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Political Hay
Romney’s Third Down Conversion
In which his debate performance was so strong that the author resorts to football clichés.
(Page 2 of 2)
The president stayed afloat during the campaign by constantly tossing out distractions. We’ve slogged through the war on women, gay marriage, Bain Capital, allegations of tax fraud, and Romney’s alleged commission of a first-degree murder. Throughout it all, Romney’s seemed stuck in neutral, unwilling or unable to shift the focus.
But debates are naturally substantive affairs. Obama can’t respond to a question on the deficit by pointing to the side and yelling, “Look, free birth control!” (Although he did lamely bring up tax breaks on corporate jets at one point.) Instead the president actually had to address economic reality, which he’s been fastidiously avoiding for the past ten months.
On CNN after the debate, John King wondered why the president didn’t talk up his usual points about how the economic looter Romney would hurt people and communities. The answer is: that was all a façade to begin with. President Obama has run a campaign thoroughly devoid of substance. Last night, Romney came armed with substance and the difference was clear.
It’s always hard to know how people will react to debates. (Although Chris Matthews, currently strapped to a table somewhere, was pretty easy to predict.) But as our own John Tabin pointed out last night, about a quarter of voters say the presidential debates could affect their vote. It’s hard to imagine Romney not seeing a modest bounce after tonight.
We’ve still got a long way to go. But given all the recent gloom about Romney’s poll numbers, last night was a great kickoff for the last month of the campaign.
All right, no more football.
About the Author
Matt Purple is The American Spectator’s assistant managing editor.
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drudge ette obama| 10.4.12 @ 7:02AM
Romney should have a zinger about Obama hurting the blender business - Obama wants wedding guests to donate their presents to his campaign - that hurts the retail sales numbers. Next Obama will want the 10% church tithes.
Alan Obama Fan Brooks | 10.4.12 @ 3:38PM
Here's another football cliche' (and cliche' itself is a cliche'):
before you give give Romney the Heisman Trophy, wait until he leaves office at the end of his second term.
Drunken Sailor| 10.4.12 @ 4:16PM
That's the best you got? Sad.
Alan Obama Fan Brooks | 10.4.12 @ 8:11PM
"That's the best you got? Sad."
Alrighty,
Romney can start writing his memoirs now
so he gets a jump on it-- is this good enough for you, Sailor?
Albert Constantine Jr.| 10.4.12 @ 8:40PM
Obama wrote two, before he became even a US Senator at age 43 (to the extent that a book full of fictional anecdotes with composite characters can be called a "memoir").
markenoff| 10.4.12 @ 6:30PM
Freshmen are eligible for the Heisman.
Alan Obama Fan Brooks | 10.4.12 @ 8:12PM
Goody gumdrops.
Appleby| 10.4.12 @ 7:03AM
The inspired move was instructing the audience to keep silence. Obama withered away without a cadre of chanting hippies to shout down the opposition by chants of Hey Hey Ho Ho (fill in the blank) has Got To Go...and the fact that Obama would not look Romney in the eye when Romney was talking, and that he was undeniably aware that Romney was continually staring at HIM ... the look on his face reminded me of my liberal sister when Dad was explaining why their current liberal position was unconstitutional. He did everything but roll his eyes and sigh.
Jacob McCandles| 10.4.12 @ 7:52AM
Ann Coulter just pointed out how much you would miss just listening to the debate vs watching it. Obama did look like Romney's kid being scolded, like he couldn't wait to get out of the room.
TLP| 10.4.12 @ 8:50AM
He never looked him in the eye, because it's harder to tell your lies that way.
Is there a Body Language Thingy person, out there?
Not that I'll hold my breath.
I'm still waiting to hear from a Citizenship Professional on the Citizenship Implications of a CHILD, with only One Parent that's a U.S. Citizen to begin with (The Atheist Communist one. Not the Muslim Marxist one) being ADOPTED by his Indonesian MUSLIM Step Father, and living in MUSLIM Indonesia, until the age of 11.
The eyes are The Window into the Soul.
The Muslim's Eyes are like the Shark's.
Cold. Black. Without Compassion. Without Remorse.
Just like his Soul.
Occam's Tool| 10.4.12 @ 3:52PM
Someone did a Primo Carnera analogy. Max Baer, a nice Jewish Boy, beat the crap out Carnera. Another non-Gentile did the same to Barack Obama last night. Yowza!
TLP| 10.4.12 @ 4:10PM
Contest, tomorrow.
Joellen| 10.4.12 @ 7:13AM
I was waiting for him to do an "Al Gore" move on Romney - but then I remembered, Obama rides a girly bike with a helmet on - no way we he would man up" to a real man.
Von Mises Jr| 10.4.12 @ 8:52AM
Talking about little girly men on pink bikes and a pink helmet, where is Perp today?
SUBVET| 10.4.12 @ 9:37AM
Jr.........................yesterday Rush said no matter what happens in the debate THEY will spin it that the mulatto WON.......and the polls will show a 5 point increase.
My book says "the truth will set you free".
TLP| 10.4.12 @ 11:18AM
Which is what makes last night, even Sweeter.
They can't spin this one.
Even these people, who have Zero Credibility, and 60% of the American People HATE THEIR GUTS, don't dare even Try and tell us that - What we saw last night didn't really happen the way we saw it - like they Always Do.
It was that Overwhelming.
Send me your Mailing Address and your Shirt Size.
These are Cotton Shirts, so you can get your size, and Hang it on the line, or you can get a Size Bigger, and throw it in the Dryer.
John Navratil| 10.4.12 @ 9:59AM
Von Mises Jr,
He's lamenting his Intrade losses. Romney, at 33% this morning.
Grumble - With out new anti-gambling rules, I couldn't get money to them in time - grumble.
TLP| 10.4.12 @ 4:17PM
Contest, tomorrow.
I understand that there will even be a Soft Porn Choice, as well as Regular Movies, Television Shows, and Cartoons.
Good Luck.
Dave Williams| 10.4.12 @ 12:23PM
WHO CARES???????????? I for one am REVELING in that cretin's absence.
Occam's Tool| 10.4.12 @ 3:55PM
No Purp, no Jack...deelightful.
TLP| 10.4.12 @ 4:18PM
COWARDS.
Is anyone Surprised?
CJW| 10.4.12 @ 4:04PM
Purpie is helping Joey Biden prepare for his debate with Ryan.
TLP| 10.4.12 @ 4:19PM
I heard that he was helping him with his Erectile Dysfunction.
TLP| 10.4.12 @ 4:21PM
Whoever went with Purp, to his Aids Test?
Please contact Joe Biden's Office.
lost| 10.4.12 @ 5:26PM
I think purp helped obama prepare for last night
Joellen| 10.4.12 @ 7:22AM
Also, I wonder what was trickling down Matthews leg last night after watching his man getting trounced with facts, figures and more facts. Oh, I pray Romney win, yes for the sake of the country, but also to see Matthews, Madow, MSNBC, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, the Times, etc. etc. crawl away into a hole never to emerge into the light again.
Von Mises Jr| 10.4.12 @ 8:51AM
The tingle in Matthew's leg turned to a pain in his ass.
SUBVET| 10.4.12 @ 9:38AM
I wonder if his sock got wet.............
abdulah| 10.4.12 @ 9:56AM
Sir, I must still this line for the Facebook..."Hat tip" to you.
Tom Kyba| 10.4.12 @ 12:36PM
Right on Joellen, it was nice to see Romney proving that he can only lose this race, Dumbo has no chance otherwise.
But it's absolutely delectible watching the Filth Stream Media gagging on their own bullcrap. I guess their chickens are coming home to roost.
tankrtrash| 10.4.12 @ 7:35AM
Obama spoke in the same generalities and talking points that he's used since the first time he ran for president, more teachers, leg-up to the middle class, green jobs, renewable energy...blah, blah, blah.
Romney spoke with passion on specific points and refused to let Obama get away with lies and misrepresentation. He projected a positive and uniquely American attitude about this country and the direction it needs to go that has been sorely missing for the last 4 years and, in the process, showed Obama for the peevis, empty chair/ suit that he is.
C. Vernon Crisler | 10.4.12 @ 8:03AM
Right, good analysis. I especially liked Romney's discussion of the Declaration of Independence, although explaining "pursuit of happiness" as caring for the poor was a bit odd. The more Romney shows familiarity with out founding documents and founding fathers, the better he will do.
TLP| 10.4.12 @ 8:38AM
If you've seen any of Eric Holder's People, wearing their Pants down below their @ss? That's Big Government. One size fits all. everybody gets the same, and Screw You if it doesn't fit. And, NO, YOU CAN't a belt. You're Too Stupid, and you might hurt yourself. Now, shut up and eat your Steamed Chimese Skunk Cabbage.
That "Style" is called Prison Chic, and it's all the Rage among the Bottom Feeders in the Black Community, who have pledged 98% of their Votes to the Guy who got B*tchslapped last night.
Remind me, again, why Black America has owned the Bottom Rung of Society's Ladder for the last 60 Years, while the Lowliest Dirt Farmer from Crapmypantastan can Swim over here from whereverthehell that place is, and Run Rings around Takeesha and Anfery?
Nature's D Student - The Black Community - is Exhibit A thru Z of why this Sh*t Sandwich that Bojangles is pushing, doesn't work.
Has Never Worked.
And, Never Will Work!
And, we will never work, again, if we don't get rid of President Kamikaze.
Ian Cognito | 10.4.12 @ 11:01AM
Thanks, you made me laugh and realize I'm not the only one who has researched differential psychology and learned genetics DO matter and the outcome of those genetics on IQ, ability, and performance are so glaringly apparent (no matter where you look) it requires a very intimidating punishment to force people to ignore their senses and pretend everything is equal in every way.
Curtis Rasmussen| 10.4.12 @ 3:25PM
No. My parents lived thru poverty and racism in the segregated south. They were smart enough to get out. Now, compared to the average American family, mine is relatively wealthy.
Minorities were upwardly mobile right up to the 60's because talented and successful people in the communities provided role models. Civil rights and desegregation allowed them to move away and they got the hell out, just like my parents. Government dependence mentality undermined the remainder.
I say that the undermining of the black community was done with intent. If that was not the case, then benefits should increase as the poor become more educated and find jobs that pay significantly better than welfare, after which the benefits should gradually reduce to nothing.
TLP| 10.4.12 @ 4:28PM
It WAS done with Intent.
The Black Community - Pre the Great Society - was a Thriving, God Fearing Community.
The left has Broken them, and Consigned them to a Life of Hopelessness, akin to an Animal raised for Slaughter.
It's not Genetics.
IT'S ON PURPOSE!
*enchante*| 10.5.12 @ 1:48AM
I'm disgusted at this: I remember reading somewhere that LBJ said that, If i put through the Civil Rights bill (the one that the republicans put through before) he would have niggers voting democrat for the next 200 years----it even fooled my dad and he wasnt easily fooled-----oh BTW, I ALSO believe that radical feminism destroyed the black family in a way, because it was marxist. When jobs were open to black men to feed their families, many feminist types got them simply because some of the white men knew their women and gave the jobs to them and 'white women wanted to leave the kitchen' since the 'quota' was filled, it locked blacks of either sex OUT.
*enchante*| 10.5.12 @ 1:53AM
I remember 40 years ago, that in a black neighborhood, they were giving CONDOMS TO THE 6th 7th and 8th graders--my cousin went to the school--they just thought blacks couldnt be moral and treat their women with respect--even 10 years before c/rap music. These silly people called Bill Clinton the 1st black president FOR THAT REASON---just because we couldnt 'keep it in the pants'---WHAT AN INSULT!
Curtis Rasmussen| 10.5.12 @ 12:34PM
Your logic is flawed, troll. What? Are you hoping to get people to agree with you and paint this whole blog as racist?
Von Mises Jr| 10.4.12 @ 9:01AM
In addition to smoking Obama on substance, the optics screamed out in favor of Romney.
Mitt apparently had an iPhone or Blackberry and often looked down to make a word or two note. But he is so bright that when he ticked off 5, 6 or 7 points in his rebuttal, he didn't even consult his own notes. It showed great mastery of absorbing facts and good decision making.
On the flip-side, Obama rambled often without even starting with a rebuttal of Mitt's point. I counted at times where Barry referenced 4 or 5 topics in one paragraph without even coming to a point on any thread. It was absolutely incoherent and embarrassing. It was painful to watch after the initial exhilaration of watching him drowning in a sea of facts and figures.
TruSkeptik| 10.4.12 @ 7:45AM
Reality is Obama's achilles heal. After 4 years as president, I sense that even he understands that he is neither up to the challenge not qualified to do the job. I would expect the same disinterest from him in the next two debates. He has nowhere to hide and he knows it, whether Chris Matthews understand that or not.
acix| 10.4.12 @ 11:23AM
"Reality is Obama's achilles heal."
This has to be one of the most descriptive and concise statements describing Obama I've ever seen. I will use it shamelessly if you don't mind. It says it all.
Obama can not work within reality and his record so he has to distract (war on women, Bain, tax returns, "the rich", etc, etc).
Dave Williams| 10.4.12 @ 12:28PM
Um, that would be "heel"....just sayin'.
*enchante*| 10.5.12 @ 1:58AM
Its not a REAL WAR ON WOMEN---war on women is mistreatment of women, like not paying them an equal wage or making women stay in a violent relationship: they are trying to be orwellian-the reality is, they think you should have the right to kill your unborn child so you could work at a cubicle for another 20 years, instead of having your kid, try to raise that kid to marry, and bring you GRANDCHILDREN to love==sorry for the run-on sentences--
spike59| 10.5.12 @ 6:49AM
the entire 'intellectual basis' of the Left's 'social justice' is this: nonwhites are inherently inferior and cannot possibly succceed without Massa Gubmint providing food, shelter, clothing, and a 50 yard 'head start'...it was GUARANTEED to keep them on the Democrat Plantation! the sad thing is, far too many have decided 'they're right...why bother trying?'
Minuteman78| 10.4.12 @ 9:20AM
My favorite moment was when Romney not only pointed out the oil companies get a mere $2.8B a year, he then blasted Obama for giving the 'greenies' FIFTY times that. And then he repeated that for good measure. Talk about a 1-2 punch. O-fluffo didn't know what hit him. Loved it. Can't wait for the Ryan-Biden one!
Minuteman78| 10.4.12 @ 9:22AM
Oh, and let's not forget, Romney got a whopping 67% "you won" rating. Highest ever since it's been tracked (1984). No one to date has cracked 60%. And a QUARTER of voters say the debates might matter? As Paul Ryan says, do the math, and 67% completion rate sounds like a Heisman to me!
TeaPartyNow| 10.4.12 @ 11:04AM
None of their punches really landed last night. No one cares how bad people screwed up, as much as we want to hear solutions. I think Romneys green energy subsidies comment would have been better if he hadn't repeated it. He comes off like a guy who is used to getting ignored. & he must be. Because people don't behave like that, unless they are accustomed to getting plowed over.
& we understand that a few billion isn't really that much any more anyway.
acix| 10.4.12 @ 11:34AM
Couldn't agree more. So many times Republicans never point out the hypocrisy and/or pointlessness of Democrat talking points.
Much like the relevant point that confiscating all the wealth of the top 1% would keep the government going for what 15 to 20 days or so, this point last night accomplished so much more : the fallacy of criticizing such a comparatively smaller amount of "breaks" (which by the way the oil companies have at least earned through production instead of being given them despite failure) and the utter failure of green energy, at least so far.
Who Knows?| 10.4.12 @ 10:18AM
Obama---Mr. "There's no there there"
Alej| 10.4.12 @ 10:39AM
A number of AS "pundits" here have bewailed Romney's lack of fire so far. I think he's been pacing himself. Last night he was the easy-going boa constrictor smiling at a petrified rabbit... I wouldn't be surprised if the tempo goes up in the following debates with more specific hammering at lies and America-hating actions on the part of the regime, with his eyes slitted a little more and the slightest hint of diplomatic steel in his voice. Hammer a subject, repeat, and then tell obama what he just told him, like scolding a bad child.
When Romney gets under obama's skin enough to make him stutter and lose his temper, it'll be all over but the shouting.
irish19| 10.4.12 @ 10:51AM
"the easy-going boa constrictor smiling at a petrified rabbit"
What a lovely mental image.
Cat Shot| 10.4.12 @ 1:26PM
FOUL! I love rabbits - they're quite intelligent, and if handled regularly, can be very affectionate. I suggest "the easy-going boa constrictor smiling at a petrified affirmative action stooge".
Drunken Sailor| 10.4.12 @ 4:35PM
Not to mention how tasty they are!
TeaPartyNow| 10.4.12 @ 10:55AM
He dis seem far more genuine last night than at the RNC. But he sounded so proud of Romney care, that he thinks every state should get socialized health care. & he can't have a plan until others (liberals) dictate to him what his plans will be.
I feel sorry for him. He is a Massachusetts liberal republican. He has had to pander to liberals, & now that is his only talent. He can never embrace the conservative agenda in public.
I personally find it disturbing, the fact that no one talk about how government unions are despotic, & violently marxist. & our public schools are deeply despotic, & violently fascist. Obamas' style has been dictatorship. As Romney correctly pointed out. But Romneys platform would suggest that he embraces dictatorship of things like making porn & abortion illegal. I agree that abortion should be illegal, but you can't bring it in through the back door like Romney is doing.
Romney is a panderer. It's because he's from Massachusetts. His plans were far to vague for any common person to get the gist of.
He did appear very genuine last night. I just wish he could be clear on his plans.
Frekki| 10.4.12 @ 11:18AM
So go vote for Obama. Really, do you find shit in every sandwich you eat?
Ian Cognito | 10.4.12 @ 10:56AM
You missed the best one - Lombardy said: Second place is first place loser. Ed DeBartolo said: Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser. Mitt said: Mr. President your policies don't pick the winners and losers - they only pick the Losers. Game. set, match...
Butch| 10.4.12 @ 2:37PM
I'm guessing that was one of his planned zingers, but it was a good one, and he delivered it really well. I think maybe the Mittster is a better actor than we all expected. Really good news.
markenoff| 10.4.12 @ 6:38PM
He stole that from me. I've been saying that the government only picks (economic) losers for years. And the examples in the US go back at least to the subsidized steamboat companies that Vanderbilt ran rings around. (Literally as Joe Biden would say. Meaning figuratively of course.)
Ian Cognito | 10.4.12 @ 11:07AM
LAstly, it's been evident to me for sometime Michelle is tired of being first lady. Obama's disinterest suggest he too is not happy with all attention pay him. He has to sneak away to be himself. All the other astute remarks about Obama notwithstanding he does not want the job anymore. It showed.
Appleby| 10.4.12 @ 11:21AM
Did your ears perk up when he promised his wife that next year they won't celebrate their anniversary "in front of 40 million people"?
I sat up and said "Whoa! Is that a concession speech?"
Kwan| 10.4.12 @ 11:07AM
Obama was obviously out of his element. He prefers to be speaking before crowds of mindless morons that are cheering and stomping their feet, as he tells one lie after another. Obama's Marxist policies have led to his Presidency being an abysmal failure, giving this communist bum another 4 years is insanity on steroids.
Appleby| 10.4.12 @ 11:22AM
Whoever told the audience to remain silent and sit on their hands ought to get a medal. That's what threw Teacher's Pet for a royal loop-de-loop.
PolishKnight| 10.4.12 @ 2:36PM
Appleby, not only that but imagine... while we couldn't see their faces as Obama sputtered and drowned, one can only imagine the feedback going on as his supporters (silently) expressed horror on their faces and Obama could see it in their eyes (and wonder what was going on beyond the cameras).
And there was nothing he could do about it. No friendly David Letterman to say: "Ok, let's cut to commercial!" Deer in the headlights, baby.
No doubt he's being told to be more aggressive next time around and that could backfire on him. This is the time for Romney to go from aggressive to playful. If Obama's veins throb as he proclaims: "Romney is sending jobs over to China!" Romney could playfully respond back: "At least I won't do it with stimulus money!"
In poker, there's two ways to play: aggressively (as Romney just did) or setting a trap. I hope he's advised to set the trap, lay down the leaves and twigs, and wait for Obama to stumble in...
Moe Blotz| 10.4.12 @ 11:08AM
Mr. Purple, my friend the Wordmonger suggests you write through it all, or throughout. Never throughout it all.
OregonBuzz| 10.4.12 @ 2:15PM
At last! The world got to see the real Obama without his teleprompter and ear bugs. We now clearly see him for the inept fool he has always been. On top of that he was forced to play the statist/Marxist hand that he has tried in vain to keep concealed.
Let's not get fooled again.
clemsberry| 10.4.12 @ 8:23PM
i'm so happy...mitt on 3,,,1.2.3 MITT....
Kingofthenet| 10.4.12 @ 8:24PM
What are you Conservatives celebrating, the shaking of the 'Etch-a-Sketch' and the appearance of Liberal Mitt 2.0? I liked a lot of what mitt said myself, but I am a Liberal, I can't imagine i would be pleased if my man, The President WON the debate spectacularly by running to the right of Richard Cheney? It it that you think all this Lib talk by Mitt is a ploy? How can you tell?
*enchante*| 10.5.12 @ 1:40AM
I believe though I may be wrong, is that this election seems a little like 1960--apperances. Kennedy was nice looking compared to Nixon BUT this is the 1st time we had a pres AND vice pres look as good as they do; being in good shape and BOTH having DARK HAIR----LOL