>> reporter: romney's comments about the 47% have taken a toll on his campaign. even before that leaked video polls showed americans think he favors the wealthy over the middle-class. he clearly wanted to try and change that perception. >> the people who are having a hard time right now are middle-income americans. under the president's policies, middle-income americans have been buried. they're just being crushed. i will not under any circumstances raise taxes on middle-income families. >> reporter: but the president said his rival doesn't have the right solutions, and that romney can't keep his goal of cutting taxes and not adding to the deficit without hurting the middle class. >> now, five weeks before the election, he is saying his big bold idea is never mind. >> the debate later turned to the president's health care law which romney says he will get rid of if elected. >> it cut $716 billion from medicare to pay for it. i want to put the money back in medicare. it has killed jobs. >> reporter: but the president