ANALYSIS: I am Bryan Bender, the Boston Globe's national security reporter based in Washington. I will be providing context tonight on President Obama and Governor Romney's statements on defense and foreign policy. Keep an ear out for issues where the candidates have been pushing dueling narratives in recent weeks: the alleged terrorist attack in Libya; the American relationship with Israel; the timeline and pace of withdrawal in Afghanistan; defense spending cuts; and international efforts to halt Iran's enrichment of nuclear material. Look for President Obama to try to make Romney appear naive and unprepared for the role of commander-in-chief, even unnecessarily provocative (and remind voters of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden and his promise fulfilled to get out of Iraq). Look for Governor Romney to try to make the case that Obama has weakened America's influence in the world and undercut American exceptionalism

ANALYSIS: A big test coming up here: Will Obama, unlike last time, use this tax question to really confront Romney on whether his tax math adds up?

Obama starts by saying his philosophy on taxes is simple: relief for the middle class.

That said, if it is a moral obligation to address the deficit, the wealthy must pay more, says president.