Obama was deeply affected by...

[fadedrose]

what I think was Romney's smirk (see CSpan's rebroadcast if you missed it, with a split screen)

I am convinced that the planned and well-rehearsed smirk made our Man feel belittled - not for his opinions, but for his race. Romney's constant down-his-nose hideous smile said he was better than anybody, especially a black man.

He is a madman, without ethics who is also a closet racist. That's the only thing that could explain that look on his face for 90 minutes when Obama spoke. The first word to come out of Obama's mouth always produced that pitiful facsimile of a smile...

To tell the truth, I thought he was scary, and maybe Obama thought so too. I've never seen him that perturbed...

[xchrom]

1. What!?! Oy vey. Nt

[DURHAM D]

2. drivel

[madaboutharry]

3. I don't think so.

Pres. Obama doesn't give a shit what Romney thinks of him

[fadedrose]

5. President Obama loves to be accepted by white and blacks and inbetweens...

You can see that on him everywhere he goes....old, young, rich, poor...he accepts them and they accept him, and he loves it.

Somebody figured out his that his Achilles heel was nonacceptance and the superior smirk was a tactic. Our Man is not used to deviousness like that. I'm tellin ya, Romney and his henchmen will do anything to take power...

If you did not watch CSpan, please watch the rebroadcast. I was shocked by it...

[siligut]

8. Devious and manipulative

Part of the cult training, understand and use weaknesses. Plus, Mitt actually does believe he is superior, what a joke.

[fadedrose]

21. +1

[patrice]

4. ??? He was deeply affected by the debate format, because Democrats play by the rules, but

Republicans don't, so Rongny had the run of the field, since Lehrer didn't control what was going on, while the President is thinking about the questions and answers that aren't even going to make it into the format, so he's standing back toooooooooooo much on his answers hoping that if he plays by the rules it will all work out, which it didn't, because Rongny took advantage of what was going on to rush the basket and make his points at the President's expense.

[LittleBlue]

6. I think he was shaken by how forceful was Romney's attack

He clearly didn't expect it. The president took a shot to the jaw that sent him reeling in the first round and spent the rest of the fight stumbling.

[oviedodem]

7. It that is the case, Obama should resign

[fadedrose]

9. That's baloney.... he was embarrassed by it

and for the first time didn't know how to react to something so seemingly innocent...

This is psychological stuff, but now that's he's experienced it, he won't be had again. They'll think up a retort that'll wipe the smirk off of dracula's face.

That's probably why he's kept a low profile and hasn't gone to any rallies the last few days. He's been practicing smiling.

[ohheckyeah]

23. The idea that Obama was rattled,

intimidated, upset, embarrassed or anything else by Romney's smirk is ridiculous. He meets with arrogant assholes all the time....Romney didn't get to Obama with a stupid smirk.

[ohheckyeah]

10. Seriously?

The man who meets with foreign leaders from all over the world was affect by Romney's smirk?

I think what happened is Obama was prepared to debate Romney on the things Romney has campaigned on for months and then Romney came up with a whole new plan.

[fadedrose]

12. Did you see the damned smirk? Watch it on CSpan....please....nt

[ohheckyeah]

20. I watched the whole debate....

I don't think for one second Obama gave a shit about Romney's smirk. Obama was put in the position of debating quicksilver. Romney changes his "plan" when he changes underwear.

Obama doesn't get intimidated by a smirk for God's sake.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

14. Yeah

Romney went rogue!

[spanone]

11. i don't think he was prepared for romney to lie and change his policies

[phylny]

15. I agree completely. n/t

[ohheckyeah]

24. Exactly -

he was prepared to debate Romney on what Romney has been saying for months and all of a sudden Romney has yet more new plans.

[jsmirman]

29. Really. Because that was hard to predict.

Are you fucking kidding me?

Nothing I own. NOTHING.

There is nothing I own that I wouldn't have bet you on that being the obvious pattern of tonight's debate.

[apples and oranges]

13. I don't think so. He's faced a lot worse

than a smirk. In the end, he's usually on top.

[seabeyond]

16. the little i saw, i had a tough time looking at that face. while listening to obama

and seeing romneys yukky sorta smile. and then when he talked, .... just staring at obama, not the audience or leher.

[fadedrose]

18. He creeped me out . . . it seems that very few people had that feeling...nt

[seabeyond]

19. really? cause it bothered me. like you, creeped me out. we will see. nt

[SunsetDreams]

27. It creeped me out too

I think Romney came off looking angry, creepy, and disrespectful of the whole process, including the moderator. It's like he had to barrel through all these talking points and get them all in, and to hell with moderation. The only one Presidential on the stage was President Obama.

[ohheckyeah]

28. Romney is a creepy

guy but he didn't intimidate Obama with a smirk.

It's like preparing to debate someone who is pro-capital punishment and you've prepared your anti-capital punishment remarks and you get to the debate and the person says they aren't pro-capital punishment. In fact, they have a new position of sending convicts to the moon.....how the hell do you debate that shit?

[moondust]

17. Romney has been practicing that arrogant shit his whole life.

I'm not so sure that Obama was affected by it.

[Whisp]

22. what tripe.

[uponit7771]

25. COme on people, this is gettings silly...Obama went 12 rounds, rMoney had no knock out and that's w

[CakeGrrl]

26. Disagree. I guarantee this is hardly the President's first encounter with a

condescending racist.

[Floyd_Gondolli]

30. Get a grip

Obama has seen and done things that would curl your toes. That's part of being president. I can't fathom for a second what it's like to walk in his shoes.

If you think he is intimidated by a smirk from some corporate boob you are either willfully ignorant or blind.

[Enrique]

31. that is the way Obama always is in his debates

I don't remember him ever being very good, even against Alan Keyes whom he beat with 70% of the vote.

[fadedrose]

32. I think he sensed a "setup"

He did not have a poor performance. He did not want to go down to Romney's level only to regret it later....

[MineralMan]

33. No. He wasn't.

That is all.

[HipChick]

34. As a black man..

President Obama has faced worse than this..