Flash Commentary on the First Debate (UPDATED)
October 4, 2012

 
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At this writing, the first presidential debate has just ended and the early opinion is that Romney did better (whether than translates into a “win” only the polls will tell).

The biggest disappointment was the number of openings President Obama let slip by that he could have hammered Governor Romney on, yet didn’t. NO mention of the “47%” comment (or Ryan’s own similar “30%” comment), one tepid allusion to “GOP obstruction” in response to Romney patting himself on the back for “working with Democrats” while governor, almost no pushback when Romney repeatedly claimed Obama was “cutting $716-Billion from Medicare”, no mention of the economic consequences of Romney’s immigration policies, and so on. If I were a cartoonist, the image I’d draw would be of Obama pre-debate presented with a table full of weapons to choose from, and he picks the penknife.

The President was at a disadvantage by being strapped by an actual record, whereas Romney could propose every pipe-dream he wanted while providing few details on how to achieve them. But most notably, Romney clearly threw the GOP under the bus, praising “RomneyCare”… embracing government reform of healthcare in general, and repeatedly disavowing tax cuts for the wealthy.

Expect a flood of new TV ads of Romney reversing course on a dozen issues.

UPDATE:

List of issues that President Obama left on the table (expect this list to grow):

  • Romney’s “47%” comment and now Ryan’s “30%” comment showing a disdain for “the working poor”.
  • Economic consequences of Romney’s immigration policies
  • How do you cover “pre-existing conditions” without “Mandates”? (Obama did point out that Romney’s competition-based solution for controlling costs while keeping Medicare in place would mean insurance companies would “cherry-pick” the healthiest customers, dump the sickest off on Medicare, and bankrupt the system.)
  • Romney’s claim that “Middle Class is $200,000 per year”. (So firefighters, cops & teachers make A QUARTER of a ‘Middle Class wage”? Wouldn’t that place most of America in EXTREME poverty?)
  • The Stock Market (which has DOUBLED since just after Obama took office).
  • GOP obstruction
  • Bain
  • Romney’s claim of wanting to cut taxes yet close loopholes for net loss of zero (yet somehow still boosts the economy?)
  • Romney defending oil subsidies while criticizing investment in Green Energy.
  • “JobsJobsJobs”

Expect more as I think of them. Consider this all fodder for a swarm of TV ads in the coming weeks.

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October 4, 2012 · Admin Mugsy · 5 Comments - Add
Posted in: Economy, Election, Politics

5 Responses

  1. Ebon - October 4, 2012

    I had two major disappointments. Firstly, that Romney was able to defend Romneycare while attacking ObamaCare and Obama didn’t point out that they’re exactly the same thing.
    Second, all the damn lies Romney told. I was live-blogging it on my Twitter feed and I honestly think that Romney told at least one outright lie every time he was at mic and Obama didn’t call him on them. In fact, Romney accused Obama of lying!
    Oh, and Jim Lehrer let Romney run roughshod over the format, interrupt whenever he felt like it…
    OK, that’s three.

  2. Grant in Texas - October 4, 2012

    Of course the President has been busy running a nation while Romney has been “unemployed”, running for several years with many weeks/hours spent in “debate” camp. However, the President didn’t bring his “A” game. No more Mr. Nice Guy with this GOP gang that will say anything, do anything to get the office. Even though Romney is beginning to shake up his “Etch-a-Sketch”, the right-wing haters will vote for him anyway, anything to continue their quest to bring down this particular president. Romney smirked the whole evening but to many, I fear, they will think this shows his toughness and confidence. Hopefully the next debates won’t be so one-sided and this debate will be buried in the short memory bank of many Americans.

  3. Mugsy - October 4, 2012

    If there was ever a question as to why we haven’t seen more push-back (or calling-out) over GOP obstruction for the last two years, we got our answer last night.

  4. Grant in Texas - October 4, 2012

    Romney was definitely well rehearsed, the give away being his numbering of talking points, like “First”, “Second”, “Third”…. Even though I know the Mormon Romney can’t use caffeine, he did seem like he was on something. He was more a sneering bully than I’ve seen before, even more so than in his few dozen GOP Primary “debates”, often interrupting both Lehrer and the President. Macho men will be impressed with Romney’s attitude. Not sure how bullying will go over with the women voters. Seems one can LIE with a straight face and gusto, yet many of the poorly informed voters will believe you. The haters are laughing this morning that Obama is lost without his teleprompters. Obama appeared tired and most unprepared. I was disappointed that knowing there would be a few minutes at the end to make a summation, the lawyer in Obama didn’t effectively present his case.

    http://www.care2.com/causes/top-7-lies-of-the-first-debate.html

    Romney could have bombed yet on Fox News, Rush today, but he would have “WON” in their lockstep brain-washed heads! Liberals, on the other hand, aren’t afraid of the truth and right away the whole MSNBC crew, Bill Maher, etc. all dished the President’s performance.

    Remember George W. Bush blew his first debate with John Kerry, yet improved and with the help of the GOP in Ohio, won re-election in 2004. I haven’t given up on President Obama. As for Romney, who can support one who wants to kill off Big Bird?

  5. Grant in Texas - October 4, 2012

    The allegedly liberal MSNBC has been trotting out Romney surrogates all morning to gloat, with John Sununu telling Andrea Mitchell that the “debate” reveals that Obama is “LAZY and INCOMPETENT” and when Andrea asked him if he meant to say that about our President, he repeated again that Obama is “LAZY and (this time) DISENGAGED”. Sununu is the same jerk who said Obama “needs to learn to be an American”. IOW, racist dog whistles that we have a black president…you know, the “other”….not one of us (white people). The President is probably quite tired running a nation and campaigning at the same time and it has caught up with him, giving him a “bad” night. Dan Rather wondered if Barack and Michelle had not been celebrating their anniversary with some champagne. Hopefully he will do better in the next two, debates. Style won out over substance and sadly Americans don’t seem to know the difference. Thinking is HARD! Style is easier. Obama was much better today on a stump speech in Denver. However, he spoke to 5,000 and blew it with a TV audience of tens of millions…IOW a free commercial. Interesting take here: http://consortiumnews.com/2012/10/04/did-romney-win-the-debate/

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