The first Presidential Debate is in the can. Time to compare notes:
IMO, Mitt Romney came across as cool, collected, and very well prepared. It was like he knew the questions before they were asked, which of course he didn't. Kudos. He was aggressive, didn't have any odd mannerisms, didn't twitch, sigh, roll his eyes, etc. He addressed his remarks towards the President.
IMO, President Obama seemed to have been caught flat-footed and often fumbled with how to respond to Romney's jabs. He was definitely on the defensive. He didn't seem to be as well prepared. He looked down or nervously towards someone (Michelle?) in the audience. He had way too many long pauses and "Ahhhh's".
But the curve ball I noticed most was, who REALLY is Mitt Romney? I've said for months he was making a BIG mistake by pandering to ultra-right-wing Tea Party conservatives. He had their votes automatically by default. It will be the moderates who will be the deciding factor in this election. THEY are the ones he has to win over.
Tonight he talked straight to those moderates. Very smart politics....but very much at odds with what he's been saying before now. Example? He said he would give everyone a tax deduction basket with a specific dollar amount cap. Taxpayers could fill it with anything they wanted from a list of possible choices UP TO THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT. He specifically said the wealthy would top off their deduction basket early, and that's it. They would lose almost all of their current deductions. There's no way in hell the Tea Party would have smiled on that idea!
In other words they (the rich) would see their taxes go WAY up. That is NOT what he's been saying for the last year. If he had offered that before now Obama would have jumped all over it enthusiastically!
Another example? In his closing remarks he said as Massachusetts's governor he worked well with a legislature made up 80% by Democrats. As President he would sit down with Democrats in Congress and find common ground with them for the good of the American people.
That is definitely NOT what he's been intimating to the Tea Party crowd. If he really felt that way, why would he choose Paul Ryan as his running mate? Ryan, along with congressional Republican Young Gun leaders like Eric Cantor and Kevin McCarthy, have been notoriously uncompromising. They are the main reason this Congress is gridlocked. It's "their way or the highway". I'm sure Paul Ryan cringed when he heard his potential boss say he would sit and sing Kum-ba-yah with the Democrats.
So was the Mitt Romney that I saw tonight, the moderate, the REAL Mitt Romney, or was tonight's Mitt Romney just a poser?
It's gonna be an interesting finish.
That's my two bits.
S
I wish Obama had called Romney out on the massive inconsistencies of Romney's flip-flopping positions. Romney is on film contradicting just about everything he said tonight. He was dishonest and Obama let him get away with it.
ReplyDeleteBoth played fast and loose with numbers and expert opinions. Mitt is a moderate, and always has been. That is the problem with nominations, both candidates have to bow to the extremists (who make up most of the primary voting base) to get nominated then veer to the middle to win the election.
ReplyDeleteCan we figure out a better nominating process? Please? Any ideas, cause I got nothing still....
The President probably lost the debate because he was in a "Prevent Defence" his main concern was to give up yards and maybe points, but he is still ahead and wants to maintain the lead. ROmney is in a two minute drill to come from behind.
I thought Mitt had a goofy smile too much, and The President nodded in agreement when Mitt was talking (he won't do that in the next debate.) All in all it was one of the least contentious debates i can remember. I was glad to see two basically good men (if a politician is ever good) debate fairly, actually agree sometimes and pointed out their differances and sort of said to the voters, "You decide."
Mitt did have the best line with his "Trickle down government."
I don't bother to watch these since there's nothing Mitt Romney can say at this point to change my vote. And really all he's doing at this point is saying anything he thinks people want to hear to get him elected. As you say none of it is consistent with what he's said before that so it really shouldn't hold water. And if Romney looked better prepared it's probably because he doesn't have anything to do but prepare for these debates.
ReplyDeleteWe watched a documentary about the crusades instead. Better choice?
ReplyDeleteOh you and I both really know they are both centrist. The rest is pandering to special interest groups....Hell, most of us are centrist.
ReplyDeleteSo, it doesn't matter, not really. In the end I believe either one will do what they think is best for most Americans.
I have to accept it.
Cheers,
Bobby
I thought Mitt looked a bit crazy as the debate went on. He seemed so intent on making his (pre-rehearsed) points that he looked often as if he was going to jump out of his skin. On the other hand, Obama was too professorial. He seemed bored and appeared to be wishing he was somewhere else. I am a hardcore Obama voter but there was no doubt that Romney won this debate, hands down. As for the truth? It has no place in political debates. ;^/
ReplyDeleteI watched HGTV. There was more thruth on any of those shows.
ReplyDeleteI didn't see the whole event but I did see Romney lick his lips more times than the average bear.Hehe! That was my two-bits from Canada.Nice seeing yeah, Low:)
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