Sorry folks. The weight of 14 hour days for minimal pay came crashing down on my shoulders last night as it periodically does. I meant to take a refresher nap and the next thing I knew it was 3 in the morning. Fortunately, there’s this thing called the Internet:
TPM— Mitt Romney needed the first presidential debate to go smoothly and without major bumps. Even his harshest critics in the Obama campaign acknowledged after the debate ended here Wednesday night that he hit those marks.But he also exposed himself to new criticisms over his still-vague proposals. President Obama, who spent most of the night on the defensive, still got a few licks in of his own. His campaign said afterwards it didn’t expect Romney’s performance to change much.
One thing about Obama that droves the progressive ‘sphere nuts in the early days of his Presidency: he doesn’t engage. I’ve never heard an explanation as to why this might be beyond vague pronouncements that it’s not his style, whatever that means. Obama certainly has the intellect and poise under pressure to deliver any of a dozen mortal blows the right has made available. But he rarely does. None of us know why.
In this case, though, I believe it worked against him. Obama might have been able to put this election away last night. Instead the usual suspects are crowing that Mittens didn’t fold , the media is giddy with at the thought of a horse race, and networks and political strategists all over are euphoric thinking about the sweet ad revenues that go with it.
Mr. Obama doesn’t really have an ethical center any more than Mittens does he’ just trying to keep everybody happy and secure his vaunted position as Leader of the Free World. To steal a reference from a liberal I know, though it was in reference to a ‘conservative’ journalist it suits almost every politician with few exceptions as well:
…Phillip II’s idea of courage from “The Lion in Winter”:
Henry II: What kind of courage have you got?
Phillip II: The tidal kind — it comes and goes.
“They don’t think it be like it is,
but it do.”
–Oscar Gamble
“He doesn’t engage”. Best description of his style I’ve ever read. I’ve thought of it as an unwillingness to offend or, better, a fear of offending. But I think “engage” gets closer.
I think ‘boring’ is exactly what Obama wanted. Romney cannot hide from his own being or his sincerity (read 47% are on the dole). I wanted Obama to kick Romney in the nuts with his off-shore bank accounts and his 13.5% tax rate, but you know what, Obama won the first time around on a similar strategy, and I hope beyond hope that he wins again. It is my expectation that Biden hands Ryan a glass full of STFU and here’s some Ayn Rand whilst you drink it; after which Obama camp will decide on how hard to push Romney, who is, in my opinion, THE most beatable presidential nominee in 50 years.
I don’t think this one ( first out of three) debates will really make that much difference.
Still pretty confident that Barry Obama will win and eventually win pretty easily at that.
I fell asleep too – but that was whilst watching the 20 /twenty cricket semi with Sri Lanka beating Pakistan.
(Looking like the Windies have us beat now too.)