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65 Responses to “Presidential Debate Coverage: Your Reactions…”
I doubt it will move the polls much, but Lehrer and Obama have completely lost control of this debate. This is the Mitt we saw in the video: Relaxed, and running the show.
I’m in the minority who think Lehrer is doing an ok job. This debate format facilitates the back and forth. Unfortunately for O, R is much more in command of facts and specifics.
Blue, aside from Lehrer geting his a$$ handed to him, it’s predictable: The challenger looks thrilled to be there, while the incumbent looks pissed to have to listen to his crap. Same as every first debate with an incumbent.
My biggest question is..how does the Romneycare/Obamacare stuff play with voters? Romney is doing a bangup job of taking credit for a program he intends to repeal..
DAMN, Al beat me to it!!
Score: Al – 1, Chickie – 27
Damn, did Romney do THAT well?!?
Romney not only won, he appeared more presidential and thoroughly in command of the issues. Obama had one really good hit on healthcare, but Romney was still able to aptly parry.
I liked this format and kudos to Lehrer for playing along.
Romney’s best debate ever. He seemed to have a wealth of knowledge and he had numbers, figures, everything at his fingertips. And he looked presidential, which is important.
Obama will do much better at the next debate, although I’ve seen several opinion-heads point out that he wasn’t really all that bad tonight. Romney simply did extraordinarily well just being himself.
It’s gonna be a wash. By the time the fact-checkers are done straightening out Romney’s in-debate contradictions with what was said before, we’ll be down to “Mitt ran a good meeting, Obama looked annoyed, and Jim Lehrer is old.” This will be vapor by Monday. Romney will be a tad closer in the polls..which had already started a couple days ago. Yippee ky yay, 50/50 country.
The consensus seems to be Romney won but I’ll wait a few days for the swing state polls to see what the people who really count say. Romney was certainly aggressive and that seems to be the main reason pundits think he won.
To me bulling the moderator looked bad but maybe that’s the moderators fault for not telling Mitt to STFU and do as told.
The POTUS seemed surprised that Romney denied many of his past policies especially the 20% across the board tax cut – ‘That’s not my plan – I never said that!’. The etch-a-sketch was really working well tonight for Mitt
There was one person, whose opinion I really respect, who thought Mitt did well tonight and that’s Steve Schmidt. When he says Romney won I start to worry.
I am just glad that many on MSNBC had the guts to call this an epic Obama screw up. At first, I thought they may try to spin it, but Matthew’s meltdown summed it up perfectly. To my surprise, Ed was spot on. Steve Schmidt made Romney’s case perfectly. As a democrat, I was dumbfounded at Obama’s lackluster performance. Better luck next time Obama – until then, try growing a pair.
This was a different style of debate format than we’ve had in the past. Without interference from a panel of questioners, people who watched it will be interpreting for themselves the comparative strengths and weaknesses of the two candidates.
When you have been surrounded by yes-men for 4 years, which all Presidents are, you just aren’t prepared for someone getting in your face. Exception was Reagan and his lifetime experience appearing in public. Especially when he worked for GE.
Glad to see CNN is making good use of that new set of theirs. Interesting to follow their live polling as well, though the debate itself was frustrating if for no other reason than it wasn’t controlled in any way.
I think they should use this debate style every presidential election. It wasn’t controlled because that’s how it was set up. For next time, might be better if they don’t use this style for the first debate.
Ironic MSNBC is doing their post debate show outside the university where it’s only 10pm MT and there are only a few people standing in the background.
Even Chris Matthews is discussing if Romney got a game change moment.
So here’s something interesting that was brought up by The INB Lady Friend (it’s an impressive title, believe you me)… who works in marketing, and defines herself as left-of-center. A lot of folks are talking about Romney’s “Big Bird line” as a funny moment for him. However, according to what she’s been reading on Facebook, a lot of us 30-somethings, are not happy about that. The idea of cutting funding to PBS is one thing, but reminding folks that Sesame Street is PBS, and putting a face (Muppet faces count) to the proposal, could backfire.
Expect to see a lot of sad Muppets, and “remember when this was part of your childhood… Mitt Romney wants to take this away,” type ads/articles/comments. That line, while looked at positively now, could become an unforced error later in the week.
I thought that was an excellent point, especially from a marketing/spin perspective.
Obama better pray for a strong second debate, as most incumbents perform. He got his a** handed to him tonight. No zingers. No nervous laughter. If they were waiting for that stuff, they got played. Big time. By a – in my words – “lousy politician”..
I didn’t think he had it in him. The whole head-fake with “zingers” was priceless. He really did have some ‘zingers’, but not the way the press expected. ‘Trickle-down government’ is a keeper.
I was wondering how long it would take for someone to accuse Romney of racism with the line about his 5 sons saying things over and over hoping they would come true. Rachel Maddow came close. She repeated Romney’s line then said, very slowly and seriously, Romney…comparing the president to one of his sons…
I personally have long been in favor of cutting the funding to Big Bird, letting it die, and feeding the roasted meat to the poor. With a side of fava beans.
Unlike everyone here I kinda felt like Rachel after the debate; I didn’t know who won. It wasn’t until I heard Steve Schmidt, and to a lesser extent Ed Schultz, give their opinions that I got a feel of where the pundits and spinners were going with the debate post-op.
I don’t think the results are quite as cut and dried as everyone thinks and certainly not te game changer that some of the more optimistic propose. My guess is it may have a small impact, for one party or the other, in the 8 or 9 swing states that really matter.
By the weekend we will know for sure and until then I’ll continue to hold the view I still don’t know who won.
So.. post debate – it’s all Jim Lehrer’s fault and he did a bad job moderating.
But… according to CNN last night Obama had between 3-4 minutes more of talking time. So, I guess he used his time even less effectively than thought, or flipped, Romney made great use of the time he had available to him.
fritz: “until then I’ll continue to hold the view I still don’t know who won.”
You can declare a debate winner and still say you will wait to see what effect it has long-term. You’re a such a hack for Obama you can’t even agree with Chrissy Matthews! Your guy lost and he’s just going to have to stop playing golf and basketball for a few weeks.
Gee pam I’m not allowed an opinion? I just said what I felt at the time. Yes I’m an Obama hack just like you are a Romney hack. Were both hacks; just for different politicians. Enjoy your victory and have a nice day.
Not really, I still don’t know; although it’s certainly a possibility; maybe even a very good one.
I was just commenting on your opinion of what transpired last night. Maybe I should have said: ‘Enjoy, what you perceive is, your victory’. In any case I don’t want to argue with you about it; so enjoy your victory and have a nice day.
Well, Donna Brazile says Obama won, so maybe Fritz is on to something. She did tweet me once wondering if I had taken “nasty pills”, but she is hard not to like.
Interesting read. I was watching with some fascination from this side of the pond (2am start, ugh!) and thought that Mitt Romney came across ‘presidentially’ and that Barack Obama had none of his 2008 fight about him: with the possible exception of the President’s barbed comment about Romney’s difficulties in sitting down on Day 1 with Democrats at the same time as trying to dismantle Obamacare.
I’m going to be following from a British perspective on my blog: have a look at my thoughts ahead of last night’s debate: @tommygilchrist: Change we (still) believe in? http://t.co/keNP1iqF
FNC scored 10.4 million viewers during the debate, beating broadcast and cable including demo. Fox News w/ Shepard Smith on the broadcast network added almost 7 million.
MSNBC’s 4.7 million plus NBC’s almost 10 million was also an impressive total. Since this was during the debate it may not have mattered much who the hosts were.
Anyway, makes me think the parent companies of CBS and ABC are at a disadvantage when it comes to getting eyeballs to watch newsworthy event coverage. Advertisement free so they prolly don’t give a rat’s.
October 3, 2012 at 6:56 pm
@WeeLaura
Lehrer is like a semi-retired substitute teacher trying to control a classroom of 35 8th-graders.
October 3, 2012 at 6:58 pm
I doubt it will move the polls much, but Lehrer and Obama have completely lost control of this debate. This is the Mitt we saw in the video: Relaxed, and running the show.
October 3, 2012 at 6:59 pm
Come on, gimme info! I’m at work and can’t watch.
October 3, 2012 at 7:08 pm
Catch the repeat. It’s worth it.
October 3, 2012 at 7:09 pm
I’m in the minority who think Lehrer is doing an ok job. This debate format facilitates the back and forth. Unfortunately for O, R is much more in command of facts and specifics.
October 3, 2012 at 7:13 pm
@TPCarney
So, IPAB denying coverage is not denying treatment. But an employer paying you in cash instead of Norplant, that’s BANNING CONTRACEPTION!!!
October 3, 2012 at 7:19 pm
@politicalmath
Obama: “Your plan, Mitt, duplicates what is in my law. That’s why I oppose it.” Me: What?
October 3, 2012 at 7:21 pm
Blue, aside from Lehrer geting his a$$ handed to him, it’s predictable: The challenger looks thrilled to be there, while the incumbent looks pissed to have to listen to his crap. Same as every first debate with an incumbent.
My biggest question is..how does the Romneycare/Obamacare stuff play with voters? Romney is doing a bangup job of taking credit for a program he intends to repeal..
October 3, 2012 at 7:31 pm
@Heminator: That wasn’t a debate so much as Mitt Romney just took Obama for a cross country drive strapped to the roof of his car.
October 3, 2012 at 7:33 pm
DAMN, Al beat me to it!!
October 3, 2012 at 7:34 pm
I missed most of it and turned to MSNBC for the close. Rachel is talking about everything BUT the performances.
I guess that answers my question.
October 3, 2012 at 7:39 pm
And now Al is claiming Romney wants to re-institute slavery. Damn, did Romney do THAT well?!?
October 3, 2012 at 7:43 pm
DAMN, Al beat me to it!!
Score: Al – 1, Chickie – 27
Damn, did Romney do THAT well?!?
Romney not only won, he appeared more presidential and thoroughly in command of the issues. Obama had one really good hit on healthcare, but Romney was still able to aptly parry.
I liked this format and kudos to Lehrer for playing along.
October 3, 2012 at 7:47 pm
Obama was… Obama. As usual, he talked too much without really saying anything.
October 3, 2012 at 7:54 pm
Romney’s best debate ever. He seemed to have a wealth of knowledge and he had numbers, figures, everything at his fingertips. And he looked presidential, which is important.
October 3, 2012 at 7:54 pm
@ApocalypseHow
“It’s OK, Barack. It happens to everyone.” – Michelle Obama. Tonight. Twice.
October 3, 2012 at 7:58 pm
Obama could serve this turd-sandwich four-years-ago because he had no record. We won’t get fooled again.
October 3, 2012 at 8:04 pm
@ExJon
Tonight, MSNBC is a thing of beauty. #Obamafreude
@JonahNRO
Congratulations MSM, your failure to ask the president hard questions for 4 years has left him soft and unprepared. #irony
October 3, 2012 at 8:06 pm
Obama will do much better at the next debate, although I’ve seen several opinion-heads point out that he wasn’t really all that bad tonight. Romney simply did extraordinarily well just being himself.
October 3, 2012 at 8:09 pm
@michaelscherer
The main impact of Romney’s good night: The caricature of him created by 47% video and his lousy campaigning is superseded.
October 3, 2012 at 8:17 pm
It’s gonna be a wash. By the time the fact-checkers are done straightening out Romney’s in-debate contradictions with what was said before, we’ll be down to “Mitt ran a good meeting, Obama looked annoyed, and Jim Lehrer is old.” This will be vapor by Monday. Romney will be a tad closer in the polls..which had already started a couple days ago. Yippee ky yay, 50/50 country.
October 3, 2012 at 8:21 pm
@Deggans
RT @markknoller: Poll shows 56% of uncommitted voters say their opinion of Romney has changed for better. 13% say that about the President.
October 3, 2012 at 8:22 pm
Ed points out that Obama didn’t mention “30 months of job growth”. I’m gonna go ahead and guess it’s because Friday’s jobs report will be … not good.
October 3, 2012 at 8:22 pm
The consensus seems to be Romney won but I’ll wait a few days for the swing state polls to see what the people who really count say. Romney was certainly aggressive and that seems to be the main reason pundits think he won.
To me bulling the moderator looked bad but maybe that’s the moderators fault for not telling Mitt to STFU and do as told.
The POTUS seemed surprised that Romney denied many of his past policies especially the 20% across the board tax cut – ‘That’s not my plan – I never said that!’. The etch-a-sketch was really working well tonight for Mitt
There was one person, whose opinion I really respect, who thought Mitt did well tonight and that’s Steve Schmidt. When he says Romney won I start to worry.
October 3, 2012 at 8:29 pm
I am just glad that many on MSNBC had the guts to call this an epic Obama screw up. At first, I thought they may try to spin it, but Matthew’s meltdown summed it up perfectly. To my surprise, Ed was spot on. Steve Schmidt made Romney’s case perfectly. As a democrat, I was dumbfounded at Obama’s lackluster performance. Better luck next time Obama – until then, try growing a pair.
October 3, 2012 at 8:37 pm
Man Obama did not bring his A game at all. Romney won that, and big too.
October 3, 2012 at 8:38 pm
This was a different style of debate format than we’ve had in the past. Without interference from a panel of questioners, people who watched it will be interpreting for themselves the comparative strengths and weaknesses of the two candidates.
October 3, 2012 at 8:40 pm
Andersen Cooper loves making fun of CNN’s holograms.
October 3, 2012 at 8:42 pm
Candy Crowley stuck with a broken Axelrod, talking “bumps in the road”.
October 3, 2012 at 8:43 pm
When you have been surrounded by yes-men for 4 years, which all Presidents are, you just aren’t prepared for someone getting in your face. Exception was Reagan and his lifetime experience appearing in public. Especially when he worked for GE.
October 3, 2012 at 8:43 pm
Glad to see CNN is making good use of that new set of theirs. Interesting to follow their live polling as well, though the debate itself was frustrating if for no other reason than it wasn’t controlled in any way.
October 3, 2012 at 9:00 pm
I think they should use this debate style every presidential election. It wasn’t controlled because that’s how it was set up. For next time, might be better if they don’t use this style for the first debate.
October 3, 2012 at 9:00 pm
I think Romney just had his “You’re no Bill Clinton” moment.
October 3, 2012 at 9:01 pm
@jimgeraghty: “So we get to see the OBL kill photos tomorrow, right? “
October 3, 2012 at 9:06 pm
I think Romney just had his “You’re no Bill Clinton” moment.
Granted. Obama choked. Bad.
October 3, 2012 at 9:13 pm
@joshkaib
Obama was lucky that Jim Lehrer moderated. Someone actually looked more confused and out of place than he did. #debates2012
October 3, 2012 at 9:16 pm
NBC NEWS slant tomorrow : DEBATES DON’T REALLY MATTER!
Talking point : Did Lincoln-Douglas Debate prevent the Civil War? No… see what I mean…
October 3, 2012 at 9:16 pm
Ironic MSNBC is doing their post debate show outside the university where it’s only 10pm MT and there are only a few people standing in the background.
Even Chris Matthews is discussing if Romney got a game change moment.
October 3, 2012 at 9:17 pm
Some animals eat their own young… or mates… or tingle-makers
October 3, 2012 at 9:40 pm
The question is..did Romney overplay his hand. Obama comes in as the underdog now. Incumbents usually end up there. And usually come back..
October 3, 2012 at 9:42 pm
Actually ROCKY II is where underdog Rocky wins the title.
October 3, 2012 at 9:48 pm
It’s nearly impossible to get people to view a sitting president as an underdog without them also thinking he shouldn’t be president.
So many talking heads wondering why Obama didn’t use the “47%” thing. I’m really wishing he had done that because I think Romney was ready for it.
October 3, 2012 at 9:48 pm
So here’s something interesting that was brought up by The INB Lady Friend (it’s an impressive title, believe you me)… who works in marketing, and defines herself as left-of-center. A lot of folks are talking about Romney’s “Big Bird line” as a funny moment for him. However, according to what she’s been reading on Facebook, a lot of us 30-somethings, are not happy about that. The idea of cutting funding to PBS is one thing, but reminding folks that Sesame Street is PBS, and putting a face (Muppet faces count) to the proposal, could backfire.
Expect to see a lot of sad Muppets, and “remember when this was part of your childhood… Mitt Romney wants to take this away,” type ads/articles/comments. That line, while looked at positively now, could become an unforced error later in the week.
I thought that was an excellent point, especially from a marketing/spin perspective.
October 3, 2012 at 9:49 pm
Elle Grantham (@ModLibGrantham) Says:
October 3, 2012 at 8:29 pm
I am just glad that many on MSNBC had the guts to call this an epic Obama screw up.
Except for Rachel Maddow…
October 3, 2012 at 9:58 pm
Dem spinners are questioning the samples for the polling that shows Obama lost. Can’t tell you how much I love that.
October 3, 2012 at 10:02 pm
Oh – FNC is re-airing the debate. I saw Jim Lehrer sitting there before two empty podiums… ‘Hey buddy! It’s over. Go home already.”
October 3, 2012 at 10:05 pm
I feel for Lehrer. He watched a great debate, but he’s gonna get filleted for it.
October 3, 2012 at 10:15 pm
Can’t tell you how much I love that.
iRony
October 3, 2012 at 10:20 pm
Romney let the Clinton air out of Obama’s tires.
October 3, 2012 at 11:12 pm
Obama better pray for a strong second debate, as most incumbents perform. He got his a** handed to him tonight. No zingers. No nervous laughter. If they were waiting for that stuff, they got played. Big time. By a – in my words – “lousy politician”..
October 3, 2012 at 11:16 pm
I didn’t think he had it in him. The whole head-fake with “zingers” was priceless. He really did have some ‘zingers’, but not the way the press expected. ‘Trickle-down government’ is a keeper.
October 3, 2012 at 11:25 pm
I was wondering how long it would take for someone to accuse Romney of racism with the line about his 5 sons saying things over and over hoping they would come true. Rachel Maddow came close. She repeated Romney’s line then said, very slowly and seriously, Romney…comparing the president to one of his sons…
October 3, 2012 at 11:28 pm
Romney compared the President to a family member. That beast.
October 4, 2012 at 4:41 am
I personally have long been in favor of cutting the funding to Big Bird, letting it die, and feeding the roasted meat to the poor. With a side of fava beans.
October 4, 2012 at 5:38 am
The question is..did Romney overplay his hand. Obama comes in as the underdog now.
Judges? Yes, CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve just won the “Hope-tamistic Spin of the Night” award.
Obama is the sitting president. He is, by definition, NEVER the underdog.
October 4, 2012 at 5:40 am
Unlike everyone here I kinda felt like Rachel after the debate; I didn’t know who won. It wasn’t until I heard Steve Schmidt, and to a lesser extent Ed Schultz, give their opinions that I got a feel of where the pundits and spinners were going with the debate post-op.
I don’t think the results are quite as cut and dried as everyone thinks and certainly not te game changer that some of the more optimistic propose. My guess is it may have a small impact, for one party or the other, in the 8 or 9 swing states that really matter.
By the weekend we will know for sure and until then I’ll continue to hold the view I still don’t know who won.
October 4, 2012 at 5:57 am
So.. post debate – it’s all Jim Lehrer’s fault and he did a bad job moderating.
But… according to CNN last night Obama had between 3-4 minutes more of talking time. So, I guess he used his time even less effectively than thought, or flipped, Romney made great use of the time he had available to him.
October 4, 2012 at 6:08 am
We’re lucky Michael Moore didn’t have a heart attack last night!
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2012/oct/4/picket-michael-moore-obama-what-happens-when-u-pic/
fritz: “until then I’ll continue to hold the view I still don’t know who won.”
You can declare a debate winner and still say you will wait to see what effect it has long-term. You’re a such a hack for Obama you can’t even agree with Chrissy Matthews! Your guy lost and he’s just going to have to stop playing golf and basketball for a few weeks.
October 4, 2012 at 6:55 am
Gee pam I’m not allowed an opinion? I just said what I felt at the time. Yes I’m an Obama hack just like you are a Romney hack. Were both hacks; just for different politicians. Enjoy your victory and have a nice day.
October 4, 2012 at 7:02 am
But, but, but,..I thought I’ll “hold the view I still don’t know who won.”
So, now you are saying Romney was victorious? “Enjoy your victory..”
October 4, 2012 at 7:23 am
“So, now you are saying Romney was victorious?”
Not really, I still don’t know; although it’s certainly a possibility; maybe even a very good one.
I was just commenting on your opinion of what transpired last night. Maybe I should have said: ‘Enjoy, what you perceive is, your victory’. In any case I don’t want to argue with you about it; so enjoy your victory and have a nice day.
October 4, 2012 at 8:14 am
Obama is the sitting president. He is, by definition, NEVER the underdog.
You are, by example, not a student of presidential debates.
October 4, 2012 at 9:06 am
Well, Donna Brazile says Obama won, so maybe Fritz is on to something. She did tweet me once wondering if I had taken “nasty pills”, but she is hard not to like.
October 4, 2012 at 10:23 am
Interesting read. I was watching with some fascination from this side of the pond (2am start, ugh!) and thought that Mitt Romney came across ‘presidentially’ and that Barack Obama had none of his 2008 fight about him: with the possible exception of the President’s barbed comment about Romney’s difficulties in sitting down on Day 1 with Democrats at the same time as trying to dismantle Obamacare.
I’m going to be following from a British perspective on my blog: have a look at my thoughts ahead of last night’s debate: @tommygilchrist: Change we (still) believe in? http://t.co/keNP1iqF
October 4, 2012 at 8:38 pm
FNC scored 10.4 million viewers during the debate, beating broadcast and cable including demo. Fox News w/ Shepard Smith on the broadcast network added almost 7 million.
MSNBC’s 4.7 million plus NBC’s almost 10 million was also an impressive total. Since this was during the debate it may not have mattered much who the hosts were.
Anyway, makes me think the parent companies of CBS and ABC are at a disadvantage when it comes to getting eyeballs to watch newsworthy event coverage. Advertisement free so they prolly don’t give a rat’s.