An unprepared, unfocused Obama pays the price
Remember the classic nightmare in which you show up unprepared for a test in a class that you completely forgot you had?
That’s what Barack Obama looked like last night. From the opening question, he came off as unprepared, unsteady and almost uninterested in the task at hand. He found himself on defense throughout the debate, and when opportunities arose, he failed to recognize them.
As I noted last night during the live blog, Obama seemed overconfident coming in, as if he had underestimated both his opponent and the occasion. By the end of the evening, overconfidence should no longer have been a problem. As CNN noted, 67 percent of those polled who had watched the debate declared Mitt Romney the victor.
“No presidential candidate has topped 60 percent in that question since it was first asked in 1984,” CNN polling director Keating Holland pointed out.
And a good part of that was caused by Mitt Romney. He came in hungry, needing a win, and it showed in his focus and preparation. He got the better of almost every exchange, in part because at some point in his debate prep he decided to finally make the transition from “severely conservative” GOP primary candidate to general-election candidate.
The new Romney endorsed regulation of business. He dismissed tax cuts as an economic policy. He embraced his own Massachusetts health-care plan. He talked of compromise and working together. A surprised Obama wasn’t ready to handle this latest Romney incarnation and repeatedly failed to tie the moderate, genial GOP candidate on that stage in Denver to the GOP candidate on the campaign trail.
Will the outcome of this debate, the first of three between Obama and Romney, create a ripple in the polls? It almost certainly will. I doubt it will cost Obama his lead, but it should shrink it and introduce doubt in many minds that had not previously doubted. Romney had the night that he needed to keep his funders happy and his base engaged.
The next debate, covering foreign and domestic policy in a townhall forum, will be Oct. 16 at Hofstra University in New York. I suspect that they’ll be scrambling at the White House this morning to clear more time from the president’s calendar for prep work between now and then. He can’t afford a repeat of what happened last night in Denver.
– Jay Bookman
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1,788 comments Add your comment
I'm a liberal and believe everything I read and nothing the other side comes up with...cause we're smart and they are not
October 4th, 2012
8:40 am
Word is Obama is going to shake this off with a round of golf this morning…..
Progress
October 4th, 2012
8:40 am
I was expecting the Obama who took on and pummeled the entire Republican House caucus a couple years ago. That Obama didn’t show. I think he was playing for the draw. Romney came in sounding like a moderate all of a sudden and Obama tried to be nonconfrontational and presidential. Romney knew he had to win big and took it to him, although he was as inconsistent with his past positions as ever. Romney won, but I don’t think it was the game changer he needed. So many voters are already locked in, and I didn’t see anything that would change the perspective of those who had already made up their minds.
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
October 4th, 2012
8:41 am
BOB.BOB
Denial is not just a river in Egypt…Your guy last night resembled Georgia Tech to Romney’s Middle Tenn State..A complete thrashing…You guys whole game was predictably, BS rhetoric, nauseating reference to some 5 trillion number that the conjured up, and telling Romney what exactly Romney’s plans mean..
Oh perhaps you are correct…it’s just another bump in the road…”he will improve by next debate”…he better cuz so will Romney…Is the topic foreign relations? Obama’s worst card…easier to pick apart than economy..
Fred ™
October 4th, 2012
8:41 am
RB from Gwinnett
October 4th, 2012
8:39 am
Hey libs here defending Obama. You ARE the 47% Romney was talking about and your blind devotion to him is proving the point he made. You aren’t paying any taxes and nothing is going to sway you from voting for Obama. Sorry if Romney pointing that out hurts your feelings, sheep, but every time you post these whines you prove his point.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You are so busying gloating and posting lies that it’s obvious that you haven’t read the posts here. But then knowing what you are talking about has never been one of your strong suits.
casual observer
October 4th, 2012
8:42 am
Was obama “eye candy” last night?
GT
October 4th, 2012
8:42 am
Let see how this affects, even this poll taking. I think you will find it has less dip than we are giving it. At the end of the day you have scared the hell out of the base that was sitting on their hands; this character can be elected if we don’t stop him. What will Romney do if he gets into office, not even Romney knows? That first day is going to need one of those biblical days in Genius where God created the earth and skies.
casual observer
October 4th, 2012
8:43 am
Too bad I.can’t watch “the view” today.
Butch Cassidy (I)
October 4th, 2012
8:43 am
Fred – “According to Boortz the “excuse” is to blame it on Lehrer: Others are blaming it on poor old Jim Lehrer.”
I was on the debate team in high school. I don’t hold the moderator responsible for victory or loss, but i do expect them to moderate. In this case, Jim did come up wanting. It’s not the referees job to be nice and cordial, it’s their job to run the game and make the calls.
Jay Bugger
October 4th, 2012
8:43 am
FRED – BITE ME !!!!!!
Misty Fyed
October 4th, 2012
8:43 am
Obama may have to cancel a View appearance to prepare.
I'm a liberal and believe everything I read and nothing the other side comes up with...cause we're smart and they are not
October 4th, 2012
8:43 am
We are close to returning to an America that works…..Big Oil, big profits, big banks, lot’s of jobs, Big defense and a swagger……The apology era will soon be over.
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
October 4th, 2012
8:44 am
PROGRESS,
I agree but submit that Romney is and always has been a moderate…exactly what we need now…he didn’t win my vote…neither has, but it was refreshing to see someone take President Trillions to task….
All this fact checking is not something 75% (guessing) of the electorate will undertake…Most importantly, Romney exposed BO’s lack of leadership skills that he has covered with arrogance…are real dress down..and well deserved.
Marty Huggins'
October 4th, 2012
8:45 am
Paul
October 4th, 2012
8:15 am
If Obama does take that line I am sure there are many things to which Romney could counter on matters in which Obama has flip flopped.
Again they all do it and is a risky move as it opens the door for an attack against yourself.
I'm a liberal and believe everything I read and nothing the other side comes up with...cause we're smart and they are not
October 4th, 2012
8:45 am
GT….chill….you’ll be fine…..might even benefit you………..
TaxPayer
October 4th, 2012
8:45 am
I’m ok no matter who controls Washington unless the Republicans take back their promise to not do anything to affect people’s medicare and social security if they are over 55. You young Republicans will just have to be content with the fact that you voted to have your entitlement benefits eliminated while you continue to pay the entitlement contributions. What! You thought that if Medicare and Social Security entitlement benefits were eliminated, then the payroll taxes would be eliminated.
You cons are so easily conned. 
I’ll bet some of you even think that veteran and federal employee benefits are safe under Republican rule. 
Wildwood
October 4th, 2012
8:45 am
Obama lost it in the opening remarks. Michele and I are so very thankful to be your President and first lady and would truly appreciate four more years of needed leadership. The President does not believe he should have to lower himself to debating someone like Romney. The next debates will not be better for him as he is a king. End if the day it is a moot point as it will okay out in one day as this was a scrimmage
GT
October 4th, 2012
8:46 am
And Stevie Ray that exact thought occurred to me last night. What a week. All I need now is a flat tire.
gm
October 4th, 2012
8:46 am
stands for decibels
“Cadillac benefits
I gues all the money corporation took from the gov is not welfare or benefits, oh lets not forget about the pell grants the right have taken thru the years from the gov, the hypocrites continue to grow on the right
Normal Free...Pro Human Rights Thug...And liking it!
October 4th, 2012
8:46 am
“We are close to returning to an America that works…..Big Oil, big profits, big banks, lot’s of jobs, Big defense and a swagger……The apology era will soon be over.”
Oh yeah, the era of big guns and little pee pee’s…I can’t wait…
I'm a liberal and believe everything I read and nothing the other side comes up with...cause we're smart and they are not
October 4th, 2012
8:47 am
I was scared the commission was going to call it before it was over…….Like the scene in Rocky, I was waiting for them to cut the blood out of Obama’s eye so he could see…..Of course, he was staring at the floor….
Butch Cassidy (I)
October 4th, 2012
8:47 am
RB – “You ARE the 47% Romney was talking about”
Actually, you are dead on with that analysis. Since the majority of my income is derived from investments, and those investments are sheltered in a CRUT, I pay no income or cap gains taxes. I am exactly part of that 47%. The irony, is that guys like me will continue to get a free pass from guys like you. LOL
TaxPayer
October 4th, 2012
8:47 am
Was Romney trying to win over more moderate votes or more conservative votes last night. Was he successful.
Mike
October 4th, 2012
8:48 am
Where are “Granny” and “USinUK” this morning? The fact that they are not here speaks volumes about what happened last night.
Bloomberg Troll
October 4th, 2012
8:49 am
Steve-USA
” want to applaud Mr. Bookman. His honesty in his analysis last night and this morning is appreciated.
A tip of the hat to you Jay.”
Well, let’s be honest here. If Jay had said Obama won, it would look beyond comical and what credibility Jay does have would have been completely flushed through the shredder. (I love mixing my metaphors)
Misty Fyed
October 4th, 2012
8:49 am
Romney won for two reasons…1. Obama’s domestic policy has no successes to taught. Ryan said it best when he said and I paraphrase…we are not in the shape we are in because Obama’s policies weren’t passed. We are in this shape because they did. 2. Obama wasn’t prepared . He came across as not even knowing his own policies. Who ever coached him did a poor job. His physical behavior provided no confidence; his counterpoints were week and off topic. I could have done a better job against Romney and I support him.
Maybe we need to change Obama’s nickname from the great orator to the great narrator. He seriously missed his teleprompter.
DannyX
October 4th, 2012
8:49 am
Republicans, get on over to Intrade and place your bets. Obama is at 65.6% right now. You’ll clean up. Bet the house.
Mike
October 4th, 2012
8:49 am
To President Obama….this ain’t “The View”.
I'm a liberal and believe everything I read and nothing the other side comes up with...cause we're smart and they are not
October 4th, 2012
8:50 am
Granny was on the earlier blog around 7. She might be passed out by now though….LOL
Tom Middleton
October 4th, 2012
8:50 am
Let’s see… We have a new take on the three kinds of lies. It used to be “lies, damn lies, and statistics.” Now it’s “lies, damn lies, and Mitt Romney and, as Mitt admitted during the debate, his five sons. ROFL
Joseph
October 4th, 2012
8:50 am
I’m glad you honest about this Jay. I’m sure you had a similar reaction as the buffoons on MessNBC. I had to tune in to watch their reaction with glee. I honestly though the heads of Chris Matthews and Ed Shultz was going to explode. Sharpton was daydreaming about eating honey buns and Maddow was like a giddy school girl after being rejected… What you don’t seem to understand though jay is that this is the real Obama. He’s never faced a real candidate that knew the issues as well as Romney. And I’ll let you in on a little secret. He’s not nearly as smart as you fruits on the left think he is. But I do look forward to the next two debates with extremely high hopes just as I did for this one. Foreign and domestic policy Jay. How could Obama possibly do good with that? He’s shown over the last two weeks his incompetence and all Romney will have to do is shine a light on it. As for domestic policy what leg does Obama have to stand on. Obamacare, homosexual marriage, unfettered abortion, free birth control for Georgetown students? All I can say is Jay no amount of spin or preparation can cover for the severe deficiencies Obama has right now.
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
October 4th, 2012
8:51 am
BUTCH,
What on earth does the moderator have to do with what was said last night? I’m having a difficult time with any who suggests that the blame for BO’s thrashing doesn’t belong 100% with his lack of preparation…his record is and will continue to be his achilles heel..
Sure he didn’t well control the candidates but it is clear BO got plenty of time to spread his exposed BS…played right into Romney’s hand..and this was so obvious to anyone but the coddled, arrogant president
Bloomberg Troll
October 4th, 2012
8:51 am
Butch 8:43 -
maybe you’re not up to speed on the fact that this was a new debate format.
Or that Obama was given 4 more minutes to speak than Romney was.
Consider yourself up to speed now.
DannyX
October 4th, 2012
8:51 am
Let’s see if the Romney fans are around on Nov 8th. My guess is no they won’t.
St Simons
October 4th, 2012
8:52 am
where have all these con posters been since scotus punked them?
they come out of the woodwork when they think they got a chance.
Its the bully mentality.
The 6 mil undecideds that might change their minds must be won over.
A pushy rich guy on too much sugar – that’s not gonna turn out
like you think, cons. Just keep comin by the blog, brave sir robins.
Steve-USA "None of the Above"
October 4th, 2012
8:52 am
BT – “Well, let’s be honest here. If Jay had said Obama won, it would look beyond comical and what credibility Jay does have would have been completely flushed through the shredder. (I love mixing my metaphors)”
True but plenty of people had no problem giving up their integrity last night.
barking frog
October 4th, 2012
8:52 am
Winning a battle does not
win a war, but it helps.
Not Blind
October 4th, 2012
8:53 am
The real Obama has revealed himself. Duh. Uuh. Uuh. Nothing there.
DannyX
October 4th, 2012
8:53 am
What did you expect Jay to do???? Post an “unskewed” poll like the crybaby Republicans have been doing?
Quagmire
October 4th, 2012
8:53 am
Congrats Mitt, you came prepared last night and you did win round 1. Keep that in mind
After last night’s performance, you know beautiful Michelle made President Obama sleep on the sofa with that sub-par performance……………LoL.
Tom Middleton
October 4th, 2012
8:54 am
Let ‘em have their moment, DannyX. Obama’s coming back!
gm
October 4th, 2012
8:54 am
You have to give Mitt credit he fooled the right all year long in to thinking he was a true conservative and the idiots voted for him,the gets on stage and support most of everything he was against in the primary.
Rick Santorum predicted Mitt would look like a Lib in the general and the man would say anything to get votes wow was he correct.
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
October 4th, 2012
8:54 am
JOSEPH,
Your post is hilarious and spot on…I immediately turned to MSNBC after the debate and the anger spewing from Big Head Matthews mouth was shocking….even the biggest toad on liberal TV BIG FRED, was at a loss for words..
And yes, I have always thought of BO as a complete phony…his arrogance is astonding…
Normal Free...Pro Human Rights Thug...And liking it!
October 4th, 2012
8:55 am
As I said earlier this morning, to those who didn’t know much about Mitt, he looked good and in control. Those of us who did know about Mitt, he was just saying what he needed to win. There is no meat in his words. My vote won’t be changing as neither would any votes from the right change if the President won. There are two more to go and we will see what we will see. Still, my vote won’t change. I want a government for the people instead of for the corporations.
And I will never get over the fact that a man who says he wants to be the President of The United States won’t fly an American flag on his yacht because he would rather save a few bucks. It shows that his first thought are not for his country, but for his bank account. That is not how I want my President to think. Nope, no debate is going to change my mind.
Butch Cassidy (I)
October 4th, 2012
8:55 am
Stevie Ray – “What on earth does the moderator have to do with what was said last night?”
Not sure of your question. I think Romney did a great job. I was merely pointing out, that in a debate format, it’s not customary for the moderator to just back down and let the candidates run on ad nauseam. Jim should have really helt the candidates to the time lines, let them get in the responses needed and move on. Last night, the candidates ran the debate and not the person that should have.
barking frog
October 4th, 2012
8:55 am
Was President Obama going
for sympathy sex on his
anniversary ?
casual observer
October 4th, 2012
8:56 am
you know the left is desperate when they fall back on the “john kerry won the first debate in 2004″ crutch.
godless heathen
October 4th, 2012
8:56 am
Citizen….nice try……Fact check this morning tells us that the President got 5 more minutes……..Too many of his grandmother stories I guess.
Went from 3 minutes to 5 minutes in less than half an hour. By noon it will be 30 minutes.
Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette
October 4th, 2012
8:57 am
Anybody else see the data digging into the CNN snap poll?
Did they really ONLY sample white southerners over age 50?
JKL2
October 4th, 2012
8:57 am
taxpayer- Was Romney trying to win over more moderate votes or more conservative votes last night. Was he successful.
He already leads in both of those categories. Just extending his lead.
In the Democrat philosophy of “screw up, move up”, obama was a smashing success last night. 47%ers rule!
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
October 4th, 2012
8:57 am
I want to applaud Mr. Bookman. His honesty in his analysis last night and this morning is appreciated.
are you surprised by this? This isn’t Fox News over here.
GT
October 4th, 2012
8:57 am
At the end of the day was Romney successful, he won the debate, by default, O let him talk which is usually not a strong point for Romney. I am thinking we are scoring style points which I give ya is amazing to even be talking about with Romney, but did he win over the voters?
I watched NBC and switched over to CNN occasionally. I saw a lot of white faces in the pundits. In fact I saw a lot of men, white faces. I will be curious how this played in the rest of America.
Rightwing Troll
October 4th, 2012
8:58 am
“Yeah for sure. Mitt whipped the President’s butt. I liked the way they joked around and were polite to each other though.”
I don’t think it was a “butt whippin” but Romney obviously won this one. You could tell who was on and who wasn’t from the first question, Romney’s face lit up while you could see Obama’s droop a little. As the debate wore on Romney started to seem like the over eager kid in the classroom who violently raises his hand at every question, and his numbered lists of points got a little annoying. But kudos to the man for bringing a gun to a knife fight…
Goldie
October 4th, 2012
8:58 am
Our President may have “lost” the debate due to style, but he got his facts and details right — Ole Mitt looked like the oily salesman that he is and tried his Etch-A-Sketch tactics as usual!
This is the first of the long debate haul over the next few weeks and it will only get better for Our President when Mitt’s lies are revealed over and over again!
Welcome to the Occupation
October 4th, 2012
8:58 am
Truly horrendous.
And yet, this is exactly what happens when you have what are essentially two more or less apolitical creatures of the center right who have come together to perform for a media, and their respective rabid bases, that needs them to generate fireworks and “clash”, as though they really differ on all that many things.
It was really a bit farcical.
Butch Cassidy (I)
October 4th, 2012
8:59 am
Bloomberg Troll – “maybe you’re not up to speed on the fact that this was a new debate format.”
Really? I heard that they were going to cover 6 topics with 15 minutes allotted for each topic and the candidates would be given 2 minutes to respond in the time allotted. I was unaware that the new format was ” here are the rules of the debate, now, just ignore them and talk incessentaly about whatever you want for as long asd you feel necessary.” When did Roberts Rules get tossed?
Bloomberg Troll
October 4th, 2012
8:59 am
MSNBC is the home for the acerbic
MiltonMan
October 4th, 2012
8:59 am
“MiltonMan may be showing the cockiness that the left is hoping for.”
Let’s just ignore how cocky the left has been the past 4 years.
casual observer
October 4th, 2012
9:00 am
There’s a certain irony to the fact that the next opportunity for the left to state their case to the american public will come from the mouth of joe biden.
Biden……..Bahhahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!
The economist
October 4th, 2012
9:00 am
So, Romney came in pro-regulation and anti-tax cuts. This is NOT why his supporters have been pouring millions of $ into his campaign. I think the man will say anything to get elected.
Adam
October 4th, 2012
9:00 am
In case people were wondering, really, what tax incentives there are for companies that send jobs overseas, here you go:
http://www.politifact.com/rhode-island/statements/2010/nov/21/sheldon-whitehouse/whitehouse-says-companies-get-tax-break-moving-job/
Rightwing Troll
October 4th, 2012
9:01 am
I see as lot of crowing and strutting here today… This thing is long way from being over… Don’t count yer chickens til they’ve hatched… Didn’t you all learn your lesson from the ACA ruling?
NA
October 4th, 2012
9:01 am
Jay
one of your better articles, Not colored by your normal liberal blindness. Good to know you can report truthfully
MiltonMan
October 4th, 2012
9:01 am
“Our President may have “lost” the debate due to style, but he got his facts and details right — Ole Mitt looked like the oily salesman that he is and tried his Etch-A-Sketch tactics as usual!”
We have heard the lies of Obama for the past 4 years – maybe there is hope for him now that he finally has found how to tell the truth.
Welcome to the Occupation
October 4th, 2012
9:01 am
The farce of last night’s debate was fitting for a political system that is badly out of touch with the realities of the bulk of the population and frankly, since it’s dominated and monopolized by two major parties which are both capitalist parties and parties of big business, they agree on much more between themselves than they do with the majority of the people the pretend to serve.
A farce. No other word for it.
Bloomberg Troll
October 4th, 2012
9:01 am
Butch
“I believe an invitation from the Commission on Presidential Debates is similar to a draft notice – a civic responsibility,” explained Lehrer. “Even so, it was a difficult decision, because I have previously said I would not do any more debates. It was the new and expanded format – 6 segments of 15 minutes each – that finally tipped the scales for me. I share the Commission on Debates’ belief that the format has the possibility to open up the debates for a more spontaneous and deeper exchange of positions and ideas. I could not say no to trying to make that work to the fullest. It was truly an offer I could not refuse and I am honored by the invitation.”
HDB
October 4th, 2012
9:01 am
RB from Gwinnett
October 4th, 2012
8:39 am
Lest you forget that there are 5000 MILLIONAIRES that are in that 47%….and many in that 47% are military, retirees (who’ve already PAID into the system!)….and some are GOPers!! Do YOU consider them in the same light??
Butch Cassidy (I)
October 4th, 2012
9:02 am
casual observer – “you know the left is desperate when they fall back on the “john kerry won the first debate in 2004″ crutch.”
Unlike the right who continue to crow that “Jimmy Carter led Reagan in the polls too”. Glad to see your team is so above all that casual.
Adam
October 4th, 2012
9:02 am
RB: You ARE the 47% Romney was talking about and your blind devotion to him is proving the point he made.
I work for big oil, am a registered Republican, and I make plenty enough to pay more in federal taxes than I get in incentives.
If Romney was really the guy I saw on the podium last night, I’d vote for him. But he’s not that guy. That guy is Romney Two hundred Eighteen POINT OH.
Ben Shockley
October 4th, 2012
9:03 am
“are you surprised by this? This isn’t Fox News over here.”
LMFAO. Funniest post ever on Bookman’s blog. Bookman campaigns 24/7 for democrats.
Fred (no trademark)
October 4th, 2012
9:03 am
Obama didnt sound the same last night as he did in the philadelphia tape now did he?
Wears yo dollah?
Classic Conservative
October 4th, 2012
9:04 am
As Ilyse said on CNN.com
“So, let’s get a few things straight. Romney’s tax plan will raise taxes on the middle class, Obama is not cutting Medicare, Obama has cut the deficit, Dodd-Frank did not designate banks too big to fail and the Romney/Ryan plan will put pressure on teachers ones and compromise our children’s education. All of these fabrications may have sounded OK coming out of the mouth of an uneven but aggressive challenger. But, as the president said in the debate, Romney’s big, bold idea tonight was “never mind.” The American people deserve someone who minds”
MiltonMan
October 4th, 2012
9:05 am
“After last night’s performance, you know beautiful Michelle made President Obama sleep on the sofa with that sub-par performance……………LoL.”
He has been sleeping on the couch for the past 6 months. He refuses to eat the crap that Michelle forces him & the school children to eat – carrots, spinach, etc.
If you are not registered to vote in Georgia by October 9, you will not have a voice on November 6
October 4th, 2012
9:05 am
Agressive people make good salesman. They are good at convincing you to buy ice even if you live in the North Pole where you can get it for free. Mitt Romney was very agressive and handled the flow with it. What about the facts? Most were not true.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
October 4th, 2012
9:05 am
I can’t help but wonder which President Willard we would get in the White House.
MiltonMan
October 4th, 2012
9:06 am
“Romney/Ryan plan will put pressure on teachers ones and compromise our children’s education.”
Yes our education system is just so wonderful now – just ask the kids in the APS.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
October 4th, 2012
9:06 am
Does he believe in anything other than being a Morman and wanting to get elected president?
You must check with the magic underwear to get such answers.
Ben Shockley
October 4th, 2012
9:07 am
What’s really funny about all this is how the libs thought Gore was way smarter than Bush, then he got gobsmacked in the debates, thought Kerry was way smarter than Bush, then he got gobsmacked in the debates, and now they think Obama is way smarter than Romney, right up until he got gobsmacked in the debates.
Being a community organizer really doesn’t require any skills, knowledge, or intelligence. It just requires a herd of blind, ignorant hangers-on to stir up.
Ben Shockley
October 4th, 2012
9:07 am
“Yes our education system is just so wonderful now – just ask the kids in the APS.”
Or the kids in Clayton County, which Obama carreid by 87% back in 2008.
Welcome to the Occupation
October 4th, 2012
9:08 am
“In case people were wondering, really, what tax incentives there are for companies that send jobs overseas, here you go:”
One of at least 3 or 4 boldface, outright lies told by Mitt Romney and allowed to stand. But center-right Obama’s heart wasn’t in it. After all, he’s been in the office for 4 years and hasn’t taken a stand on much of this up to now, so how is he going to suddenly fake outrage about it for a debate? It’s hard to do that.
Jm
October 4th, 2012
9:08 am
Obama doesn’t pick the winners and losers. He just picks the losers.
Hilarious. And true.
Butch Cassidy (I)
October 4th, 2012
9:08 am
Ben Shockley – ” thought Kerry was way smarter than Bush, then he got gobsmacked in the debates,”
The irony of this statement cannot be measured.
Thomas Heyward Jr
October 4th, 2012
9:09 am
This just in——————–
.
Ron Paul has finally quit laughing.
The laughter of the decent majority of Americans who will NOT vote for these clowns has subsided substantionally.
.
Developing……………………………………………………………
Soldier Mom
October 4th, 2012
9:09 am
What did we really learn? CNN Fact Checking:
1st Debate – Fact Check:
Seniors & Drugs Conclusion:
Seniors, on average, would pay the $600 cited by Obama — and then some, according to Medicare figures, if the Affordable Care Act was not in place.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms that a lot of jobs have been created under Obama’s leadership — 4.4 million by the bureau’s latest count. What Obama did not say, however, was that the nation shed 4.3 million jobs during the early days of his term, and that the net gain since he took the oath of office in January 2009 is just 125,000 jobs
Jobs Conclusion:
Many voters blame that initial weakness on the fractured economy Obama inherited from his Republican predecessor, former President George W. Bush. But in terms of sheer numbers, Obama’s assertion that he created 5 million jobs does not tell the whole story and is therefore false.
Jobs Conclusion:
Romney is stretching his figures to the breaking point — which makes his claim false.
Small Business Conclusion:
While Romney’s plan does not define who is or is not a small business, some of Donald Trump’s companies would qualify as a small business because they have fewer than 500 employees.
Green Energy Conclusion:
It is fair to say that the 2009 stimulus authorized $90 billion for green energy, as Romney asserted. Whether or not one terms these as “breaks” is subjective, and one shouldn’t assume that all the funds went to specific businesses like Solyndra.
Most of the large projects that benefited from the Department of Energy loan program remain in operation — contrary to Romney’s assertion that “almost half” of them had closed.
Gas & Oil Conclusion:
There has been more oil and natural production on private lands than in federally controlled areas. So Romney is correct in pointing out an imbalance.
But it is an overstatement to say that “all of the increase” has been on private lands — since, by definition, new permits and licenses have been granted for federal lands (bringing in more gas and oil).
Romney’s claim that Obama’s administration has “cut the number of permits and licenses in half” for federal lands is also not on the mark.
True, there has been a significant drop — one tied, in part, to the unprecedented Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Yet the actual numbers of permits and licenses haven’t been “cut … in half.” As mentioned above (and including data from part of the Bush administration), there has been a 42% decrease in leases and 37% decrease in drilling permits — not 50%, as Romney implied.
Even the Institute for Energy Research acknowledged that “this decrease isn’t a result of President Obama’s policies exclusively, but it is the result of decades and policies that have systematically reduced energy production on federal lands.”
GT
October 4th, 2012
9:10 am
MiltonMan it obviously does not bother you your candidate is moving away from your view of the world to win the debate. The great thing the left has is people like you. Poor Romney can’t shake ya and all over America this morning when nice people see guys like you celebrating they start thinking why does that guy think he won last night, he is not like me. And then it dawns on them, I am backing the KKK, not the moderate I heard last night, I have been fooled. So please take the floor and tell us about all the freeloaders and illegals and remind us all what this is all about.
jconservative
October 4th, 2012
9:10 am
Paul at 8:20 am
Here is the transcript of the entire first question remarks by Romney on taxes:
“…it’s going to take a different path. Not the one we’ve been on, not the one the president describes as a top-down, cut taxes for the rich. That’s not what I’m going to do.”
“First of all, I don’t have a $5 trillion tax cut. I don’t have a tax cut of a scale that you’re talking about. My view is that we ought to provide tax relief to people in the middle class. But I’m not going to reduce the share of taxes paid by high-income people. High-income people are doing just fine in this economy. They’ll do fine whether you’re president or I am.”
“But in order for us not to lose revenue, have the government run out of money, I also lower deductions and credits and exemptions, so that we keep taking in the same money when you also account for growth.”
“And finally, with regards to that tax cut, look, I’m not looking to cut massive taxes and to reduce the — the revenues going to the government. My — my number-one principal is, there will be no tax cut that adds to the deficit. I want to underline that: no tax cut that adds to the deficit.”
“But I do want to reduce the burden being paid by middle-income Americans. And I — and to do that, that also means I cannot reduce the burden paid by high-income Americans. So any — any language to the contrary is simply not accurate.”
mm
October 4th, 2012
9:11 am
Wow, Mitt gave the cons something to crow about today. And they’ll make themselves look stupid in the process.
Bottom line: How many voters will be swayed? It might move the needle on the national polls, but the state polls are the ones that count. And Obama has huge leads in the swing states.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
October 4th, 2012
9:12 am
We have heard the lies of Obama for the past 4 years
You have a list somewhere?
Thomas Heyward Jr
October 4th, 2012
9:12 am
And this————-
.
Collective Eerie Moan heard in Detroit, Chicago,California and the office’s of the AJC.
Millions seen shambling around with their hands out.
.
Developing………………………………………………………
Joe Hussein Mama
October 4th, 2012
9:12 am
Drudge — “Basically, Romney won on facts and honesty”
I disagree. I do think Romney won, but I think he did it by chucking aside the arguments and cases he’s been trying to make for the last six months or so. And I do think Obama dropped the ball.
The President missed several excellent opportunities to call Romney out on inaccuracies, misstatements and contradictions (things Romney said during the debate that disagree with previous statements he’s made during the campaign). It’s clear that Obama wasn’t prepared and that Romney simply wanted it more than the President did.
That said, I look for a *lot* of critical analysis over the next day or so that points out just how mendacious and self-refuting Romney was during the course of last night’s debate.
Jm
October 4th, 2012
9:12 am
Cons-
Obama will come back stronger in the next debate
Hopefully Romney will come back even better
And these debates are not certain to shift polls one ioata
Every day is a fight
Adam
October 4th, 2012
9:12 am
LMFAO. Funniest post ever on Bookman’s blog. Bookman campaigns 24/7 for democrats.
Except for this post. And a few others I have seen recently. Oh but those don’t count because the media is ALL LIBERAL ALL THE TIME right Ben?
Thulsa Doom
October 4th, 2012
9:13 am
Mitt punched Obama in the mouth and made him bleed. Obama should take the same advice that Juanita Broderick said Bill Clinton gave her- “You should put some ice on that lip”.
Joe Hussein Mama
October 4th, 2012
9:13 am
jacket — “The Wall street investors will be trying to get ahead of a major rise in the Dow and Nasdaq if Romney wins.”
You mean a major rise in the DJIA and the NASDAQ that’s somehow *different* from the one they’ve been experiencing for the last three years?
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
October 4th, 2012
9:13 am
BUTCH,
I agree..I simply don’t see how the outcome would have changed…I think the accurate count from last night was that BO got 4 minutes more time…too bad for him is was wasted on worn out BS talking points.
BEST NUGGET: TRICKLE DOWN GOVERNMENT…beautiful…
Jay
October 4th, 2012
9:14 am
Somebody here has been posting under multiple names in an effort to deceive. Those posts have been pulled down, and if it recurs, that person will be banned.
Kramer
October 4th, 2012
9:14 am
Adam
October 4th, 2012
8:39 am
Romney can’t support his own plans either. That’s why he said his plans were really the same as Obama’s on education and regulation and pretended his tax plan doesn’t cost $5 trillion.
Adam please. Romney explained his plan and made a hell of lot more sense then Barry. Romeny came across as Presidential and Barry came across as a community organizer. One is a leader and one is not. Barry is not.
mm
October 4th, 2012
9:14 am
The fact checkers will not be kind to Mittens today.
But we all know cons can’t get elected without lying.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
October 4th, 2012
9:15 am
Looked like Romney was holdingJim Lehrer down and shaving his head.
Tom Middleton
October 4th, 2012
9:15 am
Mitt’s lying then calling himself a successful debater is like his calling himself a successful businessman by intentionally putting his companies into bankruptcy and workers on the street, while himself running to the bank clutching the $millions he made on the deal. Just sayin’…
Liberal Pariah
October 4th, 2012
9:15 am
How can anybody that with a pulse say that Obama is center right? He is the most hard left President this nation has ever had. I’ll be voting for Romney whether he is Conservative or a RINO just to get Obama out of office so America has a chance going forward.