Obama's debate performance, the "I know best" lack of defense of US working Americans was emblematic of his presidency that saw the once in lifetime opportunity of a great crisis and public support and political power to make real changes. Or even make the minor changes Obama promised like Public Option health care reform, no Bush Tax cut extension, no deals with lobbyists, no dumb wars and no "drill baby drill". Obama knew best, broke his promises, failed to provide an substantive change despite the critical need and majority Congress.
The debate was a microcosm of the convoluted rationalization Obama has used for his failed "bipartisan" government of lobbyist deals, reupping Bush tax cuts, oil wars at home and abroad to support a "drill baby drill" policy.
Obama punted the opportunity of winning reelection just as he punted the opportunity to make real and necessary changes.
Obama deserves to lose.
But US doesn't deserve the alternative, the vulture capitalist Romney and a GOP majority that would likely deliver the death blow to US economy after 30 years of hard body punches from Reagaonomics, the deadly combo of tax cuts for rich, deregulation of corporate raiders from Wall St to Gasoline Alley and the 20 years of oil wars to feed the oil dependent, wrecked economy.
So we trudge to the polls to vote for Obama, knowing he deserves to be given the boot but knowing the real jackboot of GOP Reaganomics ideology will likely kill us.