on the rose garden statement it should be stressed she was state ago point of fact. he did talk about an act or act of terror no matter what you think he meant by that at the time. judy, was this interaction on her part or intervention. >> it was clearly intervention. it served the president's interests. whether or not that was her intent. candy is not a national foreign policy security person. there is no reason she would have been familiar with every word the president said at the rose garden. she had read the transcript night before.

it almost looked like an ambush. a lesson to governor romney never launch an attack in the form of a question. it leaves your opponent open to say please proceed. >> jon: there was that moment, you called it an act of terror. the president didn't seem to have an answer. >> yes. i mean i think he did refer to the transcript. i'm going degree with judy on this. i saw candy crowley did not act like a moderator at that point. i think that for a moderator she went over the line. >> jon: what about the accuracy or inaccuracy of what she had to say? >> the liberals and especially the liberal point of view jumped on the fact he did say the word a terror at the rose garden. we're left to really fight about the difference of opinion and

everything. isn't that the whole point? radical islam means unequivocal condemnation and we need a president in his condemnation. the fact that we're arguing over the fact of whether or not he did say it or he did condemn it is really the problem and the media missed it. >> here is the official transcript. when you get way down here. you finally see the words act of terror which is what he alluded to. >> the way judy said earlier, all those that can prove when president obama said, get the transcript. he knew she had the atlanta script. it's possible. >> voila. there is the transcript. there it is right in front of you. >> and knowing that on the

narrow point act of terror, yes. at the same time, this is when romney missed his chance, so four days later. >> you go to the united nations and say six times at the u.n. of all places. >> that is whether they said, candy joins team obama. >> jim is head of the conspiracy theory. but if you shift the subject as rick said and jim was saying, and you agree. if you switch it from a question of semantic disagreement as opposed to the real questions which will be asked on monday as why there was such terrible security there. why was there no back up response team? what was the intelligence? why on 9/11 did you leave these people so exposed? this is what the american people

want to know. >> and toby from the daily mail did the work. he interviewed the mother of sean smith. she said, listen when obama says it's not optimal what happened in libya. she said my son is dead. that the kind of emotion and reality stepping back from word play and transcript ambushing, who is actually focusing on what is going on. >> there was talk before the debate that candy crowley would be allowed to ask follow-up questions. nobody talked about her being a fact checker. >> she said from the beginning she never signed an agreement agreeing to the rules. >> they are supposed to juwl in. >> when the president said, i said to white house staff

immediately when i heard this to increase the staff in libya and around the world. that clearly wasn't done. cnn found the diary. there wasn't any increased security officials there. the simple fact that the "new york times" on friday interviewed the guy who is a ring leader for this libya attack in benghazi at a restaurant. >> he says he just happened to be there. >> where is the press and are we going after him. where is the media? >> why are we hearing this from president obama. why are we hearing the first explanation of what happened on jon stewart whoosmt about a conversation with the people the media -- >> the conversation on monday night in florida, i think he'll explain himself. you can't run away from the.

white house press corps there was been one or two briefings. they have been traveling with the president. >> headline, quote. candy crowley debate moderation is an example of why americans don't trust the media, unquote. >> and one says that candy crowley cut off romney 23 times, cut off president obama 15 times. president also got about four minutes more in the last debate. we report. you decide. more news watch ahead. first if you see something you feel shows evidence of media bias, tweet us at fox news watch. up next, the next big debate and moderateer. >> now, it's time for cbs news man, bob schieffer. what can we expect from him in the last big debate. find out next on news watch.

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i think it also has something to do with how partisan things have become now. >> right. if you perceive a candidate is not doing well, it's the moderator's fault. >> yeah. i've never heard anybody at a baseball game that their team won that criticized the umpires. [ laughter ] >> jon: bob sheef her be the umpire. he is talking with howard kurtz. he will be the moderator for the third and final debate of this

election cycle. he has been around a long time. he has done this job before. what are your expectations? >> first of all, if reporters were umpires, i would be all for it. they are playing on the field right now. i think schieffer will be one of the best. in my opinion he is old school enough to know he doesn't want to be part of the story. he really has been around enough. he has the facts. i think she should be much better. when it got good this last debate, candy jumped in and played one side. i would like to see more schieffer ask the questions and let the candidates talk and step back. >> jon: he won't be jim lehrer? >> i don't think so. he did comment on the howard's interview how the 24 news cycle and how partisan things have become but i'll on go with cal

thomas let's have former presidents moderate the debate. >> this interaction that was most interesting between the two men themselves. i liked jim lehrer's approach better. it let them talk to each other. it enabling the american people to look at both men and how they relate to each other. i really preferred that. >> as ben shapiro, 11 questions asked, six were pro bone and three were pro romney and two were neutral. as james rosen, she answered as many questions as they did. she could have more ego time. bob sheef ser not obviously of that mode, however as i said last week, crowley had to think

about leher for being too nice to rom. so not surprisingly, crowley followed the raddatz model. the temptation for schieffer, see if you can resist it. >> they do it to themselves. media like to report on each other. we get all these pre-stories of who the moderator is and what do they think. we build up these reporters as part of the story and we get into trouble. >> everybody is talking about candy crowley is jumping on the libya question, but fact of the matter, president and mitt romney, neither one of them answered the question that the citizen put out there. why did we not have better security at our diplomatic facility in benghazi. >> you have to give american people some credit. the rules of the debate, it seems nerdy to talks about the

rules but they mean something. two campaigns agreed on this. it's scandalous, the co-chairman of the debate commission. it was a deal. next debate who knows what will happen. >> moderator should say, answer the question. >> right. >> what is amazing the spirit the debate is not about the economy, it's about foreign policy. which is normally considered kind also ran in presidential politics. now, we have libya. now it counts. >> jon: it will be interesting, they meet for the third and final time on monday. you can watch it here on fox news channel 8:55 p.m. next on news watch. libya attack blame game continues. >> i'm responsible for the state department. >> secretary of state hillary clinton stepping up to take the

heat from missteps in libya that ended in the deaths of four americans. does she deserve the blame? or was it a well planned move to take the media attention off the white house? that is next on news watch. so anyway, i've been to a lot of places. you know, i've helped a lot of people save a lot of money. but today...( sfx: loud noise of large metal object hitting the ground) things have been a little strange. (sfx: sound of piano smashing) roadrunner: meep meep. meep meep? (sfx: loud thud sound) what a strange place. geico®. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance.

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>> hello, i'm gregg jarrett. 48 hours to the final presidential debate. brand-new poll showing governor mitt romney surging in two key states, in florida, romney-ryan ticket going from a five point deficit to a 3 point advantage now. in ohio, president obama's 7 point lead cut to three points in the latest poll. no candidate hats ever won without carrying the state of ohio. >> they discovered the body of whitney hikle.

she disappeared on tuesday. police arrested jonathan holt, 24-year-old charged with aggravated murder. police have yet to announce any possible motive in this case. we'll be back at the top of the hour. back to fox news watch. for all the latest news log on to foxnews.com. >> i'm responsible for the state department for the more than 60,000 people around the world. the decisions about security assets is made with security professionals. we're going to review everything to make sure we're doing what needs to be done >> jon: she was taking responsibility for any security failures leading up tot attack in benghazi that killed four americans. rick, you worked for the state department. what about the timing of all

this as it did right before the second debate. >> here we had breaking news, secretary of state hillary clinton admits she is the secretary of state. i thought it was so overblown. she in no way i'm taking full responsibility, but there was an incredible push from the state department, reporters and others trying to say she taking the blame for this. i didn't see this that. she is the secretary of state. >> what was interesting that makes her responsible for the security at the first facility the consulate. she was not in charge of the security around the second facility the annex which is c.i.a. is facility. it's interesting someone stepped up to the plate and took responsibility. i was surprised that the first person to do it was hillary clinton and not president.

>> much the press said she was taking the fall for the president he could look good. i think she took the fall and a little bit 90% saying she was taking the fall, 10% as i believe she is running for president in 2016 and wants to be able to stand in the debate and say i took the hit. >> the vice president two days before that said it's the state department's fault. they were trying to have a war -- >> on tuesday all of the network morning shows was saying that hillary clinton has taken the blame for all this. they gave no specifics. nobody said doesn't the buck stop with the. >> the there is famous thomas mast talking about the tweed, as in boss tweed. they are pointing the next one

in the circle, he done it. they managed to obscure the blame. it's all of them and none of them. interestingly enough, nobody resigned. hillary clinton i'm not going to run for president. she may have been saying, i'm going to take a little bit of blame so it doesn't haunt me. she could change her mind but right now she is looking like it. >> and benghazi gate. there is some question whether the reporter was honest or not. there was crowd benghazi area. then all of a sudden, they asked reuters public relations whether the report was accurate or not, no comment. that is astounding. >> what is the most important issue here. is it the question about why we

didn't have enough security at our diplomatic facility or is it about the spin and misinformation that came after word ward. >> first it's the substance. we didn't have enough security personnel there. then it's the spin of the white house to justify why we didn't have the security and why they weren't watching the storefront. i think it's always the cover-up. if they would have just admitted they thought things were calming down in libya, but they were wrong. we didn't have enough security there. >> i think there is an issue around the reporting and what did the reporters report on the ground. that is whole another bag of worms. >> jon: they wouldn't be saddled with a successful terror attack just before an election. >> or "new york times" reporter, he got all cyber work and him now saying, she now rewarding

them for saying, obama administration is ultimately blameless. >> next as it comes to foreign relations, is the media missing warning signs? >> on the issue of foreign policy and diplomacy, is the media protecting their favorite president? the answer is next on news watch. [ mother ] you can't leave the table till you finish your vegetables. [ clock ticking ] [ male announcer ] there's a better way... v8 v-fusion. vegetable nutrition they need, fruit taste they love. could've had a v8. or...try kids boxes!

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>> jon: one of scenes this week in syria. it shows a syrian military helicopter exploding midair. rebels are taking the credit. the question is, there are an awful lot of things going on in the world. you frequently criticize the media here and elsewhere for not giving the coverage. >> it's very hard to cover syria. if i were an i had for, i'm not sure i would be sending reporters into syria right now. simply because the story is so violent, so dangerous and you can't even trust, quote the officials there so it's a hard story to cover. >> we have a big foreign policy debated. a lost concerns about the foreign policy of the obama

administration. are the media giving him the president a pass? >> syria is probably more interested frankly to the elites than the country as a whole. conservative group took a poll of foreign aid to egypt. given the muslim brotherhood, $34 billion, 76 against. that is viewpoint that won't be reflected on any elite discussion. a few people besides rand paul is making this issue prominent. i guarantee they won't take either side at all. >> one thing, mitt romney can't possibly win this debate on monday because he doesn't know anything about foreign policy

and he up against the president who has been dealing with foreign policy for the last four years. what do you think? >> it's interesting. the president did not know much about it. he was in the senate for two years and he didn't know much about foreign policy. we will see. i have great hopes. the american people don't pay attention somebody gave me a great quote. americans don't care about foreign policy until they see a tank coming up their driveway. i think judy is right. where is the economic debate? i'm not sure if americans are going to tune into this. >> jon: romney was a governor of big state. they go on international trade missions and probably know a lot more foreign policy than a state

senator? >> i think you hit it. the bar is really low. she actually great. he has good gut insinks. syria is a national security issue for our allies and therefore for us. media is ignoring it because it's not a news story to tell. you could send a reporter beirut but the simple fact is we're not getting the real story on syria. we have bombing in beirut. we have it's unraveling in turkey and our reporters are missing there. >> what about the other stories, russia, iran, north korea? >> the media can only have so much. people are laying off reporters right and left, shutting down bureaus. thank god for cellphone cameras. at least we have something. >> why is it that liberal celebrities get all the good press?

>> celebrities support barack obama and get the spotlight. celebrities backed mitt romney but where is that spotlight for them? that next on news watch. i brought your stuff. you don't have to do this. yes i do. i want you to keep this. it'd be weird. take care. you too. so how did it go? he's upset. [ male announcer ] spend less time at gas stations with best in class fuel economy. it's our most innovative altima ever. now get a $199 per month lease on a 2013 nissan altima. ♪ as part of a heart healthy diet. that's true. ...but you still have to go to the gym. ♪ the one and only, cheerios