US Presidential Election Debate #1

[_Abyssinia]

With Biden Up Next to Debate, Obama’s Aides Plot Comeback

A Throwdown at the Townhall?

Jonathan Chait points out

the potential pitfall in the emergence of a new more aggressive President Obama at the next debate:

The next debate is a town-hall meeting. Obama’s campaign is talking up its plan to roll out a new, tougher Obama who will challenge Romney’s slick evasions. But a town-hall meeting is a whole different animal. In a one-on-one debate, you can fillet your opponent. A town-hall meeting consists of undecided voters pressing the candidates for answers. The focus of the event is on answering the questions of the voters. Using their questions to assail your opponent is bad form — indeed, the Regular Voters who ask the questions, and serve as proxies for the public, can be counted on to implore the candidates to stop attacking each other so much. Romney will use the town hall to proclaim his deep and abiding concern for all of America, and Obama will have little chance to disprove it.

I would be shocked if Obama’s not better at the next debate, but there’s a risk to him of repeating Al Gore’s experience in 2000. Gore got wrong-footed in the first debate and ended up adopting three different personas in the three different debates. None of those personas quite worked. He compensated for being too rude in the first debate by being too docile in the second and then compensated for that by being too aggressive in the third.

 

[meltzerboy]

Liberal Michael Tomasky, ‘Does Obama Even Want to Win the Election?’

The Atlantic, ‘Snippy Obama, Whose Heart’s Not In It’

Guardian, ‘Has a disillusioned Barack Obama lost the will to win?’

I had thought of that possibility. However, I don’t agree with Michael Tomasky that Obama’s DNC speech was bad: in fact, I thought it was quite good even if one does not agree with his politics. G-d only knows why anyone in their right mind would want the job of President during times like these, including either Obama or Romney.

 

[_Abyssinia]

Morning Joe crew still bewildered over Obama poor debate performance

 

[meltzerboy]

Morning Joe crew still bewildered over Obama poor debate performance

Well, it happens to the best of us, and I never thought Obama was so good a debater anyhow. I previously mentioned Reagan’s poor performance in his first debate against Mondale. We should all, both liberals and conservatives, just get over it and look forward to the upcoming VP debate (that should be a doozy) and the second and third Presidential debates.

 

[rlg94086]

Well, it happens to the best of us, and I never thought Obama was so good a debater anyhow. I previously mentioned Reagan’s poor performance in his first debate against Mondale. We should all, both liberals and conservatives, just get over it and look forward to the upcoming VP debate (that should be a doozy) and the second and third Presidential debates.

I think people on both sides are overselling the VP debate. Biden is a good debater. Ryan has been preparing very well with an excellent Biden stand-in. I have a gut feeling that it will be a good, fairly even debate.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

I think people on both sides are overselling the VP debate. Biden is a good debater. Ryan has been preparing very well with an excellent Biden stand-in. I have a gut feeling that it will be a good, fairly even debate.

Mickey Mouse was available at such short notice?

 

[rlg94086]

Mickey Mouse was available at such short notice?

Ted Olson has been helping him prepare.

 

[Tampa_Dave]

Well, it happens to the best of us, and I never thought Obama was so good a debater anyhow. I previously mentioned Reagan’s poor performance in his first debate against Mondale. **We should all, both liberals and conservatives, just get over it **and look forward to the upcoming VP debate (that should be a doozy) and the second and third Presidential debates.

Get over the first debate? Are you kidding? I’m still giddy over Romney’s lopsided victory over the teleprompter-less Obama.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

Get over the first debate? Are you kidding? I’m still giddy over Romney’s lopsided victory over the teleprompter-less Obama.

 

[SuperLuigi]

]=meltzerboy;9870051]Well, it happens to the best of us, and I never thought Obama was so good a debater anyhow.

That’s amazing, because all I’ve heard for 4 years is how great of a speaker he is.

I previously mentioned Reagan’s poor performance in his first debate against Mondale.

That’s one of the democratic talking points, along with the thin air affecting the president, but I’m not really sure how much better Obama can be and I think that Axelrod and Plouffe gave him orders to hold on the zingers because they would have hurt him even more.

We should all, both liberals and conservatives, just get over it and look forward to the upcoming VP debate (that should be a doozy) and the second and third Presidential debates.

Get over it?

People are suffering.

Gas prices are going up, 23 million Americans are out of work, millions more are on food stamps and your message to them is that they’re the ones with the problem because the President can’t defend his record?

 

[LisaA]

I had thought of that possibility. However, I don’t agree with Michael Tomasky that Obama’s DNC speech was bad: in fact, I thought it was quite good even if one does not agree with his politics. G-d only knows why anyone in their right mind would want the job of President during times like these, including either Obama or Romney.

I think people are comparing the 08 Obama with the 12 Obama. Last time it was Greek Columns and soaring rhetoric and hope and change, women fainting in the audience and a thrill running up Chris Matthews’ leg. This year’s speeches, particularly the DNC closer are much less inspiring. He looks older, more tired, and keeps repeating himself.

That being said, I have to wonder at why anyone wants to be President with the fiscal cliff, stagnant economy, Middle East exploding, massive debt and a polarized populace/Congress. You know the saying “Be careful what you wish for…”

Lisa

 

[kimmielittle]

Get over it?

People are suffering.

Gas prices are going up, 23 million Americans are out of work, millions more are on food stamps and your message to them is that they’re the ones with the problem because the President can’t defend his record?

:clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping:

I believe, it will take a decade to get over Mr Obama!

 

[SuperLuigi]

:clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping:

I believe, it will take a decade to get over Mr Obama!

Not if we get the Senate.

That’s the key, and split-ticket voters need to know that it could be the difference between a six month recovery and a 2.5 year one.

With a conservative Senate, we can pass budgets and recover on the back of Romney’s energy policy.

Gas will be in the low 2s by the time 2014 rolls around.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

Not if we get the Senate.

That’s the key, and split-ticket voters need to know that it could be the difference between a six month recovery and a 2.5 year one.

With a conservative Senate, we can pass budgets and recover on the back of Romney’s energy policy.

Gas will be in the low 2s by the time 2014 rolls around.

Yup. And Obamacare will be dead, with a 51 vote Republican majority.

 

[maryjk]

I think people are comparing the 08 Obama with the 12 Obama. Last time it was Greek Columns and soaring rhetoric and hope and change,** women fainting in the audience **and a thrill running up Chris Matthews’ leg. This year’s speeches, particularly the DNC closer are much less inspiring. He looks older, more tired, and keeps repeating himself.

That being said, I have to wonder at why anyone wants to be President with the fiscal cliff, stagnant economy, Middle East exploding, massive debt and a polarized populace/Congress. You know the saying “Be careful what you wish for…”

Lisa

My husband and I were just commenting on the fact that last time, it seemed, that Obama has someone fainting at every rally. “Could someone get some water up here?”

And I haven’t heard that once this cycle. I guess his supporters are all better now?

 

[meltzerboy]

That’s amazing, because all I’ve heard for 4 years is how great of a speaker he is.

That’s one of the democratic talking points, along with the thin air affecting the president, but I’m not really sure how much better Obama can be and I think that Axelrod and Plouffe gave him orders to hold on the zingers because they would have hurt him even more.

Get over it?

People are suffering.

Gas prices are going up, 23 million Americans are out of work, millions more are on food stamps and your message to them is that they’re the ones with the problem because the President can’t defend his record?

I would differentiate between Obama, the good (not great) orator, and Obama, the mediocre debater. When I say “get over it,” I mean I’m nearly saturated with the analysis of why Obama gave a poor performance. I surely realize people are suffering, but I also realize that Romney–like Obama was supposed to–is promising to cast his magic wand and cure all of our economic, social, and foreign-policy ills, while focusing on the plight of the poor and middle class and leading us to a 5.4% unemployment rate. It’s too much for any one individual to accomplish, even assuming one has the leadership skills to build bridges across the aisle. Still, we must continue to try and make whatever inroads we can.

 

[meltzerboy]

I think people are comparing the 08 Obama with the 12 Obama. Last time it was Greek Columns and soaring rhetoric and hope and change, women fainting in the audience and a thrill running up Chris Matthews’ leg. This year’s speeches, particularly the DNC closer are much less inspiring. He looks older, more tired, and keeps repeating himself.

That being said, I have to wonder at why anyone wants to be President with the fiscal cliff, stagnant economy, Middle East exploding, massive debt and a polarized populace/Congress. You know the saying “Be careful what you wish for…”

Lisa

It has been, I think, rightly said that the Presidency ages one beyond the norm, and this is not surprising. For the record, I never felt the thrill listening to Obama’s speeches that Chris Matthews talks about.

 

[estesbob]

I would differentiate between Obama, the good (not great) orator, and Obama, the mediocre debater. When I say “get over it,” I mean I’m nearly saturated with the analysis of why Obama gave a poor performance. I surely realize people are suffering, but I also realize that Romney–like Obama was supposed to–is promising to cast his magic wand and cure all of our economic, social, and foreign-policy ills, while focusing on the plight of the poor and middle class and leading us to a 5.4% unemployment rate. It’s too much for any one individual to accomplish, even assuming one has the leadership skills to build bridges across the aisle. Still, we must continue to try and make whatever inroads we can.

Please let us engage in schadenfreude for just a while longer!

 

[LisaA]

I would differentiate between Obama, the good (not great) orator, and Obama, the mediocre debater. When I say “get over it,” I mean I’m nearly saturated with the analysis of why Obama gave a poor performance. I surely realize people are suffering, but I also realize that Romney–like Obama was supposed to–is promising to cast his magic wand and cure all of our economic, social, and foreign-policy ills, while focusing on the plight of the poor and middle class and leading us to a 5.4% unemployment rate. It’s too much for any one individual to accomplish, even assuming one has the leadership skills to build bridges across the aisle. Still, we must continue to try and make whatever inroads we can.

I agree about Obama’s speaking ability. He has never been good speaking without a prepared speech and a teleprompter. It’s just that the MSM has given him a pass all this time. The ‘uh uh uh’ he does constantly drives me nuts. His odd pronunciation of various words…of course we all remember CORPSE-man. In addition, Pawk-EE-ston is another one that is baffling. If he’s trying to demonstrate his international flair and sophistication, it’s not working.

BTW I don’t think Romney made ridiculous promises, nor did he say wave a magic wand. He has a clear business approach to the economy. It’s not brain surgery. The uncertainty, the large and meddlesome legislation, the attack on below ground energy, the threats of tax increases, all serve to paralyze the economy.

We need a problem solver, and Obama is an idealogue. That’s why it is so difficult for him to defend his record because much of what he’s done makes no sense at all…unless you are of the same ideology. He’s been living in the echo chamber of Valerie Jarrett, David Axelrod, and Michelle. He simply can’t believe people have different ideas…and when faced with Romney’s counterpoint he was without a comeback.

It reminds me of the story of some NYC liberal who was astonished that Nixon won…“Nobody I know voted for him!”

Lisa

 

[meltzerboy]

Please let us engage in schadenfreude for just a while longer!

You got it, estesbob! Schadenfreude away.