HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — A new President Barack Obama showed up here Tuesday night, putting up a dominant debate performance that was in diametric opposition to his showing in Denver just two weeks ago.

No poll numbers are in yet, so it is still difficult to say who won the debate definitively.

But Obama did what he had to do Tuesday night — deliver a decisive performance that showed he still wants to win this thing. He hit the high notes of his campaign's message on the middle class, defended his administration from Republican attacks on Libya, and took a few shots at Romney over his "sketchy" tax plan, flip-flops, and even his 47-percent comments.

Appearing in the spin room before the debate had even ended, Obama's campaign manager Jim Messina was ecstatic:

"It was a great night," Messina told reporters, grinning. "It was a big night, it was a dominant performance for the president."

"Romney seemed angry, sweaty, he was rattled — he had a real problem tonight defending his record," he added. "The American people saw a candidate tonight who was exposed for what he is, which is a man without a plan who is just trying to get by on attacking the president."

"We feel great about tonight!"

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