BostonGlobe.com Political Headlines - October 2, 2012

Here are the top POLITICAL headlines from BostonGlobe.com today:

• Brown, Warren fire away over voting, work records: In their second debate, Senator Brown vigorously attacked Elizabeth Warren's legal work on behalf of corporations, while she blasted votes he took in lockstep with GOP leadership. Globe politics reporter Michael Levenson covers.

• In '02, Mitt Romney capitalized on debates: Romney used debates against Democratic challenger Shannon O'Brien to adopt a more criticizing tone and was able to turn the tide in the 2002 race for governor. Globe politics reporter Matt Viser details.

• In second debate, Brown was too focused on ancestry issue: Scott Brown's obsession with painting Elizabeth Warren as a dishonest fraud is not just tiresome but off-putting. Globe columnist Scot Lehigh elaborates.

• More refinement from Brown, Warren: Both US Senate candidates sounded better when they talked about the issues than when they tried to parrot their opposition research. Globe columnist Joanna Weiss reports.

• A firm grasp of the trivial in Senate race: After watching the second debate between Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren, you probably can't get that old Peggy Lee song out of your head. "Is That All There Is?" Globe columnist Kevin Cullen writes.

• Mitt Romney's home advantage now eclipsed in N.H.: The GOP nominee finds himself trailing President Obama in recent New Hampshire polls as precious days vanish from the campaign calendar. Globe reporter Brian MacQuarrie outlines.

• Charges and countercharges in the Senate debate: Senator Scott Brown and his Democratic challenger, Elizabeth Warren, sparred over issues during Monday night's debate, from bipartisanship and immigration to foreign policy. Globe Metro reporter Stephanie Ebbert details.