Romney vs. Obama - 2012 Presidential Debates - Let's score it!

[El Kabong]

What's so hard to believe? It's a matter of perception. IMO, Obama comes across as more honest, regardless of how poorly he projected himself last night. Honesty and effectiveness are two different things. You can be honest about your intentions and not come through. Since the country does not run on intentions, he'd have no one to blame but himself if he lost the election.

Romney, on the other hand, is obviously a practiced debater... who had the advantage last night of being able to criticize what Obama has done or hasn't done, from the vantage point of not having the chance to mess up himself. He did his homework..... he took Obama to school, as you well put it..... and he did himself a lot of good in the polls. Congratulations.

Did he backtrack on some earlier campaign statements about his intentions on taxes and the deficit? Probably..... Obama hinted as much. But in retrospect, who cares. What matters is that Romney, whether or not he was lying through his rich, upper-class teeth.... came across as the clear winner last night.

At least I'm big enough to accept that. Had the situation been reversed, however, I would've bet my house that you would've scoffed and claimed otherwise.... or would've dismissed the whole thing altogether. We both know that.

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions

Mitt Romney taught Obama a lesson on the economy last night. Obama didn't want to be there, he is not leadership material, and he's dropped the ball big time on foreign policy....this debate over domestic stuff should have been EASY for Obama to win but his policies haven't helped the economy and he didn't remember to attack the "special interest issues" the 47% comment, the 'War on Women' , Don't Ask Don't Tell, etc....Obama looked lost and I don't want a President that looks lost. W had a horrible first debate in 04 but he had Dick Cheney to whup up on poor John Edwards to back him up....Obama has Biden, and this whole debate situation could spiral out of control very quickly.

Mitt Romney has run businesses, he's held executive office in the public & private sectors, and last night he looked and sounded like a leader. When he started hitting on bipartisanship that sunk Obama's Battleship because Barry went into office with an attitude of "I won, you lost, we (the Democrats) are going to tell you what we are going to do" and the Republicans were kicked out of any negotiations or left because they wouldn't be heard from by the President. That debate was a total rout

[beenKOed]

I'll tune in tonight but I have no expectation of hearing something new or concrete from either.

I'd rather have a Libertarian holding the power in the Executive Branch as well, but someone who isn't an isolationist because I don't think it matters if we brought everyone home and never helped anyone or "stuck our noses in other peoples' business" people are jealous of our success, our dominance, and they'll just take shots at our mainland to try and bait us into a fight anyway.

Leave the world alone and I am sure you will notice people people start to ignore you more. What creates bitterness are invasions, drones, the ardent support of Israel etc etc. Actually try living in peace and see if it makes a difference because America really has been at permanent war since WW2.

As for the debates....load of old tosh. As if these two clowns have anything productive to offer. I'm not interested.

I like what Gandalf is saying. I can remember when you saw the news and everyone was yelling America, America, America with smiles on their faces.
Trying to be the "World Police" is stupid and wrong. Trying to promote democracy with a gun is stupid and wrong.
The USA needs a strong military force, no one can deny that, learning when and where to use it is the problem.
This thread was about the debate, which the President clearly lost.
I want Obama out of there, he doesn't have what it takes. I do not trust anything he says or does. He had done a piss poor job, in my opinion.

[TitoFan]

Again, congrats. I hope if Romney wins he'll turn out to be the "cure-all" you believe he'll be. Personally, I'm not related to either.... so it's no skin off my back who wins. Bottom line is: whatever is best for the country.

[Kirkland Laing]

Obama lost the debate just on style last night. (I've seen a bunch of clips, not the whole thing.) Romney was engaged and on message, he didn't waste a word. Obama was hesitant, timid and looked like he didn't want to be there. The optics were terrible for Obama, he was hardly looking at Romney and Romney looked and sounded the part. So for the 95+% of Americans who don't know much or anything about the various policies, Romney won the debate easily.

Romney was either evasive about things he's full of shit on (tax cuts, spending etc.) or just outright full of shit (claiming his healthcare "policy" covers pre-existing conditions) and Obama just let him slide on everything. Absolutely piss poor performance by Obama. If he loses this election this debate will be seen as the turning point.

Will it move the needle in the election? This election comes down to about one million undecided people in half a dozen states, according to the political scientists. In these crucial half a dozen states Obama leads by 5-10 points. It'll be interesting to see if that changes over the next week when the new polls come out.

The race will tighten anyway regardless of how the debates go and this election will probably turn on which party can get their base to turn out to the polls in the biggest number.

[El Kabong]

Obama lost the debate just on style last night. (I've seen a bunch of clips, not the whole thing.) Romney was engaged and on message, he didn't waste a word. Obama was hesitant, timid and looked like he didn't want to be there. The optics were terrible for Obama, he was hardly looking at Romney and Romney looked and sounded the part. So for the 95+% of Americans who don't know much or anything about the various policies, Romney won the debate easily.

Romney was either evasive about things he's full of shit on (tax cuts, spending etc.) or just outright full of shit (claiming his healthcare "policy" covers pre-existing conditions) and Obama just let him slide on everything. Absolutely piss poor performance by Obama. If he loses this election this debate will be seen as the turning point.

Will it move the needle in the election? This election comes down to about one million undecided people in half a dozen states, according to the political scientists. In these crucial half a dozen states Obama leads by 5-10 points. It'll be interesting to see if that changes over the next week when the new polls come out.

The race will tighten anyway regardless of how the debates go and this election will probably turn on which party can get their base to turn out to the polls in the biggest number.

......WHEW....what a laugh...my stomach hurts from that one. The polls that show that are basing voter turnout on the 2008 election and I hate to be the one to break it to you but I'm having my doubts that the Democrats will be all that fired up this go round.

[Youngblood]

Obama got effectively crushed last night. Basically steam-rolled by a well-prepared, aggressive and ready for battle Romney. He missed many opportunities as Lyle mentions, and didn't drive home any of the strengths of the arguments he had in his arsenal. Which were many.

About 10 mins in, I was sitting there watching him sputtering...knowing he was listening to a complete flip on Romney's entire primary platform, one series of lies after another...and he totally didn't call him out on it. Like barely even once. And if that doesn't happen early , that misdirection gains weight and becomes meat...the kind of meat that people will begin consuming whether it ends up leaving them with a bad stomach ache or not. He needed to not only bring the attacks of his campaign, the 47% etc...he needed to call BS right there, "Sir, you are Lying. LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE LYING."

When all is said and done, the fact checkers are finished, I doubt the fabrications will mean all that much. People will just remember that it appeared as one man was ready for battle, the other seemed indifferent. And if it continues for 2 more debates Obama and his admin. will be in serious trouble.

Time to get more aggressive. Like even more. I'd be starting first thing morning.. .

"Of all the things said last night from Mtt Romney, there is only one I beiieve. This guy is out to kill Big Bird."

[Kirkland Laing]

Obama lost the debate just on style last night. (I've seen a bunch of clips, not the whole thing.) Romney was engaged and on message, he didn't waste a word. Obama was hesitant, timid and looked like he didn't want to be there. The optics were terrible for Obama, he was hardly looking at Romney and Romney looked and sounded the part. So for the 95+% of Americans who don't know much or anything about the various policies, Romney won the debate easily.

Romney was either evasive about things he's full of shit on (tax cuts, spending etc.) or just outright full of shit (claiming his healthcare "policy" covers pre-existing conditions) and Obama just let him slide on everything. Absolutely piss poor performance by Obama. If he loses this election this debate will be seen as the turning point.

Will it move the needle in the election? This election comes down to about one million undecided people in half a dozen states, according to the political scientists. In these crucial half a dozen states Obama leads by 5-10 points. It'll be interesting to see if that changes over the next week when the new polls come out.

The race will tighten anyway regardless of how the debates go and this election will probably turn on which party can get their base to turn out to the polls in the biggest number.

......WHEW....what a laugh...my stomach hurts from that one. The polls that show that are basing voter turnout on the 2008 election and I hate to be the one to break it to you but I'm having my doubts that the Democrats will be all that fired up this go round.

Show me cross tabs from a poll that shows it's based on 2008 turnout. Actual data from an actual poll rather than a link to some nonsense you read somewhere.

[TitoFan]

Excellent post, Youngblood..... and right on point.

[El Kabong]

oh the PBS/NPR argument again "Oh please, PLEASE don't make us have to survive in the private sector!!!"

Seasame Street will do just fine without any government funding, as weill certain other shows, but if Romney didn't say what he was going to cut funding for he would have left a bigger openning for a counter attack "Romney hasn't provided specifics on his cuts, he must want to kill all the old people and throw the young ones out of public schools".

That debate is bound to have shaken Obama's confidence and damn Joe Biden has to come save the day....HAHAHAHAHA that's going to be EPIC

[El Kabong]

Show me cross tabs from a poll that shows it's based on 2008 turnout. Actual data from an actual poll rather than a link to some nonsense you read somewhere.

Bup, bup, bup....you provide your polls

[Kirkland Laing]

Show me cross tabs from a poll that shows it's based on 2008 turnout. Actual data from an actual poll rather than a link to some nonsense you read somewhere.

Bup, bup, bup....you provide your polls

You're the one making a claim about polls. I'm asking you to back your claim up. But you know doing so will mean exposing yourself to facts and evidence andif you read enough of them you'll discover, d'oh, you're wrong again. You're breaking out in hives just at the thought of factual stuff, aren't you?

[Mars_ax]

Next up the debate between Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Paul Ryan.
Topic: Foreign and domestic policy
Air Time: 9:00-10:30 p.m. Eastern Time - October 11th.
Location: Centre College in Danville, Kentucky.
Moderator: Martha Raddatz (ABC News Chief Foreign Correspondent)

I hope Ryan tears this liberal dip-shit Biden a new asshole next thursday.

http://www.2012presidentialelectionn...bate-schedule/

Cheers

[superheavyrhun]

I think its good to see that political apathy hasn't overtaken everyone. I like it when politics fires people up, whether I agree with their politics or not. Sadly, Obama was clearly looking fairly apathetic last night, his most passionate statement was to wish his wife a happy anniversary.

[El Kabong]

Show me cross tabs from a poll that shows it's based on 2008 turnout. Actual data from an actual poll rather than a link to some nonsense you read somewhere.

Bup, bup, bup....you provide your polls

You're the one making a claim about polls. I'm asking you to back your claim up. But you know doing so will mean exposing yourself to facts and evidence andif you read enough of them you'll discover, d'oh, you're wrong again. You're breaking out in hives just at the thought of factual stuff, aren't you?

You made a claim that Obama is up 5-10% in battleground states.... provide the polls please

[VictorCharlie]

Foreign policy ought to be interesting. I'm not really sure where they are going to have a clear difference.