Ask any Olympic champ -- timing is everything
After listening to a lot of commentary today on President's Obama's response last night to the chronically lying Mitt Romney, I suddenly started thinking about the timing issue constraints within a debate format. I do think President Obama was stunned at the magnitude of prevarication Romney espoused, and in one moment's time he had to make a strategy decision: respond or ignore.
I believe he decided to ignore the lies because he sensed it was a debate trap. If he had used his allotted two minutes to indulge in a campaign of accusing his opponent of lying, he would lose the opportunity to explain his position on the issue under discussion. It was more important to President Obama to preserve that opportunity to make important points he had chosen to share with the listening viewership rather than sacrifice that opportunity to succumb to a Romney debate trap. Had President Obama gone with the first option, the option of responding to the lies, Mitt Romney would have simply countered with accusations that President Obama himself was distorting the truth to engage in character assassination of his opponent. It would have been fruitless for President Obama to so engage in a tit-for-tat upon that debate stage, one he could not win, and the choice of indulging would have resulted in President Obama's failure to submit points for consideration on the topic at hand he considered important.
Obama also knew the fact-checkers would emerge that evening and in subsequent days, and Mitt's posturing as a populist candidate, a man determined to protect the interests of the middle class and the poor, would wilt with the light of the new day.
So in this regard, I believe President Obama in refusing to be baited by Romney and reserving his time for answers to the debate topics instead made the strategically correct decision.
Timing is everything in matters such as this, and President Obama chose to use his time wisely rather than to be baited by Romney's trap. Obama's strategic choice made Romney a Chump and Obama a Champ. Why do I say this? Because in listening to today's commentary, a great number of people are calling Romney a liar and still cheering for President Obama.
So what is next for Romney?
Hang a gold Olympic medal around that man's neck. Fastest liar in a two minute sprint on political record. Inscribe the gold medal "Liar in Chief" which is far more appropriate for him than the title Commander-in-Chief. Reserve that title for the smartest participant in the debate competition last night.
Sam
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