Obama and Romney Debate #1: What the #@&*!$ happened?
Credit: Donkey Hotey
Oh, that was painful. Very painful. Mitt Romney’s lies turn my stomach and angers me to no end. Romney was also constantly “dancing” and fidgeting in place like someone put chili powder in his magic underwear. Then the moderator, Jim Lehrer (Host of NewsHour on PBS), did not keep control of Romney and allowed Mitt to continue on so that he would constantly have the last say.
Unfortunately, Romney did better with the act of debating (NOT the substance, though) than President Obama did tonight. Romney would counter Obama’s truths about Romney’s proposals, yet Obama would frequently let it die. Sure, Obama acted much more maturely, but that’s not what most people see. I was very disappointed that Obama did not retort the accusation the Obama “stole” $716 billion from Medicare. Romney said that twice – perhaps three times. A perfect opportunity for President Obama to provide the truth and facts, but he didn’t.
When Romney said that Obamacare kills jobs, I was hoping that Obama would ask him, “How?” because that is not happening. Romney danced around all the details and “left it up to all the states” – which is a cheap cop-out. President Obama really missed a lot of opportunities tonight both to challenge Romney and (hopefully) put an end to many of Romney’s lies.
I also noticed that Romney changed some of his plans somewhat and kept saying how he supported the middle class – after we all watched him degrade 47% of the people in this country – many of which are part of the middle class. Many of Romney’s plans were a bit more moderate in certain areas in order to help gain more of the undecided voters who would have a difficult time voting for a far right-wing conservative. But Romney continually talking about favoring the middle class really made me nauseous.
Early on, Romney stated that he would “stop the subsidy to PBS.” Remember, the moderator is a PBS newsman. Romney said that he loves Big Bird and that set twitter on fire! “Don’t kill Big Bird,” was one that was tweeted a lot. Someone was quick on the draw, too, and created a Big Bird twitter account and by the end of the debate, Big Bird has nearly 18,000 followers.
Even though I felt that Romney may have out-debated President Obama tonight, and Big Bird won the tweets, I do vote for the candidate that will make the better president. Yes, I was looking forward to Obama calling Mitt on his shit (nice rhyme), and cleaning up the floor with him. But it didn’t happen. Obama looked very tired tonight. What is more important, though, is that I — WE vote for the person who has this country’s best interests in mind and will make a better president. Romney does not have the middle classes best interests in mind and I was repulsed how he back peddled on this tonight.
Lastly, Happy Anniversary Michelle and Barack Obama. I am truly sorry you had to spend this evening with Mitt Romney.
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Now, the funny stuff:
One comment that came across Facebook that I have to share, followed by some tweets on Twitter. You can also find the full transcript HERE:
Closing statements, Mitt won the coin toss. And put the coin in the Cayman Islands
RT @BlGBlRD: Yo Mitt Romney, Sesame Street is brought to you today by the letters F & U! #debates #SupportBigBird
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Monika Runstrom (@monikarun) October 04, 2012Can't wait for the SNL version. #debates
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nora rege (@dj_pollypocket) October 04, 2012Now you know why the GOP can't do arithmetic. #SupportBigBird #Debates
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Big Bird (@BlGBlRD) October 04, 2012Big Bird / Elmo 2012! #debates #SupportBigBird
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Big Bird (@BlGBlRD) October 04, 2012“@AntDeRosa: RT @gov: 17,000 Tweets per minute for "Big Bird" and 10,000 Tweets per minute for "PBS". #debates”
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Simon Ostler (@SimonOstler) October 04, 2012Too funny! RT @BlGBlRD: Tonight's Sesame Street was also brought to you by the numbers 4 and 7. 😦 #denverdebate #debates
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Maribel Castro (@eatdrinkbooks) October 04, 2012Unfortunately, no talk of women's health at tonight's #debates.
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Andrea O'Donnell WOA (@WOAsdsu) October 04, 2012Neither one in the #Debates discussed legalizing Prostitution/Escorting in Atlanta GA.I still have to run from the COPS KimberlyHopeCarter.blogspot.com
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KIMBERLY HOPE CARTER (@kh96) October 04, 2012INSTANT POLL: Majority would continue funding for Big Bird, but would be OK w/cutting Jim Lehrer #debates #DenverDebate ~ @TheDailyEdge
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Martica (@HR1529) October 04, 2012
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There’s so much about the debate that boggles the mind but, I can’t believe Mr. Magic Underwear even mentioned ending funding for PBS. It’s a fraction of a percent of the budget. I guess it’s true, he really doesn’t understand arithmetic.
The more I have thought about this debate over night and this morning, the more I think that Obama was rather befuddled rather than tired because Romney just started flat out lying about everything! The $5 trillion tax cut – that’s been Romney’s plan for over a year. Then 5 weeks before the elections, he changes his mind. He also says that there isn’t a $5 tax cut.
Romney also lied about his health plan including pre-existing conditions. That is flat out wrong and a total lie.
There were many others, but what the hell is Obama to do when the person you’re debating against lies in order to look better to the people, for one, and that messes up Obama’s whole plan.
Very good post, Michelle, and I agree with a lot of what you said. Romney was full of shit, but he knew just how to sell that shit in a very effective manner. And unfortunately, this is something the president needs to understand about politics – being right is only helpful if you’re also being heard. If your opponent is having a damn tantrum, he’s winning – not because he looks so presidential, but because he can throw you off your game or distract from the arguments you’re making. That doesn’t mean that Obama needs to lower himself to Romney’s level – it means he needs to force Romney up to his own level, so people can see for themselves just how empty Mitt’s words really are. When Romney says, “I am not asking for a $5 trillion tax cut”, Obama needs to say, “Well, OK then, how much will your tax cut cost, exactly? And how many deductions and loopholes will it take to offset that lost revenue?” When Romney says, “I will not approve a budget that increases our deficit”, Obama needs to say, “Alright, then how are you going to pay for the $2 trillion increase in military spending? Will you take that amount out of education, or Medicare, or what?” Just make him answer questions, until it becomes painfully obvious to the entire country that Romney has no fucking clue what he’s doing or how he’ll do it. That’s all it would take, and it would get things across much more effectively than just shaking his head and looking at his podium would do. Obama is a great speaker, he knows how to make his case and when he’s on his game Romney has no hope in hell of competing. That’s what the president needs to remember before the next debate.
Beautifully said! Many people who have been following the elections and candidates recognize that Mitt just flat out lied on several things. But imagine if this was the first time for many people to pay any attention to them. They have no clue as to what Romney has been saying versus what he said last night.
I had planned to watch the debate last night, and I still can since we recorded it. But then I was on a mission to finish a marathon post and I wrote right on through the entire debate. Though unintended, now it seems like I picked a good one to miss last night. I knew things weren’t going well, when while in my study I could hear my wife exclaiming “Bullshit!” “This sucks!” “What a lying asshole!” and then “This is bad! Real bad!” And when it was over I could feel her state of mind moving from anger to discouragement.
But when I really knew it had been a bad night for Obama, was when I heard Chris Mathews of MSNBC go off like an exploding volcano of anger and frustration about Obama’s poor showing. Mathews is always loud, but last night he tore off into a long and loud rant so bad, he seemed like a man in serious need of restraints and a padded cell.
But Obama has a history of learning from his mistakes and then adjusting to correct them, so right now I have faith that Round Two will have a very different outcome.
I think some of it was the because Obama was probably very shocked that everything – and I mean EVERYTHING that Romney has been promising (which most people do NOT support) he said “that’s not true” last night. Everything! I think the next debate we will see a much different Obama. I hope we do.
I just replied to this from the drop down and WP glitched it out, so here goes again:
I see… So Mr. “I change my political positions more often than I change my socks.” strikes again!
If I was Obama, I would study everything Romney said when he was trying to kiss up to the far Right during the Republican primaries. Then when Romney says “That’s not true” I would say “Then why did you say it was true in April, in the Republican primary debates? Were you lying? Or just ignorant of the truth at the time? Or were you just saying what you thought that the people most likely to vote in the Republican primaries wanted to hear? And are you now saying that what you said then isn’t true, because you think that is what a majority of voters in the general election want to hear? Governor, do you have any positions that you genuinely believe in? Or do you just voice whatever position that you think will get you the most votes, depending upon which voters you are speaking to, at any given time? Governor, you have publicly endorsed so many different and conflicting positions, so many times, that maybe you should debate yourself.”
Mr. Etch-a-sketch. Too bad Obama didn’t call him that last night. That would have changed the entire momentum of the night.
Oh, yes the drop down thingy is jumpy. Don’t reply the first time you click on the comment to read it. I just click away from the drop down so it disappears, then click back on the one I want to respond to. Then my reply won’t suddenly disappear on me. It’s still a bit glitchy.
I wonder who or what Romney will be on Halloween??????? Phillip
Good question.