Wednesday, October 03, 2012
Debate # 1
As someone who is a Democrat and voting for the President, it was a disappointing night. In fact, I suspect that no one thinks President Obama won the day. Romney finally emerged as the formidable challenger we expected but failed to see before this evening’s debate. Romney was glib, forceful, and articulate. The President was disjointed, inarticulate, and frankly looked he had an illness. There will be no fist bumping in the Obama camp tonight, and high fives all around in the Romney camp. The situation is not expected to get better as the Vice Presidential debate up next. This will pit the Vice President (who is known to make a few gaffs) against a feisty Paul Ryan on the Romney side. To be honest, the debate was painful to watch for this Democrat.
The troubling facts are that while Romney preformed better than expected, the President did not preform anywhere near his potential. Key issues such as saving the auto industry, the 47%, prescription drugs, Bain Capital, on Massachusetts that being 47th out of 50 states in jobs, student loans, were either omitted entirely by President Obama, or glossed over to be effectively inconsequential. While Romney chanted “not true” dozens of times, all the President seemed to be able to muster was a series of “and ums” while looking like he pulled an all nighter. The good news, is that everyone including the Romney camp is aware that the President had an off night. We know this was not our President firing on all cylinders. The reality is that though Romney won the debate tonight, he was not specific regarding his programs, though he was specific in his accusations. The President has the luxury of having a well oiled machine and very definite programs that anyone can find online, but unfortunately he only mentioned that once.
The facts are now being bantered about on social media, and the facts will come out by the fact checkers. Romney can promise the middle class a new Mercedes Benz, but he can’t deliver. Romney can insist there is no 5 trillion, but there is. Romney may be better versed in economics than the President, but the President has teams of experts. The housing market is returning, jobs are sluggish, but improving steadily, these are realities that Romney can only deny, yet the facts support the President. You see, Romney can make all kinds of promises, but he can’t deliver. Congress being in gridlock is not the President’s fault despite what Romney says. Romney insisting he can end gridlock by reaching across the aisle, is absurd, you see, making grandiose statements, is not the same as delivering, the President is delivering.
If you have not seen Alan Sorkin’s The Newsroom, you should, sure its a bit high brow, but it addresses the wake of the news, admirably. The news team in several episodes recognizes that the current debate format is weak, and suggests a better one that takes candidates off their talking points, a concept worth considering. Mr. Jim Leher turned in the worst performance by a moderator I can remember. He was limp, failed to keep to his schedule, allowed both candidates to roam off topic, and asked questions that a primary student would receive a fail on. Let’s hope the President gets out of the funk that swallowed him by the next debate.
Labels: Charles Spencer King, debate, Leher, Obama, Romney, The Newsroom
# posted by Cubaking @ 10:00 PM 
