. >> when mike o neil was staped at city's chairman, they got the feeling a shake-up would be comingnd the report by the new york times reports a picture of pandit's last date marked by shock after what he believed to be strong earnings. one said he resigned immediately and another resigning at year-end and third being fired without cause. he chose to leave immediately. coo john havens agreed to leave within minutes. the following day, pan dit said the move was his choice and based on that quarter's earnings that he would be leaving citi in good hands. a former bank of america executive and bank of hawaii, o neil joined the board and became chairman when dick parsons resigned earlier. they were long preparing for pandit's recession and took an unusual turn in the ongoing succession plans holding talks with two candidates for the vacanted coo role which has yet to be filled. >> it's amazing, thanks, if that departure scenario is true, that mikes michael o neill is making all decisions and forcing his agenda. >> let's talk about that and break it down with citi watchers, chris whalen.

policy around the e rld takes center stape tonight inal face-off and between president obama and mitt romney.in good evening. i'm gwen ifill. >> woodruff: and i'm judy woodruff. on the newshour tonight, we get some pre-debate analysis from mark ields and david brooks. >> ifill: tonight's match-up takes place in florida. we travel there to assess the state of the race.an it's getting harder and harder to breakthrough to undecided base voters because there's just such a saturation level of everything and it's so negative. >> woodruff: plus, jeffrey brown looks at where the candidates stand on key foreign policy issues. >> ifill: then, lance armstrong is stripped of his titles and banned from competing for life. ray suarez examines the impact of an athlete's fall from graceo >> woodruff: and we remember a statesman and a proud liberal, presidential candidate and senator george mcgovern. >> your colleague in the press, some of them referring to me as theonscience of the party. tthers talking about me as the peacemaker in the race. and still others as the elder statesman. thas quite a trip