My take: Mitt was a bully and Obama was too passive.

[Tennessee Gal]

Mitt spewed lie after lie, stomped on the moderator, and disregarded the President.

Obama seemed stunned with the lies and the ineffective moderator.

I look for and hope for an awakening from Obama.

[badtoworse]

1. Obama looked like the football team favored by 10 points...

...that didn't show up ready to play. Teams that do that usually lose.

[Tennessee Gal]

4. Yes, that is a good comaprison.

It happens a lot and sometimes teams play down to the level of their opponent. I am glad Obama did not behave like a bully, but there is a way to be aggressive without bullying. Obama's team needs to figure out how to do that and fast.

[jsr]

2. Obama misunderestimated the brazen ferocity of Willard

[KurtNYC]

3. I think ultimately this debate showed the difference -- Romney is an asshole while

Obama is a cool dude.

To most viewers all the numbers and policy wonk stuff is just noise anyway.

Who would most Americans want to have a beer with? Obama. (If you drink with Mitt you get to drink his beer also...but you're gonna need it.)

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. Obama is capable of better

I hope next time he won't let Rmoney get away with his lies and bullying

[skeewee08]

12. "Obama is capable of better"

yes he is and it will show in the next two debate...

"I hope next time he won't let Rmoney get away with his lies and bullying" He won't Robme showed his hand now President O will be on the Offense Robme told a lot of lies last night and he will have to account for them...

[kenny blankenship]

6. Isn't that the story of the last 4 years?

Basically?

[Tennessee Gal]

8. It is true that the right wing has bullied Obama for 4 years.

However, the structure of the Congress and the rules currently in place make that an option that can be taken. It is horrible for actual governing, but it is a fact.

[Eleanors38]

15. The GOP bullies because it works, esp.on Democrats

NO ONE should expect moderators to interrupt a proven strategy.

[Tennessee Gal]

16. The job of the moderator is to maintain control and

not let either candidate walk all over the rules in mid debate.

Lehrer failed at that miserably.

Mitt bullied and Lehrer just sat there.

[Eleanors38]

17. Well no media is going to interrupt a perceived

Beat down. The GOP has defined the rules of the some yrs ago. Beat em at their game. Liberals are obsessed by bullies, it's nightly news. The gop knows this. They'll push ANYone around if they take it. Americans don't like bullies, true. But they have less respect for those bullied.

[Poll_Blind]

9. That thought occurred to me too. Yeah, pretty much. nt

PB

[jsr]

10. A movie that has been replayed many times

Sadly.

[Tigress DEM]

7. WHERE was all of Leher's TOUGH TALK - toward the audience before hand. No applause or boos DURING.

ACTUALLY, I think that format was the worst dis-service ever. Those present should have been allowed to throw tomatoes at Mitt every time he lied.

AND if 1/2 the audience had been allowed to say STFU and LET THE PRESIDENT TALK! every time that Mitt ran over time and Leher was worrying about Big Bird --- THAT would have been a better debate.

[Tennessee Gal]

11. If the audience has to remain silent, it requires that the moderator establish control.

Lehrer failed miserably. A GIGANTIC FAIL!

That fail and the fact that the audience could not participate in any way made it easy for Mitt to bully his way through the debate.

[Tigress DEM]

13. Right, because the President practices what is quaintly known as manners and ethical debating.

[C_U_L8R]

14. Obama was Obama

and Mitt was Sean Hannity

[MinM]

18. Was it the video tape?

Interesting theory at the link below as to why President Obama was so passive...

http://cannonfire.blogspot.com/2012/10/why-did-barack-obama-bring-lollipop-to.html

[ljm2002]

19. That's it in a nutshell... n/t