This was entirely predictable. In fact, Marty Kaplan's September 24th Huff Post blog Romney Wins First Debate nailed it:
You might think that Romney's plastic performances in the primary debates will make it challenging to give him high marks for his one-on-ones with Obama, but debates are graded against expectations. By now we are so used to seeing him as a robot, an empty suit, a high school bully, an Etch-a-Sketch panderer, a Monopoly caricature, a contemptuous elitist, an out-of-touch opportunist, OK I'll stop, that anything he does in the debates to counter that image will be greeted by the media with thunderstruck awe. It's alive! It's alive!
Sure, Romney had a good night. Meaning he didn't appear to be a doofus. He didn't make any monumental flubs. Yes, he lied like a rug. But in the immediate aftermath of a debate, that doesn't matter. He appeared on the same stage as Obama and didn't embarrass himself. Look, he's just as tall as Obama! Look, he seems like a real human being!
And sure, Obama didn't seem at his best. But people, people, people. HE DIDN'T HAVE TO BE.
This first debate is one to be survived by the incumbent. The format played to Romney's strengths and Obama's weaknesses. You could imagine Mitt as President (much as it nauseates me - I mean if W could be presidential, anyone can be). So that's a net win for him.
Now, I have been critical in the past that the President doesn't always fight with the vigor he should. He has at times been slow to step up the attack and call out the opposition. And, as Kos points out, he needs to be better next time.
But I'm not standing with the MSNBCers who think Obama should have called Mitt on the 47% or called him a liar or brought up his tax returns and off-shore accounts. That might have felt satisfying in the moment. But it is not a winning strategy for this president. It would have diminished him and made him look churlish.
Plus, the debate doesn't happen in a vacuum. There are plenty of opportunities to remind people that what Mitt says in public doesn't jibe with what he says in private. And there is plenty of video and facts that can be used to debunk his debate statements.
Here's the key: President Obama didn't give anyone any reason to move from supporting him to supporting the Mittster. And in the end, the power of incumbency is real and persuasive.
So we will have to ride out the inevitable proclamations: It's a Real Horse Race Now! The Race is Tightening - Obama's in Trouble! Cliffhanger!
But let's keep this all in perspective. Let's use this as motivation to avoid complacency and double down on our GOTV efforts. Let's work to give President Obama a Senate and House he can work with.
Because, come election day, we'll have four more years to change the course of the country.