(Neon Tommy screenshot)

When undecided voter Kerry Ladka asked who was responsible for denying enhanced security for the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, Libya, that was the site of an attack that killed four Americans, the president visibly tensed up, emphasizing his personal affiliation with the American diplomats stationed internationally.

"These aren't just representatives of the United States, they are my representatives," President Obama said. "I know these folks and I know their families. So nobody is more concerned about their safety and security than I am."

While moderator Candy Crowley pointed out that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has taken "full responsibility" for the attack, Obama replied, "Secretary Clinton has done an extraordinary job. But she works for me. I'm the president and I'm always responsible, and that's why nobody's more interested in finding out exactly what happened than I do." 

The president stated his immediate response in adding a higher level of security "at every embassy and consulate in the region." He also made sure to declare his intent to hold the assassins responsible for the attack, "because one of the things that I've said throughout my presidency is when folks mess with Americans, we go after them," he said, reminding the public of his promise to capture Osama bin Laden.

A key point of Obama's argument in this debate was his belief that Mitt Romney does not have the capability to serve as an international leader.

"While we were still dealing with our diplomats being threatened, Governor Romney put out a press release, trying to make political points, and that's not how a commander in chief operates," Obama said. "You don't turn national security into a political issue. Certainly not right when it's happening."

Romney retaliated by stating incorrectly that Obama was slow to declare the Benghazi incident as a terrorist attack.

"It was a terrorist attack and it took a long time for that to be told to the American people," Romney declared. "How could we have not known?"

He went on to call into question the president's collective foreign policy approach in the Middle East.

"We have Iran four years closer to a nuclear bomb. Syria's not just a tragedy of 30,000 civilians being killed by a military, but also a strategically significant player for America," the former governor said.

An incensed Obama was quick to respond by stating that he had declared the embassy attack a terrorist attack the day after it occurred. 

"The suggestion that anybody in my team, whether the secretary of state, our U.N. ambassador, anybody on my team would play politics or mislead when we've lost four of our own, governor, is offensive," he said. "That's not what we do. That's not what I do as president, that's not what I do as commander in chief."

Crowley then fact-checked Romney's comment and verified that the president had made the announcement the day after the incident. 

Undecided voter Nina Gonzalez then asked what the administration had done or was planning to do in limiting access to assault weapons. 

"We're a nation that believes in the Second Amendment, and I believe in the Second Amendment. We've got a long tradition of hunting and sportsmen and people who want to make sure they can protect themselves," Obama said.

He cited an importance in enforcing the gun laws already in place.

"Part of it is seeing if we can get an assault weapons ban reintroduced. But part of it is also looking at other sources of the violence," Obama said. "Because frankly, in my home town of Chicago, there's an awful lot of violence and they're not using AK-47s. They're using cheap hand guns." 

He said a broadening of the conversation to change gun culture in America was also necessary of a "comprehensive strategy."

"So what can we do to intervene, to make sure that young people have opportunity; that our schools are working... that working with faith groups and law enforcement, we can catch it before it gets out of control," he said. 

He spoke about programs that his administration was setting up in community colleges to re-train workers who may have previously dropped out of school.

"In fact, employers are looking for skilled workers. And so we're matching them up," he said.

Romney agreed with Obama in saying that the legislation in place was sufficient - they just have to be enforced.

"I'm not in favor of new pieces of legislation on guns and taking guns away or making certain guns illegal," Romney said.

Voter Carol Goldberg then asked, "The outsourcing of American jobs overseas has taken a toll on our economy. What plans do you have to put back and keep jobs here in the United States?"

Romney was clear in distinguishing his approach from that of Obama.

"What I will do as president is make sure it's more attractive to come to America again," he said. "This is the way we're going to create jobs in this country. It's not by trickle-down government, saying we're going to take more money from people and hire more government workers, raise more taxes, put in place more regulations."

Throughout the debate, Romney repeatedly stated his ability to revamp the economy, saying he knew "what it takes to get the economy working again." He said pointing out China as a "currency manipulator" would be his No. 1 trade move as president.

"On day one, I will label China a currency manipulator, which will allow me as president to be able to put in place, if necessary, tariffs where I believe that they are taking unfair advantage of our manufacturers, " he said. 

He pointed to his proposed decrease in corporate tax rate as a pivotal move in "championing small business."

"Canada's tax rate on companies is now 15 percent," Romney said. "Ours is 35 percent. So if you're starting a business, where would you rather start it? We have to be competitive if we're going to create more jobs here."

He also cited the number of regulations under the Obama administration as an economic hindrance, quoting small business owners who he said complained, "'We feel like we're under attack from our own government.'"

Obama said that he agreed with Romney on lowering the corporate tax rate but rebutted his idea on expanding tax breaks for those who profited from overseas investments.

"It's estimated that that will create 800,000 new jobs," he said. "The problem is they'll be in China. Or India. Or Germany."

He also reminded viewers that Romney's stance against outsourcing jobs to China was somewhat hypocritical, saying that the former governor himself had invested in companies that outsourced to the country. He then defended his record, saying that his administration had put unprecedented trade pressure on China, resulting in the currency value increasing by 11 percent.

Read more of Neon Tommy's coverage on the presidential debates here.

Reach Assistant News Editor Michelle Toh here.