12 Responses to “The Presidential Debate”

1. Empress_Trudy says:

   October 3, 2012 at 10:43 pm

   I am watching Chris Matthews head explode.

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2. RAPHAELENNIS says:

   October 3, 2012 at 10:53 pm

   My son e-mailed me and I quote. "Romney kicked ass".

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3. aroundthetrack says:

   October 3, 2012 at 10:54 pm

   From Commentary's resident pessimist: it may not move the polls, but Romney's performance was beyond my wildest hopes. He was superb!! A candidate we can all be proud of.

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   • mike_ste says:

     October 3, 2012 at 11:40 pm

     I agree. And it is nice to agree with you!

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   • mike_ste says:

     October 3, 2012 at 11:47 pm

     Question for you – you've indicated that you've had experience with campaigns – in your opinion, how does President Obama prepare for the next two debates? I honestly thought Romney destroyed him tonight. Does Team Obama basically give up on the debates and try to talk them down, or can a candidate who was so outperformed turn it around in such a short period of time? Maybe my question is stupid, but if Romney had just gotten schooled this badly, I'd be worried about the next round. nIn the next debate, I hope Obama keeps his personal pronouns where they belong, though. If nothing else.

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     • aroundthetrack says:

       October 4, 2012 at 8:42 am

       I'm not being negative or dismissing basking for a day in the superb Romney performance, but I would guess Obama will be better, possibly much better, the next debate. Why? Although we may not like them, his handlers and advisers are smart, as he is. I don't entirely buy the knock on Obama that he is so arrogant that he won't take advice. His major problem is his atrocious record, so he will have to find areas in it that he can boast about and to focus upon Romney's gaffes and turn them into credible examples of how harmful Romney's ideas are. He must do this in concise, pithy and sharp formulations. He should avoid trying to come up with some clever line, but, in effect, do what Romney did: just hammer home his points relentlessly. He must master facts that are in his favor. And he must not look down at the podium or helplessly at the moderator. However, if Romney is as good in the next debate as he was last night, the best Obama can hope for now is a draw.
     • mike_ste says:

       October 4, 2012 at 10:28 am

       Thanks. Good stuff. n And I hope Romney's handlers are as smart as some of the people who post around here.
4. Davidthomson1 says:

   October 3, 2012 at 11:29 pm

   Mitt Romney was the clear winner. The race is probably over. Will Obama resign before the end of his term? That may be the only real question remaining.

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   • mike_ste says:

     October 3, 2012 at 11:41 pm

     I agree with sentence number 1, but let's not get carried away!

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     • Davidthomson1 says:

       October 4, 2012 at 12:30 am

       This cake is baked. Romney should easily win on Election Day. Obama will feel defeated–and perhaps quit soon for "medical reasons."
     • mike_ste says:

       October 4, 2012 at 10:28 am

       Here's hoping…
5. nvkma says:

   October 4, 2012 at 8:03 am

   Normally I do not watch Presidential debates, because I feel they can too easily deflect attention from the most important criteria, which in my opinion is character. n nHowever, it is evident, based on the video clips and comments, that in this particular case the debate actually revealed character. n nPersonally, I find the Vice Presidential debates better theater, which is what they are primarily about anyway. (The Presidential debates are hamstrung because the two contestants are constrained to sound ‘presidential’.) n

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