Debate Musings
Next up on the presidential campaign schedule: debate season!
The first debate between Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama will take place in less than a week, next Wednesday. The inside-the-Beltway chattering class has decided that the first debate is Mitt Romney's last chance to turn the tide and get the public on his side heading into the election. Of course, the second and third debate will also be billed in exactly the same fashion ("It's make-or-break time, folks!") because more conflict means more viewers.
Romney is certainly feeling the pressure, and may be on the attack in the first debate. Most of the complaints about his campaign have been coming from the conservative side of the commentariat, so he's got to show his base some moxie to revitalize them. So goes the conventional wisdom, at any rate.
Other conventional wisdom states that Romney is in the best shape possible for the upcoming debates, since he participated in so many during primary season. Barack Obama, on the other hand, hasn't faced an opposition debater in four years. What is overlooked by this easy read, however, is that Obama has had four years to practice "being presidential" -- an intangible thing that will be one of the yardsticks the public measures the two men by while on stage together.
The debate format will be an interesting one. So interesting it lured Jim Lehrer out of "retirement" as presidential debate moderator, because Lehrer will basically be in complete control of whatever happens. Each candidate will get a few minutes to make their case, and then there will be an 11-minute free-for-all, where only Lehrer sets the rules. This could be interesting, to say the least. No little buzzers or bells for "time's up," and no squabbling about stupid debate rules. Of course, it could spin wildly out of control, and become nothing more than a glorified screaming match (see: the entire cable television news universe). I doubt this will happen, as neither man seems to especially enjoy such shouting (unlike, say, Michelle Bachmann, for instance), but the possibility of such will be hovering over the entire evening.
The pundits will, as pundits do, try to reduce the entire evening to a single soundbite or quip from both men. An hour and a half is just way too long for punditary attention spans, so they'll be on the prowl for the "gotcha" moments, as usual.
Armies of partisans on both sides of the political divide will advance immediately following the debate to make the claim that their guy "won" the debate. Whichever side has to wildly spin this story will be judged, the next morning, to have "lost" the debate.
An enormous number of Americans will tune in, some of them only to see the "gotcha" moments themselves. Very few minds will be changed, no matter how the debates go, in all likelihood.
I will be watching all four debates (three presidential, one veep), and be sharing my own thoughts on the performances, but before we get there, I'll probably be writing at least one "what I'd ask if I ran the debate" column. So, to end this meandering excuse for a column, I thought I'd toss it out to all of you: what would you ask either Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, or both men if you got to pick the questions for the debates?
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
It's rather ironic that BOTH candidates have already been trying to downplay the significance of the debates....
It's like they are ceding the debate even before it happens...
So, to end this meandering excuse for a column, I thought I'd toss it out to all of you: what would you ask either Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, or both men if you got to pick the questions for the debates?
President Obama. Why do you feel it is necessary to make personal attacks on Mitt Romney, rather than talk up about your record?? Americans are sick and tired of the negativity... Would you think it wise to follow Thumper's Mother's advice??? "If you can't say something nice.... Don't say nuthin at all."
Governor Romney. Why have you never served in the United States Armed Forces??? If you are going to be a commander of men, wouldn't it behoove you to have served in a uniformed capacity? Sure, you have lead men and women in business. But I can assure you with personal experience that it's a far cry to send out a secretary for a cup of coffee as opposed to sending a squad of men out to die.. Do you have the balls to make the tough calls???
Michale.....
i would ask each what they would tell a member of the opposing party who was considering voting for them. we'd like know whether or not each could be trusted to serve the interests of ALL americans, not just certain factions within their respective parties.
we'd like know whether or not each could be trusted to serve the interests of ALL americans, not just certain factions within their respective parties.
Very good point.
Candidate Obama said that there are no red states, there are no blue states there are just a UNITED States...
President Obama said he would buy everyone in the room a beer. Except the guy holding the Romney sign... How childish and immature..
Michale.....
CW
The inside-the-Beltway chattering class has decided that the first debate is Mitt Romney's last chance to turn the tide and get the public on his side heading into the election. Of course, the second and third debate will also be billed in exactly the same fashion ("It's make-or-break time, folks!") because more conflict means more viewers.
2 days after the debate is the Sept job report in which the unemployment rate is expected to drop to either 8 or 7.9%. If Romney doesn't trounce Obama in the debate and this happens it's over... Although Romney is now lingering at 21% on In-Trade - the debate might be too late!
What would you ask either Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, or both men if you got to pick the questions for the debates?
Excellent. I'd focus on deficit reduction since it baffles me that Romney is ahead of Obama in the polls on this:
Romney: If you don't want America to become like Greece, why are you proposing massive tax cuts? You do realise that Greece is Greece because they didn't tax many of their citizens?? Why on earth would you think austerity would work in America when it has almost destroyed the Euro economies?
Obama: You say you want to end the Bush tax cuts and increase taxes on the wealthy. You also said this in 2008. If the Republicans filibuster you again, which is highly likely, how do you plan on getting this passed this time when you couldn't before? Can you make a pledge that you will not make any cuts to social security or any programs that help the poor?
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/sep/27/obama-focuses-on-campagning-fundraising/?page=all#pagebreak
Have to wonder what the Left would say if Bush had kept this kind of schedule in 2004..
Once again, nope. We don't really have to wonder, do we?? :D
Michale.....
Didn't Bush spend half of his Presidency at Camp David?
I'm pretty sure the incumbent in almost every single election is attacked for spending too much time campaigning. It's an easy attack line. Especially when his record is 'so bad' that you can't find something among the 'badness' to criticise lol.
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2012/09/28/us/politics/now927/now927-blog480.jpg
Pretty nice graphic showing Romney's demise since the DNC/Libya/47%...
Pretty nice graphic showing Romney's demise since the DNC/Libya/47%...
My article beats your article. :D
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/28/obama-miscalculated-politics-terrorism-389370923/
Michale....
Lol yes my statistical analysis of the election compared to Fox News Obama bashing. Yours trumps mine lolol.
The Fox spin on their OWN polls is just fantastic though: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/27/fox-news-poll-most-voters-want-change-even-as-obama-holds-edge/?test=latestnews
Although this is definitely something from the Fox poll that you should heed Michale and I did try to point out yesterday: "By a 31-point margin, voters are more worried about what could happen to the country if something isn’t done about the national debt than the possibility of a terrorist attack (57-26 percent)"
Michale
You might like this. Here is an archive from 2004 showing Democrats complaining about polling techniques and samples etc when polls showed Kerry behind Bush: http://www.thedemocraticstrategist.org/donkeyrising/2004/10/
Although they were much closer than Obama and Romney are just now...
"By a 31-point margin, voters are more worried about what could happen to the country if something isn’t done about the national debt than the possibility of a terrorist attack (57-26 percent)"
Yes, the economy is numero uno this election, no doubt about it.
But Obama's Libya debacle has shown that Obama's Foreign Policy Prowess was nothing more than a Paper Tiger..
Much the same as we discovered after Reagan won the Cold War that the Soviet Army wasn't all that big o threat we thought it was...
Will it trump the economy?? Doubtful..
But it IS a black mark against Obama, no two ways about it..
Michale.....
Michale
Yes, the economy is numero uno this election, no doubt about it.
As I have from the very beginning, I couldn't agree more.
But it IS a black mark against Obama, no two ways about it.
This is true, at least in terms of the election. He has lost points in the foreign policy department in polls since the Libya fiasco. Whether he will make them back when it's forgotten remains to be seen.
Luckily (yet again!) for him, Romney handled the whole thing so badly he may have lost more points had Romney not put his foot in his mouth. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Obama is a lucky guy. They say you make your own luck but when Republicans elected Romney/Ryan as their ticket Obama won the lottery...
I would ask Gov. Romney this:
_________
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina expressed a serious concern many of in this country have, this way, as reported by the Washington Post: "We're not generating enough angry white guys to stay in business for the long term."
Yet, you seem to be personally dismissive of the groups in the nation which might be tapped to supplement the reduced rate of production of angry white guys.
My question is this: "Do you think your economic policies will be onerous enough to the lower middle class, and can still be blamed sufficiently on the Democrats, to spur the needed production of angry white guys?
_________
It is written: Six days shalt thou perseverate upon politics, but the Friday is the Fish Fry, and thou shalt say only, 'ah, what the fack.'"
Lolol nice question LB
I have to make one more comment even though it's Friday:
You never, ever, come out ahead by attacking the First Lady of the United States.
Goes across party, and era. From Mamie Eisenhower to Michelle Obama, they are at best Their Own Woman, and at worst the admirably long suffering saint from standing by That A$$hole.
Now, on a quick "look at the pictures" check of HuffPo, there are two stories: one a dredged up interview with a bigot given to NPR a month ago. The other, Fox deriding Mrs. Obama for her role in changing the nutritional mandate of federally supported school lunches.
The first just shows how politically stupid it is: that ancient interview serves the requirement for today's news cycle to paint the Republicans as culturally distasteful and hateful.
The second, I think, shows how empty the cupboards are getting over at Fox. Because they know better.
Don't worry LB I'm still waiting for them to start discussing this 'bad record' that they've been telling people Obama has. Apparently the 'bad record' is so bad it's not worth discussing at all, so let's discuss Michale Obama/an Obama video from 14 years ago etc instead!
T'was the night before elections,
And all thru' the town,
Tempers were flaring
Emotions ran up and down.
I, in my bathrobe
With a cat in my lap,
Had shut off the TV,
tired of political crap.
When all of a sudden,
There arose such a noise,
I peered out my window,
Saw Obama and his boys
They had come for my wallet,
They wanted my pay
To hand out to others
Who had not worked a day!
He snatched up my money,
And quick as a wink,
Jumped back on his bandwagon
As I gagged from the stink.
He then rallied his henchmen
Who were pulling his cart.
I could tell they were out
To tear my country apart!
'On Fannie, on Freddie,
On Biden and Ayers!
On Acorn, on Pelosi'
He screamed at the pairs!
They took off for his cause,
And as they flew out of sight,
I heard him laugh at a nation
Who wouldn't stand up and fight!
So I leave you to think on this one final note...
IF YOU DON'T WANT SOCIALISM GET OUT AND VOTE !!!!
SOMEONE has too much time on their hands... :D
Michale.....
[18]
Michale wrote: T'was the night before elections ...
Infinitely better than that Samuel L. Jackson video where they have a pre-teen girl yelling 'Wake The F*ck Up' at the end.
What the F*ck were they thinking? Sometimes the Democrats are as insufferably dense and dumb as their counterparts.
Non-sequitur, but it's just such an amazingly well-reasoned explanation of my own view that i can't resist posting:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-faux/education-wall-street_b_1919727.html
What the F*ck were they thinking? Sometimes the Democrats are as insufferably dense and dumb as their counterparts.
Couldn't agree more...
Sign of desperation??
Or simply bad judgement...
It looks like Team Obama is going out of their way to turn off Independents and NPAs...
Michale.....
What the F*ck were they thinking? Sometimes the Democrats are as insufferably dense and dumb as their counterparts.
Another interesting point.
If *I* had posted this verbatim, I bet I would have had a dozen comments telling me how utterly wrong I am... :D
Michale.....
Michale
We've had this conversation many times but again you completely misunderstand campaigns and adverts.
You know the SJ video has nothing to do with Team Obama right? You know when videos say 'I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message' this means it is a 'Team Obama' video? And you know those are held to higher standards than super-pac crap?
In other news, I liked this post on MJ about 11 Questions for Romney on his taxes: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/10/tax-questions-debate-mitt-romney-obama