Presidential Debate #1 Review

[Evlmstr]

This thread is really more a critique of the performance rather than the substance. As we all know, the presidential debates are really more of a scripted show than an actual, substantive discussion of ideas. Anyone who follows politics even a little bit probably did not learn anything new tonight.That being said, races in the past have been won and lost because of gaffes and clever lines during the debates.

With that disclaimer over with, let's get to the show that we just saw tonight. In my opinion, there was no clear winner. Obama could have hammered some of his attacks a little more, stopped the rambling, and dropped his frequent "ummms" "uhhhs" and "you knows." Romney of course was his typical, awkward self, and he displayed strange mannerisms such as excessive blinking and visible swallowing. If I had to give someone the edge for performance, I would give it to Romney for his strong attacks. As for substance, Obama probably took home that particular trophy. But alas, there were no gaffes (except maybe for Romney's "poor...or should I say lower income" line) or "zingers", which probably means things won't change much.

[MagnoliaTree]

While Romney was a little odd last night (it looked like he drank a pot of coffee), I think he won just by how on he was. He looked right at the camera, he looked at the President, he looked at the audience, he was SMILING, while Obama was just looking down and grimacing.

[xOddballAnnx]

I think Obama was tired as fuck. I'm still voting for him regardless of Romney being the better debater last night.

[StupidBetch-]

I don't understand how Romney won the debate. Like yeah he always had a retort and he had higher energy but the problem is how factually correct his retorts were. I wish people would focus less on how they looked and more on what they were saying and checking how true their statements were. Instead I see people comment on their freaking ties. Romney still didn't tell us what exactly his tax plan was so how can there be 5 studies to back up a plan and we don't even know wtf the plan is?

The healthcare debate also annoyed me. If Obama used Romneycare as a template for Obamacare then how is Romney going to provide all the favorite perks of Obamacare that people like without any of the costs that it takes to run Obamacare? So he went from creating the basis for Obamacare, to wanting to repeal and replace it entirely, to wanting to keep the good stuff and chuck everything else without it costing us anything. How is anyone going to buy that shit?

I also feel like Obama could have done a better job and he really dropped the ball on some things like explaining how it was pretty impossible to cut the deficit in half when we're on the edge of a great depression and that Romney is currently only paying 14% in taxes and how he talks about how he wants to get tough on people sending jobs overseas when he sends all of his money overseas. But at least we know what to expect with Obama and we've had growth, albeit slow growth. My problem with Romney is that he's done things, then said things, then said the complete opposite so many times I have no freaking clue what to expect from him.

I personally saw the debate as a tie considering both candidates pretty much just said the same things they were saying for the last year.

[jenjenxD]

lies lies and more lies
they are both corrupt
if they would have given gary johnston the opportunity to even be in the debate it would have been more interesting
i wish there was someone i could vote for who was not interested in spending billions overseas for war
i can't say anything else because i am not qualified and do not have enough knowledge to say i am educated enough
its going to take a lot more reserach for me to decide who to vote for

[Evlmstr]

Apparently a lot of commentators are chalking this one up as a decisive win for Romney. I'd rather wait to see if there is a shift in the national polls first, but like I said, Obama should really hammer on some of his points a bit more and step up the rhetoric.

[andysexypants]

r money.

[Polyaharmic]

Whoever wins will still lose. I.e. If Obama wins again, people will continue their incessant bitching that Obama is destroying America. If Romney wins, I'll be bitching (and laughing) at the supporters who voted for him when they realize he can't do a damn thing to fix the country instantaneously either.

On a lighter note, BIll Maher posted on Facebook last night that: "Romney won the coin toss and put the coin in the Cayman Islands."

Lulz.

[IndicaQueen]

Romney's cutting Sesame Street ): That's my nephew's favorite show! In all seriousness, though, Romney is just an arrogant man. It comes across in the way he speaks. He's self serving while Obama is more down to earth. While they both will probably be complete garbage as President, I think it comes down to who is a better person, if not President. I think most will agree, it's Obama.

[IndicaQueen]

While Romney was a little odd last night (it looked like he drank a pot of coffee), I think he won just by how on he was. He looked right at the camera, he looked at the President, he looked at the audience, he was SMILING, while Obama was just looking down and grimacing.

BAHAHAHAHA ROMNEY ISN'T ALLOWED TO DRINK COFFEE. AHHH. Dunno. Found it funny.
Also, I think you can chalk it up to frustration. Romney was acting like a little kid with all his interrupting. It's a sanctioned debate not a schoolyard argument. I would've been grimacing too.

[Cody-L]

Not really sure why everyone here seems to be uncomfortable with acknowledging what really happened here. Chalk it up to frustration, the excuse that Romney was well-rehearsed, etc. Just call a spade a spade: Obama did not do well. He did not appear Presidential; he did not have a strong argument for his case; he wouldn't even engage and converse with Romney properly! He wouldn't even make eye contact. He was void of even the most basic etiquette and common courtesy you would expect from someone holding the office of the presidency. Obama had zero substance. Simmer it down, and it was basically a plea.. 'I know I fucked up, but please give me another chance..'

[jenjenxD]

Not really sure why everyone here seems to be uncomfortable with acknowledging what really happened here. Chalk it up to frustration, the excuse that Romney was well-rehearsed, etc. Just call a spade a spade: Obama did not do well. He did not appear Presidential; he did not have a strong argument for his case; he wouldn't even engage and converse with Romney properly! He wouldn't even make eye contact. He was void of even the most basic etiquette and common courtesy you would expect from someone holding the office of the presidency. Obama had zero substance. Simmer it down, and it was basically a plea.. 'I know I fucked up, but please give me another chance..'

Obama was tired as fuck yo you try and be president and have everyone blame everything on you

[MoralAtheist]

I didn't catch the whole thing but I heard the rumors and saw the pictures of Romney supposedly cheating with notecards, which supposedly wasn't the first time he's done that. Either way, as Neil Tyson put it, "Cutting PBS support (0.012% of budget) to help balance the Federal budget is like deleting text files to make room on your 500Gig hard drive." I'm not particularly fond of Obama, but I certainly don't trust Romney.

[goldenboyz]

that's just the first round, dude. just the first window dressing.

[Evlmstr]

I remember reading somewhere that more people tend to watch the first debate, which means that subsequent debates won't have as much of an impact. I guess we'll find out if the same happens here

[Mr_Quick]

Boom. Romney got a substantial post-debate bounce in the polls; he's now slightly ahead of Obama nationally.

[Evlmstr]

Hmmmm yeah I've seen the polls. But I still think it will take a monumental gaffe or consistently poor performance by Obama to really change things. The ups and downs here are more of a flash in the pan than anything else, much like Obama's surge after Romney's widely panned Libya comments and his 47% remark.