Obama's debating skills leave a lot to be desired

[bluestateguy]

He's a brilliant orator, maybe the best in the field, but his debating skills are very mediocre. He's not a disaster, but he comes across as very clumsy when he tries to go on the offensive against his opponent, like he's uncomfortable doing it. That will not cut it against a mean-spirited Republican opponent like Rudy Giuliani or Mittens Romney.

[babylonsister]

1. Rudy and Mittens are mean-spirited, but they are not too bright. I think

Obama would beat them there.

[Maven]

2. There are certain topics, like energy, that he just doesn't speak very fluidly about

It reinforces his "green" image, I think.

There are other areas where he excels, but his worst moment was standing up to gut-punch Hillary--it looked like a desperate move.

[TwilightGardener]

3. I think he'd beat them, but it's really not his strongest venue. He does not

like taking shots at other people--he has to force himself to do it.

[blm]

4. Big difference between taking on your own side and taking on the enemy.

Good Democrats SHOULDN'T be comfortable battling each other.

That's why so many of the famous "MACHINE" do it when backs are turned and then twist the knives.

[silverweb]

5. He'll be fine.

As you say, he's a brilliant orator. He's also a brilliant professor and an organizer, both of which require superior communication skills.

Debating and "attack" skills are learned, too.

Our shining star Obama will have those skills well polished long before he has to take on the chosen reTHUG attack dog.... ;)

[madrchsod]

6. it`s not a debate-it`s a question and answer session

that is moderated by biased moderated that asks nuanced questions. there is no way to actually judge who "won or lost"

[AuntPatsy]

7. I seriously think he could blow those two out of the water on his worse day....

Did anyone notice that we didn't have to hear nine one one ten thousand times tonight? How refreshing from a leader

[bullwinkle428]

8. After the first debate or two, I thought maybe it was just nervousness

or lack of experience with that format, but now that there have been several, it seems clear to me that he simply struggles with debating when compared with the other candidates. I guess Alan Keyes wasn't much of a sparring partner when he was campaigning for the Illinois Senate seat! :evilgrin:

I'll still say that Richardson is probably the weakest debater of the group, though...

[Bake]

9. He's been a brilliant orator ONE TIME

And that was at the Dem convention. I haven't heard him be particularly inpsiring since then. And that INCLUDES the J/J event last weekend, where the media types were going on about him hitting a home run. I didn't think he was that good. The media just wants to see a close race, so they're pumping up his performance there. He wasn't that good. I don't know if cerebral is the word, but he just didn't reach me (for one, at least) down in my soul the way he did at the Dem convention.

The "brilliant orator" thing is hype. He's been brilliant exactly ONCE. The Big Dog could do it, and DID, on any given day of the week.

Bake

[durrrty libby]

10. You nailed it. The convention was a one time deal

He doesn't have depth of subject knowledge at all

[hedgehog]

11. I beg to disagree

The Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner

"If we are serious about winning this election, Democrats, then we can't live in fear of losing."


http://origin.barackobama.com/tv/

[hedgehog]

12. I saw someone who listened to, thought about and then proceeded to

answer the questions, not someone who met each question with a prefabricated one size fits all sound bite.

[Horse with no Name]

13. I'm not an Obama supporter

but to be fair, these aren't REALLY debates.
They are sound bites at best with some demented Right Wing shills throwing red meat-right wing-talking point nuggets at our candidates and seeing how well they can smear them.
An honest-to-goodness debate is about issues important to real people. We haven't seen a real one yet and it is highly doubtful we will.