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.
nice pic will. the good ship obama slipping beneath the waves. blub blub blub— rysagr- There's a Double Dutch Bus comin' down the street, movin' pretty fast, so kinda shuffle your feet. Get on the bus and pay your fare and tell the driver that you're goin' to a Double Dutch Affair...— Hamlet
- "Phish, have you met RG and bp? You'll all be riding the short bus together...buckle up!" HUH. Are we even in the same conversation? I think I hear nurse Ratched calling Hammy:"Medication Time" That thin air that Gore is blaming on Preezy's poor performance must have made it's way down Hammy's street.
— Phishface - October 3, 2012: The day America realized the emporer has no clothes.— CD75
- Who rambled more, the Empty Suit last night or Clint at the convention? Obama had the time management skills of Andy Reid last night.— 2ndNlong
- Come on, Phish. All aboard!— Hamlet
- "Obama probably won, as anyone who has done competitive debating would easily realize." Now that's funny!— RufusG
- That's exactly right, phish. Man you're smart. Yeah when we realize Obama gots his clock cleaned, we resort to pointing out what the other guy said. Yeah otherwise, we wouldn't bother. Like this: "ACA puts in place an unelected board that’s going to tell people, ultimately, what kind of treatments they can have" Right, yeah, we're supposed to believe this. Actually the board will be put into place to determine ways to make control cost growth. By law they cannot determine what kind of treatment a patient can have. Oh and also, their recos are not automatic -- Congress, that representative of the people, must review first. Obama of course pointed out all of this. But he didn't growl at Romney, or look at him with menace, so he got his clock cleaned. Pointed out truth where Romney lies = clock cleaned. Fantastic. This is the world you inherit, phish, congratulations.— Murrayman
- "Romney won on body language". Will, was it Stevie Wonder or Helen Keller who told you that?— RufusG
- These debates are not about specifics ....... just ask AL Gore and his specific 'lock box' oratory. Even SNL couldn't resist that one. Romney did what Obama did in the last election. He just wowed the crowd with bells and whistles. Obama, the incumbent had to rely on his track record as president which ........... is truly wanting.
That line by Romney as he looked strait into Obama's eyes asking him why he spent his first two years in office on Obamacare while the nation was hemorrhaging jobs was priceless.— RufusG - I actually kind of think you're third rate, Will but I appreciate your honesty that Romney won. Like you, I care about substance. Romney introduced the point he was going to make, he described the problem and he suggested his solution. I guess we could argue a Romney solution that sounds logical vs. an Obama solution that has and will never work and which is better. Finally like most people, I like a zinger or two that shows the candidate can think fast and not back down and Romney did both on that front. Romney's performance was one for the ages. It might be the biggest throwdown in all the years I've been watching presidential debates.— Phillies2008WSChamps
- As I read Murryman's comments I can only say that he was not the #1 debater on his team . #1 master bater maybe............— RufusG
- I thought it was a bit too wonkish also. That wonkish minutiae was right up Muray's alley, I'm sure. If Romney wins the election you may want to look into other means to stay numb the next four years. I know quite a few of us indepentents that have been doing so the last four years.— Phishface
- Whether Romney wins or loses this election it was all worthwhile seeing the talking heads on MSNBC go nuts last night when their messiah was proven infallible. Nothing like separating Church and State. And by state I mean the sad state of affairs for Obama.
Even as I speak the left has introduced James Lipton .....you know that guy who has the show The Actors Studio to critique Obama's and Romney's 'performance'. Now that's pretty lame if you ask me.— RufusG - This thread is a good example of why there are so few right wing comedians. They can’t tell jokes, and they definitely don’t get jokes. Can you image being at a party with these guys?— Hamlet
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