Romney did not Fall into Obama's Trap

[cthulu2016]

Team Obama did not sit around planning to have a horrible debate as part of some chess strategy. It was an exceptionally poor debate and was not what anyone planned or desired.

Life is not a comic book.

Now, was Obama's passive, defensive approach connected to planning? Yes. Certainly. It was clearly decided that calling Romney out on lies and putting him down in any way was to be avoided. That is strategy. Was that strategy implemented well? God no. That is tactics.

Obama's strategy was Bill Clinton. "My opponent is a great guy be we disagree on some things and my plan is better." Non-partisan voters like that, as infuriating as it is to partisans. But Clinton ran against Bush I and Dole, two very establishment figures. I don't know that the Clinton approach is optimal versus a sociopath like Romney.

But perhaps it is.

But even if a strategy is valid it means nothing if the execution is bad. And bad execution is not part of any master plan.

[flamingdem]

1. It didn't appear to be enough after against a Manic Mitt

I agree the nice guy, complementing the opponent strategy has got to morph into something more pointed. I do not believe that Romney has the same ideas as Obama about Social Security and I do not want to hear Obama refer to what Mitt thinks of his 4 years as he did in the summation.

Otherwise I thought Obama did get some good zingers in that looked spontaneous, the MSM is not mentioning those.

[BlueStreak]

6. Actually if you just listen to the things Obama said, he was on point

He could have been a little more animated, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the pant-wetters here are wanting to believe.

The problem is that he had a lying dynamo next to him and a moderator who wouldn't do anything to ensure a good and honest debate.

But to be fair to Jim Lehrer, he's made his entire career of hosting a bunch of corporate hack and military talking heads on his program and he's never challenged any of them on anything substantial.

What does it say when we would have a better, more balanced, more revealing debate if Fox News's Chris Wallace were the moderator?

[flamingdem]

8. I agree about Lehrer but also that Obama closed weakly

can't blame him after disgusting Mitt's lie-fest but he was weak when saying that of course Mitt doesn't think much of his last four years. That was his chance to sell himself and blow off Mitt as insignificant.

I think as a safety device he withdraws with a bully, which is smart to some extent, don't engage the crazies, but he cannot use let's all get along with spewing Mitt, imo.

Otherwise I thought he won the debate.

[CoffeeCat]

2. All hell breaks loose when your opponent shows up and denies his own policies...

Romney made it impossible for Obama to debate the issues.

That's what happened.

Obama stated Romney's policies, then Romney fired back with, "I never said that!!!!!" Then, he threw zingers and made jokes about Obama being a liar, "Well, if that's true then I need new accountants!"

So frickin funny isn't it?

We're in the middle of a serious economic crisis, we've got problems in the Middle East and Netanyahu wants war with Iran. And we've got some game-playing ass clown who insults the American people by denying the very ideas that he's been touting on the campaign trail for months.

Wow! What a brain trust! Let's not rationally discuss the real issues. Let's deny our positions and turn the debate into a fiasco!

This is a disservice to our country and to the American people. Mitt Romney thinks we're all stupid. We should all be insulted that Romney turned a serious Presidential debate into playground games in the sandbox.

What a complete dullard.

[meow2u3]

3. Rmoney wouldn't let Obama nor Lehrer get a word in edgewise

Rmoney repeatedly not only lied like a carpet, he rudely interrupted Obama at every turn and wouldn't let him make his case.

No wonder Rmoney "won" the debate; he took it over, just like the companies he and Bain busted out.

[Avalux]

4. It seems to me that Obama had something else weighing on his mind -

and the longer the Romney antics went on, he clearly did not want to be there. I'm wondering if it had to do with the Turkey/Syria altercation.

[BlueStreak]

7. I wish there would have been a moment for Obama to say "I do have a day job I have to look after"

[OldDem2012]

5. Hahahaha!!! Wow. Just wow....

Tell me how many of Myth Romney's lies are going to show up in the next 24 hours as part of the next step of the pro-Obama ad campaign.

Get a grip.