Here we go.
Lehrer talked a good game. Now lets see if he can deliver. They shake hands, nice to each other. No one dressed up as the statue of liberty throwing out silver dollars.
First question. Right out of the box: jobs. How to create them. Prez goes first. Opened with Happy Anniversary. Obligatory "worst financial crisis since Great Depression". Says we shouldn't look at where we've been but where we're going. Jabs Romney on tax cuts for the wealthy. Predictable. Now Romney up. Nice joke about anniversary. Romney says his plan has five parts: energy, education, free trade, cracking down on China, and helping small business. Ooook. Lehrer refers to trickle-down. bias? Nice play by Obama to bring up corporate tax rate. Clinton was good at co-opting Republican issues. Did Obama just do that in saying they both agree to lower them? Nice comeback by Romney with the "buried" reference. Good job by Romney to go through the problems with the economy. Romney just tripped on the corporate tax rate issue. People love hearing their deductions disappear. Should've mentioned the 1986 tax reform act and Reagan and its success. Romney stressing too much he won't cut taxes too much or for too many people. Obama goes back to the $5 trillion tax cut claim. Now Obama attacking Romney. Obama like Cassius Clay. May be wrong, may be misguided, but he's going to keep coming at ya. Romney blew it here. Mitt, don't say inaccurate, say "not true". They are now getting bogged down in numbers and battles of the studies. Advantage Obama.
What Mitt should've done was bring up all the stimulus programs that didn't work. Cash for clunkers. Stimulus programs that were really bailouts of state governments. Bailout of GM that failed. Homeowner assistance that didn't work. List the others and then say instead he will stop the stimulus, cut the spending and taxes, and let the economy produce. Obama bragging how much he lowered taxes for the middle classes and small businesses yet Romney is letting him get away with it. Dear Obama, those "billionaires and millionaires" who are small business are the ones who HIRE. Will Romney point that out? Yes he did. They employ "half" of those employed in small business. Obama brings up Clinton for growing the economy. Yes he did. With a Republican Congress cutting taxes and limiting the growth of spending. Romney doesn't mention that fact. Obama is dictating the pace and making Romney react. Slight edge to Obama.
Now Lehrer moves on to the deficit. Both are comfortable, come across as old pros who've done this gig a few times. Romney keeps saying he "won't borrow money from China" to pay for unnecessary programs. Obama attacking Romney while Romney has that "yeah, go ahead, I'm about to shred you". Romney tagging him on the deficit. "You've said before you'd cut the deficit in half". Ouch. Romney lecturing Obama on his deficit record. Lehrer has lost some control of this debate. Obama calling oil industry tax breaks as "corporate welfare". You know, the oil industry probably pays workers with NO college education more than any other industry. How come no one brings that fact up? Obama talking about these plans and what he will do. I'm sure Romney is waiting to just bring up what he has or has not done. Oh damn, Mitt compares oil industry to green energy welfare. $90 billion v. $2.8 billion. DAMN. You don't just pick the winners and losers, you pick the losers. OUCH. Romney is owning Obama on this issue.
Entitlements. Just poured third glass. Obama says basic structure of SS is sound. HUH? Look at the damn annual report. It is RUNNING OUT OF MONEY!!! Romney brings up Medicare cuts of $716 billion. Weird. A Republican opposing Medicare cuts. Finally says "Obamacare". Now Obama gets ready to fire back. He does but looks shaky most of of the time. Obama slamming Romney's plans for Medicare. All Romney has to do is come back and say "you're cutting $700 billion. Who's destroying Medicare?" No one has YET mentioned it goes broke in 12 years. Romney missing a chance there but he came off a little stronger. Obama spouts his answers but is coming off somewhat weak and unsure. Romney should've nailed him on claim government costs are lower than private sector costs on administration. Slight edge to Romney. Romney ahead by a nice margin thanks to round 2.
Now on to Dodd Frank. Obama defending Dodd Frank. Romney should nail him on Corzine right here. The lax prosecutions of Wall Street. 2500 page bill no one read. Damn, Romney schooling him on Dodd Frank and its regulation of mortgages. Romney still ahead.
Healthcare. Now THIS will be interesting. Obama stuttering and saying "uh" alot. He should be nailing this one. Now he tries to tie Obamacare to Romneycare in Massachusetts. Obama won't look him in the eye but instead looks down as Romney points out Obamacare flaws. This Spanish red is really good. Forget Lehrer. Can we have Kirsten Powers as a moderator? Damn, Obama is stuttering again defending Obamacare. There is Romney with that knowing smile again. Not like Bush's smirk. This has a hungry look to it. Obama says Romney has no plan to replace Obamacare. Obama's attacks are weak. This is not the same Obama I saw taking McCain to school in 2008. Obama making more platitudes and cliches. I thought both were weak on this one.
Role of Government. Time to look into their souls. Education. Romney comes out for school choice and wants money to "follow the child". Obama is asked if they are really different. Obama trots out the tax cuts for rich paid for with education cuts rhetoric Romney smiling again when he says this. No one has mentioned there is a shortage of 600,000 skilled workers nationwide. Now Obama brings up student loans and blames bankers. This is the best we can get on education? Damn. Romney says $90 billion spent on green energy would have hired $2 million teachers. Romney goes back to government picking winners and losers line. Damn. Romney says feds should grade schools. Oooook. Obama grimacing. Romney doesn't bring up Obama's kids go to private schools or Obama cutting vouchers for kids in DC.
Did Lehrer lose control of the debate or did he just let them go at it? Obama never mentioned 47%. Interesting. Time for closing arguments. Obama doesn't mention his record, only says he "kept my promise" to fight for the American people. I've heard that before. Hallman. Orgeron. Fulmer a few years ago. Dubose. You get the idea. Romney of course brings up the economy and Obama's record.
Romney won this one. No gaffes, attacked Obama's record without getting personal. Obama started out decent but after first round, stuttered, looked down alot, mouthed platitudes and cliches for the most part. Romney seemed to have a better command of the facts. Now for the pundits and spin doctors.
Pre-debate thoughts:
Live-blogging the debate tonight. If I'm advising Romney, I'm telling him to go after Obama but don't be pesky about it like Dan Quayle was in his debate. Don't worry about being liked, worry about being respected. Talk about the economy, pin it on the President. If Libya comes up, tie in the lack of leadership and the misrepresentations on what took place to his lack of leadership and poor judgment on the economy. He is just as smart as the President and has been a leader in his own right. Show it. Watch Reagan in debate. He wasn't afraid to throw punches. He didn't just mouth slogans, he backed them up with facts. Worst thing Romney can do is appear as the soulless icon of corporate America. Obama will tear that up if he does.
If I'm advising Obama, I'm telling to keep doing what he's been doing. Attack Romney. Blame failed policies of the Republicans and say we've learned from them what not to do, unfortunately, Mr. Romney still hasn't learned and we can't afford for him to figure it out. Obama likes to dig in the knife or get personal, I'm warning him not to do it or fall into that trap. Talk about how great a country America is and how he is going to keep this country moving forward and doing more for its citizens.
I expect a boring debate. Not like 2008 when McCain was lethargic and over his head but more like 2000 when you had two candidates of similar intelligence who traded a few shot but provided boring debates. Now just opened the wine and getting started. Its about time to rumble.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Live-blogging the debate.
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29 comments:
My prediction: it will be boring. Over under on how long till I start flipping channels: 20 mins.
One thing I've noticed about Romney. He does better when he gets pushed. Watch out for that factor.
If one will simply throw back a jigger of scotch every time Obama grins like a jackass eating corn out of a jug, one will be pleasantly passed out ten minutes into the dabate and can read about it tomorrow.
Nic Lott made Twitchy! No doubt that will piss off the irrelevant dumbasses in Fondren.
Smokey and the Bandit is on CMT. I love the Snowman.
Obama.Can't.Run.On.His.Record.
Mitt is kicking Barry's arse!!! Seriously...
Now we see that the long slog of the GOP primary as a major asset for Romney.
He hasn't spent the last 4 years talking to, and from, a teleprompter.
Funny that Barry keeps mentioning his grandmother considering how he has previously referred to her as a racist.
One looks presidential. The other looks .... PISSED.
how can Bandit and Snowman drive all night, get to Texarkana after daylight, and get back to ATL. the same day?
Can someone please ask Romney and Obama this?
Andrew Sullivan:
10.06 pm. I find myself bored silly by Obama. If I am bored silly by this wonkish lecture, and his refusal to rebut specific points, i.e. lies, Obama's in trouble.
.....
10.17 pm. Romney is even sounding Reagan-like and compassionate right now.
.....
10.19 pm. In live-blogging a debate, I am not judging the intellectual cogency alone. I am judging it as a debate, which is a complex thing, with many factors in play. But I know debating, am good at it, and I can see a wipe-out when it's, well, in front of one's nose.
.....
10.25 pm. The idea that the candidate of the current Republican party is portraying himself as the most willing to reach across the aisle is staggering. That he is more persuasive on this than the president is a staggering personal failure on Obama's part. And now Obama is saying he is the candidate of "saying no". Just staggering incompetence on his part.
.....
10.29 pm. How is Obama's closing statement so fucking sad, confused and lame? He choked. He lost. He may even have lost the election tonight.
Geesh. Do we even really have to debate the debate?
Sullivan in closing:
10.31 pm. 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.
The person with authority on that stage was Romney - offered it by one of the lamest moderators ever, and seized with relish. This was Romney the salesman. And my gut tells me he sold a few voters on a change tonight. It's beyond depressing. But it's true.
There are two more debates left. I have experienced many times the feeling that Obama just isn't in it, that he's on the ropes and not fighting back, and then he pulls it out. He got a little better over time tonight. But he pulled every punch. Maybe the next two will undo some of the damage. But I have to say I think it was extensive.
The winner? GS, JPM, CS, and the usual suspects. Next topic.
"Nic Lott made Twitchy! No doubt that will piss off the irrelevant dumbasses in Fondren."
That will piss off a lot of relevant conservaties as well - unless "Twitchy" refers to what he did right before he jumped out the bathroom window!
wow.
great great stuff.
Who is Nic?
I really don't care what Sullivan thinks. He is an unbalanced whacko who lacks any mental stability whatsoever.
Halfway through, they should have stopped the fight.
Romney eviscerated a staggering and bewildered President Barack Obama tonight in one of the most lopsided presidential debates in American history.
Throughout the debate, which focused on domestic policy, Obama looked shaken, rarely looking at the camera, reciting old talking points and filibustering as Romney gave a master class at the University of Denver.
I hope all of the debates focus on jobs and the debt....all issues pale in comparison to these two for our country.
I think the real massacre will be the vice presidential debate. I honestly cannot imagine the Democratic Party thinking Biden could debate anyone. He would lose if he was the only one that showed up.
Watched the debate on C-SPAN. Uninterrupted coverage, split screen with both being seen at all times, no talking heads to tell me what I just heard.
Romney did an extraordinary job. And towards the end, when he rattled off the list of Barry's 'accomplishments' and Lybia was in that list, Barry's glare of hate was palitable.
Sure, Barry can be good speaker if:
1)absolutely nobody talks back (yes, barry, we drink koolaid for you)
2)keeps the lies in general form
3)has a teleprompter.
To me, Barry didn't win any of the rounds. And KF you're right, the moderator might as well just left the building. Romney was tired of Barry lies just like the rest of us, tired of wrong information being spewed to american people just like the rest of us, and he stood up and said--now wait just a damn minute.
"grins like a jackass eating corn out of a jug" Now that is absolutely hilarious and a perfect way to name that look last night.
I believe I actually applauded when Romney referenced the constitution--and helped Barry by telling him--the words on the wall behind us. Bravo.
Shadowfax, re: the "grins like a..." spot-on simile...oh. I think I love you. Heee heeeee!
"Mr. President, you're entitled as the president to your own airplane and to your own house, but not to your own facts."
"the right approach is one which relies on the brilliance of our people and states, not the federal government."
"What I support is no change for current retirees and near-retirees to Medicare. And the president supports taking $716 billion out of that program"
"if the government can be as efficient as the private sector and offer premiums that are as low as the private sector, people will be happy to get traditional Medicare or they'll be able to get a private plan. I know my own view is I'd rather have a private plan….not have the government telling me what kind of health care I get…rather be able to have an insurance company. If I don't like them, I can get rid of them and find a different insurance company. But people make their own choice."
"Dodd-Frank was passed. And it includes within it a number of provisions that I think has some unintended consequences that are harmful to the economy. One is it designates a number of banks as too big to fail, and they're effectively guaranteed by the federal government. This is the biggest kiss that's been given to New York banks I've ever seen. This is an enormous boon for them. There've been 122 community and small banks have closed since Dodd- Frank."
"You say we were giving mortgages to people who weren't qualified. That's exactly right. It's one of the reasons for the great financial calamity we had. And so Dodd-Frank correctly says we need to have qualified mortgages, and if you give a mortgage that's not qualified, there are big penalties, except they didn't ever go on and define what a qualified mortgage was. It's been two years. We don't know what a qualified mortgage is yet"
"when you look at Obamacare, the Congressional Budget Office has said it will cost $2,500 a year more than traditional insurance. So it's adding to cost. And as a matter of fact, when the president ran for office, he said that, by this year, he would have brought down the cost of insurance for each family by $2,500 a family. Instead, it's gone up by that amount. So it's expensive. Expensive things hurt families....it cuts $716 billion from Medicare to pay for it. I want to put that money back in Medicare for our seniors....it puts in place an unelected board that's going to tell people ultimately what kind of treatments they can have. I don't like that idea....survey done of small businesses across the country, said, what's been the effect of Obamacare on your hiring plans? And three-quarters of them said it makes us less likely to hire people. I just don't know how the president could have come into office, facing 23 million people out of work, rising unemployment, an economic crisis at the kitchen table, and spend his energy and passion for two years fighting for Obamacare instead of fighting for jobs for the American people. It has killed jobs."
"CBO says up to 20 million people will lose their insurance as Obamacare goes into effect next year. And likewise, a study by McKinsey and Company of American businesses said 30 percent of them are anticipating dropping people from coverage.....If the president were to be reelected you're going to see a $716 billion cut to Medicare. You'll have 4 million people who will lose Medicare Advantage. You'll have hospital and providers that'll no longer accept Medicare patients."
"the right answer is not to have the federal government take over health care and start mandating to the providers across America, telling a patient and a doctor what kind of treatment they can have. That's the wrong way to go. The private market and individual responsibility always work best….The federal government taking over health care for the entire nation and whisking aside the 10th Amendment, which gives states the rights for these kinds of things, is not the course for America to have a stronger, more vibrant economy."
"what we're seeing right now is, in my view, a trickle-down government approach, which has government thinking it can do a better job than free people pursuing their dreams. And it's not working. And the proof of that is 23 million people out of work. The proof of that is 1 out of 6 people in poverty. The proof of that is we've gone from 32 million on food stamps to 47 million on food stamps. The proof of that is that 50 percent of college graduates this year can't find work…..We know that the path we're taking is not working. It's time for a new path"
"You put $90 billion into green jobs. And I -- look, I'm all in favor of green energy. $90 billion, that would have hired 2 million teachers. $90 billion. And these businesses, many of them have gone out of business, I think about half of them, of the ones have been invested in have gone out of business. A number of them happened to be owned by people who were contributors to your campaigns...."
"And Republicans and Democrats both love America. But we need to have leadership in Washington that will actually bring people together and get the job done and could not care less if it's a Republican or a Democrat. I've done it before. I'll do it again."
"if president's reelected you'll see dramatic cuts to our military. The secretary of defense has said these would be even devastating. I will not cut our commitment to our military. I will keep America strong and get America's middle class working again"
"The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. The role of government is to promote and protect the principles of those documents."
2007: David Bohrman, a CNN senior vice president, explained why videos were picked not by popular vote, but by supposedly seasoned CNN journalists: “It’s really easy for the campaigns to game the system.….It would be easy for a really organized campaign to stack the deck.”
Ya think? You mean, the way CNN did back in 2007? next debate will be a sham. Slip back to 2007 when CNN did that one. They got busted. All of their 'citizens' were outed after the debate. and it didn't take long to out them, just a quick search on the internet. Every last one of them--set up.
Paging CNN’s Candy Crowley, Ms. Crowley, have you received Barry's list yet?
2007: David Bohrman, a CNN senior vice president, explained why videos were picked not by popular vote, but by supposedly seasoned CNN journalists: “It’s really easy for the campaigns to game the system.….It would be easy for a really organized campaign to stack the deck.”
Ya think? CNN sure got busted for that crud in 2007.
next debate will be a sham. All of CNN's 'citizents' were outed after the debate. and it didn't take long to out them, just a quick search on the internet.
Paging CNN's candy crowley, did you get barry's list yet?
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