The President is a very cool chess player>whenever he seems weak, he is setting up a checkmate.

[DonRedwood]

Need I remind y'all that the President likes to sit back and let people set their own traps for themselves?

Tonight Obama set up a nice big rat trap and then sat back on the sidelines and ate a sandwich. The rat, however, had a busy night. He put his own cheese in Obama's rat trap, nibbled on it, ran around on it, and lied ALL about it.

And Obama is still, basically, sitting on the sidelines eating his sandwich. Tomorrow when Romney's house of lies collapses the rat trap will snap shut.

Obama didn't lose the debate, he stepped out of the way while it careened downhill out of control.

And that is how you beat a sleazy used-car salesman...you just stand pack and let him lie. He beats himself.

I mean, seriously, do you think Obama is the type to take that crap for no reason? You seriously underestimate him if you do...just like Romney is about to do.

[oswaldactedalone]

1. 47% of me

believes you're right. The other 53% hopes you are.

[99th_Monkey]

27. LoL ditto. ~nt

[treestar]

2. This board looks like 2008 all over again

The exact same issues now as then and the same complaints about the President's cool and calm nature.

[DonRedwood]

5. I didn't discover DU until that election so it was new to me--but, yeah, everyone wants Obama

to land those big knock-out punches but he doesn't play that way. He just lays back and takes the shots that he knows will connect in a slow and steady fashion. It frustrates me too, all the time. I want him to attack but, he plays his own game.

And Romney just gave the Dem's so much ammo. They got Romney to turn his back on the RW basically. Once they are done crowing he won the debate they'll realize Romney just stabbed half of them in the back. And, Romney didn't win over anybody tonight. Not many vote switches will come from that performance.

[luvspeas]

3. yesyesyesyesyes...

long game.

[Kalidurga]

4. I totally agree...in that sense it was fun to watch...

Also, Mitt did not look like a winner. He looked constipated probably because he is full of **it. There were several times Obama stood back and handed Mitt his own noose. And Romney fell for it every time. So, Mitt tell one more lie, it will make a great campaign ad. Also, in this game of lower expectations, this is a set up for the next two debates. Now Obama will be the come back kid. I expect he won't come out swinging so much, he will be but not in an obvious way. If this is the Town Hall forum, Mitt is in big trouble. I don't think his look of sadness and constipation is going to help him connect with the audience, except maybe with those that suffer from IBS, they will probably understand his pain. But, I digress I think that Obama did what he needed to do. He laid down the ground work for the next two debates and the home stretch of the campaign. At no time did I feel the need to rend my garments because Obama didn't go in for the kill yet. I have patience in that way.

[DonRedwood]

6. I wanted him to bring up Ann Romney and pre-existing conditions so badly...

and had a dozen other zingers pop in my head.

And President Obama just sat there cool and calm. I would not have had the strength to do that.

[DonRedwood]

7. Sweet Dreams, when we wake up, they will be ripping Romney apart for lying, lying and then lying

some more.

Ah, will be nice to wake up to!

[ClusterFreak]

8. Thanks for writing this.

You know... I just wrote a post saying very similar things. Then I decided to toss it in the recycle bin. I thought to myself... no one's gonna buy this. I'm glad you had the steady hand and the guts to write and say it though. Because now I know I'm not the only one who believes the same thing.

Obama is all about the long game. He doesn't go for the sugar rush. He's not a brawler, or a bomb thrower, he's a constrictor. To some, these may all sound like trite cliches...but they are all true. He never, ever, ever takes the bait. Like you said in your excellent OP...he lays the bait.

Then lies in wait.

Tonight...that stupid, smarmy, entitled, condescending, cold hearted, patrician, douchebag motherfucker Mitt Romney didn't just walk right into Obama's trap...he charged into it at full gallop.

Barack Obama made it all the way to the White House with this philosophy and this tactical approach. No one should then be surprised he's using the same playbook to make sure he stays there four more years.

[DonRedwood]

10. I was a big Hillary fan

and the simple fact is he beat her. And he did it by laying low and never attacking her.

And then he kicked McCain's ass and again, he did it by laying low and timing his attacks in such a way that McCain had badly injured himself before Obama brought him down.

And tonight was no different. Obama laid low while Romney jumped from lie to lie doing most of the damage to himself.

I am serious when I say it was like watching someone reel in a 50 lb salmon on a 30 lb line. You can do it, but you gotta be so cool and easy and you have to allow the salmon to exhaust itself.

Then you just scoop it up in the net and whack it on the head with a stick a few times.

[ClusterFreak]

13. Love the fishing analogy!

Mine was Ali-Foreman, Rumble In The Jungle, and the Rope-A-Dope. We all know how that one ended too.

[tavalon]

19. Then you just scoop it up in the net and whack it on the head with a stick a few times.

Unintended DUZY!

[DonRedwood]

35. :0) Totally intended.

I learned a long time ago that my straight male buddies understand EVERYTHING if you can liken it to fishing, hunting, fighting or cars.

[tavalon]

42. Well done then!

[Cha]

25. Good post..I especially like this part..

"Tonight...that stupid, smarmy, entitled, condescending, cold hearted, patrician, douchebag motherfucker Mitt Romney didn't just walk right into Obama's trap...he charged into it at full gallop."

Like he was on Red Bull

[marions ghost]

39. "he's a constrictor"

Obama, that is... I like that...

[Kablooie]

9. God I hope you're right.

Romney actually said some things that, if I didn't know better, sounded good.

This debate felt like Romney was tossing 'em and Obama was ducking and dodging.

I thought Obama came off as defensive and and low energy compared to the rude, bellowing "Listen to ME! I'm the big shot here!" attitude Romney took.

Romney was the agressive bully we expected but I was surprised to see Obama play second fiddle to him.

I think you're right in that is how Obama likes to play but there were cases in the past where his later response was not as solid as we expected.

I sure hope he has a rock solid response this time.

[DonRedwood]

11. Watch him debate Hillary and John McCain...simple. factual. almost quiet at times.

He knows what he is doing.

[DonRedwood]

36. lies always sound good! that's why they work so well!!

[uponit7771]

12. Any proof on fact checking? There's no way the GOP thinks facts really matter & they have data on it

....to prove it doesn't less they would've gone the way of the wigs by now

[liberalla]

14. Thanks for that reminder.

I think you're right, and I look forward to what is ahead.

[mstinamotorcity2]

15. The President has trust

in us. So I will give my trust to him. He has accomplished good things with a restrctive republican congress and still got things done with or wtihout their support. And as long as he believes in me I will believe in him!!!!!!

[ellisonz]

24. Amen. n/t

[exurber]

16. Cheese Cake

It must of been the high from Romney's Cheesecake Factory dinner. His sugar buzz will wear off shortly.

[Cleita]

17. I saw a presidential candidate that told several fibs that I could fact check

and an incumbent President, who told the truth. I hope others saw and heard what I did. However, I think the real fireworks will be Biden vs. Ryan.

[tavalon]

18. Rope a dope - it's his specialty

The bigger the dope, the longer the rope.

[politicasista]

20. +1 n/t

Last edited Thu Oct 4, 2012, 03:43 AM - Edit history (1)

[Raine]

21. EXACTLY, Obama did a GREAT job. Mittens lied & lied & lied and will be trapped in

those lies.

[ellisonz]

22. Sounds about right!

You'd think people would have learned their lesson about underestimating Obama by now too.

[mary195149]

23. perfect analogy! n/t

[tosh]

26. Indeed.

[Reasonable_Argument]

28. After finally hearing the debate

It seems more likely to me that the president's team decided to not go negative or be too confrontational. Instead focusing on the president's achievements. Personally I don't think that came across well and hope that he gets more aggressive in future debates.

[identify]

29. Romney Ran Through A Backyard Full Of Rakes Tonight

He comes out a 'winner' because he made it through the obstacle course without killing himself, but don't you think he's gonna have a metric assload of lumps tomorrow when he has to explain all the mile-an-hour- cockamamie bullshit he spat out tonight?

It takes tremendous self-discipline (and a true vision) to do what Obama did tonight. Bite his tongue, grimace a bit, land a punch here and there. But it's the long game. The fun starts tomorrow. Have some trust in the man.

And yes, he watched Romney tear through the backyard while eating a sandwich.

[identify]

29. Romney Ran Through A Backyard Full Of Rakes Tonight

He comes out a 'winner' because he made it through the obstacle course without killing himself, but don't you think he's gonna have a metric assload of lumps tomorrow when he has to explain all the mile-an-hour- cockamamie bullshit he spat out tonight?

It takes tremendous self-discipline (and a true vision) to do what Obama did tonight. Bite his tongue, grimace a bit, land a punch here and there. But it's the long game. The fun starts tomorrow. Have some trust in the man.

And yes, he watched Romney tear through the backyard while eating a sandwich.

[identify]

29. Romney Ran Through A Backyard Full Of Rakes Tonight

He comes out a 'winner' because he made it through the obstacle course without killing himself, but don't you think he's gonna have a metric assload of lumps tomorrow when he has to explain all the mile-an-hour- cockamamie bullshit he spat out tonight?

It takes tremendous self-discipline (and a true vision) to do what Obama did tonight. Bite his tongue, grimace a bit, land a punch here and there. But it's the long game. The fun starts tomorrow. Have some trust in the man.

And yes, he watched Romney tear through the backyard while eating a sandwich.

[Gabby Hayes]

32. Remember the time Obama debated the GOP leaders in the Oval Office?

[graham4anything]

33. Yup +a million

Obama roped the dopes again

only thing I didn't realize is how many Timid people are on this site and how many keep forgetting how great Obama is.

Romney came after Obama like Drago in Rocky 4 or Mr. T in Rocky 3.

cartoon humor rat-a-tat tat.

And Obama didn't sweat, and didn't take one punch to the body.

Romney flailed away (lie after lie after lie)

and come Nov.6- boom Ali is going to knock out Foreman, Frazier and that crazy Wepner that Rocky was somewhat based on.

Winner and still champion- Barack Obama.
(and how do I know that for sure? Because Hillary will be #45 when she KO's Jeb Bush in 2016.

but sheesh, I am shocked at some of the posters here at DU
I really thought people here were alot smarter than some of their posts last night.

(not saying it is, but it reminds me of the sleight of hand John McCain tried when he picked Sarah Palin and expected because she was female everyone who liked Hillary45 would flock to Sarah, and the only ones that did never were democrats to start off with, but fans of the RushLimbaugh rush the vote operation Kaos team.

[marions ghost]

40. Bombney as a Hollywood cartoon brute LOL

yeah what I thought, Rocky flashbacks...

[markpkessinger]

34. My problem with the President was not that he looked weak last night ...

... but rather that he looked and sounded defensive much of the time. He was a bit too Al Gore-like, what with his scowls and various facial expressions -- it almost seemed like he was annoyed to be there. There was none of that "cool chsss player" you mention on display last night; if there had been, it would have been a much better performance. When he spoke, the pace seemed frenetic, to the point where numerous times he stammered to find the word. That, frankly, surprised me, because he is usually much more comfortable and fluid in his verbal presentation. That is NOT the image he needs to convey. He honestly did a better job of deconstructing Romney's lies than he did in articulating a compelling vision of his own. I seriously HOPE he improves his game before the next debate!

[DonRedwood]

38. wow..totally NOT what i saw

I didn't think he was defensive at all.

[porphyrian]

37. . n/t

[Javaman]

41. This first debate was just the opening argument...

It's now Obama's turn to tear it about.

The one thing I have learned about Obama is this: he's a very patient man.

mittens is not. And that is his fatal flaw.

[Viking12]

43. I'm sick of this nonsense.

It's a meme that gets trotted out every time the Big O is in trouble and has rarely panned out. Debt ceiling anyone?