Debates

[delldude]

You lefty clowns speechless or in shock tonite or what?

Hello....Hello......Hello.

3 Oct 2012 08:55 PM
Live-Blogging The First Presidential Debate 2012


10.31 pm. Look: you know how much I love the guy, and you know how much of a high information viewer I am, and I can see the logic of some of Obama's meandering, weak, professorial arguments. But this was a disaster for the president for the key people he needs to reach, and his effete, wonkish lectures may have jolted a lot of independents into giving Romney a second look.
Obama looked tired, even bored; he kept looking down; he had no crisp statements of passion or argument; he wasn't there. He was entirely defensive, which may have been the strategy. But it was the wrong strategy. At the wrong moment.
The person with authority on that stage was Romney - offered it by one of the lamest moderators ever, and seized with relish. This was Romney the salesman. And my gut tells me he sold a few voters on a change tonight. It's beyond depressing. But it's true.
There are two more debates left. I have experienced many times the feeling that Obama just isn't in it, that he's on the ropes and not fighting back, and then he pulls it out. He got a little better over time tonight. But he pulled every punch. Maybe the next two will undo some of the damage. But I have to say I think it was extensive.
10.30 pm. But Romney's closing statement - very, very vague and highly deceptive. And is it me, or does he even sound like Reagan? And his final statement is on defending Medicare! He's the protector of that entitlement, even as his actual plan is a radical overhaul of it.
10.29 pm. How is Obama's closing statement so #### sad, confused and lame? He choked. He lost. He may even have lost the election tonight.
10.25 pm. The idea that the candidate of the current Republican party is portraying himself as the most willing to reach across the aisle is staggering. That he is more persuasive on this than the president is a staggering personal failure on Obama's part. And now Obama is saying he is the candidate of "saying no". Just staggering incompetence on his part.
10.23 pm. Lehrer has basically handed the moderation of this to the candidates, and Romney has taken command. And he has done so by speaking for three minutes less.
10.22 pm. The liar has managed to make Obama seem dishonest. In an act of will, Romney's lies are made effective.
10.19 pm. A reader writes:

My wife and I are feeling the same hysteria you're expressing. Romney, while coming off as more than a bit aggressive, is clear, authoritative, and on point. Obama is a confusing, meandering, stuttering mess.
I'm a high information voter, so I know the context of Obama's complaints about Romney's tax plan not adding up, or comments about Medicare, Dodd-Frank, etc. I also know when Romney is lying through his teeth or contradicting his own past statements. Most of your Dish readers are probably in the same boat. But America as a whole? I'm not so sure. And to them I'd think Romney looks like he's creaming Obama.
And given how badly Romney's years at Bain have played in the media and ad wars to this date, I'm truly impressed by how well Romney has been able to play up his years of business experience. I have to admit, the way he's spinning it, not only does it sound impressive, but incredibly relevant to the issues being discussed.​

In live-blogging a debate, I am not judging the intellectual cogency alone. I am judging it as a debate, which is a complex thing, with many factors in play. But I know debating, am good at it, and I can see a wipe-out when it's, well, in front of one's nose.
10.17 pm. Romney is even sounding Reagan-like and compassionate right now. The Etch-A-Sketch is shaking, and the old Romney is back, with coded appeals to his base. And then he adds onto that a litany of woes currently experienced. Again, even after Obama's eloquent answer, Romney is better.
10.14 pm. Obama's description of the role of government is actually elegant, and eloquent. Invoking Lincoln was great; invoking Eisenhower would have been even better. Education is the key. But hearing Obama defend his record, after hearing Clinton, is painful. Truly painful.
10.12 pm. Finally, Obama manages to point out the vagueness of Romney's hazy alternatives. But Romney, who just rolls ovr Lehrer. Yet another round to Romney. I don't think Obama has won a single exchange in this entire debate.
10.08 pm. Romney has somehow managed to turn healthcare into a fantasy decision between grim rationing bureaucrats versus patients and hospitals. It's an amazingly good performance, given the facts and arguments he has to deploy. In response, Obama is stuttering, detailed, wonkish, ineffective.
10.06 pm. I find myself bored silly by Obama. If I am bored silly by this wonkish lecture, and his refusal to rebut specific points, i.e. lies, Obama's in trouble.
10.03 pm. I simply cannot believe that Mitt Romney is saying he is more bipartisan than Obama. And Obama never pushes back. He is leaving argument after argument on the table, while he seems to be writing a memo to himself whenever Romney is speaking.
10.01 pm. Finally, Obama thanks Romney for Obamacare. The first time he actually turned the tables. Staggering it took him an hour to get there. And now Romney's lies on healthcare are becoming effective. And Obama is still looking down. Did no one tell him there is a split screen? Just political malpractice.
9.58 pm. Romney is now so clearly lying about how president Obama decided to do healthcare before jobs I wonder if he's over-reaching. But you notice that the second Romny stops speaking and Obama starts, the approval line sinks. That's grim data. Obama is going full metal wonk.

 

[Ms Tree]

I got home from work, made some popcorn, got a drink and watched "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel". Very good movie for anyone who has not seen it.

Was the debate even worth watching? I have heard quite a few people compare debates to open houses. Very few people buy a house they saw during an open house.

 

[xUT]

What a conundrum.
Rockey IV is on at the same time.
😛

I should have watched Rockey... :wacko:

 

[Ms Tree]

LOL. That good huh? I'm glad I watched my movie.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

Hey,...fair enough.

Romney 1-0
Obama 0-1

I've got No problem with that !

 

[Hello3B]

I think BO took a dive last night. He has no interest in being president. He wants to retire and hang out with Beyonce and JayZ. Trying to fix this mess is not what he wants to do because it would be a lot of work. Typical stoner.

 

[RDU Jetblast]

Thats ok. Dont forget, romney just needs to be romney. Obama has to be Obama and POTUS. He did have Turkey, a NATO country bombing Syria after Russia warn the world to not interfere.

 

[Ms Tree]

According to what I have read so far it looks like Syria may have sent an accidental/on purpose artillery shell across the Turkish boarder. The shell killed a mother and her family. Syria apologized and said it would not happen again. Turkey apparently decided to get a few blows in and sent quite a few shells into Syria and hit a few few military targets.

I do not think Russia is going to worry about small stuff like that. If someone sends in troops or carries out large scale assaults then it could get interesting.

 

[Frank Szabo]

The outcome of last night's debate was expected and foretold - there were no surprises. Romney crucified the Wanker in Chief. The other debates will follow suit.

The real entertainment will come from the "debate" betwixt Ryan and "Plugs" Biden. I'm at least going to record it and file away in the video rack next to "History of the World", "Spaceballs", and "Blazing Saddles".

 

[eolesen]

Thats ok. Dont forget, romney just needs to be romney. Obama has to be Obama and POTUS. He did have Turkey, a NATO country bombing Syria after Russia warn the world to not interfere.

If only Obama were actually using his free time to appear Presidential.

Instead, he's doing fundraising (as is Romney), showing up on TV talk shows (which Romney has wisely avoided), and not making time in his "busy" scheduled to actually meet with world leaders who were in the United States and just 90 minutes north of the White House...

 

[delldude]

Romney was good with detail while Obama looked like a person who is 'in charge' but 'not involved' in many of the policy issues he was attempting to argue. Clint had it right.

 

[RDU Jetblast]

I agree. Romney was better prepared but he spoke real fast. Too fast in some instances. Like he rehearsed so much he had to spout out a script. It was a little unnatural to me.

 

[Dog Wonder]

It is natural for Romney to be unnatural.

 

[eolesen]

Having an empty chair would have been less damaging. Watch Obama smirk repeatedly while Romney reads off his track wreckord...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKMUHcgsbag&feature=player_embedded

 

[Dog Wonder]

Instead, he's doing fundraising (as is Romney), showing up on TV talk shows (which Romney has wisely avoided), ..

Look for Romney on The View, now that he has overcome his fear of sharp-tongued women.