Obama likely to stay aggressive on Romney

USATODAY

It sounds like President Obama and his team will maintain their aggressive post-debate attacks on Mitt Romney, both about Romney's policies and the debate itself.

"It was a masterful theatrical performance -- it was fundamentally dishonest for the American people," said Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs on ABC's This Week on Sunday.

Echoing Obama's comments on the campaign trail since Wednesday's debate, Gibbs said Romney is distorting his own tax plan, and refusing to spell out which tax exemptions he would eliminate to help balance the budget.

Gibbs told ABC, "If you're willing to say anything to get elected president, if you are willing to make up your positions and walk away from them, I think the American people have to understand: How can they trust you if you are elected president?"

Romney aides said the president and his team are in damage control after a debate that Romney won, according to polls.

Also speaking on ABC, Romney senior adviser Ed Gillespie likened the Obama team to "a 7-year-old losing a Checkers game" and sweeping the pieces from the board.

Romney won the debate because he made "a fact-based critique of President Obama's policies," Gillespie said.

The Obama team's more aggressive tone is likely to be evident in the campaign's next big event: Thursday's vice-presidential debate between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan.

"I know Vice President Biden," Gibbs said. "I know he's looking forward to having a spirited exchange about ideas."

Obama and Romney meet again on Oct. 16 at Hofstra University in New York.

Said Gibbs: "I think now that Barack Obama has had the opportunity to meet both Mitt Romneys, I don't doubt that he'll make some adjustments. I know he's looking forward to the next debate."

Gillespie said Romney looks forward to discussing his plan to get the economy moving again, just as he did in the first debate.

Said Gillespie: "Nearly 70 million Americans saw the real Mitt Romney."