Posted on 10/15/2012 7:14:40 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
The short answer is: because he’s got nothing. There is no record to run on, no argument to make for four more years. The ideology that drives him is outdated and bankrupt. He has, in fact, implemented his policies – Republicans have had little means of stopping him – and those policies are the problem.
But there’s a slightly longer answer too. Obama’s advisors will read the mainstream media assessment of the vice-presidential debate – they actually think a debate that turned women across America off of Biden was a draw, or a Biden win – and conclude that what the president needs to do is find his inner Joe Biden. Appeal to his base by going on the attack, perhaps interrupting, being visibly annoyed at the trend of Romney’s statements, and vigorously asserting untruths in the interest of racking up effective soundbites.
Petulant attack-doggery isn’t Obama’s style, so I don’t predict that he will simply adopt the Biden posture for this week’s debate. What I do think is that Obama and his handlers will be looking to enhance the president’s trademark pace and balance in public speaking (which does descend rather often into a sonorous drone) with more Biden-like spice. This won’t come naturally to Obama, any more than his occasionally put-on “black accent” sounds natural. It’s not who he is, and he won’t be good at it.
Of course, the townhall format this week can be worked to Obama’s advantage, and no doubt will be. Obama need not be thrown softballs, but he will get questions framed to suit the answers he is likely to have – and he probably won’t be troubled much with questions framed in a confrontational manner.
Romney probably will be. He will have to think more quickly on his feet, turning hostile questions into jumping-off points for getting his message across, while conveying a sense of goodwill and avoiding red herrings. If there is a “silly question” for the debaters – say, “If you were an Oscar-winning movie, which one would you be?” – it may well be barbed with false implications about conservatism, Republicans, or even Romney himself.
Romney will have more choices to make in his approach and substance. There are a lot of things he could say; what will be the most effective? We can reasonably suppose he will perform again as well as he did in Debate 1.
Obama doesn’t have those choices, because he’s trying to stay in office – to tend cronies and inflict ideological constraints on the people – using arguments that don’t accurately represent what he’s been doing for nearly four years. He has no intention of changing course, regardless of what the current course is inflicting on the American people. Yet he can’t argue in the campaign for his current course – at least not to anyone but his base – because it is so ridden with failure and the scent of corruption. Americans continue to turn against his signature legislation, ObamaCare, and even the New York Times is beginning to doubt the effectiveness of his foreign policy.
So we can expect to hear more about Romney giving a “$5 trillion tax break” to the richest Americans, along with the other canards about Romney-Ryan policy (e.g., tossing Grandma off the cliff) being trotted out over and over by the Obama campaign. These mendacious soundbites have lost their impact, but what else does Obama have? Personal attacks on Romney?
If the president makes a decision on retaliating in Libya before Tuesday night, he may be able to speak at the debate from a perspective of putative decisiveness, the commander-in-chief moving forces around. A new line of tactical operations would blunt Romney’s justifiable criticism of how the White House has handled the whole matter. I don’t foresee this dynamic winning the debate for Obama – a belated military response has little hope of trumping the public’s nearer-to-home concern about the US economy, the national debt, and constitutional freedoms – but if it comes off, it will probably be gratifying for his Amen corner in the MSM.
Gratifying them is not enough, however. Whether he plays to his base or the MSM, Obama will not be playing to the constituency that matters: the majority of likely voters. His appeal to that constituency in 2008 depended on his being an unknown quantity, and that’s what he no longer is. Obama doesn’t have any more tricks in his bag. This is it.
I have never seen a man more able to keep his cool than Mitt.
I got to agree with you. Obama has run into one slick dude in Romney. IN the GOP debates they tried to hang a ton of stuff on him and failed.
Newt Gingrich found that out. And I was for Newt at the time.
I about spit my drink out on that one! LOL!
I think he will try to make up for his dull performance in the last debate by coming on like gangbusters. He will end up looking hostile and petty.
The main problem he has is he can't clearly state what he really believes in - communism or socialism or "progressive" politics. He knows the American people won't buy it this time around. He got the benefit of the doubt last time but I think many have figured out what his game really is.
His second big problem is he was never that great of a speaker but McCain was not capable of exploiting that obvious fact.
While I can't say I agree with Mitt on some things I have no worries about if he is a loyal American, understands that everything we are depends on on keeping our nose in the Constitution or understands the simple fact that capitalism and the United States are inseparable and for good reason.
I've said it before and I will say it again. The disgrace in this election is that it remains so close. It shows you that a significant percentage of our population don't have a clue as to what this Country is really all about.
I heard that this will be the first Presidential Debate in history to be covered by a blimp!
Trying to decide which one to DVR, the debate or the Tigers game.
There is no reason to bring Moochelle into this.
Romney should diss O in a polite way...figure out a way to get under his skin and make him blow his cool and forget his script and go on a rant. Let people see who he really is.
What I hear from women that I know is that Joe Biden reminded them either of a) their EX-husband or b) their WORST boyfriend
No wonder Romney’s getting the support of women in the key swing states
As I understand it the questions are to come only from undecided voters, and Crowley gets to cherry pick them.
Obama’s first debate performance was no surprise. He’s is a strident ideologue to his core that does great when speaking about a idea, a vision, a new path, a shining way. Now that that the facade of hope and change is worn thin, and he needs to be a politician to even compete in a debate with Romney he has nothing. Nada, zilch to speak about. He’s lousy at politics, is ashamed at his failure to get traction and materialize his great and wonderful ideas. His only refuge will be to attack, and will be made to look foolish by Romney. It will be a slaughter.
Rules leaked.
http://gawker.com/5951977/leaked-debate-agreement-shows-both-obama-and-romney-are-sniveling-cowards
“There is no reason to bring Moochelle into this.”
That was actually referring to the Candy Gram Blimp that will be covering the debate! But Manchelle’s big butt would also qualify.
LOL!!!
Has the NYT declared Ohbummer the winner yet? You know Mathews has.
Pray for America
Obama will come out stronger this time, but I don’t think Romney will drop the ball either. I thinking it’ll be a tie.
What would a narcissist more likely do if the polls after the second debate portray him as losing? Which would cater most to his ego?
Go to the finish line, lose the election and look like a loser
or
Step down before the election using an outrageous excuse and look like a victim.
It’s pretty clear something critical is being planned by this administration.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.