My Extremely low information voter friend had this to say about the Debates

[Heather MC]

Ok my Friend has been going through a Divorce and a host of other issues, so keeping up with Politricks is not at the top of her Priority list.

Last week I asked if she was for republicans or democrats, she asked me which one is Obama?
Seriously she is that not into politics but she votes.

So last night by accident she ended up watching the entire debates and she had this to say.

"Heather I have not been following the elections at all. Last night was my first time paying attention, and I have to tell you, Mitt Romney is such a freakin jerk. How can anyone vote for this guy, he was over talking the President, and Yelling at the Moderater, he didn't look like a guy I would want to be President!"

[HuckleB]

1. This is the thing!

The undecided folks don't watch the ugliness of the 24-hour news channels. They're going to find Romney's behavior abhorrent, as we all should.

[porphyrian]

2. . n/t

[left on green only]

3. It's good to read that someone else noticed that as well. n/t

[Rosa Luxemburg]

4. Interesting, Romney sounded like he had memorized this stuff word for word

he also had a cheat sheet

[ananda]

8. Romney was so rehearsed that I've been thinking..

.. that Rove is behind it.

First, the swing to the center and all the lies are nearly
impossible to rebut.

Secondly, the bullying and the taking up of stage time
will appeal to racists and those who get a kind of
voyeuristic kick from bully tactics.

Thirdly, Romney's third arm, the media, aids and abets
the notion that he "won." The media spin I've been
reading is just incredible, and it's everywhere.

[Why Syzygy]

25. Rove isn't working for the campaign...

He is a donor bundler and analyst. Romney didn't hire him for the campaign.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/Decoder-Wire/2012/1001/Mitt-Romney-s-debate-challenge-keeping-Karl-Rove-on-board-video

[JHB]

44. I don't think anyone said he was hired by the campaign...

...since they have to maintain a legal facade of noncoordination, but they both made their careers by gaming the systems they operated in to seize whatever they could. To assume they are following the spirit of the law is just folly with these two.

[Mojorabbit]

53. His crossroads pac is running a ton of ads here in Fl. nt

[barbtries]

51. i was thinking the same thing today.

thinking, there should be reporters with rove everywhere he goes. because i agree with you, romney's campaign has his signature all over it.

[madaboutharry]

5. I think a lot of folks are looking at this through the lens of politics junkies.

Your friend is a better set of eyes. To the uninitiated, I could see that Romney would come off like a jerk.

[Tsiyu]

9. The media are also out of touch

Since they enable bullying as a matter of Best Practices, they believe Americans are also inured to it.

But Americans don't hang out at the cocktail parties with the hottest bullies; nor do most make bank sucking up to sociopaths as those in the media do. Most Americans still detest bullies and see no excuse for smarmy, rude types.

Look at that fund for the bus monitor who was bullied by kids! Americans empathize with the victim of a bully.

The media are in a blindfolded circle jerk. Yet so many political junkies look to the media for some sacred validation. As if...

[tularetom]

76. I like the way you think

I also like the fact that you recognize that the word "media" is a plural noun.

[Tsiyu]

84. Thanks for the compliment, tularetom

Good old Chicago, AP Manuals...ignore them at your peril...

[Demoiselle]

27. You're right...

I thought Romney looked like an arrogant prep school bully, nasty little snarky smile and all....but I was afraid it was just my prejudices working. Glad to know that new observers to this year's political scene have had a negative reaction as well.

[fasttense]

59. I was afraid it was just my prejudices (against RepubliCON rich bullies) working.

Yes, me too. I dislike Romney so much that I could not trust my own instincts. I thought he did ok until I started thinking.

That comment about his 5 "BOYS" was just so offensive, I kind of got stuck there. Really? Did he just imply the President of the United States is one of his BOYS? I just couldn't get past it and so I kind of ignored the rest of what he had to say.

Then watching it again, that firing Big Bird and threatening the moderator was really quite awful. It made me feel as uncomfortable as with the "BOY" comment.

I didn't think I could dislike the man anymore than I did before the debate. But I was wrong, I can dislike him even more.

[Cosmocat]

60. Yep, and caught up in the adreneline of the moment

AND, wanting to have a horse race and to be "fair" and give Romney some good news.

He was good for him.

But, he is still Mitt Romney, and that amped up Romney the other night is just as off putting to a lot of people as reassuring to those who are inclined to be republican.

It is going to be his campaigns high water mark.

[karmkay]

63. I could see that Romney would come off like a jerk.

And a BULLY. Poor Jim Lehrer must have had flashbacks to high school. O was simply not going to play that game. He was playing the "enough rope" game. Really looking forward to the next debate now that Rmoney has been set up.

[Michigan Alum]

73. A lot of women would be turned off by his rude behavior - I was.

So was my boyfriend - I might add.

[still_one]

6. That may represent the undecided voter

[marions ghost]

7. which one is Obama?

yeah she really is out there...but apparently was not impressed by Mittster Bombney.

[gorekerrydreamticket]

40. That is absurd, I agree...

N/t

[Cleita]

10. I guess it doesn't take a politics' wonk to recognize a classic bully.

Kudos to your friend's good common sense.

[carolinayellowdog]

11. The expectations game meant nothing to her, and everything to political junkies

Many of us expected Romney to come across as a clueless idiot rather than a slick con artist, and Obama to be more effective than he was-- next time the expectations game will have changed.

[mountain grammy]

31. Thank you for putting words to my thoughts.

I was very apprehensive about the debate, and my worst fears came true. Rmoney is a slick con artist; the lies roll out of his mouth with no hesitation. The President is just human after all.

[City Lights]

12. Great story...thanks for sharing!

You have a smart friend.

[shenmue]

13. Yes.

I kept thinking (abt. Romney), "Why doesn't he stop talking? Didn't anyone teach him any manners?"

[savannah43]

22. He doesn't need manners. He has money.

[We People]

29. I had that same thought!!

I've never seen such rudeness by a candidate at a debate. Not even by Palin.

[SunSeeker]

14. K&R

[ejbr]

15. Thanks for posting this...

I was thinking that his inability to follow protocol by bulldozing the moderator was a sign of an unstable person who should not be trusted. I frightened to think of Rmoney in a room with China and Iran and trying the same shit!

[grasswire]

16. I thought about foreign relations too

Do we want this man at G7?

[Cleita]

21. Yes, just thinking about Bush and his axis of evil speech that caused

North Korea to start up its nuclear program again after Clinton had convinced them not to.

[deaniac21]

17. Someone that doesn't even know Obama is a Democrat

watched a 90 minute debate. Whatever for?

[Cleita]

18. There wasn't anything else to watch except the debate on the big three

broadcast channels. That's probably why. There wasn't anything else on to distract her. I noticed my family went out to dinner, unusual for them to do so during the week, but I suspect it was for the same reason.

[Heather MC]

23. She said she had something to do, and thought she would watch until the first commercial

by the time she realized there were no commercials she was hooked.

She has been fighting to get a job, not be homeless, keep her daughter in school, and a soon to be ex husband, she is not thinking about the next 4 years she is living life day by day trying to survive . but fortunately she starts a new job next week, and Is about to buy a houst at the end of the month.

[deaniac21]

50. Otay, just sounded strange.

You convinced me!

[Douglas Carpenter]

19. well Mitt did win the debate - but I doubt his alpha male performance won the audience

Kind of like the smart ass who ruins game night by gloating, goading and self aggrandizing

His performance did not increase his likability - a problem he suffers a lot from - and I suspect the fact checkers will undermine his short term victory and raise even farther the image of someone who will say anything to win.

[savannah43]

24. This wasn't a win--it was based on a pack of lies.

The technical name for that kind of behavior is "cheating."
It's kind of funny that he's now stuck with all he said.

[Douglas Carpenter]

28. objectively - he did win the debate - and the President most certainly was not in proper form

There is no value in engaging in self-delusion about this. I think it is best to be intellectually honest about things when they don't go our way. In terms of playing fast and loose with the facts and engaging in goading - that may likely hurt him in the long run. But we will have to wait and see how the public reacts. I doubt that we will see much significant change one way or the other. But over all it was good night for Romney and lousy night the President. In the long run it might very well work to the President's advantage. We will have to wait and see.

[MADem]

43. ??? He told lies that he'd be caught on within hours. That's "winning" to you? nt

[Cha]

55. Yeah, I don't get that

mindset. And, I don't think it's delusional to feel fuckhead mitt didn't win shit.

Mitt doesn't have me living in his f****** fantasy world.

[Douglas Carpenter]

56. in politics it is perception of reality that counts. Across the board there is a consensus

that Romney had a great night and the President had a disappointing night. Everyone or every intellectually honest person knows this - be they left, right or center. You know that, I know that, President Obama knows that. Everyone knows that. The fact that Romeny told a number of lies and seemed to change his fundamental primary positrons while on stage does not change that one little bit. That is not what the public saw. I don't think he endeared himself with many people who were not already supporting him. But his performance does buck up his troops, motivate the Republican base, and will no doubt help a lot with their fund raising which was in danger of experiencing a meltdown. Last night does give their campaign a new lease on life. I doubt that it will change the outcome. There is no point though in denying the obvious - that at least for now Romney's campaign got a boost last night and the President's performance was disappointing for all of us. Sometimes reality is not what we want it to be. But, it does no good live in unreality. It is better to speak the truth and act on it no matter how bitter it may be.

[MADem]

67. This is not entirely accurate--across the CORPORATE MEDIA the theme is that the word

WILL GO FORTH that rMoney had a great night--or ELSE. However, across social media, there's definitely DISSONANCE with regard to that assertion.

It's an Emperor's New Clothes situation. The GE-owning, hoping-to-profit-from-a-two-trillion-DOD-windfall, NBC franchise wants this to be recorded as an Obama loss and a rMoney win. The Great Unwashed, on the other hand, who are on 'the twitter' and 'the facebook' are saying "Who should I believe? Some spitting assholes on the TV, or my own lying eyes?"

Judge Judy's famous "Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining" quote applies here. rMoney LIED. He lied, and lied, and lied some more. Loud, assertive LYING is the act of a crazy person. It might look good at first blush, but it's the act of a desperate nut job.

That's reality. First impressions are NOT always lasting. I mean, really--who here thinks John Edwards is "sincere" these days? When it comes to Mittsy, his forceful performance falls apart when one realizes it was pure, unadulterated bullshit and falsehoods. He KNOWINGLY lied his ass off.

[Deacon Blue]

78. LBJ

Said not to piss on his leg and tell him it was raining while Judge Judy was in diapers, but at least she has the good sense to use it.

[azurnoir]

79. Could it be that corporate media is trying to boost itself here?

with the outcome of 2012 election being almost a foregone conclusion they are desperate to keep themselves in the game, give themselves something to create 'excitement' at least that's how I read them, but then again I will admit to having a 'prejudice' attitude towards them too

[BlueMTexpat]

57. I'm sorry but I just can't agree that it is

"intellectually honest" to say that Mitt "won" the debate when what he actually did was to steamroll and ignore the moderator and spew pure BS in such serial speed-lying fashion so that there was no way to stop him that would have looked like anything other than "angry black man" (which the RW was clearly hoping to have happen) or having the whole "debate" (a completely misused term, IMO, for what happens in US Presidential campaigns in any event) degenerate into "did not-did too" children's playground fighting.

The only "winners" here were the MSM who want to make the race look close. The losers were indeed the American people. But that is not all to be laid at President Obama's door.

In fact, to anyone who had not been following the race closely up until the debate and who truly had an open mind, Romney came across as the thoroughly overbearing and rude man that he is, as can be shown in the OP's anecdote. To those who are minorities or women - who often face behavior similar to Rmoney's as a matter of course - it widened the chasm.

While those on both sides who like their "red meat" may have found Romney's performance winning while the Prez's was disappointing, those of us who want a thoughtful President who considers the full implications of his words and actions as our leader - not only on the US stage, but at the global level - were happy to see that the Prez could keep his cool so well when faced with such intense provocation.

Oh - and try watching the C-Span version. It was clearly superior to that of the networks.

[sendero]

62. The Intrade..

.... probability of Obama winning went from 75% to 65% overnight. While I don't disagree with your criticisms of Romney's tactics, the FACT is more people think he won than lost.

And perception is reality, and the FACT that Romney lied his ass off is of ZERO CONSEQUENCE unless people are cognizant of that fact.

The Obama campaign has it's work cut out for them. They have to make it easy to see that Romney has no core beliefs that he will stand behind and therefore cannot be trusted.

It should be easy but I'm not holding my breath.

[kurtzapril4]

82. You are correct, Sendero

*My* perception was that Rmoney won. It had nothing to do with the media telling me what to think. Romney came across as energized and forceful, and that is what 60 million John Q. Publics saw. They couldn't give one whit whether what he was saying was truth or lies. How many of them are going to do the research that would show he was lying? Probably less than 10%. OBama was off his game. He looked disinterested and bored. There was so much he could have said....and he just stood there and let Rmoney walk all over him. Then again, he's used to letting Repubs have their way, so maybe he just went into his default mode. Perception IS everything.

[Honeycombe8]

20. That's great news! nt

[spanone]

26. he showed little respect for the President and most americans object to such behavior

[DearAbby]

30. I considered it an insult.

I expect more from a President, than to just say anything to close the deal. If Americans believe this is a trait they want as President...so be it, but I will find a way to move. This is insane. People are not as informed, they aren't stupid, and they know what a hard sell feels like. This guy was selling HARD.

[politicaljack78]

32. and the real Mitt Romney shines through.

an amazing moment of clarity that a lot of people will find in the coming days. Mitt Romney is a fraud.

And just for laughs....[link:

|]

[LarryNM]

33. Two Things

Have any of the Cable TV Political Talk shows mentioned the obviously errant CNN Snap Poll and why it is so inaccurate. I see a little of some of the shows but have not noticed it. Second, sadly, if times get bad enough for some people they will love someone who talks long and loud, nevermind the truth.

[EC]

34. I heard this from a few

in the lab waiting room this morning too, when I took my mom in for her weekly lab work. CNN was playing the debate and a few said how disappointed they were with Mitt (I assumed they were going to vote for him) that he was so rude and mean to the nice old man that was moderating. That couple just won't vote now. The others in the room agreed but I didn't really get how they felt before the debate or rather they even vote.

[Garion_55]

35. the media needs a horserace

30 days of 'obama is leading in the polls. romney sucks. its over pretty much' like the last 30 days is boring and doesnt bring in ratings or money.

so they do what they can. have a massive media freakout and try to create a race even if the voters have already put this thing to bed.

[watrwefitinfor]

69. Bunch of pundits said as much on

the Charley Rose PBS show last night. At the end of the show, all of them were hooting and laughing about how it meant more ad buys by the big bucks guys who back Romney, now that he won't be trailing in the polls. And another month of ad buys meant more monery in THEIR pockets.

Once in awhile they do tell the truth. Yeah, they all agreed, verbally and to much hilarity and self congratulation, that Romney "winning" the debate was a wonderful thing for them, the pundits. They actually went on for several minutes like this, Rose leading the bunch of them.

And this morning when Howard Dean told Rose on the CBS Morning Show that Romney had not been truthful, Charley looked at him as if he was going to bite his head off. "You really believe that?" he asked angily and then shut down the interview in a huff.

Oh, and Dean also got in a beautiful smack-down of Whorah-Norah who let her contempt and anger at him show, also. Charley snatched the interview away from her before Dean could tear into her any more. Then Dean let Charley have it and there the interview ended.

Did anyone else see this? Dean was fantastic! This is why you don't see him so much. He always was the best when it came to calling the media on their shit.

Wat

[minnaalegra]

36. thank you!

it really is that obvious to everyone. thanks for nailing it. and don't forget to vote.

[Hutzpa]

37. Politricks?

hmmmm.... whooo whooo whooo rrrrrrrr youuuuuuu?

[Heather MC]

47. It's my nickname for the Mayhem

[DallasNE]

38. Interesting How Nobody Mentioned This Overbearing Side Of Romney

As a negative in the debate. There was a slew of Twitter traffic on this point but nothing in the press summaries.

[Victor_c3]

39. My wife basically said the same thing to me today

My relationship with my wife is in the crapper (that is a completely different story that I'm not up for discussing at the moment) and we don't talk that much. I've been following politics a lot recently and she hasn't. We both are Obama supporters, but she doesn't have a clue what is going on in the election news. That being said, my wife basically said the same thing to me. She thought he came accross as an asshole and someone that you wouldn't want to have in charge of your country - even though she didn't think much of Obama's performance.

What you said (and what my wife has said) is very reassuring to me about this election comming up. I know a lot of people are bummed out by the debate last night, but it doesn't change any of the fundamentals about what and who the candidates are. If you want a privalended asshole who only wants the rich to get richer, vote for Romney. If you want a guy who sincerely has the best interest of the typical American and is a genuinely nice person, vote for Obama.

[copperearth]

41. Romney looked like he was high on something.

His eyes looked little and glittery. He was wau over bright and effusive, too effervesent, too full of himself. He looked like prize fighter who knew he was going to win before the fight even started. No wonder President Obama wondered who this guy was!

[carolinayellowdog]

49. glad somebody said this, because that was my immediate and overwhelming impression

only watched a minute or two and was so creeped out by Romney that I never even saw Obama

[yardwork]

68. Welcome to DU. Romney might have been high.

I think that the Republicans give a cocktail of meds to their candidates before important speeches and debates. I often thought the same thing about w.

I think that's why Romney wasn't around yesterday. He was sleeping off the drugs they gave him to pump him up for the debate.

[MADem]

42. My high-information GOP neighbor across the road said something similar.

He wasn't happy. He didn't think Obama "killed himself" but he didn't like the 'tude on Mittsy.

Who likes a bully and a big mouth?

It goes to CHARACTER.

[fried eggs]

45. I think there will be a gender gap in

how the debate was received. I really hated Romney's unhinged behavior last night.

[freshwest]

46. Whew! I thought this was gonna be unpleasant. Thanks!

Make sure your friend is registered to vote and encourage her to vote straight Democratic to help Obama get his job done.

[clydefrand]

48. I hope we can get many, many more

who feel this way. I thought he was high on something. His face was red; he kept licking his lips. I think he was scared that he was going to slip up. Well, I got sick of trying to listen to him. I did, but I didn't like it.

[Beartracks]

52. "But he did look like a guy I'd want running my pirate equity company."

But seriously, I hope Romney's jerkiness doesn't just turn her off but motivates her to vote for that other guy, what's-'is-name, the President.

======================

[Aerows]

61. "Pirate equity company"

Was that a typo of Private, which is extremely funny that it worked out that way, or intentional?

[Beartracks]

83. It was intentionally punny. ;) n/t

[scgrad96]

54. Very telling!

Yes, Mittens demeanor was very telling last night! The Denver news paper stated that like a bull to a matador, Mitt kept attacking the President on his various policies. And my favorite part (at told by Lawrence O'Donnell), what does the matador end up doing to the bull?

[BlueMTexpat]

58. I hope that she is registered to vote

and that she will vote against the "freakin jerk."

Thanks for the anecdote.

[liberal N proud]

64. Let's hope that is how most saw it.

[onecent]

65. Thanks for posting this..these are definitely the kinds of things

that give me more and more hope...
I'm so worried that maniac might win by cheating (as in Bush)

[MizzM]

66. My Republican relatives silent

My daughter and hubby are intelligent, well-informed Republicans. Their Facebook walls are regularly plastered with anti-Obama, anti-Democratic messages. I checked Facebook the past couple of days looking for their reaction to the Romney "win." Zip - Nada - Negative. Not one mention of the debate or Romney. My guess is that they were not impressed with Romney throwing the Republican platform under the bus. They are not gloating.

[joc46224]

70. I honestly think Romney was on Adderal

I watched the debates and the first thing that leaped out at me was Romney's almost manic behavior. His body movements were a bit jerky, his eyes were glassy, and his speech was rapid--not calm and controlled. If he was always like this then maybe I wouldn't have been so taken aback, but his behavior was so different than normal that it leaped out at me. My first thought was "OMG, He's on Adderall". I had a friend who started back to school after her kids were grown and she started taking Adderall before finals. She is a pretty normal person but on Adderall she would talk 100 miles an hour, her eyes were bright and glassy (like Romney's were), and her body movements were eerily similar to Romney's during the debate. I know much has been made about the fact that Romney doesn't drink coffee (or alcohol), but if it's something that is prescribed by a doctor I would bet that he would justify it as being ok to take. After all it's "medicine", right? We already know the man will say anything to get elected, I think he'd do almost anything too (including taking "medicine&quot . Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks the same as if you google "Romney Adderall" you'll get quite a few hits.

[UTUSN]

71. R#239 & K n/t

[DaveJ]

72. Absolutely Correct!

We can't see through our veil of information, but even the least informed can see the Romney is an asshole.

This is why I've said from the start that Obama knew what he was doing, which is, in short, not acting crazy while speaking to someone who clearly has mental issues.

All these traditional presentation tactics that matter in business meetings are less relevant on the world stage. You don't want some assertive jerk negotiating with other world leaders, but someone who is calm and collected.

[bucolic_frolic]

74. Mitt Romney, FE

You remind us of a very overlooked point

Mitt really was obstreporous, irascible, disrespectful a bit

Mit didn't recognize boundaries

Sounds like Narcissistic Personality Disorder to me

Overly enthusiastic

Factless Exuberance

[Dont call me Shirley]

75. The way he kept staring at Obama with his exaggerated forward stance and demented eyes was creepy.

How rude he was to Lehrer was incredibly obvious. Yes, bully Mitt is.

[Springslips]

77. Maybe you are correct,

I still think he missed opportunities. I was harsh on the Prez performance and stand by my original thoughts. But this is certainly the case where I would be happy to have egg on my face because the campaign is on another level than where I am at. Would be happy!

Nice insight by whoever pointed out that the 47 percent is getting more play for having the Prez withhold it!

[barbaraj]

80. I think Obama should not allow Romney another performance

I would think the American people should understand if President Obama were to refuse a debate in the future. To call the debate what it was, a sham, designed and rehearsed, formatted according to the "gish gallup" method, producing results that have nothing to do with the issues , promoting the self importance of a liar and a sociopath, should be understood to be far beneath the President and his plans to enhance the future of the citizens of the USA . He should refuse another theatrical display as it is not serving the American people , we expected a debate .

[GeorgeGist]

81. Smart lady.

Maybe that's the voter Obama was teaching.