Posted on 10/23/2012 7:29:40 AM PDT by Justaham
If you had been on an extended vacation for the past four years, you would have been forgiven for watching this debate and thinking you were viewing a President Mitt Romney being challenged by a pretender called Barack Obama. It's not that Obama did not have command of foreign policy issues or did not make some telling points against an opponent who was vague at times and occasionally uncertain. But Obama clearly came into the debate believing he had to score points and change the dynamic of the race. In short, Obama started the 90 minutes here in Boca Raton, Florida believing he was losing his bid for re-election. Romney, by contrast, felt he could play things safe. He was a kinder, gentler presence than he was in the second debate in Hempstead, New York, when he fought back hard against a hyper Obama desperate to make up for his catastrophic performance in the first debate in Denver. By and large, Romney succeeded in Boca. He came across as knowledgeable and reasonable and made no mistakes. In short, he passed the commander-in-chief test. Having proved in the first debate he had the backbone, policy expertise and determination to try to tackle America's economic woes, tonight he showed that he was a plausile commander-in-chief. It was not an especially high bar, but he cleared it.
(Excerpt) Read more at harndenblog.dailymail.co.uk ...
Or as some commentator said last night, All Romney had to do is look sane, reasonable, and not make any major gaffes like threatening to Nuke Lichtenstein. Needless to say he passed that test with flying colors...
Undecided voters were not looking to see who could land the most partisan punches, but rather to see which man had the stature to take a few punches and remain Presidential.
I am no debate expert but, Romney knew Obama needed to be combative to gain in this debate. Romney also knew he was double teamed in the last debate and had to be wary of that again. He also knew foreign affairs are a different matter than USA economics. We have had over 200 years of economic practice and know what works. Foreign affairs ebb and flow with shifting alliances and leaders. I think Romney pointing out the main point of the apology tour by Obama framed him as an appeaser. Using the weak economy also undermined the strong America argument Obama tried to make. Getting in another Benghazi argument is what Obama was longing for and in this case Romney out maneuvered Obama.
Bob: “ Here’s an anchor, bud”
Romney has been outmaneuvering 0bama for months now. I don’t know what kind of President Romney will be (and I’m now pretty certain he will be), but he has been an absolute chess master during this campaign. What we saw in the debate last night was proof. Sure, we wanted him to attack the incompetent liar we have for a C-in-C, but the real goal is to win the election.
Obama is dropping fast over at Intrade.
“I am no debate expert but, Romney knew Obama needed to be combative to gain in this debate. Romney also knew he was double teamed in the last debate and had to be wary of that again. “
That’s exactly right. Romney won the debate because he stuck to his game plan. The kenyan wanted to get into a street fight on his turf and Romney wouldn’t let him. Romney even spiked the OBL football which must have drove the kenyan crazy.
Exactly. And, he strengthened the blow with "We can't kill out way out of this mess!"
Yep, I think that behavior has had a lot of people pi$$ed off for a long time. It was nice to hear someone finally call zero on it.
Wasn’t the Apology Tour, Green Revolution, and the Honduran election situation all about the same time? I think all of that set the tone for Obama on foreign affairs, just as his overreach on Heathcare set the domestic tone.
His zingers were rude and condescending. That is also how he speaks to the American people. He needs to remember who is the boss (us) and who is the employee (him).
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