It’s debateable
Wednesday October 03rd 2012, 10:36 pm
Filed under: Politics

Did you watch the debate? The Washington Post did a good job dissecting some of the he said-he saids and their validities here.

My take: Obama looked tired as he chose his words carefully, trying to present what he had done with a lot of specifics, and what he hopes to do. He also got four minutes more, per CNN’s count, than Romney–Lehrer’s quiet payback at Romney for telling him he would cut his job? Nah, I think Lehrer was just listening rather than clock-watching, but it was a moderator fail on his part.

Obama did not laugh at all, much less out loud like I did, when Romney lectured him as how *he*, Romney, was going to go sit down with the Republicans–*and* the Democrats!–to work *together* to get the job done!

To me, one of Obama’s faults was that he tried too long to get bipartisanship out of Congress and that he expected his opposition, Tea Party and all, to put the good of the country above petty politics. To all who say he had a Democratic majority, he did. For one month–while Ted Kennedy was dying and then dead.  While the modern version of the filibuster rule required 60 votes to stop it and the Senators could just phone it in. Can we please go back to my grandfather-the-Senator’s day, where you had to hold the floor to hold the floor? Your party, whichever it may be, will thank you in the future.

Romney danced and rose up on his toes and his voice got breathy when he was trying to look passionate: to my eyes, he appeared not to be believing what he was saying so he was trying to say it with a lot of emphasis that came off wholly fake.  There’s that tight smirk, with a lot of jerky motions, shoulders, arms, hands, and his words were almost manic. His body language betrayed him.

His numbers and claims were goofy too but never mind. Others can argue those more succinctly than I can.

As our Michelle put it, Obama talked too slow. Romney was Alvin the Chipmunk.


11 Comments so far
Leave a comment

Couldn’t agree with you more! I was growling more than laughing at Romney’s claim to encourage bipartisan cooperation. Been there, done that, and Romney’s not a Tea Party kinda guy. That condescending smirk was SO irritating. I never would have gotten through the whole debate without Facebook and a smartphone. Heh.

Comment by Debbi 10.04.12 @ 4:34 am

Also, which Senator was your grandfather? I’ve heard Senator Byrd (D-WV) knew his way around a filibuster, but that was before I moved to WV.

Comment by Debbi 10.04.12 @ 4:40 am

My eyes are still glazed over.

Comment by Jody 10.04.12 @ 5:34 am

All so true! Couldn’t believe Romney’s attack on Obama’s lack of leadership in failing to work together with Congressional Republicans. Obama bent over backwards for most of these last 4 years to try to accommodate Republicans–and now they damn him for it? Makes me want to break things. I thought MR was rather strident and shrill in the earlier stages last night, but then I’m afraid he did get BO on the defensive later, which ends up looking like weakness.

You know me–you know how very strongly I believe in civility, nonpartisanship, working together. There is so much on the line in this election. I am doing my best to control my words, to keep them civil and positive–but I’m having no luck at all controlling my thoughts!

Comment by India 10.04.12 @ 6:40 am

It is very hard to work with obstructionism and that was what Obama had to do for his first term. We can only pray that all the legislators will let go of the pettiness and think of the needs of the people this next go-round.

Comment by Sherry in Idaho 10.04.12 @ 7:29 am

we can only pray that Obama will get a second term and at that point the GOP will decide that it’s no longer necessary to obstruct the people’s business — But I don’t know that they are up to that

Comment by Bev 10.04.12 @ 7:42 am

Many good thoughts there, but I especially agree with India. And Bev’s point I think is completely valid. I didn’t watch the debate and don’t expect to watch the coming ones. Just too much for me.

Comment by Don Meyer 10.04.12 @ 9:07 am

PHONE IN VOTES?! (Yes, yelling. Sorry.) Shouldn’t be allowed, no way, no how.

Comment by Channon 10.04.12 @ 12:51 pm

Allison, Please email me as I can’t find your address and need to ask a favor, one you will want to do. And I agree with you about the debates. Romney is so plastic and has such an odd grin when he thinks he isn’t on camera, but they are both always on camera! Thanks, Ellen

Comment by Ellen Moore 10.04.12 @ 2:06 pm

Romney didn’t appear wholly fake to me while I was watching the debate. But now when I hear sound bites from the debates on the radio, he sounds rather nutsy.

I don’t think he does believe what he says. He says so many different things that I can’t imagine believing them all.

Comment by RobinM 10.05.12 @ 7:10 am

Obama didn’t do as well as I’d hoped, but Romney gave us nothing but pandering and generalities. His plan to improve the economy was about the same as a coach saying they plan to win the game by scoring more points than the other team. Sure, you might like the idea of winning, but if you are choosing the coach, don’t you want to know a bit about how they plan to score those points?

Romney won if you are counting meaningless soundbites; Obama won if you are counting substance. Too bad the pundits don’t have much interest in substance.

Comment by twinsetellen 10.06.12 @ 6:08 pm



Leave a comment
Line and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

(required)

(required)