Just watched the debate. Not sure why people are saying Romney won so convincingly. Obama, with few exceptions, bullshitted his way through things just fine. And Romney too often sounded like a me-too statist.
Objectively, Romney won on the points and particulars, and he had several strong moments. Clearly, he’s not the leftist Obama is — though he’s still a statist. That’s a net positive, should he win election. Strategically, though, I’m not sure that Romney’s victory on points matters all that much in the long term. Obama hit education hard and tried to win women. He made the emotional case for government compassion against the self interest of private sector profit motive. And he hid, for the most part, his most overt Marxist tendencies in platitudes developed by Marxists to appeal to capitalists, while Romney, save his closing remarks, was less insistent about conservatism than he should have been (although making the “moral” argument for the problem with debt and deficit was, I hope, effective). On the plus side, Obama lacked the spark that made him so cult-friendly four years ago. In fact, I found the spirit of Sarah Palin much more vibrant in that room tonight than the Hope and Change of 2008 Obama.
Still, I fear we’re overstating Romney’s “win.” And I say this as someone trying to look at the debate from the layman’s perspective (Obama’s audience) rather than from the perspective of those who follow politics closely.
Of course, I’m hammered right now, and I’m also cynical, so take this for what it’s worth.
My concerns: There was no clinching soundbite, no Reagan/Mondale moment. And so I doubt very much the needle moves, because as I said before, I doubt there are very many undecideds who remain. The country is divided between those who accept the socialist paradigm and those who embrace free market capitalism.
And Ann Althouse.
It will remain so after this debate. Just my rum-soaked opinion. YMMV.
I don’t mention this to try to be controversial or iconoclastic. I say this because, having heard early reviews before watching the debate, I think the strength of Romney’s performance has been overstated in its overall likely effect — or, perhaps more fairly, the weakness of Obama’s performance has been overstated under those same conditions.
One thing I will say aggressively in Romney’s favor: he didn’t seem at all scared of Obama or the Obama mystique. This is a big step up from McCain, and will have some effect on the perception of the candidates — though at least initially, the disappointment seems to be coming mostly from the cult members who are beginning to realize they got taken.
And maybe Ann Althouse.
Flame away. Like I said: I’m drunk as a Kennedy squatting in a Chris Matthews gin pool wearing a thong made from frozen black russians. And carrying a silly straw. I can take it.
Also, I’m an optimist who draws solace from his affected pessimism. It’s a defense mechanism. So keep that in mind, as well.
Plus, rum.
As Darleen mentioned last post, HuffPo, that bastion of LeftLibProgg thought, is disconsolate.
Cheers!
This is why the right hates you too, y’know.
<insert the FMJ “come on in for the big win” bit>
Didn’t watch the debate. While your analysis may be completely correct (and it’d better be – that’s why we pay you!) it’s at least reasonably possible that the post-debate “OMG, everyone agrees that Romney kicked his ass” meme will completely overwhelm the actuality of the thing.
Far more people are going to see the headlines tomorrow, then will ever watch the debate itself. I could easily see this setting off a bit of a preference cascade amongst the Althousian Set.
I thought Romney won, but my thrill was mostly the MsNBC meltdown.
Mitt needed a win. Mitt is hardly Ronald Reagan…but this election is about defeating Barack Obama.
I did have a dinner of olives fished out if the dirty vodka martinis I drank during the debate.
Yeah, I watched the debate (not-live) with my wife (Obama voter). While I thought Willard was effective and presidential, I am not actually seeing the complete beat-down that everyone else is. But then, who cares? If even the motherfucking media are declaring Mitt the winner, then who are we to look a gift media in the mouth. Anything to get that Marxist piece of shit out of the White House.
Debate takeaway moment…
O: I want to hire 100,000 teachers
Then later:
R: You gave away $90 billion dollars to green energy – much of it wasted. You could have hired 2 million teachers.
Not a direct response but a call back to Obama’s earlier pandering to the wimmins. The wimmins will remember that 2 million number. And the waste.
Also:
‘I was a Governor who had to work with an 87% (D) legislature’ bespoke his ability to get it done to the muddle that thinks our big problem is gridlock.
Those touchy feely types loves them some bipartisanship…
and then he followed on later repeating it and adding something to the effect of ‘while maintaining your principles’ implying compromise where possible and no more surrender. Red meat for the tea party.
I’ve been here many times over the years, under many handles. Hopefully this one lasts long enough for me to enjoy it. You can look up my IP address, but I’m traveling on business, so I don’t expect it to be terribly informative.
Here’s what you clowns don’t get about the debate. Romney won. He completely won. There’s no way anyone with the least bit of objectivity could come away from this thinking Obama won.
FWIW, I’m also drunk and just watched Training Day – so here’s the deal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gafALL-R1nI
This shit’s chess, it ain’t checkers.
Ask yourself this. What’s the Obama campaign been hammering in ads? 49%, (not showing) tax returns, bain, offshoring, etc, etc, etc.
Obama didn’t mention a single one of those in the debate. Ask yourself this. Why the fuck not?
Jeff’s booze soaked intuition sensor has it right. Obama came into this debate with one goal. Let the castle walls get cracked and blackened, but do not let them get breached.
Romney needed to come in with surprises. He needed to say new things. He did.
He needed to draw Obama out. He needed a gaffe. He needed to really land a KO – makes a good commercial because I can’t believe Obama said that out loud – kind of night. That didn’t happen.
Obama kept the drawbridge up. So everyone’s celebrating the Romney offensive. “He swung!!!”
Intrade moved from 70 “Obama Wins” to 65 “Obama Wins.”
CONGRATULATIONS! You should applaud.
It’s not moving to 45% Obama wins.
Romney shot his wad. What does he do for a surprise in the next debate. Expect Obama to launch then (or maybe in the 3rd debate).
Again, I ask – why didn’t Obama bring up 47%, Bain, and tax returns? Because unless Romney’s the dumbest mo-fo the world has ever seen, he had a prepared response.
Romney had to stick his neck out in this one with new stuff. Obama will respond to that in the next debate, and might be with shit Romney hasn’t heard before. He’ll have to react on the spot.
So go ahead and ridicule this true believer that can’t stand to see his guy get his ass whupped and forget all about this post when the entitlement voters cast their lot for America’s demise in November and Obama rides to victory on the backs of an MSM that would have no other. Or something like that.
Optics tell me that Romney wants the job, Obama not so much.
That to me is the take away.
The whole thing was put on for drooling chimps such as the people that Frank Luntz’s horrible wig interacted with in the aftermath. About people here – including this wishcasting idiot codboy – not a single fuck was given the entire night. Everything from here on in is in the hands of a mass of frivolous and intellectually incoherent mediocrities, and the only certainty is that they’re overwhelmingly white, therefore, racist! So I like our chances.
W.T.F.
While I’m generally in agreement with you that it wasn’t the overwhelming victory for Mittens that others are declaring, I think the above point is worth repeating (so I will!). Romney went toe-to-toe with Obama. That is in huge contrast to McCain. Romney’s biggest victory is that his base, and independents who are looking for someone willing to challenge the status quo, will now see someone who appears to be up to the task.
Even when Romney seemed to be in agreement with Obama on a particular point, he was then able to twist it and frame it in a more conservative manner. His consistent refrain that the private sector is more capable and efficient at solving problems than big government was refreshing, and I think will resonate. The polls are consistent in showing that the GAP doesn’t want bigger government. He’s making a very strong play for that demographic.
I was very pleased. While I was irritated with Hannity’s drooling sycophancy post-debate, I think the general view that Romney owned Obama isn’t too far off.
Now for Ryan-Biden. That will a truly epic bloodbath. Ryan is a dynamite public speaker. And knows how to marshall facts coherently. And going up against Slow Joe should put the nail in the coffin for anyone who is capable of rubbing two brain cells together. Anyone who looks at Biden and sees presidential material deserves him. But please let it be in some third-world country that isn’t the former United States of America….
I can’t add much to Jeff, omgthiscodtastesgreat , and Abe. This was no refutation of Socialism. It was a moderated, friendly protest, one not without a few landed shots. Mittens showed some spark — the first glimpse I’ve personally seen of his character but then I don’t watch the guy much.
But pleasant, smiling gotchas ain’t turning elections. obarry did indeed hunker behind his shitty little intellectual fortress — although the freak actually played a few of his myopic ain’t-collectivism-great platitudes, blinking and fumbling at their ineffectiveness — and that’s all he had to do to maintain the status quo.
Look, this was the finest opportunity a Reagan — or yes, a Paul — could have had to ridicule and OBLITERATE the core anti-Americanism the current POTUS so vividly and expressly embodies, including on this very stage on this very night, and thus refresh our memories as to who we are as a people. We’ll never be too far gone for that.
In fact, as things get worse we’ll demand our souls back louder.
Little Collectivist Man just repeated the message of crony Socialism and meandering Democrat despotism to our faces. And largely got away with it. Those who pound the table that Romney won against that are wishful Republicans.
Mittens played to conventional wisdom, niceties, and smiling as a way to peddle his personality to the masses. Yeah, that again; that again as the place burns: All this boils down to what we’d become just before the lights go out, not who either of these two are.
We may want our free phones but we want to be proud of who we are more. Somebody remind us.
When Sully is calling you effete…
Romney did a decent job. Obama choked.
Poor Ange.
ROFL.
Romney is more conservative than I thought he’d be, which is to say not conservative enough. But I’m perfectly comfortable actively supporting the guy I saw last night. We didn’t move left suddenly – we’ve been heading there since 1988. Yes, I’m including GWB in that trendline. We won’t move back to the right suddenly, either. Give me Mittens for 4 and then we can elect Ryan or West or Mike Lee or Mia Love.
But, as pointed out above, the “only pick losers” and “2 million teachers” are durable lines.
I watched the debate, thought it was all crap I’d heard before, didn’t see any clear winner. Then I surveyed the spin, and I must say I am enjoying the wails and lamentations of the lefties, and the football-spiking on our side. Maybe I’ll get a Romney-Ryan shirt today just to rub it in to my laborite gf and wacko-left poker buds.
I don’t think there can be any “RAAAAACIST!” accusations flying today. I submit as proof Charles M. Blow, that NY Times racialist who specializes in finding racism in every utterance. Today, not a peep of it.
Instead, he uses these words to describe Barry’s performance: “anodyne” “weak” “mistake” “failed” “blunder” “President Xanax”.
If you’ve disappointed Charles M. Blow…
The debate was a shellacking, as far as BHO’s supporters are concerned.
And, several twitterers have postulated that, because of this shellacking, expect a Chicago machine-style October Surprise to make up for it.
Hinderaker is overcome with emotion (or something)…
Lifted one leg? Where was Biden with his dry pocket?
I’m curious as to what the left thinks obarry could have brought to the funeral of the myth of successful, sustainable American Socialism that would have worked? That would have resold it. That would have resonated.
Or they really so daft as to think he’s is just another Democrat?
I mean, this is embarrassing for these clowns if they couldn’t even anticipate after four years their little collectivist man taking it square on the chin for their failed ideology and their failed expectations.
NYT: “All right then! We’ll call it a draw! ”
http://tinyurl.com/8tuptok
*Not sure why people are saying Romney won so convincingly*
LOL, errr ok. Maybe because the American people got a look at the difference between substance and an empty suit. A petulant, angry, unintelligent empty suit who has spent the last 4 years playing golf while being blown by the press. I don’t think it was so much about Romney’s performance as it was about President Kardashian’s facial expressions, his inability to look at Romney and his constant downcast gaze, which I think was his outlet so he didn’t start shouting “MORMON !!! MORMON!!” at Romney, as the tide washed over him.
The CBS and CNN post-debate polls had Mittens over SCOAMF by two-to-one. That is a beatdown so ugly it’ll force Ann Althouse into an anti-ugliness protest vote for Obama.
I also didn’t watch the debate, but the analysts were interesting. All of the lefties were aghast at what they considered to be Barry’s poor performance, and the righties weren’t for Mitt as much as relishing Barry’s discomfiture. One particularly delicious tweet was from Michael Moore the Hutt, “this is what happens when u pick John Kerry for debate prep”.
Double heh.
The most disappointing thing is that what should have been a serious thing, especially considering the state of our rapidly failing and declining republic, was nothing more than bread and circuses, with the “winner” being He Who Most Entertained and the losers being all of us.
Mittens played to conventional wisdom, niceties, and smiling as a way to peddle his personality to the masses.
In deep blue CA we are not being inundated with political ads, but from what I gather, the MSM/ObamaCampaign/ProgressivePAC troika has been spending millions on casting Romney as evil teabagger or heartless corporateman out to throw people in the streets, snatch candy from babies and rape grandma on his way to funnel all your money to Rich.Friends. — twirling his mustache and sneering maniacally.
Mitt’s performance belies that caricature.
One of the most telling moments for me was Mitt referring to the Constitution & Declaration of Independence over his shoulder and talking about rights … not one comment back from Obama.
And while Mitt came off competent, engaged and willing to look Obama straight in the eye … The Won was stuttering, petulant, scowling and refused to look at Mitt.
IMHO that opic makes an impression with those regretful voters looking for an excuse to not pull the lever for Obama.
On the Beck show, Pat Grey is singing “Romney kicked his Marxist ass” to the tune of Happy Days Are Here Again.
A preview of the VP debate: Biden as Roland and Emmerich’s ‘Zilla and Ryan as J-Godzilla:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIcExdpsEcQ
AP Fact Check: Presidential Debate Missteps
Notice how the majority of the Romney items are of the “That’s true, but…” variety.
With votes having already been decided, Darleen, I don’t think a limited-audience correction of Romney’s optics matters. He does, and that’s my beef.
What this country would drink up — I”m looking at the independents and the entire conservative right — is a point-by-point refresher course on founding principles and the clear line to the effect of founding principles.
To a degree in one soundbite Romney pandered to that crowd, and I agree that it was lovely to hear, but he spent the night debating on the relative effectiveness of two branded versions of a socially-dominant, malignant federal government, an entity at odds with principle and with on-the-ground best interest.
I watched the debate, mostly sober. I thought Romney did a fine job. And Obama reinforced my view that he is a stuttering clusterfuck of a miserable failure.
You guys can argue that Romeny’s not staunchy enough … that a Romney win will doom the republicans, etc. But I guess losing a few embassies and ambassadors and boarder security guys and all the other myriad of bs we’re facing under Obama is no reason to get all excited.
I”m looking at the independents and the entire conservative right — is a point-by-point refresher course on founding principles and the clear line to the effect of founding principles.
Yea, well that could happen in a 90 min debate. Look, you’re dealing with a populous who were probably watching DVRs of Honey Boo Boo last night.
Among my (non-political online) friends, they freakin changed the channel, or AT BEST at it on while they were doing other things.
No, you’re not going to re-educated the population by having a presidential candidate give “lessons.” You’ve merely got to write people off and start afresh with the youth. That’s what I’m doing with my kids.
JHoward
Several times Romney said “leave it to the States” even mentioning the 10th amendment (which all good Proggies scream is just code for racism & Jim Crow)
I’m not hearing what “I” want to hear from a candidate I would have liked there, but it definitely is on a different path than the red-diaper baby, Potemkin President.
– My take…..What Obama ‘lost’ last night wasn’t so much the debate itself, although he did that also. No, he could have weathered that with enough of the same artificial propping up from the slavering media and pollsters, and the undying love and approbation of his hard liners.
– His biggest loss? The thrill is gone. Hes lost the Glam, the one thing that gave him immunity, and the Left, like the emotional teenager that has just been told they got a bunch of “F’s” on their report card and will not be going to the party tonight, had to sit there and watch it unfold, as they sank into a self imposed belligerent bitterness, angry, sullen, and disillusioned at the unfairness of it all.
– No one told them that their idol was going to have to actually perform for once. No one told them that you can only skate on a sidewalk of dreams and empty hero worship for just so long before reality would come down like a giant axe.
– What you see is the the massive tormented sigh of the true believers having been forced to witness the public nudity of the kings new suit.
– Obama lost his magic technicolor great coat last night, and his Wizards wand, and for the celeb poser who would be king, that is not workable.
– The next debate, where he will be forced to defend an indefensible failure of a policy record, should in all likelihood, seal his fate.
– As the Leftward apparatus senses the impending failure, they will abandon ship, as they always do. Its already started.
Obama didn’t come off well in the debate. Romney seemed cooler, nicer, and more informed and in control. That’s win and a decisive one.
No Romney didn’t make the conservative case but we’ve known that about Romney since 2004. A lot longer if you count his failed senate run.
We are saying that he won the debate against Obama not that he’s been converted on the road to Damascus or that he’s going to be great for the US and will do what needs to be done to get us out of the hole/ditch/debt our entitlement system has dug for us.
On the contrary, looking like a winner will swing votes. No one likes to vote for a loser. In our American Idol obsessed society, optics matter a great deal. Not saying they should, but they do.
This. He is no longer the invincible One. He is now the pathetic little guy behind the curtain. The god who bleeds. The One-and-Done.
Yes, this. Perception matters, even perceptions that should never have existed.
On the contrary, looking like a winner will swing votes. No one likes to vote for a loser. In our American Idol obsessed society, optics matter a great deal.
Where’s Nishi when you want her?
lulz
I’m voting for Romney to vote against Obama. My loyalty will last until he is not elected or is elected. I still look at this as 2008 2.0 and that still makes me sad and angry and shows me that I probably have no place in the stupid corrupt useless back stabbing GOP going forward.
And the only reason I am voting for Romney after all the stupid crap he and the GOP have been up to, is Obama clearly had no idea what to do when his stupid foreign policy was burning down in front of him, and the press was BARELY reporting on it. That made me realize that Obama REALLY needs to go even if it does turn the GOP into a clone of democrat party of the mid seventies and he needs to go in November. Obama is trying to make friends with people who want to kill him and knock buildings down. he is getting soldiers and diplomats killed and skipping intelligence briefings and successfully asking the press not to talk about it. He is spit balling signing onto a UN treaty that makes “slandering” a religion illegal. He is ignoring Israel. He is a foreign policy idiot of the worst kind. I have no illusions that Romney will be a new Reagan or even that he will keep his promises about repealing Obamacare. But he WILL get Obama out of power.
Carin, Darleen, there’s no doubt that Romney is better — even on our faith — than Obama. But that’s simply not relevant to saving the nation. It’s losing anyway.
Something I’ve not had the heart to bring up until now: Money. President Romney will without question comply to his masters in the DC/Wall St corridor to a tee. In this respect he’s an even better statist than Obama. The Big Money Republicans who own this country — remember crony capitalism? — just won and won big.
But of course that’s just me being all RON PAUL! and such. The problem is that that system is for all the marbles, and once it’s remodeled into some inevitable global system, whether patchwork or whole, it’ll be on Romney the Republican.
Solution? Don’t have one; none of us do. But losing anyway strikes me as no cause to waste ink applauding the Republican not for winning on principles but kinda winning on optics the opposition had defined.
Obama looks like Apollo on startrek after they blew up his temple power converter. He’s a half naked doofus in a gold diaper trying to command people who are pointing a starship at him.
heh.
You know, I’ve long thought that one thing to like about Romney is that he’s loaded but not greedy. I don’t see how you buy a guy like that.
Yes, he is a statist. But I don’t see corruption in him.
I don’t either, Pablo. I see compliance.
More importantly, he will get:
– Janet Napolitano
– Eric Holder
– Hillary Clinton
– Kathleen Sebelius
– Valerie Jarrett
– Pick-a-Czar
– Li’l Tim Geithner
– Ben Bernanke
– Lisa Jackson
out of power. This will have a much more salubrious effect on the economy and the nation as a whole. Assuming, of course, to “play nice” Mittens doesn’t leave some of them in place.
Our statist’s chances are looking a lot better after last night.
I’d be more impressed if the theme wasn’t “out of power”, but “investigated, prosecuted, convicted and imprisoned”.
Something I’ve not had the heart to bring up until now: Money. President Romney will without question comply to his masters in the DC/Wall St corridor to a tee. In this respect he’s an even better statist than Obama. The Big Money Republicans who own this country — remember crony capitalism? — just won and won big.
In this, I hope that Romney is guided by his ultimate master – G-d – and not any monied interests.
It is just a glimmer of hope, but it is a hope non-the-less.
I think it may take a while to since in to many, but Romney called Obama a child when he compared his repetition of lies as truths such as those told by his own five boys.
Watch it again (preferably sober) and you’ll see nuance. Romney takes things that Obama said minutes, sometimes tens of minutes, before and weaves them into his answers. In other words, he calls Obama a liar at least four times without yelling “J’accuse!”
Sure, we all want a bloodbath and on film this isn’t one. I can tell you that after sitting in boardrooms for a number of years, Mitt took the Wonce apart and put the fear into middle management that the same could happen to them if they don’t buckle down.
Romney looked presidential and Obama looked like the lazy, punk-ass kid that he is.
Something I’ve not had the heart to bring up until now: Money. President Romney will without question comply to his masters in the DC/Wall St corridor to a tee. In this respect he’s an even better statist than Obama. The Big Money Republicans who own this country — remember crony capitalism? — just won and won big.
Say what? This is the guy who got ahold of the Salt Lake Olympics budget and pushed alot of that stuff out of it (as much as could be done) and IIRC several IOC members and USOC members went to jail.
n other words, he calls Obama a liar at least four times without yelling “J’accuse!”
I noticed that he said obama was being “inaccurate.” I don’t remember him saying he was flat out lying – which, imho – good strategy.
Meanwhile, dear Ann is baffled by O’s crappy performance:
Really. Option #3, that he is, and always has been, an empty suit cut from Marxist cloth (which was transparently clear during the last campaign to anybody who was willing to see), has never ever crossed her mind.
Reminds me of one memorable line from the less-than-memorable film I, Robot: “You are the dumbest smart person I have ever met in my life!”
Not fiscally, Stephanie, monetarily.
I’ve been amusing myself by A) feasting on the sweet, sweet tears of the proggie lunkheads and b) noting which of the nay-sayers is now a long-time fan. Hi, Jonah.
You, you’re consistent in your hopeful disbelief. Congrats.
Now, about sending the Panzer Rat out on some dirty tricks missions…
Really. Option #3, that he is, and always has been, an empty suit cut from Marxist cloth (which was transparently clear during the last campaign to anybody who was willing to see), has never ever crossed her mind.
I throw out that options #3 is that he is a SCOAMF.
Ann is proof that lawyers are just in love with lawyerly talk, etc.
Tommy Christopher switches on the righteous indignation. Spins around in the middle of the floor spitting bullets all over.
The talking points are just what Ann (bless her heart) is saying. The burdens of the office sit heavy on his bony shoulders.
Sure.
– I’m no ‘seer’, and my crystal ball is in the shop for repair at the moment, but it doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to think that Jug ears all but conceded the election when, apparently out of annoyed frustration that he. the Golden Erkal, was actually being forced to answer pertinent questions for the first time Evah. he made the totally self-damning statement “We should just go back to Clinton era economics.”
– Romney just needs to remind the Wonce of that admission in the next debate, and it should be game, set, and match.
– Once Ann is potty trained she can start voting with the big girls.
@JHoward, after watching Romney last night, it does bring up a question: Is Romney merely a placeholder before the inevitable collapse or is Romney the one who starts the devolution of the Federal government? Hard to decide whether Romney is losing more slowly or will turn out to be someone who redirects the ship of State.
@JeffG: I think the debate was a knockout by Romney because The Won who floats Godlike above it all turned out to be the Potemkin candidate we’ve long been aware of. The real Obama was introduced to America last night.
PS: Is it true that Larry O’Donnell spent the rest of the night weeping in his “safe” closet?
I’m kind of looking forward to seeing the Wonce on the trail this week. I hope he goes off the chain and says something damning, stupid and insulting all in one soundbite.
He’s put himself up on such a pedestal (or the Press has) that he should achieve maximum velocity on his way down when he falls.
Heh.
…hope he goes off the chain and says something damning, stupid and insulting…
His Ego will demand he overcompensate. Hide and watch.
Total meltdown begins this week.
It’ll be epic, Stephanie.
Something else no one has mentioned above (my apologies if I missed it) that really matters? Three words: Scalia and Ginsberg. At a minimum their replacements will be nominated by the next president and approved by the next Senate.
The perfect remains the enemy of the good, as well as the enemy of the not as bad. I too am not thrilled with Romney, yet a Romney win buys time we can never get back. When the ship is off course and sinking, you first worry about keeping her afloat, then worry about getting her back on course — and not the other way around.
Car in,
I would submit that your #3 is locked in a causal relationship with my #3; i.e., O is a SCOAMF because he is an empty suit cut from Marxist cloth.
In other words: Exactly.
Raging DNC butthurt
Oof. That won’t work.
Saw your clip, Pablo. I don’t think they change the formaldehyde in Jim Lehrer’s tank often enough.
I’m not surprised you misunderstood the thrust of my post, but I’ll give you a pass because I did write it hammered, and that may have led me to be less precise than I ordinarily try to be.
Again, I don’t dispute that Romney won. And I was especially emboldened by the fact that he refused to take shit from Obama, whom I believe thinks he can just run out the clock and let his campaign, his commercials, some fraud, and the media pull him over the finish line.
That being said, look at the Wisconsin Reporter article I linked to this morning. Listen to Rand Paul.
Obama has always been a petulant angry Marxist empty suit bent on ideological transformation, and beholden to the ideological teachings of his mentors. He’s been a puppet, a real-life Manchurian candidate.
And?
It didn’t hurt him last time, and if at this point he’s still holding a lead over Romney — despite a favorability rating below 50% and the economy where it is — well, then like I said, I don’t think the debate moves the needle that far.
Obama is appealing to emotional, frightened voters who look over the horizon and see a time nearly approaching where they, too, might need heavy government assistance. At this point, betting on a strong recovery seems a lot less safe than betting on government security, with the money lasting just long enough that you die taken care of.
So I’d appreciate that you try modulating the “LOL,err ok” bullshit. I’m thinking this through on a number of levels. You’ve been a big Romney booster and he performed well last night. Live it up! Rub it in! But I can assure you that I’m not downplaying his performance b/c I don’t think him conservative enough. I’m suggesting that I’m not sure it much matters in today’s media age, and with the press aligned against him.
He’s got money. He needs to start tearing up this fraud in the White House or the Obama campaign will eat him alive.
Simple as that.
Obama has always been a petulant angry Marxist empty suit bent on ideological transformation, and beholden to the ideological teachings of his mentors. He’s been a puppet, a real-life Manchurian candidate.
And?
It didn’t hurt him last time, and if at this point he’s still holding a lead over Romney — despite a favorability rating below 50% and the economy where it is — well, then like I said, I don’t think the debate moves the needle that far
But, there is a difference between this year and 2008. Ann Althouse aside, for many, the bloom has come off of that black rose. They felt oh-so-special for voting for a back man in ’08, but they’ve already BTDT.
He’s still got his supporters, I don’t deny that. And he’s won over many with his BS. I simply don’t think he’s going to have the average, non-black person vote for him simply because he’s black.
Also – I don’t know a single person who has switched from R to D this cycle. While I do know some for whom the reverse is true.
I agree, Car in.
I just think those who’ve already determined to switch don’t much care what’s said in the debates. Many have probably turned off the TV. Me, I haven’t seen a political ad. I just fast forward through them on my DVR.
My gut has told me that if Romney fights and doesn’t adopt the McCain strategy, he wins going away, no matter what the polls say right now.
But then I read about that woman from Wisconsin, and I just want to go to Costco and buy giant bags of beans and rice to go with all the ammo I’ve squirreled away.
But then I read about that woman from Wisconsin, a
Yea, well I hear about the woman from Wisconsin, and I wonder how much subterfuge was involved for them to get the story they wanted.
That woman from Wisconsin, if she exists, is like those “Republican Women for Obama” that turned up on
FaceplantFacebook a few weeks ago.Betcha anything.
That “what a guy” bit Pablo linked is pretty pale compared to this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKMUHcgsbag
Romney has lost a few contests. What did he learn from those loses — which his wife now seeks to assure everyone he will not fail them again — is the question. Did he learn how not to be eaten alive?
Barry’s sounding a bit shrill on the radio just now (“That Romney last night was all a fake who doesn’t want to be held accountable!”, he shrieks.), kinda like someone who just looked into the gaping maw of the lion.
DNC: That lout Romney kept interrupting and he completely bogarted the discussion so that Obama couldn’t get a word in edgewise.
Seriously? This is their jab at Romney?
According to the “Talk Clocks” on the CNN broadcast, Obama spoke for about 4 minutes longer than Romney. And yet managed to say far less.
And to clarify, several of Romney’s interruptions were of Lehrer obviously trying to give talking points to Obama.
This is what the One looks like after the novelty is worn off and people are tired of piously lying about him even to themselves.
He’s a big shit sandwich and Romney is the nearest trashcan.
Slightly OT – one of my drink cues last night was O mentioning “investment in education ” (more taxes for teachers) . I lost track and ended up rather unsober.
I’m halfway through it and I don’t see a huge Romney win. I’m listening, granted, but I’m hearing Obama make much sweeter promises and much simpler accusations than Romney.
But the fact that Chris Matthews is teetering on the ledge means that I might not have heard the same debate. I was exposed to all the huzzahs and handsprings before listening; that’s undoubtedly affected my expectations.
dicentra,
If you’re just listening to the audio, you should know that watching the video (and seeing the constant smirking, the looking down at the podium, the unease, the petulance, etc.) completely changes the dynamics of Obama’s statements.
People watching Obama will not have the same impression as people just listening to his comments.
[…] Heh. Jeff splashes a little cold water over the festivities: Objectively, Romney won on the points and particulars, and he had several […]
58 million viewers.
I think John nailed it way back in comment #2: as important as actual performances were last night, nearly as important are the talking heads reiterating time and again how badly Obama did, and how handily Romney won this thing. Millions of people who didn’t watch this thing (our oh-so-critical ‘low-info voters’) are hearing this morning that Romney mopped the floor with that guy.
It’s only a matter of time before the dam breaks and the preference cascade floods the Dems cozy little valley.
I think that’s probably important, but the really important thing is the vote. Nothing overrules what happens on election day.
Oh, and this: Romney is not really going to fix anything major. Sure, he may put the brakes on some of the more egregious spendings, but Washington has a life of its own. It doesn’t necessarily have a mind of its own, but it has instincts. It’s hungry, and it wants to live. It’s like The Blob.
Of course, leftists scoff at the drown-it-in-a-bathtub wish of Grover Norquist. As do I, in some ways, but only because of what those words leave out in the name of rhetorical violence. Really, what Republicans ought to be about is limiting the growth and overreaches of power manifested by our government.
But we’re all about letting grandma freeze to death, or starve; whichever gets us to the winter home in Aspen first.