Light On Dark Water

The Debate

If you watched it…or far that matter if you didn't watch it…feel free to post your reaction. 

I thought Romney did quite well. I think this is the first time I've watched a Republican candidate in one of these circus acts who didn't make me cringe for him. I don't know whether this improved his chances or not, but I have a better opinion of the sort of president he would be than I did before the debate. I think he'd be a reasonably competent one, within the limits of what a president can do and what the country will accept. 

Maclin Horton
,

16 responses to “The Debate”

  1. Marianne

    I’ve always thought well of Romney. I was living in Massachusetts when he was governor and was impressed by his efforts to work with those “across the aisle.” I know many conservatives deplore that, but I think it’s a good thing.

    Reply
  2. Marianne

    Forgot to say that I also don’t recall him saying or doing mean-spirited stuff — one of the things that has bothered me a lot during the Obama presidency.

    Reply
  3. Janet

    I thought pretty much the same, Maclin, although I don’t really remember past debates. I think maybe I didn’t watch them. I find it very interesting the way that Public Radio is downplaying the debate. You know, Romney was well-prepared and people who don’t really know Romney will think he did a good job. Then we have a recording of Obama saying something–making his one point of the evening, I guess–and a blurb about Romney mostly talking about his plan for jobs. The recording, etc., may have been on a different station.
    AMDG
    AMDG
    AMDG

    Reply
  4. Mac

    I’m seeing a lot of headlines this morning saying that Romney “won,” whatever that means. “people who don’t really know Romney will think he did a good job.” Good ol’ NPR.
    The “working across the aisle” thing came up in the debate several times, actually. Romney said he would do it and Obama said, approximately, “Good luck with that when you try to repeal Obamacare.”
    That Obama has a mean streak has been often remarked by the right-wing press. Probably less so by the left/mainstream press.:-)
    I guess the thing that was refreshing to me about watching Romney is that he seemed so much more intelligent and competent than, say, Bush II. Watching him in a debate was just excruciating. Say what you will about Romney’s career, stupid people generally don’t make it in the high-powered business circles.

    Reply
  5. Janet

    Well, in a CNN poll, 67% of viewers said that Romney won and 26% chose Obama.
    “‘No presidential candidate has topped 60% in that question since it was first asked in 1984,’ says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.” That’s here: http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/political/cnn-poll-most-watchers-say-gop-nominee-mitt-romney-debate-winner-over-president-barack-obama
    35% said the debate made them more likely to vote for Romney–18% for Obama.
    That looks like a pretty decisive win, and there’s more in the article.
    AMDG

    Reply
  6. Mac

    A blog post at National Review:
    “Last night revealed that Republicans have their first articulate presidential candidate since Reagan in 1984. After McCain, W., Dole, and Bush 41, we finally have someone who is able to make coherent and sustained arguments and effectively rebut the other side.”
    http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/329428/finally-john-fonte

    Reply
  7. Mac

    Looks like the Democrats have settled on the theme that Romney won by lying.

    Reply
  8. Mac

    Also, they’re zeroing in on a remark Romney made in passing about things he would cut: he said he would even cut PBS, although he likes Big Bird. I looked in on Facebook earlier and two diehard lefties of my acquaintance were sounding that theme: “he wants to fire Big Bird.” And on the Google News headline list I see two about Romney vs. Big Bird, e.g. the Christian Science Monitor earnestly proving that eliminating PBS would not balance the budget.

    Reply
  9. Louise

    Big Bird got more tweets than any other topic. Bottom line: don’t even joke about messing with Sesame Street 🙂

    Reply
  10. Louise

    I liked Romney’s remark about having 5 sons, so he’s used to people saying things over and over again, but that doesn’t make it true. (Or words to that effect).
    I have 4 sons myself (well, one is just a toddler who doesn’t speak properly) so I could identify.
    That got me thinking: there are a lot of people in the public sphere who could really use some cognitive therapy. Repeating lies over and over… it’s not good for anyone’s health.

    Reply
  11. Mac

    And Romney wasn’t even joking about messing with SS.
    Well, the Dems definitely seem to have decided on a strategy. Top stories on CNN right now: “Obama accuses Romney of dishonesty” and “Will Big Bird Get Pink Slip?”

    Reply
  12. Louise on the iPod

    See now, that threat to Sesame Street has probably lost Romney the election, Obama’s poor debating skills notwithstanding.
    Do Not Mess With Big Bird

    Reply
  13. Louise on the iPod

    I’d like to know what lies Romney told…

    Reply
  14. Mac

    Oh, it’s a very tiresome game. Anything they disagree with is potentially a “lie.” Romney says taking action A will produce result B. They disagree. Conclusion: Romney is lying. They assert some inconsistency, real or imagined, between something Romney said last night and something he said a month ago. Conclusion: Romney is lying.

    Reply
  15. Art Deco

    he seemed so much more intelligent and competent than, say, Bush II.

    Channelling Thomas Sowell here, I suspect you are confounding intelligence with articulateness. It is that family. People have forgotten that listening to his father could be a painful experience. The son was much less of a whirligig. (Papa tended to be more capable than the son in most every sphere, however).

    I think if you sort through the whole thing, Romney’s fiscal programme is largely nonsense (for advertising purposes). I will cast a ballot for him because I think he is capable of drafting a serious fiscal plan, which the incumbent is not.

    Reply
  16. Mac

    seemed more intelligent. I used that word deliberately. I quite agree about the difference between intelligence and articulateness–what I meant to be saying was that he was able to appear that way. Neither Bush is stupid, but unfortunately if you can’t express yourself you’re going to come across as less bright than someone who is, at least at first glance. I’m sure it won’t come as news to you that Bush’s academic record was actually a little better than Gore’s.
    Is the economic program even a coherent program at this point? I suppose I could trouble myself to look at his web site and perhaps find out.

    Reply

Leave a comment

Instagram / TikTok / X

Designed with WordPress