UPDATED: There's got to be a morning after
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UPDATED: There's got to be a morning after
I'm waiting for my orders from the Politburo on how to spin this thing -- so you'll have to debate amongst yourself for a bit longer. To be updated...
UPDATE: You probably won't believe this, but I do have an excuse for posting so late about last night's debate. I am still awaiting my instructions from Mr. Soros I was getting root canal done this morning. So, of all the third-rate pundits out there, I'm the best qualified to determine which was more painful: Root canal or watching President Obama's debate performance. Let me put it this way: At least for the root canal they numb you up.
My overall opinion hasn't changed since I wrote it up for "the newspaper" 10 minutes after the debate ended: Obama looked like the one who was half-dead in Denver and Mitt Romney looked like he had too much caffeine (which is kinda of funny because, uh, he actually can't drink caffeine...oops), and Romney clearly won the debate.
Romney certainly won on body language -- which to a lot of people is the most important part of a debate -- but he also won, and this is what surprised a lot of people, in exoressing empathy -- which is very important indeed. Where everybody fell flat in was ideas. Both candidates sounded wonky, but when you peeled back the wonkery there wasn't a lot there for either Obama or for Romney.
Call me crazy but I thought the worst momemt of the debate wasn't Obama looking down at his shoes but Romney trying to explain how his tax cut -- the centerpiece of his campaign -- isn't really a tax cut, but...What the hell is it? Seriously, I think you don't need to be a rocket scientist to see that cutting rates while eliminating deductions will benefit the wealthy and hurt the middle class. Why Obama didn't hammer him for that is a big reason why we're all talking today about what a disaster Obama was. You'll be shocked* to learn I've gotten a fair number of emails and calls from Romney supporters gloating about how their man "pounded" Obama. But none of them mentioned any of Romney's brilliant ideas on taxes, jobs or health care. So I guess we did see the same debate, after all.
Most of the time, we all put on a big show complaining that our politics values style over substance. But not on Debate Night oin America, when we make little pretense of admitting that it's anything but a sporting event, only lacking Fox's exploding helmeted robots or an intro song by Pink (but just wait wait a few more cycles). The most famous U.S. presidential debate line of all-time was Ronald Reagan telling Jimmy Carter, "There you go again!" Do you have any idea what the issue was they were debating about? Would it really matter if you knew?
Arguably the second most famous debate question of all time was when Walter Mondale said to Gary Hart in the 1984 primaries: "When I hear your new ideas, I'm reminded of that ad, 'Where's the beef?'"
Great question.
America gets two more chances to see whether either Romney or Obama will ever answer it in 2012.
* Sarcasm.
Al Gore said it was the altitude in Denver that affected Obama.
This guy was almost the President..think about that.— jmc- Bush won election after complete wipe out by Kerry.
Debates don't matter.— Seed - Firing big bird and constant lies would endear Romney to all Americans.
Romney's credibility will take a serious beating in states where Obama will go after him about his lies.— Seed - Romney's full embrace of medicare coupon program will cost him among all people below 65 year. — Seed
- Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah. Hey Seed, you know you are in deep trouble when Rachael Maddow says that Joey Biden will turn this around in his debate with Paul Ryan. — CD75
- If we deduct a point for every lie a candidate told last night, Obama won by a mile. But of course most Americans don't know that.
No wonder Republicans want to gut education - to get and stay in power.— Hamlet - Obama is obviously not too bright.If he is- then lets see his grades from college- that would clear things up no?
He needs those Google Glasses- make them a Mini Teleprompter...— Keep The Change - Obama was not prepared to debate someone that will shamelessly tell one lie after another. Did his staff inform him that he was going to be debating a Republican?— Hamlet
- O got STOMPED. The lib media could not step in and cover for him, thats why he looked like a deer in headlights. O has been and is all glitz and glamor, but no substence. Thats why america is stillin a mess.— mulford71
- No doubt Romney won the debate because he was crisp, energetic and succinct in making his points. Obama seemed disinterested and stumbling over his own words. If you actually listened to the words, I don't think Romney cleaned Obama's clock. But I'm sure will has converted some undecideds. How much remains to be seen. If I remember correctly, both Gore and Kerry won the first debate. Obama will be better next time but we do have a horse race.......this is getting interesting!
— chasing history - Jmc.... I'm with you brother....gore is a maroon!
— bannedrepublican - Look, they are both really good debaters and for the most part it was what one could have expected. If there needs to be an insistence that Romney won, so be it. I am still shocked at how blatantly he deceives the people with outright impunity -- suppose its the price to pay to gain the new GOPs blessing. Chasing I thought Gore crushed Bush in all debates, showing a superior grasp of -- well almost every topic (except big oil know-how and baseball team dynamics) -- but the talking heads disagreed. I personally do not need to have the POTUS rip into Mitt for his absolutely awful policies.— Murrayman
- 4 years ago we were told he was the smartest president EVER. too bad romney didn't ask him what was on his ipod, maybe even a question about his fav color would have put him at ease. maybe joy or whoopie should ask the questions.— rysagr
- I'm waiting for Will's response to this story... http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20121003_Philly_teacher__Students_Romney_shirt_like_KKK_sheet.html— LouDiamondPhillipsheadScrewdriver
- Your column in the DN was a real whine Bunch - especially the title. Reminded me of your 08 debate meltdown when Stephanopolous had the nerve to ask Barry about his terrorist buddy Ayers. Waaaaaaahhhhhh— teardownthisfishwrap
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