Knockout: Mitt Romney Crushes Barack Obama in First Presidential Debate
“Free people and free enterprise are more effective at reducing costs than government will ever be.” Gov. Romney said this, in regard to health care and the unelected Independent Payment Advisory Board that ObamaCare creates to oversee the plan’s implementation, at about six minutes past the hour mark. That thought is one that President Obama could never honestly utter. A tweet rolled by: “Romney is opening up Obama on IPAB like a boiled peanut.” Another noted that Obama’s open derision was unbecoming for him. The president struck me as frustrated with Romney and with the structure of the debate. When Romney violated the debate’s time limits, which he did routinely, he seemed eager to answer and get to the next fact. Obama seemed touchy and constrained. Romney had struck him for wasting two years while the American economy foundered, on ObamaCare, which hurt job creation. That took some of the wind out of the president. In football terms, it had the effect of the trailing team driving across the 50 yard line, only to throw an interception that turned into a pick six.
With 15 minutes left on the clock, Mitt Romney outlined his principles: based on the Constitution, with a strong military and a strong economy, empowering individuals and caring for the hurting. Romney projected optimism, caring, openness and a connection to the factual real world in that moment, a moment that may have changed the race and put him on a trajectory to become president of the United States. He closed that segment with another strike on Obama’s “trickle-down government” philosophy: “We know that the path we are on is not working, it’s time for a new path.” On the president’s green energy “investments,” Romney charged that “You don’t just pick winners and losers, you pick the losers.” Obama never appeared to realize that for every single problem, he proposes government as the answer. A majority of American voters consistently view government as less a solution than the problem itself.
By this point, Obama had spoken for about 10% more than Romney had, yet had stayed in the world of anecdotes and away from hard facts and statistics. Romney had pummeled the president with a barrage of facts. His energy gone, the president struggled even to explain his education policies. Obama accused Romney of plotting to cut education funding, but Romney retorted: “Mr. President, you’re entitled to your airplane and your house, but not to your own facts.” He struck the president again for wasting money on greendoggles, and noted that many of the recipients had been the president’s political supporters. It was probably too subtle a way to introduce the president’s cronyism, but time will tell whether that passage introduced that angle into the presidential conversation.
Gov. Mitt Romney destroyed President Barack Obama in this first debate. Had it been a boxing match, it would have been called after the first round, supposing that Obama was still on his feet. Tonight’s contest was as brutal a thumping as Americans have seen in a presidential debate to date. The president should have skipped the trip to Hoover Dam and buckled down to his debate prep. Obama was overmatched, badly, all night. And while his energy and demeanor flagged, Romney’s seemed to gather up and gain strength.
But watch George Stephanopoulos, Chris Matthews, Matt Lauer and the majority of the mainstream media turn Obama’s embarrassing performance into a triumph of some sort. No matter what really happens, they have their story to tell and they have their president to protect and re-elect.
More: When one of your biggest fans tweets that you need a teleprompter…
More: Frank Luntz’s focus group voted almost to a person that Romney won. They described Obama’s performance as “flat” and “passionless.” They described Romney as strong and in command.
CBS insta-polled the debate: 46% think Romney won, 22% think Obama won. Honestly, I’m surprised it was that close.
A (1-p) night for the president. Not p. No matter if D+99.
How devastating Will the Ryan, Sloppy Joe debate become?
The take home on this debate is Obama is lost without a teleprompter.
TDD (Teleprompter Dependency Disorder) will be the next coverage item mandated within Obamacare.
I am so looking forwards to the Biden/Ryan bout!
With regards to Romney v Obama, it showed that Obama has others to do the thinking for him. Obama is a big Theory guy with no experience, Romney has a dual Business/Law Harvard start AND has actually run Businesses and the Olympics…
Folks go help your local Repubilcan Candidates, we NEED to control Congress and The Senate with Romney as President. Then watch the Bills fly! We will finally get someone at the Helm of this Great Country who has a clue!
“Ain’t it Grand?!”
This started getting interesting when Mitt threw the chair at Teh Won. It was hard to tell them apart.
I’m a Romney supporter now so I wasn’t the target audience but tonight’s performance has made my support go from lukewarm and initially reluctant to rock solid and strong. This guy *needs* to be the next president.
Me too. I show up to the polls no matter what (I stopped on my way to the hospital, in labor with water broken, to vote for GHWB in ’92) but this will energize annoyed Tea Partiers I think. The VP debate will be hilarious.
Jeannette, I will miss “SLOW JOE” he has added comedy to a sad 4 years. The only problem ie America is in such sad shape we can’t afford to laugh.
Paul,
I’m with you. Maybe congress can authorize a “court jester” position. Joe would be superb in that role!
There was a ventrioloquist on Fox News this a.m. The “dummy” tells a joke:
What is the difference between a dummy and Joe Biden?
The dummy’s friend (the ventriloquist) knows what’s going to come out of the dummy’s mouth!
The Ryan – Biden debate is going to be hilarious–Ryan is going to wipe the floor with Biden–what a show it is going to be.
If Romney’s poll numbers do not go up at least 5 points or more after his stunning victory tonight, than the American people are truly pathetic.
Except for Rasmussen, I expect that most of the polls will continue to shill for Obumbler, which means that the Democrat bias will increase.
Yeah – Levin called this strategy. I think they knew Romney would mop the floor with teh won and decided to bat from that side thus making teh won the underdog knowing Americans will go for the “little guy.”
Myra I agree 100% with you, I hope I do see Mitt’s pole numbers spiral. I thought he did a fantastic job and he stayed with facts and he countered Obama when he kept saying he wanted (Mitt) wanted to raise taxes by 5 trillion. I was proud of how Mitt kept countering that and correcting the President. He was so tough on the President that I could swear the President was looking at either Michelle or Valerie Jarret and with his eyes, crying for help.
I also saw that too!
Obama was so out of sync you can actually hear his thoughts, “Help me. Please help me. Michelle? Valerie? Mommy?”
I’ve read several articles lately that said he was doing pretty much anything but practicing for this debate. I wonder if he’ll practice for the next one.
He definitely had that “I was told there would be no math” look on his face half the time.
Jackson, you’ve nailed what should be the title of all post-debate dissections:
Obama: “Help me. I was told there would be no math.”
Good one.
Ironiczlly obama tried to use the “its simple math” line, but then had no math to back it up, while romney seemed to constantly call up impressive numbers.
One thing to think about. Romney is obviously a good enough debater to wipe the floor with Obama. But He was so good tonight that I wonder if he could win a debate with Clinton as well.
I watched a little of “Morning Joe” this a.m. to see how they were going to spin the debate. One of these Obama shills actually said, Obama needed his teleprompter!
Nothing like the debate in one tab and the Ace of Spades liveblog in another to liven things up while I’m doing a couple of extra hours’ work. I definitely agree with Mr. Preston–Romney did wonderfully, and Obama came across as alternately frustrated and condescending. I’m ending my shift happy tonight, and can’t WAIT for the vice-presidential debate. Better lay in a stock of popcorn . . .
Obama looked like a comedian playing the role of a president in a bad movie. He reminded me of the Naked Gun movie where Leslie Nielsen sings the National Anthem.
Hey, give Leslie a break. He was Canadian after all
You can’t expect him to know the American national anthem perfectly.
Actually, he does. Where do you think the “rocket’s red glare” comes from?
Surely not from Canadians burning the White House.
Quote of the night: “Free people and free enterprise are more effective at reducing costs than government will ever be.”
Admirable.
i like the idea of the next president knowing how to handle money, but also how to make money. Romney all the way!
The key for the future is to continue exactly what tonight was–the Executive. The CEO. The Captain. The man who has sat in the command chair. Because parts of the MSM are going to rush in to repair the breach.
Don’t accept their premises. An Obama defeat cripples them to–hopefully for good. So fight.
Thank you. THIS is what we should all keep in mind.
The Obama Administration is what America gets when it elects someone with no executive experience, an academic mindeset (minus the intellect) and no work ethic to be the Chief Executive. Let’s learn from that mistake and never repeat it.
voting in a goddamn america mindset, don’t forget
Obama: “we don’t have any details on Gov Romney’s plan to reduce healthcare costs”
what Romney should have said: “we didn’t have much detail on PPACA either. Speaker Pelosi told us we’d have to vote on it to find out what was in it. How was that any better?”
The fact that healthcare stocks declined across the board today should tell us all we need to know about where the healthcare savings will come from. It’s called repealing Obamacare. That’s all Mitt has to do do get a good start on the problem.
Just watch. We’re going to find out that folks thought Romney was too mean to Obama or something.
And racist, don’t forget racist.
Exactly. When he mentioned his five “boys” we know what he was really saying!!
No doubt Peggy.
They’ll find a few “dog whistles” to whine about tomorrow.
When the left shouts “dog whistle” watch to see if Obama is salivating. Or if his stomach growls.
Romney hates dogs, women’s genitalia, pushes grandmas off the cliffs, absolutely loathe his garbage collector and according to the latest narrative he is also a bad father.
Btw, voting for a mormon instead of a black guy is waacist.
I wonder if they’ll accuse Mitt of the same thing that Rick Lazio was accused of after debating Hillary: as Rush said, “…you never ever hit the girl.”
Obama had to finally own it, the MSM was not up there to protect him….and he got exposed as the idiot he is.
Thanks for the recap, Bryan. I hate listening to politicians debate, and I would rather read what you write than what George Will on ABC or any of those media goombahs say.
Molte grazie.
Even ABC admitted that Obama lost the debate.
I am proud to say I have always liked Mitt Romney! He wasn’t my first choice, but man am I in his corner!
Look at the body language! 0bama looked down, looked out at the audience smirked when Romney said something that he didn’t like. Romney looked at obama when he was speaking and looked interested and friendly!
Sean Hannity called it a rocky mountain beat down!
Love it!
Romney looked like a president, and Obama looked like a tired first-term senator from Illinois.
Even Bill Maher said that Obama “does need a teleprompter”.
The question reminds though – Will the debates change the race enough to let Obama go?
From my experience, I have learned that those who support Obama will undoubtedly hate Romney all the more for thrashing him thoroughly.
Add to that the intellectual lackings of his “base” and they will sympathize that Romney used too many big words and that nobody could possibly understand what he was talking about. That is, if they tuned in at all. I’m hopeful that the elderly lady in the room, doing her knitting, would be sitting there, nodding her head as Romney spoke and just quietly kept to herself while her ch’iluns ranted and raved about how Obama is being “mistreated”.
Watch tomorrow’s media come up with everything from how Romney was disrespectful to the president to practically calling him “boy”.
But now, those supporters of Obama know in their hearts that they have a weak, racist, ill-prepared person at the helm of their nation. No matter what they say out loud, they are embarrassed to have seen it.
More, please.
This is what comes of relying on lies and Media whitewash to cover your agenda and failures. When you no longer have such protection, you cannot debate, because you have never had to.
The Mouthpiece Media forces Republicans to get good. If you don’t, you become Todd Akin. Because the Mouthpieces do not test the Democrats, they do not get good at articulating their beliefs. They rely on anecdotes and other weak fare. They cannot offer substantive debate.
Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times was heard saying after: “Fuck, I need to get a Thai hooker to take this edge off.”
Romney did great! He wouldn’t let Jim Lehrer cover for Obama. On the other hand the nation got to see Obama, “the smartest man in the world” as the MSM describes him, flub up and flounder all over the place without his teleprompter. Maybe he ain’t so smart after all.
My only question is will voters in Michigan and Ohio resonate to a “states right” candidate? I don’t know…
Yes, yes we will.
Thank God.
I’ve bashed Romney more than most. His campaign has been horrible. But he aleady had a bit hit with Ryan, and this put the men in scoring position. Romney did a great job. If anything, he came across as too knowledgable. If anybody was reluctant to support him bacause they doubted his knowledge, they need a new exuse now.
I liked that Romney overruled Jim Lehrer so often. It may have been the best thing of all. Romney’s biggest fault has been passivity. Well, he just punched passivity in the face.
Thank God.
Ditto.
In a calm, commandaing way, Romney conveyed leadership, conviction and the clear message “shut up and sit down.”
All good. Who knew? Mittens, the new must have fashion-political statement accessory.
Love it! Regal and presidential mittens. Who needs gloves?
Noah versus Elmer Gantry – Ali versus Sharpton – Ohio State versus Purdue – John Phillip Sousa versus Lady Gaga- the SEALS versus Everyone – Geezus Lawd what a shellacking – with three coats and a spit shine. !!
I think you could have picked a better example than Ohio State vs. Purdue. Boiler up!
Yes Mitt rained the numbers all over Obama’s head, but that recitation wasn’t for us, it was like he started hitting and kept hitting until Obama looked like he might throw up. He was polite, but forceful and firm. He pushed back, and I think he would have done even more damage if the ‘moderator’ had not continually interrupted and allowed Obama to interrupt.
Obama looked petulant and kept saying ‘specifics’ which was a loser because he offered a defense of his record and offered nothing that would be different. So if you were a voter thinking that Obama would get more done next go ’round, he’s not offering anything new going forward. Ironic.
Specifics!?!?! Yeah, I loved Romney’s answer to that – “I’m outlining my principles.” And then went on to explain how the legislature is SUPPOSED to work – by people coming together to solve problems, rather than ramming it down the throats of all Americans without their consent. BAM!
Romney ate Obama’s lunch.
Obama ate a dog.
Thank you, that is all.
Romney ruled. Obama got schooled.
Romney reigned. Obama feigned.
Romney punched. Obama crunched.
… and Obama ate a dog! RS McCain is right. Ever comment or tweet should include that line.
Both candidates were well prepared, spoke well, and were well behaved. There were no cheap shots. Though I gagged when Obama addressed his wife at the beginning and called her sweety. (I almost turned off the TV at that moment, but the call of duty prevailed.) It is stunning how much older-looking Obama has become in just four years. His face seemed shrunken and wizened. But at the same time he looked strong and confident. Romney’s maddening habit of smiling continuously while Obama was speaking made him look weak. So I turned from C-SPAN, which had split screen view showing both candidates the whole time, to PBC, which showed only the candidate who was speaking.
On the economy, I think that voters who are concerned about the economy will get the definite impression that Romney will get the economy moving again, and the even stronger impression that Obama will not, and that these perception will certainly help Romney.
On Obamacare, Romney’s standard critique of it—it will hurt the economy, it involves too many regulations—and his continuing failure to attack it as a tyrannical expansion of government and bureaucratic power (as seen, e.g., in the birth control mandate), suggests that he will have no real zeal to repeal it. If he had such zeal, wouldn’t he have attacked it as the revolutionary, anti-American measure that it is, and not just for its inefficiency?
Obama looked “strong and confident”??? WTF??? On what planet or in which dimension were you watching this debate??
Even Rachel Maddcow and Tingles Mathews admitted Barack Hussein was schooled and tooled, looking a weak and bewildered man!
I pity you, Fool!
Jerod appears to be part of the O campaign damage control squad.
“strong and confident”? obama looked like an erring recruit being chewed out by a drill instructor. “sir, no excuse sir!”
Here is the classic difference between progs and conservatives. Conservatives don’t care about motives, we just want it done. Progs don’t give a rat’s patootie if anything gets done, as long as the motives are “pure”, which explains why they are feckless.
President Romney will repeal Obamacare because it hurts America, that’s good enough for me.
Three more to go. I think all the angst about so many debates during the primaries was actually very good prep work for Romney. Let’s see what the probable bombing in Libya will do for Obama. Hopefully people will see it for what it is and further tank his pathetic presidency.
I never loved Mitt Romney, but every time he spoke I liked him better. Tonight was the peak of that. Obama, on the other hand, is on a downward slide from his peak at the DNC in 2004. He’s the M. Night Shyamalan of presidents.
I agree with you, jim. He was not so hot, in my opinion. But here’s the quote of the night: “Free people and free enterprise are more effective at reducing costs than government will ever be.”
That made my vote solid.
We don’t need to see any of O’s sealed records. They were on display tonight.
What you saw tonight was the valedictorian of Harvard Law School surgically eviscerating the jumped-up affirmative action entrant who was at the bottom of the class and who should never have been allowed in to start with.
The Choom Gangster’s past caught up with him tonight. It wasn’t a pretty sight and it’s going to get worse. I’d say Downgrade’s debate prep for the third debate will be to find some bud and a few brewskis, knowing that if he’s going to get his butt kicked he might as well enjoy it.
Finally someone noticed the real reason O lost. He was overmatched by Mitt. That debate demonstrated for all to see that O is a poseur; a fabrication of the left who is just to sit in the office and do what he is told.
Dear Leader could not argue the facts because ALL the facts and truth were and are against him. All DL could do was resort to the progressive talking points.
Now for Mitt: He could have made even more points with me if the said he would devolve the Dept of Education back to the states. The pressure to keep a useless spigot of money draining the public was too much to bear so he caved. I would have liked Mitt to say he would close that dept as well as EPA, HUD, Ag., Commerce, DOJ and a few others. All these departments can and SHOULD be run at the state level.
Romney would have had a more difficult debate if Clint Eastwood had brought that chair to the stage in Denver.
+1
+2
I’d like to see Paul Ryan show up in a Big Bird suit to debate Biden, as sort of a handicap as in golf, just to make it fair…It would be fun and would not affect the outcome in the least.
omg, I’m dying! lol
LOL, “Big Bird suit” … I almost peed myself! … you sure got your name right, my friend, you “Rock,man!”
I’m laughing myself stupid.
hahaha! Thanks for painting that picture. Just when I thought I couldn’t laugh any harder today…
Over at Daily Kos, they are slashing their wrists!
It’s amazing to say but tonight I weep for our country but I am so very hopeful at the same time. I can see our future and it starts with Mitt Romney. This may be our countries last chance to right the ship.
We have wasted the last 20 years in this country on class warefare, political correctness and some notion of the governments role to force equality.
It’s pretty clear. Vote for Obama and we continue on the same downward path to ruin. Vote for Romney and try to swing the country back to the values we were built on.
Uh-oh. Time to bring on multiple October Surprises.
So you think they will release the Psychic Octopus?
Nah, just the usual “heavies”: Beyonce and Clooney.
The important thing wasn’t what was said. It’s the visuals when it comes to a presidential debate. That’s what buried Nixon and helped Reagan.
The split screen images were the killer. Romney looked like he was enjoying himself, had a crisp white shirt and bright red tie. He looked great on my ancient TV.
Obama looked angry, tired and petulant. Off white shirt and blue tie? Was he trying to fade into the background? I mean, damn….he pals around with all those Hollyweird types, and he couldn’t get ONE of them to loan him a decent stylist? Is he gonna show up for the next one with alpha wolf/earth tones? Ugh.
Romney owned that stage, overruled the moderator (hell, toward the end, Lehrer was deferring to him), and looked like he was raring for another hour. Obama needed Lehrer to bail him out of a jam and seemed like a frail little kid.
President Romney. Get used to saying it, Dems.
Out of your mouth to God’s ear.
i hope you’re right, “president romney” i’ve just completed my ballot and my wife will drop it off at the town clerk’s office tommorow. one up for mitt.
It was fun watching Romney debate an empty chair.
Chris Matthews asked “Where was Obama tonight?” Clint was prescient! Empty suit, empty chair, empty words.
he took control good for mitt.
Romney kicked butt. My mother decided tonight to change her vote from Obama to Romney after my brother made her listen to the Social Security/Medicare segment. She discovered that the Today show lied about Romney’s intentions regarding Social Sec./Medicare. We live in Alabama, where we already know Romney will win our state, but maybe there are some folks in the swing states that will have their eyes opened, as well.
I’m one of those who haven’t bought into the doom and gloom of the polls. I really think that even before this debate, that Romney would win the election handily, but I’m even more excited for our side now. Mitt’s optimism and faith in the American people as individuals is Reaganesque, and that’s a very good thing, indeed. Thank you, Mr. Preston for your analysis.
Welcome Casey’s Mom! Now go out and talk to your friends.
Romney won decisively tonight, but it was not a knockout.
There was no single “there you go again” moment that can be hung around 0bama’s neck like a rotting chicken. That is, people who didn’t watch the debate are not especially likely to have their minds changed by what they saw tonight.
Still, as Krauthammer said in his post-debate analysis, in a race as close as close as this one changing a few minds is still an important victory…but this was not a knockout that decisively changes the race.
Here’s the knockout: what Romney did to Obama and Leher tonight, he can and will do to Representatives, Senators, and foreign diplomats.
Romney showed the world tonight what a LEADER looks like.
You’re right, and that’s very important right now. Obama has been mealy-mouthed over the Libyan bombing & other riots (when he has said anything at all). Combining that non-response with his performance last night says one thing loud and clear to the American public- he is weak.
And Americans do not like weaklings. The fact-checkers and MSM pundits can debate the debate until the cows come home, but Obama standing there with his head down is an image for the ages.
The best thing of all were the record-setting ratings- which means a lot of Americans saw Obama get owned.
There are two more debates, and Obama is just the sort of man who is incapable of realizing just how screwed he is. He probably thinks last night was a fluke, if he can even admit he lost. He won’t be any more prepared for debate #2, and he’ll likely find himself 5-8 points down going into the final debate. He may try some stunt to pull this one out, but he won’t be any more competent at that than he has been heretofore. He’s at least as incompetent as he is malevolent, for even as he plots to turn America into a socialist state, his plans never go the way they were intended.
To me, it was the visuals that was the knockout. Mr. O looked tired, uninvolved, and beaten. He just wanted it to be over. Romney looked energetic, knowledgeable, sincere and like an optimistic and nice guy. People who had drunk the MSM KoolAid about what a terrible person Mitt is were left scratching their heads; they did not see a terrible person. And at the same time, those who thought Obama was the smartest, most charismatic, competant person on the planet had a big shock. Mr O needs a teleprompter. Mr. R comes off much better when he is speaking without one!
if you had a sense of urgency about the country, then romney was the hands down winner.
obama, in defending his record, feebly, defended the status quo.
corollative result?
right track/wrong track is 37/57. very likely that a poll of the debate’s results run around the same.
– now don’t get cocky!
Biden might be a problem. Perhaps he will go nasty in some way, and then try to seize the highground as Ryan recovers from the surprise. Don’t know.
Joe is an idiot but he is also a politician who has been around a long-time. He knows how to play dirty, and the Obamaites know a preference cascade might be in the making as “Affirmative action baby over his head” takes hold in a decisive way. They have to repair the breach now before it gets to late.
Don’t underestimate Biden. Nail him hard.
My only concern about next week is that Biden might plagiarize Ryan’s words during the debate and actually sound sane.
“Don’t underestimate Biden. Nail him hard”
Joe Biden is no 30-year Political Juggernaut, he’s no Heavyweight Statesman….
He’s a Bum. A ho-hum politician of barely average intellect, from a tiny State that is REQUIRED to send two of her sons up to the “big show.’
He’s been skating his whole career as the “incumbent” from a place so small and insular, he could personally plant most of the yard signs himself. It does not take much of an “engineer” to handle the machinery of Delaware Politcs, and Joe has been just “adequate” for the job.
That’s why he’s a Gaff-prone, known plagiarizer who’s more an embarrassment to their party than asset….but he’s such an established shoe-in who will go with the Liberal Flow because he KNOWS he doesn’t really belong there, he gets a pass just for showing up.
He was the cake topper, the disposable white guy who “looked like a Washington type” with silver hair and a blue suit, to soothe the apprehensions of the “swing electorate” who would be taking their first chance on that smooth and cool bi-racial Dream Date Miracle Worker.
Ryan will simply destroy him. It is up to Ryan to decide just how FAR he humiliates poor old Joe. Will he have some measure of mercy for the happy-go-lucky-mean-no-harm schmuck that Biden is? Will he “honor” his long service, and simply defeat him in the debate, knock him down with the honorable superiority of the facts? Or will he utterly eviscerate this hollow plastic fool, expose to the world the shame of his ignorance and lifetime of irrelevancy?
It is a Political Consideration Team Romney/Ryan will have to make. How much force to use against this frail and intellectually unworthy opponent, without suffering a backlash for inflicting unnecessary punishment on Poor Stupid Joe.
I actually feel sorry for Biden.
biden’s goofy, yes, but that’s not the whole picture. he has a very tough, mean streak, and used to be a brawler in his young adult years. no one should underestimate his capacity to explode, but instead expect it, and be ready to counter the worst he can say calmly. we’ve heard his filthy mouth more than a few times already.
this isn’t to say ryan should avoid setting him off and making him lose his temper. far from it. if ryan can get get under his skin — and biden is as thin-skinned as his boss is — all the better. his true self will be revealed for all to see, and they will be repelled and disgusted. ryan then only has to keep his cool, and it’ll be all over for obama-biden.
Biden is THE smartest man at the white house, currently.
Biden is one of the longest standing members of the CFR (Council for Foreign Relations, a steering committee for the Bilgerberg)you don’t get there without smarts and an X-files “cigarette man” like evil streak.
Biden is a comic genius, channeling Foster Brooks as gaffe cover. IMHO he is Obumblers lead handler, Jarrett being his primary handler. Check out clips of Biden speaking when he thought he was off-camera. He can speak 5 paragraphs of SUCCINCT strategy before noticing that he’s being recorded then the goofy gaffe monster comes out to cover his tracks.
Biden lied 14 times strait in the debates with Sarah Palin, but his delivery is SO good the audience believed every word. Biden will be FAR more dangerous opponent then barak for Ryan. Ryan better be ready for Joe to lie his @$$ off and to use some NASTY verbal attacks/emotional tricks to stop Ryan from fact checking him.
After even CNN and (gasp)MSNBC agreed that Romney won the debate,the spin has begun. It has been hiliarious to listen to all the Obama fans calling CSPAN to claim that “Romney kept interrupting the President” (only because he was not getting equal time, and the Moderator was interrupting his answers with machine gun questions, attempting to steer Romney’s responses, not allowing him rebuttal time and he even started to argue with him at one point. WORST debate moderator I’ve ever witnessed – and that includes High school coaches. Hey guy, get a stopwatch next time and look at it occasionally.
Their other whine : “Romney didn’t give any facts” — You’ve got to be kidding me right? When he was allowed to respond he gave as many as humanly possible. These people already had their script written before they called in to CSPAN.
I knew this was going to happen when Obama went to the Hoover dam. His handlers knew he would crumble,so they sent him there to create an excuse. Something about not making the best use of time of a busy president, thus his staff taking the fall.
Don’t worry, I have looked into my time warp to bring you tomorrow’s polls today!
That was pretty good. You had me worried until I got to the end! Good one.
you were being sarcastic weren’t you.
Romney won 14 of 15 rounds, by about a point each. As scored wins go, that’s strong. But no knockouts.
The question will be, so what. How many voters watched, how many will shift because of what they saw.
Romney was maybe 10% better than I expected, but he didn’t call Obama on hardly any large points, which is what it would take to even stagger the opponent much less knock him to the canvas.
It’s a matter of context, I’ve seen dozens of debates through the years and never has there been this obvious a winner. It’s excessively rare for the post-debate setting to be what it is today, it feels like the Romney camp is the division winner and the Obama camp is the 2011 Red Sox.
Romney not only took Obama down but his wingman Jim Lehrer as well! Brilliant! The Left is furious with Lehrer because he was there to make sure THIS didn’t happen! TOTAL VICTORY!
Romney 1, Obama 0, Leher -1
I’m not sure what I enjoyed more, Romney stomping on Obama or on Leher.
Good points, but I would score it as follows:
Romney +1
Lehrer 0
Obama -1
Who knew Romney could deal a double whammy and not even break a sweat?!
Obama got crushed tonite by Romney………He still don’t know what hit him lol…lol…..
Romney / Ryan 2012
Talk about getting “bitch slapped” over, and over, and over, and over… well you get the idea. With a “mitten” no less! TDSHH!
I think you meant “Mitch-slapped!”
obama was run over by a staples office supplys 18 wheeler.
Now we know what an empty suit can do in a debate…. that being to mostly serve as a punching bag.
Well, my only question now is if the moderators can prevent a clean 4-0 sweep for Romney-Ryan. I fully expect the Ryan Biden debate to be even more stark in contrast than tonight’s debate. In fact, Biden might want to have an ambulance on stand-by. Or at least smelling salts and oxygen.
I wonder what kind of screeching dear leader is going to get from Duncy Pelosi. Sorry, Duncy… you may never get that gavel back now.
Final thought–I’m sure the coast is far from clear, and we have no promises of winning the election, but still–I have *never* doubted that eventually, at some date, in the end it all works out. All of it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEMdXhfO-Wk&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Always listen to the fat Hobbit.
Mitt Romney won tonight…big time! It was a knockout!
I just listened to the debates and occasionally looked at the screen, so from what i heard i would say that it was a tie, except for the fact that i knew Obama was lying through his teeth. However, since the MSM will never fact check him, he can continue to get away with it. I don’t think it will matter much as I am of the belief that Romney will win a close election. It all comes down to Romney must win Missouri, Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, and Ohio and then one of the following: Nevada, Colorado, Iowa, New Hampshire, or Wisconsin.
Don’t want to get too carried away, but this debate was an awesome victory for Romney, with just a hint of Reagan. I loved the line Romney used on Obama about picking “winners and losers in the economy, er, actually only picking losers.” He followed that up later with the fact that Solyndra and other “green” DOE grants went to Obama supporters. That was killer.
I was pleased when the debate ended, then I heard that the next debate would be the Vice Presidential candidates, which will be even more one-sided, and will solidify the gains Romney made tonight.
Are the veeps up net? Didn’t know that. Awesome, awesome.
Congrats Rob Portman.
Good on you for reminding us of Portman’s pivotal role in effectively preparing Romney for this encounter.
Keep it up, Portman et al. Good job.
As compared to the job John Learch Kerry did for Obama. He was probably selected because he’s a rich white guy and Obama thought that was close enough.
I kept waiting for one of Obama’s top security aides or Hillary to walk on stage and say that there was a crisis that needed the president’s attention right away. You know they must have discussed it during the practices. What was so obvious tonight was that Obama lives in hype and vague ideas and Romney lives with facts and figures and a plan. If this doesn’t sell Romney to the undecideds then nothing will.
And:
“A second pattern emerged during this exchange: Romney discussed business like a business man who understands policy, while Obama discussed business like an enemy whose existence he tolerates because he has to.”
Wait. What? … Obama discussed business as if it were an entity he must eradicate.
There. Fixed it for you.
The danger zone is the town hall debate with Candy Cruncher from CNN moderating probably a stacked audience of pony tailed weasels who will ask questions like “Wh-y-y-y-y Governor Romney do you hate me, I collect disability for my mommy issues. Please give me a hug President Obama, and dry my eyes”. It may get ugly.
THIS DEBATE WAS PURE CLASS WARFARE.
Romney turned out to be a real class act,
While Obama needs more acting classes.
Romney had a solid riposte to Obama’s, and the Left’s, usual jibe about trickle- down economics. Trickle-down government. Romney should add a corollary. Obama’s policies are also trickle-sideways economics.
Obama’s campaign has been:
TRICKLE-DOWN LIES. OFA starts it and then the MSM tows the line.
Before the debate was over, Obama probably felt something trickle down his pant leg.
“Mr President! Mr President! To what do you attribute this devastating loss in the debate tonight?”
“Let me be clear. It was George Bush’s fault.”
46% think Romney won, 22% think Obama won. Honestly, I’m surprised it was that close
We must always keep in mind that somewhere between 18 and 27% is the minimum that any side in a poll of the general population will take. If you see a poll where 97% of people answered wih the same answer, the pollster is lying.
Some are idiots. Some are hard of hearing or didn’t understand the question; some say no when they meant yes; some have no reasoning ability; some are hardened idealogues (crazy pastors taking everyone to the Moon hardly ever go wanting for takers).
We’re talking, “Does the Sun rise each day?” questions. 18-27% will answer, “No.”
Are we beginning to see the flaws in universal suffrage, yet?
Now that you are all done patting yourselves on the back about how well it went ,Would you please start calling three friends ,who will call three friends,,,,,,,,,,,
Where is our resident left-wing troll, “Cynical Wonder”?
Probably whimpering in the corner, occasionally muttering “hopenchange, hopenchange, hopenchange…..”
An excellent question that I was just about to ask. Here, I’ll give a shot at his response:
“Oh, hey, uh, this is Cynical Wonder, and, hm, uh, you people are racist for being so happy about thinking that Romney won the debate. And anyway, Romney didn’t win the debate because, um, Obama wasn’t really trying so it wasn’t, uh, fair. Yeah, yeah, and all you conservatives are going to lose and stuff.”
How’s that? Close enough?
C. Blunder is busy doing the Modern Liberal version of a Rorschach Test using super secret used toilet paper that was flushed down to The Cesspool from Denver last night. And it’s gender confused as to whether it’s from the Mrs. or Mr. President.
It will be awhile.
Buuuck, buck, buck, buck.
This is precisely how Romney was during the race for Governor here. He was the tepid nice guy until the last 6 weeks of the election, and then came out at the bell swinging.
Obama’s solution to EVERYTHING was just to spend more money, money we simply do not have. And Obama offered absolutely no credible plan on how to reduce the deficit, let alone create more jobs. I though the point that Romney brough up that Obama wasted two years chasing Obamacare INSTEAD OF creating new jobs was brilliant. And Romney’s comparison between the United States and Spain was even better. No doubt about it, Romney wiped the floor with Obama. It was a grand thing to watch.
I think last night we saw the downside of the Dem strategy of constant vilification of Romney as a dog-hating, senior cliff-throwing, uncaring monster. By coming off as a reasonable, sane, eloquent person in command of facts and policy, there is now a huge disconnect between the Dem spin and reality. I think a lot of people will now be questioning their assumptions and Dem spin. Most simply, last night Romney neutralized hundreds of millions of dollars in negative ads.
Oh and I think the best phrase of the night was ‘Trickle down government’. Brilliant.
I am happy too. Don’t get me wrong…but
Don’t get cocky! This is not over yet.
I suspect that the president will skip the next debate, to oversee the bombing of Tel Aviv.
I meant Damascus.
Oops! Freudian slip?
THE REASON ROMNEY WON THE ELECTION LAST NIGHT:
He answered a simple question – Can Mitt Romney do this job.
Yes, yes he can. Game over.
Why, the nerve of that racist, Romney. obama is BLACK so Romney should have let him win that debate. I mean, after all, obama’s ancestors were slaves so obama deserves to win the debate. In fact, obama deserves reparations too. What’s that? He went to exclusive private schools, including Harvard Law School? And he lived all over the world? Who paid for that ecucation? Oh. We did. Well, never mind.
Were Obama’s ancestors slaves? Don’t think so. His father was the first of his family to come to North America, in the early 1960′s, I believe. This is one reason why Obama as the first African-American president seems so odd. His family’s experience has nothing to do with the Black American experience….
Romney’s “victory” last night was what I like to call a “Sarah Palin Debate Victory”, i.e., the bar was set so laughably low, that simply by showing up, speaking in complete sentences and not tripping over himself to get to the podium, he “won.” He smiled a lot! And he said a lot of words! But substance-wise, not that anyone here gives a hot about substance, Romney was just terrible. He flip-flopped on tax cuts. He flip-flopped on pre-existing conditions. His “Five Point Plan” is basically something scribbled on a napkin. And a month out from the election, he STILL has literally no plan for the economy other than: 1. Tax cuts! 3. Kill PBS! 3. More tax cuts! 4. ??? 5. Economic growth!! That all sounds well and good, if you’re of the intellectual level of a five year old, but for adults who want actual details and numbers, Romney’s debate performance, and his campaign, continues to be a sad joke.
Poor dave, you are the sad joke!
Romney knocked it clear out of the park! He was gracious, he looked at Obama when he spoke. He didn’t smirk! If you turned the sound down & watched the whole debate, you could tell who won by the body language!
BTW, did you notice that Romney’s son was one of the fist ones up to congratulate obama?
The whole family is a class act!
And yes, I heard Glenn this morning – it was priceless!
Oh, brother! Sounds like a sore loser who claims, “We beat ourselves.” How pathetic.
You crave substance? Yeah, kind of like, Pelosi’s “pass the bill to see what’s in it” and Biden’s “You’re telling me we have to go spend money to keep from goingbankrupt?…yes, that’s what I’m telling you.” And there’s Reid’s “My best friend’s sister’s boyfriend’s brother’s girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who’s going with the girl who said ‘Romney didn’t pay his fair share of taxes.’ I guess it’s pretty serious.”
Only libertards say Romney “flip-flopped”, because all you’ve heard are LIES about his policies that Barry and the MSM spoon-fed you. Apparently, you were not listening last night when he corrected all that and told you exactly what his policies are. Even Romney pointed out that just because you make stuff up and repeat it several times doesn’t make it true.
“Apparently, you were not listening last night when he corrected all that and told you exactly what his policies are.”
No, what I heard from Romney himself last night was that somehow, through some accounting miracle, he was going to cut taxes for everyone AND increase military spending, all without raising the deficit. And he said he would accomplish this all by reducing “tax loopholes”, while never mentioning a single loophole he would cut.
So no, not only did he NOT tell us what his policies were, he expected us all to trust him that he can make miracles happen. He’s playing you for a sucker, and you’re loving it.
Actually letting the economy grow by cutting tax rates and reducing the regulatory burden does wonders for revenue. This is in contrast to Obama’s approach of raising taxes on businesses and piling on regulations. Government can’t be a net creator of jobs but it sure can do things to hurt job creation and Obama has done just about all of them. The man is an economic moron and his record proves it.
Note that “adults” is the latest line. Axlerod is there.
C. Dave is merely blubbering around in the Kiwi can looking for a bootlick fix.
Nice drawn on moustache C. Dave.
So you think Romney won because “the bar was set too low?” Didn’t Obama used to be referred to as “the smartest guy in the room?” So he should have wiped the floor with Romney…right?
Then by your analysis, Barack Obama was even more of a lightweight than you claim Romney is.
more empty rhetoric from the empty suit that sits in the empty chair and stands behind the empty podium ! lil’ berry hussein soetoro is a stuttering clusterf*ck of a miserable failure ! and moochbacca, the first wookie, is the epitome of fugly !
There is a bit of an irony about the tussles with Lehrer. The impression is Romney ran all over Lehrer. But in post debate stats I noticed that Obama took more total time than romney, so in actual fact it was obama that was really doing the filibustering, but Lehrer never claaed him on it, while he constantly interruted romney. So the real truth is Lehrer tried to run over Romney, but Romney did not let him.
And the next moderator will try the same, but be more persistent in cutting Romney off.
Romney should be ready for that.
WEBMASTER: Yesterday, I left a note to alert you to the fact that the message “View as a Single Page” worked but did not evaporate once the full page was mounted. Today, _every_ column has that same problem. It is unnecessary and, worse, confounding for the PJMedia user/reader. Up your game, please.
Why is everyone surprises Romney won? Romney is a Mormon white boy who still managed to get into Harvard. He didn’t have any affirmative action in his corner. So right away it’s likely he’s about twice as smart as O. And if you’ve ever watched O get off of his teleprompter you know he’s an idiot, not the great genius the liberal media wants us to believe. My son at 15 could’ve taken him apart in a real Lincoln -Douglas debate format.
I’m REALLY looking forward to the super clown Biden vs Ryan. I hope they have buckets to mop up the blood.
Who needs affirmative action when daddy is a millionaire politician?
For a group of people who ceaselessly whine about “race hustlers”, you conservatives always seem to be the first to throw the race card when it suits you.
Romney was smart enough to attend Harvard Law and Harvard Business School at the same time.
http://www.npr.org/2012/05/21/153197970/at-harvard-romney-wasnt-your-typical-student
Proof is in the pudding. Let Obama release his academic record. And racial profiling for any reason IS discriminatory — doesn’t matter if you’re caucasian, asian, or purple.
Several things were made clear to me in the debate last night. First, I am convinced that Liberals are actually convinced that the ridiculous positions they take they actually believe and they have no clue what a conservative is.
In addition, it is more clear today than ever, that Liberal ideas and concepts do not work and are, in fact, antithetical to the American way of life.
I saw Obama repeating the lame talking points they have been using for years and Romney destroyed each one with little effort. I was surprised that Obama and his handlers actually would think that they would work. With the media in his pocket, it is clear that Obama hasn’t had to answer for his policies and opinions for 4 years, but Obama can’t be sheltered in a one on one debate and he was made to look confused and weak.
My husband was involved with the SL Olympics. He said when Romney walked in the room for a meeting there was no doubt who was in charge and who knew all the facts. We saw it last night!
If you didn’t listen to Glenn this morning, it was priceless. We laughed along with them at some of the antics they were doing. Just loved it!
I think obama with this killing of the Ambassador & the disaray of the ME policy has made it impossible for hillary to take up the cross in “16! He never went to a security breifing for the week before, never went after it happened, slept thru the night while the Amb was missing & being murdered, and then went to vegas & said, I’ve guess you’ve heard we had a bad day! My Gads, a bad day! Four of our best were dragged thru the streets and had unspeakable things done to them and it’s a bad day! If Bush had done this, msm would be screaming.
It looks like the keystone cops & hillary is right in the middle.
I wonder how “boy wonder” Bill is feeling this morning?
I wonder if Bill Clinton is thinking, I’d better make another speech, or I had better go to Haiti?
Almost as satisfying as the debate itself was the post-debate meltdown from the “court eunuchs”* at MSNBC. Chris “Tingles” Matthews, with some aid from his pal Johnnie Walker, became unglued. Matthews, in additon to being a pathetic parody of a “journalist”, is the poster boy for the Liberal White Guilt Complex.
For placing clowns like him on the air, posterity shall call us fools.
*Roger Simon’s term
The debate clearly revealed several things to the public that we conservatives have always known:
1) A man was elected president in 2008 who was not even qualified to be a janitor at the White House.
2) The man is an empty suit who can only be a “brilliant orator” when he has a prepared script on a prompter.
3) The media have NEVER challenged Obama, and last night proved he definitely doesn’t know how to deal with direct, tough challenges. I guess we owe the media a bit of thanks for this! Think about it – they have been setting him up for a big fall like this, and they didn’t even know it!
4) Obama is intellectually lazy. He does not think deeply about issues. He thinks in talking points.
I teach college mass media classes. I have studied all of the presidential debates, and I teach students about the history of the debates. Last night could very well turn out to be just as significant as the Nixon-Kennedy debates. Obama looked and sounded as uncomfortable as Nixon.
What do you get when one traitorous failure, Kerry, coaches another baseless failed traitor, Obama? A double failure and a landslide defeat! What do you get when you take a puppet away from his teleprompter? The real DUMMY!
We have already heard from the inventor of the internet (Al Gore) that Romney did his debate practice in Denver but Obama arrived two hours prior to debates from Nevada. The altitude is to blame for Obama’s miserable failure.
Just like Bush is to blame for Obama’s past 4 years.
he actually he did relatively well, much better than I thought he would, without a teleprompter. He was lucid, logical in his own way, didn’t stumble, go blank, or stutter with uh’s, and er’s etc. But, what he said was full of crap, of course.
I agree. I didn’t think Obama was that bad- or rather, not any worse than usual (except for the bizarre head-down posture) . Romney was simply better.
However, I couldn’t figure out why the MSM had come so unglued, until I read a commentary from Paul Gregory at Forbes.
His interpretation was that the reason why everyone thought Romney crushed Obama is simply that, after months of negative press, the MSM basically started believing their own BS. They really didn’t realize that Romney was, in fact, a good candidate with an impressive fund of knowledge. If they’d been less biased they’d have known that Obama was in for a serious challenge (as the Obama campaign itself apparently knew).