After last night's second presidential debate between President Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney, several instant polls of voters proclaim the president to be the winner.
A CBS News poll of undecided voters showed 37 percent believed Obama won, while 30 percent favored Romney, and 30 percent called the debate a tie.
A CNN/ORC poll of registered voters also declared Obama the winner, with 46 percent saying Obama won and 39 percent saying Romney won.
A Google Consumer Surveys poll showed Obama with a 17-point advantage over Romney, with 48 percent of registered voters saying he won, compared to 31 percent who said Romney won.
Obama had a smaller lead in a Public Policy Polling survey of Colorado viewers, with 48 percent saying Obama did a better job, with 44 percent saying Romney did. Independent voters in that poll broke more heavily for Obama, 58 percent to 36 percent for Romney.
And a SurveyUSA poll of California viewers gave Obama a 24-point lead, 56 percent to 32 percent. Of course, California isn't a swing state and Democratic support is strong there, but a similar poll after the first debate gave the win to Romney.
Whether these good numbers will help Obama in the national polls remains to be seen, and it will take a few days for the polls to catch up to public sentiment.
Still, Democrats are breathing much more easily after this second debate. Tension was high among liberal supporters after Obama's disappointing and weary performance in the first debate, but the coaching and practice seem to have paid off this time.
Obama fought back against many of Romney's assertions on topics including the Benghazi attacks, federal drilling, tax policy, jobs and the economy.
Romney was as lively as he was in the first debate, and moderator Candy Crowley channeled Martha Raddatz over Jim Lehrer, stepping in to corral the candidates at they roamed the stage, at one point fact-checking Romney in real time over a point about Libya.
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