2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumWhy I'm NOT worried about the debates
Mitt Romney can't/won't stop being Mitt Romney. Does anybody truly believe that he's going to show up at any of the three debates and suddenly become this amazing candidate (that he hasn't been all campaign season) who's gonna whoop Barack Obama on policy and unmask him for the lazy, unqualified, and out-of-his-depth "Kenyan Muslim usurper" that he and the Republican Fox News Tea Party all firmly believe he is for all of the country to see and that Romney's poll numbers will rebound and suddenly he'll be favored to win the election in November? Yeah, me neither.
Zambero
(8,965 posts)He comes across as a wind-up robot and lacking conviction. Even if he is perfectly scripted and sticks to it, those "qualities" will be manifest. Still, not to be overconfident since general expectations for Romney are low. If he manages to exceed those expectations, some would proclaim it to be a victory for him.
Grateful for Hope
(39,320 posts)I am so looking forward to seeing him humiliated.
cheezmaka
(737 posts)TroyD
(4,551 posts)Even the strongest candidate can have an off-night, and sometimes a weak candidate can find a good opening.
Romney will no doubt come quipped and try to have one of those famous one-liners from the Reagan days that puts Obama down and gets a lot of memorable spin the media.
Is it true that Obama canceled some of his debate prep with John Kerry in favor of campaigning?
WCGreen
(45,558 posts)This guy is not a really good thinker on your feet kind of guy.
But here I go again, almost anything can happen even under the tight choreographed confines of this "debate"...
Laurajr
(223 posts)When someone changes positions like Romney does it means he has no core. He is like one of those 18 foot tall human like things they but in front of businesses that have hot air blowing up then that dance around with no core to keep them upright....someone post a pic of one...,please....I don't know what they are called!
ejpoeta
(8,933 posts)Laurajr
(223 posts)Mitts fAce to that air dancer it would be perfect!
ejpoeta
(8,933 posts)Rosa Luxemburg
(28,627 posts)Laurajr
(223 posts)beac
(9,992 posts)southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)my brain at home.
alcibiades_mystery
(36,437 posts)The problem (for Romney and the MSM) is that all their media narratives thus far have failed miserably. That the Dems aren't enthusiastic: FAILED. That the GOP convention would bounce, and the Dem wouldn't: FAIL. That the job reports would flatten the Dem convention bounce: FAIL. That foreign policy issues in Libya and Egypt would sink Obama: FAIL. That Obama would be running out of money because he spent to early: FAIL. That the public would reject criticisms of Bain, or Romney's business record: FAIL.
Every narrative they've put forth has failed. The public seems fairly firm in its support of Obama; indeed, his support is growing as he makes his case. So, the media and the Romney camp will jump on the debates - really, their last and only hope - as some additional feature in a "narrative." But they know as well as we do that you don't see massive 5,6, or 7% shifts on the basis of debates. It's ludicrous.
The basic narrative is and has only ever been this: a majority of the American people trust Obama to do the job, and like him. Nobody - not even his supporters - particularly likes Mitt Romney, or envisions him as President. At this late date. Two days before October, people STILL can't quite see Romney as President. That's game over, debates or not. This guy's been running non-stop for 6 years, and has been on teevee every day for a year. People still don't like him. He's debated 30 times in all the states since January. People still don't like him.
That's not going to change in 38 days, even if you held a debate every day that he won. People don't like him, and don't want him to be President. It's pretty simple.
johnlucas
(1,250 posts)It is NOT close.
It has NEVER BEEN close.
Obama will win in a LANDSLIDE.
FACT.
And even Republicans cheating by voter fraud won't save 'em.
Obama WILL be a 2-term President.
The only question outside of "Can he get Democrats over on the downticket?" is "Will Obama finally become Progressive once he gets his 2nd term?"
That's the media narrative I wanna hear.
John Lucas
pamela
(3,469 posts)Seriously. I think Romney has crossed into territory from which he can not recover. He's repulsive to most voters. It started in the primaries when he tried to make that $10,000 bet. Perry physically recoiled from Mitt like Mitt had feces on his hand. It was an absolutely repulsive moment and Perry's reaction mirrored America's reaction.
A small portion of Americans might have still been swayed. They weren't paying attention and were still open to seeing what this guy was like. Then he repeatedly opened his mouth and spewed more repulsive shit. Insulting London, insulting Nascar fans, insulting nice people offering him cookies. At his convention, the speakers acted like they were in the dentist chair every time they tried to say something nice about him. His big, get-to-know-me speech went over like a lead balloon. Then came the big one-two punch: his repulsive reaction to the deaths in Libya and his even more repulsive 47% remarks.
A person can recover from a lot in American politics but once they get "the stench," it's over. He could be brilliant and charming at the debates but he can't overcome the stench. The debates don't even matter. Nothing he says at this point matters. He reeks so bad, I honestly don't think anyone is really paying attention any more. I've honestly never seen anything like it. Even his supporters don't really like him. I just hope he doesn't get any of his stench on President Obama during the debate. One of his debate preppers ought to give him some menthol rub to put under his nose so he can stand there for 90 minutes without puking.
K8-EEE
(15,667 posts)I get the feeling watching him talk, he can't SAY a fucking thing! His whole schtick is running around the block not to say anything like "I'm going to sit down with congress and fix everything!" Yeah sure. If Obama keeps needling him to come up with SPECIFICS he's cooked.
Besides that I think he is really and truly FREAKING OUT over the debates, LOL.
lunatica
(53,410 posts)Just listen to the non-answers from Romney to virtually every single question asked of him and then listen to Obama's answers to virtually every question asked of him.
Only the dunces and the cynical political manipulators like Rove are betting otherwise.
Wounded Bear
(58,675 posts)but the internet kills him. Not only does all of his shit get out, but it gets out fast.
Back in the day, when newspapers had an hour or so to fact check and edit before the paper hit the press, a lot of Romney's shit would have be fumigated and perfumed a bit by friendly editors. Now, we get the raw sewage.
I expect these debates to be the least watched in history. It's feeling a lot like most people have already decided.
TroyD
(4,551 posts)Don't know if that's higher or lower than usual.
GallopingGhost
(2,404 posts)one thing that is going to be difficult for Romney during the debates, non-answers aside, is his smile.
Maybe it's just me, but his smile comes across to me as really plastered on and phony. Almost patronizing. It's not genuine, and it irritates me to look at him when he is speaking publicly.
President Obama has a great, genuine smile that makes you smile right along with him. It's not fake; HE'S not fake. And appearance counts for much in arenas like debates.
Proud Liberal Dem
(24,419 posts)like right after his Libya presser (I'd cut and paste the picture if I knew how to do it but I think that everybody probably knows what I'm talking about).
ejpoeta
(8,933 posts)if you want to copy and paste a pic, you go to the pic and right click. copy image url. and then paste it into your message text box. no need for anything added. make sure it isn't encrypted. i just posted an air dancer pic and i went through like 5 before I found one that wasn't encrypted.
Proud Liberal Dem
(24,419 posts)easier than I thought.
Wounded Bear
(58,675 posts)Last edited Sun Sep 30, 2012, 02:28 AM - Edit history (1)
George Burns
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)Big difference and not one that favors him at all. I agree the Pres has smile that reaches all parts of his face - that's a genuine smile.
Rosa Luxemburg
(28,627 posts)hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)johnlucas
(1,250 posts)Boy I can't wait to see this ass get squashed at the debates.
John Lucas
Rosa Luxemburg
(28,627 posts)or maybe they will pay the debate organizers not to?
cheezmaka
(737 posts)Go figure...
smorkingapple
(827 posts)somehow he needs to come across as relatable while standing next to a very relatable President.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)The format debate format is the only one that he can deal with. I think he's gonna crack under the pressure. During the primaries, he knew he had the bucks to bury the others in ads and that's what won it for him. Newt won the debates during the primaries, not Mitt. His wife is already worried about his mental state if he becomes President. The pressure of the debates may be more than he can handle. I'll have popcorn ready (all members of family have this tradition in watching the debates - we always seem to want to throw something at the tv and would rather not do any damage).
NCLefty
(3,678 posts)So once again we will see a facade and not a real person.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)freshwest
(53,661 posts)Adenoid_Hynkel
(14,093 posts)the two have a history (especially Crowley) of shilling for the right, and they could frame an entire debate in a matter that puts Obama on defense the entire time while giving Willard a pass.
and the rightwing has already been working the refs, accusing them both of being part of the lib'rul media. It wouldn't surprise me to see those two slant things to the right in order to appear 'fair and balanced'
TroyD
(4,551 posts)It's Crowley that appears to be a hard-core Republican, so it's unfortunate that she got chosen for the first debate.
Princess Turandot
(4,787 posts)Crowley has the town hall one:
http://www.debates.org/index.php?page=cpd-announces-2012-moderators
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,020 posts)Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)In case anyone has interest...
http://www.debates.org/index.php?page=format
rock
(13,218 posts)ailsagirl
(22,897 posts)is when he's talking about money, investments, offshore bank accounts, shutting down companies, etc.
Or what he was saying on the "47 percent" tape, and he can scarcely talk about those subjects at the debate!!
Ergo, he'll come out stiff as a bored (er...board)
The President was a constitutional law professor for 12 years-- he knows all about speaking well and incisively.