I’m going to score it like boxing:
Debate One: Romney wins in a walkover. For reasons I don’t fully understand, Obama just didn’t show up. He seemed tired and disengaged, but there was more to it than that. Romney blew past him, and Romney’s new positions threw Obama totally.
Debate Two: Obama wins on points on all judge’s cards. His competitive streak came out, and he’d figured out he had to call Romney on his shifting positions. Romney was set aback, but didn’t shut down– he hung in there to a degree, leaving the bout to be a decision.
Debate Three: Should have been a third round knockout for Obama, but the referee let the blood-letting go on. By the second round, Romney was already looking dazed and disoriented. He tried agreeing with Obama, but that didn’t stop Obama from coming in with combinations to the body and head. Romney was still standing when the ref finally called it, but just.
Tiabbi’s liveblog at Rolling Stone:
8:56 This thing has turned so completely into sports coverage… on CNN they’re talking about the coin toss and the importance of the last two minutes. I may just do a quick mention of every sports metaphor I hear tonight. Some reporter is mentioning Romney’s “wheelhouse” as I type this.
Obama was not ‘presidential’. He acted too condescending and sarcastic for that. Like he was from New York or California. Well, like Chicago too. He could have made his same points in a much more dignified manner. He appeared scared to me.
Obama did act like a fighter last night, for sure, but it seems to me that they avoided all of the actually difficult foreign policy issues.
“I hate Iran!”
“No… I hate Iran more!”
“I want to provide education in the Middle East!”
“Nuh uh! Compared to me, you want to murder teachers!”
I thought the viral headline today would read, “Obama Throws Hillary Under the Bus.”
Proves how much I know.
If you gotta use sports metaphors, I’d go with pro wrestling. Bo
Lee: If you gotta use sports metaphors, I’d go with pro wrestling. Bo
You are correct and remember Rule 1: Your opponent has to work tomorrow night.
If you scored it as three rounds, Romney won round one 10 – 7, Obama won round two 10 – 9, and round three is disputed, give it to Obama 10 – 9. Romney win the debates 28 – 27.
More like a circus with two clowns spraying each other with seltzer bottles.
“Obama-Biden 2012 – Benghazi Smenzhazi – Big Bird, Binders, and Bayonets, Baby.”
Best set of comments I have read on this blog in a long time! Don’t know that I can disagree with any of them – except maybe Terminator.
As to the coin toss – its my opinion that the entire “independent commission” in charge of Presidential debates needs to be revisited. There are many, many more people other than the “media” that can be found to be independent, intelligent observers of the process that could/should serve as moderators. The media took over the wrongly named “debate” process and believe that the “debates” belong to them. Hopefully by 2016 this process will be revamped and taken out of the Constitution as a requirement of Presidential candidates. With reform, they can provide a worthwhile venue for voters. Without reform – all candidates should say they are not participating.
The best post-debate comment I heard after the third “debate” came from Andrea Tantaros of Fox News Channel who, when asked for her opinion, stated: “I didn’t watch the debate last night, I went to a Rush concert.”