I can only guess wtf was wrong with Obama. I have seen suggestions the desire to maintain civility deterred him calling Romneys rampant duplicity for what it was, or that he was trying to avoid the "angry black man" label (though few but committed bigots have applied it to him in the past.) He himself claims he was just shocked by Romneys 180° turn away from the platform on which he has campaigned all year, in whose spirit he has campaigned since 2008. Romneys sudden about-face so late in the campaign was stunning; he did in one October night what McCain tried and failed from March '08 till election day. Yet the '08 campaign got far more public attention, so running away from his own platform was as impossible for McCain as it was effortless for Romney.

None of that changes Prof. Obama coming to class unprepared. Romneys "47%" comments alone were enough to demolish his sudden embrace of the welfare state. Just Romneys onstage comments were enough to end his dash center had Obaba asked how he simultaneously endorsed regulation, entitlements and more education funding AND dismissed those things as "trickle down government." The same public disinterest that made Romneys duplicity possible made its exposure critical to Obama. He has incessantly tried to regain that missed opportunity since Wednesday, but it is gone beyond recall.

Had Romney not been so deceitful I would say he DESERVES to win, because his pivot was masterfully well timed and executed. Both campaigns have been so uninspiring most of the public ignored them till Wednesday, when the tight contests first head-to-head confrontation drew a reported 67 million viewers. That is nearly as many as the 69.5 million who voted for Obama in his '08 landslide. Many of Wednesdays viewers were considering the candidates for the first time, unaware of Romneys multi-year dismissal of entitlements, regulation and the welfare state in general. Romneys supporters have often criticized him letting Obama define him early in the campaign, but before what will probably be the campaigns largest audience he redefined himself, and thus the campaign.

Many of the remaining undecideds made their decision right there, as did those previously only leaning toward one candidate or the other. Obama is playing damage control now, hoping he can regain the initiative in the town hall debate and that Biden does not deepen the hole in the interim. Unfortunately for him, it is unlikely the two remaining debates will draw audiences anywhere near as large as the first, and none will be making their first close examination of the candidates. That first assessment came for Wednesday for most people: Romney sparkled, Obama fizzled, and nothing can ever change that.

People have been talking for a while, but especially prior to the debate, about Obama trying to "run out the clock" with his slim lead. OK, let us go with that football analogy: This election has not been a blowout, and a team leading by just a FG half way through the 4th quarter must do more than just kill the clock: As the clock runs down, it must avoid fumbles and continue making gains to maintain possession. If it loses possession (like Obama) a quick Hail Mary TD (like Romneys) can suddenly leave it BEHIND by MORE than a FG with even LESS time on the clock.


Good luck. First and foremost, 90% of people who are not political junkies (i.e. 81% of America) will never pay enough attention to know what fact checkers do or do not say. That leaves a piddling 19%; subtracting the 16% who are partisans convinced everyone but their preferred partisan sources is lying leaves an impressive 3% of America through whom fact checkers can save US government and voters from dishonest candidates.


Particularly since the only difference between the $700 billion Romney AND Obama would cut is that Romney would cut care, while Obama would maintain the same care but pay less for it. Y'know, reduce waste and inefficiency?

The sad thing is, I actually like Romney and Ryans STATED plan to keep regular Medicare for those who want it and let those who want premium care buy it, but htf are they going to pay for it with tax CUTS? Handing out premium care vouchers is ridiculous; the whole point is ensuring a minimum standard for everyone while preserving premium care for those who can afford it. Government providing everyone premium care is not even socialism, just the kind of government grabbag Republicans (justifiably) despise. So, um, how sincerely do you think Romney and Ryan "support" it?


The subject line quote was one I had not heard until pre-debate discussion (in my defence, I had just turned 2 when Ford said it.) Ford defended the comment by saying he simply refused to "legitimize" the Iron Curtain by publicly acknowledging it, but it reinforced already strong public perception of him as a bufoon.

Challengers must strike a careful balance between criticizing Americas president WITHOUT criticizing America itself. And, of course, incumbents do not want to admit any American shortcomings, because they reflect on the president. So we get the bizarre spectacle of one candidate saying only they can help a flawless country while the other insists only they can save an indestructible one.

Well. I only pray most of my countrymen analyzed the debate as astutely as you. The good news for Obama is people know politicians routinely lie; the bad news is people know politicians routinely lie.