We made it through the first debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney ...
Conventional wisdom is that Romney won the evening...He was assertive (I would say he was a offensive, but that's me. I think that Mitt is a dick and he only reinforced that notion for me), he was loaded with facts (the majority of which were half truths or out right lies...I still don't understand how his tax plan adds up...this is without doing any substantive analysis) and he was specific (now we all know how Romney plans to cut the deficit and balance the budget---throw Big Bird under the bus...hell, that should lead to a surplus).
As has been the case throughout this campaign, the President refuses to defend his record---he touched a little bit on the lie that the ACA guts Medicare (but, he didn't refute the claim hard enough), he didn't explain in sufficient detail the amount of the deficit that existed when he came into office (this isn't blaming anyone, its called the truth) and why/how the deficit has expanded during his administration (based on most reports that I have read, the Stimulus was in fact a success-enable the American public to understand this fact...this is your freaking job Mr. President!). Additionally, the President didn't call Romney out sufficiently for his inconsistencies and blatant lies.
I don't get it. I seriously doubt that the debate changed the minds for the overwhelming majority of voters, but in many ways, the conversation has changed from the tactical incompetence of Romney (which I do believe) to the ineptness of the President's debate performance. One pundit on Morning Joe (a show that I pretty much loathe) stated that his 8 year old daughter asked during the debate why the President was so angry...I wish!!!!!!!
I understand that the President and his advisors may have wanted him to appear above petty politics, a strategy that is laudable...to a point. It is also likely that the President is not a huge fan of the debate format...But neither of these reasons are a justification for the President's performance. I didn't want him to act like Romney (who came across to me as someone with a pocket full of b.s. on note cards, each of which he was dying to repeat to the audience).
This is part of my frustration with President Obama...we saw it in 2010 when he and the Democrats ran as fast as they could from the ACA and the Stimulus...at the DNC, the President relied on surrogates (most notably, former President Clinton) to make the case for a second term for President Obama. Like I said, I doubt that many minds were changed (honestly, at this point, I would really like to meet these alleged "swing voters"), but it sure as hell would be nice to see the President stand up and defend his own record.