Obama vs. Romney, head to head in Denver
————————
9:03: And … they’re off, from the Magnus Arena in Denver. May the best candidate win.
9:15: Obama’s off-base on the claim that Romney proposes another $5 trillion in tax cuts. Romney’s right — with deductions reduced, the tax cut would not be anywhere near that large. Of course, Romney hasn’t explained WHICH deductions, and the deductions in play could not eliminate all or close to all of that $5 trillion …
9:22: Romney doing well, I think. Obama on the defensive.
9:31: Obama brings up Romney’s position in the primary that he would not accept $10 in budget cuts for $1 in revenue increases. A telling point.
9:34: Romney again rules out revenue increases absolutely. That makes progress against the deficit and the debt impossible. It makes the scale of cuts in Medicare and Medicaid and other programs, including defense, impossible to sustain. But Obama is not making that argument well.
9:48: Romney put more time into preparation, and it shows. Obama is missing opportunities.
9:51: Romney endorses the need for regulation. He is making the transition from primary to general election that he had not previously made.
9:57: Romney hints at the “death panel” argument, then lauds his own state version of ObamaCare.
10:04: Obama continues to leave opportunities on the table.
10:09: Romney beating on the “death panel” angle. All Obama needs to say is: “Governor, the plan that you implemented in Massachusetts has an identical panel that does the exact same thing.” But he does not.
10:18: Again, Romney better prepared and Obama is oddly passive, failing to strike at his opponent’s vulnerabilities. A strong night for the former governor of Massachusetts. A weak performance by the incumbent.
————————
With Barack Obama holding a sturdy if somewhat narrow lead of three to four points in the polls, and a broader lead in most electoral college projections, he and Republican challenger Mitt Romney meet tonight in Denver for the first of three presidential debates.
Typically, these events have the air of a Vegas prize fight. But having covered a few of those fights, I can tell you that there’s one big difference. In boxing, both camps boast endlessly beforehand about the whupping that their guy is going to put on the unlucky sap across the ring. Political handlers play just the opposite game, trying to underplay their man’s chances.
In recent days, it’s also been interesting to see Romney start to add some details to a previous vacuum of specifics, revealing that as president he would honor the two-year waiver granted to illegal immigrants brought here as children, and that he would limit more affluent taxpayers to $17,000 in deductions to at least partially offset his proposed 20 percent reduction in tax rates. I suspect that debate preparations convinced his camp that going into tonight without such details would have left him too exposed.
So stay tuned.
– Jay Bookman
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850 comments Add your comment
Billybob
October 3rd, 2012
10:01 pm
steve,
that’s why i suggested turning off tv after debate
scott
October 3rd, 2012
10:01 pm
and THAT was a STATE-run healthcare system….NOT a FEDERAL government system
getalife
October 3rd, 2012
10:01 pm
Beat him on health care.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 3rd, 2012
10:02 pm
The rammed down our throat lies by Mitt…..
scott
October 3rd, 2012
10:03 pm
doing a good job of communcating the differences. Mitt should have said he did it from a state level because it is a STATE’S right constitutionally
barking frog
October 3rd, 2012
10:03 pm
Romney + on delivery
Obama + on content
USMC
October 3rd, 2012
10:03 pm
OBAMA… The Great Divider!
Steve-USA "None of the Above"
October 3rd, 2012
10:03 pm
What time does the end?
Yes…I could Google it but cut me a break.
Thulsa Doom
October 3rd, 2012
10:03 pm
Mitt is right. Sears just dropped coverage and the parent of Red lobster, Applebees, and other restaurants just dropped coverage yesterday. Lots of people are going to lose coverage under Obamacare. Plain and simple.
scott
October 3rd, 2012
10:04 pm
how is a FEDERAL plan the same as a STATE’S plan?
Steve-USA "None of the Above"
October 3rd, 2012
10:04 pm
I forget debate….when does the debate end. Ooops.
Simple Truths
October 3rd, 2012
10:04 pm
I’ll give Jay credit if he just hangs in until the end of this crap debate.
Billybob
October 3rd, 2012
10:04 pm
‘how to cooperate’…translation means do what i say…..statist alert
here comes social darwinism…..it’s getting ugly for obama….over his head people
getalife
October 3rd, 2012
10:05 pm
Listen to the fact checkers after the debate.
bman
October 3rd, 2012
10:05 pm
Steve .. .. I believe it’s 90 minutes
Mark in mid-town
October 3rd, 2012
10:05 pm
I think Obama is doing fine, but Romney is clearly on another level. This is the real Mitt Romney that most of the country has been shielded from by the corrupt liberal msm. In essence, Romney’s overseas trip performance a while back was near as impressive if viewed in totality, but because the msm had the ability to just near completely bury that, they created a narrative that it was one gaffe after another by Romney. Impossible for them to do that with tonight’s debate as they’re unable to filter what the American people see the way they did with regard to Romney’s foreign trip. Even Bookman is at a loss to try and spin Romney’s performance in a negative way. I suspect that will change once instructions are received from Party Central.
Erik veteran
October 3rd, 2012
10:05 pm
Mitt is overwhelmingly winning this debate, he is using facts and speaks very well and consistent, as were obama pauses and doesnt answer most questions directly hes too buisy wasting time trying to relay stories about people he met for 5 minutes and his poor dear grandmother. obama is a millionare why is is grandmother poor..? doesnt he care..? just saying he makes it seem like his granny is living in a straw hut surviving on breadcrumbs.
Jm
October 3rd, 2012
10:05 pm
Libs have evacuated
Libs lost
USMC
October 3rd, 2012
10:06 pm
Obama is digging himself deeper and deeper into a hole… He is all over the place. What the heck is he saying? Disheveled, stuttering, definitely very uncomfortable. Tick tock, Tick tock, Tick tock…
They BOTH suck
October 3rd, 2012
10:06 pm
Steve
Bman is correct: 90 minutes, so 10:30
Thulsa Doom
October 3rd, 2012
10:06 pm
I’m glad that Romney got the truth out there about Obamacare being passed with virtually no Republican support. Obama divisive as usual and the truth has come out regarding how Obamacare was passed.
Steve-USA "None of the Above"
October 3rd, 2012
10:06 pm
Thank you bman. I appreciate it.
Steve-USA "None of the Above"
October 3rd, 2012
10:07 pm
Thank you TBS.
Tealiban Party
October 3rd, 2012
10:07 pm
All my plans have too lengthy descriptions to get into….
It will take too long to explain the math…..
Hollow, vague plans is all Romney has.
Jm
October 3rd, 2012
10:07 pm
Getalife’s 10:05
“retreat!”
Divide and Conquer
October 3rd, 2012
10:08 pm
Who cares? Cat turd versus dog turd; both are still animal feces. Eat up partisans.
Orange12
October 3rd, 2012
10:08 pm
Come on Pres. get something right. Maybe lehrer can ask him how many dimples are on a golf ball. I bet he would get that one right.
getalife
October 3rd, 2012
10:08 pm
mitt will outsource his job to the States.
Why does he want to be President then?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 3rd, 2012
10:09 pm
The private market always works best? what nonsense.
Atlanta mom
October 3rd, 2012
10:09 pm
Romney lies. Insurance companies covers children 22-26 only because it was legislated.
Jm
October 3rd, 2012
10:09 pm
Where are the libs?
Jeep ers
Getalife, go find your friends
USMC
October 3rd, 2012
10:10 pm
“Why does he want to be President then?”–Getalife
So he can play as much Golf as Obama…
That Black Guy
October 3rd, 2012
10:10 pm
I’ve never seen Obama stutter this much.
Romney tossing out “grey” truths.
getalife
October 3rd, 2012
10:10 pm
Too complicated for many con bloggers to understand.
They cut and ran.
Billybob
October 3rd, 2012
10:10 pm
obama is getting weaker…..now the lib boogeyman….easy
scott
October 3rd, 2012
10:10 pm
Man…Mitt is killing him. Imagine if Newt was debating him. Obama would not even know what hit him
getalife
October 3rd, 2012
10:10 pm
Golf.
Drink.
Jm
October 3rd, 2012
10:10 pm
Obama whining that he has a record now.
And his record stinks.
Picks losers.
They BOTH suck
October 3rd, 2012
10:10 pm
hahahaha
Tealiban Party
October 3rd, 2012
10:11 pm
BABOOM!
Are Romney’s plans to good to be true??? Why no details Mitt?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 3rd, 2012
10:11 pm
Mitt is no Ronald Regan.
USMC
October 3rd, 2012
10:11 pm
I get the sense that the Liberal Bloggers here on Bookman’s blog are freaking out right about now. Obama is getting exposed as the unqualified Lackey that he is.
Tealiban Party
October 3rd, 2012
10:12 pm
Now Mitt is making up deduction numbers. $25,000 or $50,000, just pick a number. HE HAS NO PLAN!
bman
October 3rd, 2012
10:12 pm
Obama had the momentum and the polling (if you believe polls) to put Romney away in the first debate. If he allows Romney to outperform him and shifts that momentum and confidence to the other side, he’s going to be in a lot of trouble.
getalife
October 3rd, 2012
10:12 pm
mitt thinks he is reagan.
reagan raised taxes and granted amnesty .
scott
October 3rd, 2012
10:12 pm
Romney is doing a great job at interjecting Obama’s own words in his statements.
Thulsa Doom
October 3rd, 2012
10:12 pm
USMC,
No doubt. Look at Obama’s facial expressions. The man is clearly perturbed and agitated. Can’t no teleprompter save him here.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 3rd, 2012
10:12 pm
Mitt just admits he has no plan, only “objectives”.
Jm
October 3rd, 2012
10:12 pm
Reduce rates, broaden the base
Amen
Clinton treasury team said same thing
Jm
October 3rd, 2012
10:13 pm
Lehrer is funny
USMC
October 3rd, 2012
10:13 pm
Golf.
Drink.
and watch College Football!
Geaux Dawgs!
Orange12
October 3rd, 2012
10:13 pm
Romney in a shutout thus far.
Billybob
October 3rd, 2012
10:13 pm
BOOM…..obama’s smirks are getting more pronounced…..even more independents and more reagan dems moving to romney as we speak
scott
October 3rd, 2012
10:14 pm
Why is Lehrer giving Obama so much time and then cutting romney off more. That’s fine because obama is doing a great job at making himself look dumb. Hell Biden prob would have done better at this point
That Black Guy
October 3rd, 2012
10:15 pm
Romney SMACKED Obama on Obama saying Romney had no details on the pre existing plan.
Romney pointed out that Obama was detailing Romneys plan in his rebuttal.
Obama does not look smooth.
USMC
October 3rd, 2012
10:15 pm
Great point Doomy! Obama’s Facial expressions are telling us who the winner of this debate is.
Obama is taking his daily Intel from an IPAD… Great. Mr. Video Game President!
Jm
October 3rd, 2012
10:15 pm
Obama talking about Lincoln?
Oh come on
Obama would’ve lost the civil war and may cause a new one with the deficit
Atlanta mom
October 3rd, 2012
10:15 pm
I am disappointed. Obama should have requested details each and every time Mitt referred to his “plan”
getalife
October 3rd, 2012
10:15 pm
mitt looks crazy.
Billybob
October 3rd, 2012
10:15 pm
everybody wants better education….obama now repeating himself about mindless stats he wants…romney doesn’t want more teachers….ie boogeyman….this is fun
Divide and Conquer
October 3rd, 2012
10:15 pm
So…the sock puppet is not doing so well?
Thulsa Doom
October 3rd, 2012
10:16 pm
Atlanta mom
October 3rd, 2012
10:09 pm
Romney lies. Insurance companies covers children 22-26 only because it was legislated
22-26 year olds are children? Must be a liberal belief.
scott
October 3rd, 2012
10:16 pm
in other news…the Yankees are stomping the BoSOX
They BOTH suck
October 3rd, 2012
10:16 pm
“Obama would’ve lost the civil war and may cause a new one with the deficit”
And I am sure you will be leading to the charge to the back…………….
getalife
October 3rd, 2012
10:16 pm
mitt solutions are let States worry about it.
Tealiban Party
October 3rd, 2012
10:17 pm
Thulsa Doom
October 3rd, 2012
10:16 pm
22-26 year olds are children? Must be a liberal belief.
Is your son or daughter not your child?
Steve-USA "None of the Above"
October 3rd, 2012
10:17 pm
Some help getalife. I think he is watching Housewives of Atlanta or something besides the debate.
scott
October 3rd, 2012
10:17 pm
I was nervous about this debate. I thought Romney would get spanked because I thought Obama was supposedly a great debater. That nervousness was unfounded.
Divide and Conquer
October 3rd, 2012
10:17 pm
getalife…you need some meds? Just go stand in the corner and scream CONS, CONS, CONS! Then you’ll feel better.
Jm
October 3rd, 2012
10:17 pm
Trickle down government
Yuck
Elect Romney
Thulsa Doom
October 3rd, 2012
10:18 pm
Trickle down government. It is not working. Mitt laying down the BOOM with those stats on the economy and the proof.
USMC
October 3rd, 2012
10:18 pm
“I am disappointed. Obama should have requested details each and every time Mitt referred to his “plan””
Obama has NO details, so I don’t think he wants to even breathe the word “details”.
getalife
October 3rd, 2012
10:19 pm
jim wants specifics mitt said let the local and states worry about it.
td
October 3rd, 2012
10:19 pm
Bring on the vouchers.
scott
October 3rd, 2012
10:19 pm
getalife “mitt solutions are let States worry about it.” Yup. If the states want unversal healthcare, let them do it. If states want better education, let them manage the money the dept of education gets. seems pretty clear to me
USMC
October 3rd, 2012
10:19 pm
I think Bookman probably changed the channel to the baseball game.
Jm
October 3rd, 2012
10:20 pm
Tbs 10:16. Gobbledygook
getalife
October 3rd, 2012
10:20 pm
No details zinger.
Common Sense isn't very Common
October 3rd, 2012
10:20 pm
Mr. Romney you are no John Kennedy, hell you aren’t even a DAN Quayle
Tealiban Party
October 3rd, 2012
10:20 pm
“Not very detailed, seems to be a trend.” That pretty much sums up Romney’s campaign.
They BOTH suck
October 3rd, 2012
10:21 pm
The factcheckers will let us know who lied more than the other, but Romney wins rd 1…..
We will see how that impacts the polls in the swing states over the next 4 to 5 days.
Jm
October 3rd, 2012
10:21 pm
Tbs showed up!
A lib!
Atlanta mom
October 3rd, 2012
10:21 pm
Doom,
In my case I’m referring to graduate students.
USMC
October 3rd, 2012
10:21 pm
Obama’s TRICKLE UP POVERTY is failing our country miserably.
Obama acts as though he knows NOTHING about business. No wonder our economy is in the tank.
getalife
October 3rd, 2012
10:21 pm
scott,
His solution for everything is let states worry about it.
Steve-USA "None of the Above"
October 3rd, 2012
10:21 pm
“I think Bookman probably changed the channel to the baseball game”
I think Jay wishes he was counter punching in this debate instead of POTUS.
td
October 3rd, 2012
10:21 pm
All Obama can say is how much he has given away as President.
They BOTH suck
October 3rd, 2012
10:21 pm
Jm
It is true………. You wont do anything…………..
That Black Guy
October 3rd, 2012
10:21 pm
Why is it that what I hear from Obama and Romney does not match what certain bloggers here are saying they said?
Could these bloggers be LYING?
Billybob
October 3rd, 2012
10:22 pm
college boogeyman again
Thulsa Doom
October 3rd, 2012
10:22 pm
Tealiban,
She didn’t say son or daughter. She said children. I don’t have kids but if I did have a 26 year old I would refer to him as my son and not my child.
Atlanta mom
October 3rd, 2012
10:22 pm
Mass has good schools because those citizens are willing to pay for it.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 3rd, 2012
10:22 pm
Ooooh….”not your own facts” one of them zingers? Romney has been making up his own “facts” all night.
td
October 3rd, 2012
10:23 pm
$90 billion in failed green jobs would have hired 2 million teachers.
Tealiban Party
October 3rd, 2012
10:23 pm
The US has the best Health Record in the world? WRONG Romney.
Jm
October 3rd, 2012
10:23 pm
Romney just dropped some fast math on Obama
$90billion
2 million teachers
Obama head spinning
getalife
October 3rd, 2012
10:23 pm
If you want States to worry about everything you run for governor not President mitt.
Steve-USA "None of the Above"
October 3rd, 2012
10:24 pm
Low expectations are helping Romney and high expectations are hurting the President.
JMHO
Jm
October 3rd, 2012
10:24 pm
Good last question
Billybob
October 3rd, 2012
10:25 pm
big gov’t smackdown libs…
paralysis as a result of harry reid in the senate….that is the biggest problem….BAM