I don't have a television in my room. And I really didn't want to stay up till 10:30 anyway (I could watch a stream on my computer) — I'm not a late-night person. So my plan was to get up today, look at a transcript (the New York Times, as is typical, provided one), and also at some of the comments, because I knew that, as a strong Romney supporter, I personally would be more impressed by his ideas than the president's, but it's important to see how others saw the debate. And I'm thrilled.
Romney did what he had to — point out that Obama was continually lying about Romney's plans, and remind the audience that we have not done very well in the nearly 4 years that Barack Obama has been president. He said one thing that I think is one of the major reasons to elect him: in Massachusetts, he faced a legislature 87% controlled by the opposition party, yet he managed to work with them, while Barack Obama forced bills through that not a single Republican could support. And even after the people of Massachusetts (yes, Massachusetts!) elected a new Republican Senator specifically on the basis of his opposition to “Obamacare,” the Obama/Reid/Pelosi machine forced it upon the American people.
But as I said, I wanted to see what others thought. And, for example, Andrew Sullivan (probably as great a cheerleader for Obama as there is at the moment outside the Obama family!) said:
If Andrew Sullivan, who admits he “love[s] the guy,” thought the debate was “a disaster for the president,” that “Obama looked tired, even bored; he kept looking down; he had no crisp statements of passion or argument; he wasn't there,” the debate was a success in the way I would mean: it showed up the President for what he is, and spotlighted Mitt Romney as what he will be if elected.
I admit I'm a cheerleader for Mitt Romney in this election. So I really needed to see how the debate affected people like Andrew Sullivan. As I said, I'm thrilled!
Romney did what he had to — point out that Obama was continually lying about Romney's plans, and remind the audience that we have not done very well in the nearly 4 years that Barack Obama has been president. He said one thing that I think is one of the major reasons to elect him: in Massachusetts, he faced a legislature 87% controlled by the opposition party, yet he managed to work with them, while Barack Obama forced bills through that not a single Republican could support. And even after the people of Massachusetts (yes, Massachusetts!) elected a new Republican Senator specifically on the basis of his opposition to “Obamacare,” the Obama/Reid/Pelosi machine forced it upon the American people.
But as I said, I wanted to see what others thought. And, for example, Andrew Sullivan (probably as great a cheerleader for Obama as there is at the moment outside the Obama family!) said:
Look: you know how much I love the guy, and you know how much of a high information viewer I am, and I can see the logic of some of Obama's meandering, weak, professorial arguments. But this was a disaster for the president for the key people he needs to reach, and his effete, wonkish lectures may have jolted a lot of independents into giving Romney a second look.
Obama looked tired, even bored; he kept looking down; he had no crisp statements of passion or argument; he wasn't there. He was entirely defensive, which may have been the strategy. But it was the wrong strategy. At the wrong moment.
If Andrew Sullivan, who admits he “love[s] the guy,” thought the debate was “a disaster for the president,” that “Obama looked tired, even bored; he kept looking down; he had no crisp statements of passion or argument; he wasn't there,” the debate was a success in the way I would mean: it showed up the President for what he is, and spotlighted Mitt Romney as what he will be if elected.
I admit I'm a cheerleader for Mitt Romney in this election. So I really needed to see how the debate affected people like Andrew Sullivan. As I said, I'm thrilled!
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