It is very obvious from the debate performance that Obama missed several great opportunities to convert 100% of the American populance when he may have just got a paltry 55% or so. Shameful. Absolutely pathetic. As I saw his smooth delivery and pointed statements, his congeniality and ability to engage everyone including his opponent, I was convinced immediately that he had lost the debate and BADLY.
- He was TOO nice: Really, how nice was he? He didn't FIGHT enough! He didn't ARGUE enough. The white working class folks in PA will never connect with someone who doesn't sock his opponent in the jaw. They like it when their presidential candidate does that. I think Obama missed a HUGE opportunity here. He should have body slammed McCain into the podium and then to ensure he didn't lose the white middle class voters of Ohio, he should have hauled the moderator and thrown him off the stage into the audience. That would have TOTALLY won him the debate.
- He didn't speak in short soundbites: Most US Americans cannot comprehend sentences that are more than two sylables, so Obama should have not spoken at all. He should have spoken in a combination of pointing, and emotionally delivered grunts combined with catch words. Like point to self say "veterans" and grunt in a loveable but gruff manner. That would have TOTALLY won him the debate.
- He didn't use stories: WTH is his problem. America LOOOOVES stories! Another HUGE missed opportunity for him. I would suggest the screenplay of Godfather or Die Hard. Men- that critical unscrutable swing vote would have loved that. And if he had done his own stunts, he would have TOTALLY won the debate.
- He seemed too soft on terror: Cannot have that. He was TOO POSITIVE damit. We need to scare the beejesus out of every American citizen. All this talk of diplomacy is for pussies. He should have brought in a puppy, named it Mahmoud and then set it on fire to show he is not for tyrants. Then, to ensure he gets the critical CHICKENHAWK vote, he should have set a kitten on fire to ensure he gets the message across that he is not soft on cute, cuddly, innocent creatures either. That would have TOTALLY won him the debate.
- He did'nt seem to have LIVED those moments, only to have read about them: Easy to solve. He lies. It is acceptable. His opponent did way better than he did in terms of lying about both their records, so Obama should have LIED about his personal background. I think SAVING PRIVATE RYAN would have been a great story to own as his own. Except- instead of just saving a Private, he should also say he found the Holy Grail. THAT would have TOTALLY won him the debate.
- He seemed too defensive: I completely think that when McCain brought up lies like Obama voted to tax families making less than 40K, he should have said: "McCain, and you can verify this- burned the American flag right after having gay sex with illegal immigrants ad three muslim potential terrorists". Sure, the fact checks would prove him wrong, but America doesn't care about fact checks. Debates are won or lost at the podium dammit!! That would create doubts in the minds of voters and would have TOTALLY won him the debate.
- There was no fire: Where was the fire? I mean, he should have shown FIRE. There was no FIRE! Where was the FIRE dammit? I went there looking for FIRE not words. If he had brought in some FIRE then he would have totally won the debate. Of course, the TV crews and audience would have had to leave the building, but who cares? He would have TOTALLY won the debate.
Overall, because Obama didn't do EXACTLY what I think he ought to have done, he lost the debates. It is very clear that this was a MISSED opportunity.