Debate highlights: On bayonets, Afghanistan and the China-Detroit corridor
On points, President Barack Obama came away the winner in last night’s debate with Republican Mitt Romney on foreign policy – but only on points.
By definition, a businessman will be at a disadvantage to a commander-in-chief when overseas affairs are the topic – and Romney’s uneasiness on several topics was clear, though he finished strong.
But while Obama had to show mastery, Romney merely had to dispose of any talk that he might be another George W. Bush, eager to send U.S. troops into this fray or that – turning off both independents and the Rand Paul wing of his party.
Which is why Romney in many ways feinted to Obama’s left, with the most provocative example being his early, backhanded praise of the president on the death of the architect of 9/11. “I congratulate him on taking out Osama bin Laden and going after the leadership of al-Qaeda. But we can’t kill our way out of this mess,” the GOP candidate said.
If you want to pick out a loser from last night, it would be the recipient of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize – the continent of Europe. With its economy in tatters, capable of dragging the United States into a second recession – talk about your link between foreign affairs and domestic policy – the state of the European Union merited only the barest of mentions.
A few video highlights:
Below is the clip generating the most talk this morning –Obama’s somewhat snarky reply to Romney’s demand for a larger U.S. Navy. Said Obama:
”Governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets, because the nature of our military has changed. We have these things called aircraft carriers, where planes land on them. We have these ships that go underwater – nuclear submarines. The question is not a game of battleships, where we’re counting ships.”
If there was genuine news out of this confrontation, it was the signal from Romney that, should he be elected, U.S. foreign policy will not take any sharp turns in January. Romney declared himself at one with Obama on the withdrawal from Afghanistan by the end of 2014, and a refusal to use U.S. military to intervene in Syria. The GOP candidate also declared his difference with Obama on capping Iran’s nuclear capability to be one of tone rather than approach. Watch a piece of it:
Romney’s strongest moment in the debate may have been the renewal of his accusation that Obama had engaged in an “apology tour” to Arab countries – while skipping Israel. His campaign is highlighting portions of the clip below this morning.
Said Romney:
“By the way, they noticed that you skipped Israel. And in those nations, and on Arabic TV, you said that America had been dismissive and derisive. You said that, on occasion, America had dictated to other nations. Mr. President, America hasn’t dictated to other nations. We have freed other nations from dictators.”
Obama harkened back to his 2008 candidacy and a trip to Israel. “I didn’t take donors. I didn’t attend fundraisers. I went to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum there, to remind myself [of] the nature of evil,” the president said. Watch here:
The link between foreign and domestic policy was at its strongest when the topic of China came up. Romney accused China of stealing U.S. technology, and repeated his declaration that he would declare that country to be a currency manipulator on his first day in office.
“I want a great relationship with China. China can be our partner. But that doesn’t mean they can roll all over us and steal our jobs,” the former Massachussets governor said.
Obama replied by accusing Romney of shipping U.S. jobs overseas as a businessman, and of encouraging the growth of automobile manufacturing in China – not Detroit.
“If we had taken your advice, governor Romney, about the auto industry, we’d be buying cars from China instead of selling cars to China,” the president said.
Protested Romney: “I’m a son of Detroit. I was born in Detroit. My dad was head of a car company. I like American cars.” Watch here:
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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85 comments Add your comment
ajc blogger
October 23rd, 2012
1:07 pm
Someone please explain to me why Mittens is given the free pass of low expectations. The GOP castigated Senator Obama for not being experienced enough in foreign policy but compared to him in 2008, Mitt could not win a geography bee. This country does not need a person who is Commander in Chief to “look presidential”, are you kidding me? Is that how low the bar is set for someone who says “Syria is the path for Iran to the sea” when these countries do not even share a border? That was on the level of Sarah Palin; speaking of which, do we want Ryan a heartbeat away from the Presidency, talking about not ready.
Remember when?
October 23rd, 2012
1:07 pm
Romney went to the Olympics and managed to p.o. the British. If he can’t handle England, he certainly can’t handle the more difficult relationships.
MITT NEEDED A TELEPROMPTER
October 23rd, 2012
1:11 pm
the poor saps been running for 10 years ans last night he looked lost and backtracked on the GM BAILOUT that he was against..
MANGLER
October 23rd, 2012
1:27 pm
Retired Soldier … um, really?
Bush – 7 years in Iraq with no exit strategy
Bush – 6 years in Afghanistan with no exit strategy
Care to rethink that comment?
emo
October 23rd, 2012
1:30 pm
Jim, I know he didn’t look like Bush II, but how do you know which Rmoney would show up in the Oval Office (God forbid)? He’s surrounded himself with Bush handlers, and taken so many sides on each issue that he probably doesn’t even know his own positions any longer. If he ever had any. I’m sure the republican puppet-masters are salivating at the thought of controlling him. If war is profitable, we’ll have war.
MITT NEEDED A TELEPROMPTER
October 23rd, 2012
1:36 pm
Mitts beholden to NETENYAHOOOOOOO and Israel …screw AMERICA
td
October 23rd, 2012
1:42 pm
Best post I saw on the web last night:
Obama was playing checkers while Romney was playing Chess. Checkmate.
MITT NEEDED A TELEPROMPTER
October 23rd, 2012
1:43 pm
td
my god thats original…lol…ROMNEY GOT his behind stomped last night…
MITT NEEDED A TELEPROMPTER
October 23rd, 2012
1:48 pm
MITTENS agreed with OBAMA on so many things i thought i thought he morphed into a democrat…thanks mittens
MITT NEEDED A TELEPROMPTER
October 23rd, 2012
1:56 pm
Mitts ineptness was exposed last night….Obama reminded me of CLINT EASTWOOD in that he was talking to an empty chair.
mainstream media stunned
October 23rd, 2012
1:58 pm
This is hilarious:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/10/23/romney_wins_cbs_focus_group_in_ohio.html
The look on Nora O’Donnell’s face is pricerless. You would think that someone had just cut one. LMAO.
'trtnmntatitzbst
October 23rd, 2012
2:15 pm
Romney held his own of course, didn’t flip-flop so much and didn’t go too far to sound uninformed and not knowledgeable on matters. In other words he listened to his team but didn’t win last debate.
Kris (Voted)
October 23rd, 2012
2:17 pm
My Etch A Sketch read “ whiskey for my men, beer for my horses”…What a joke of a candidate….
Should mitty get us in a war with China or Iran…I bet his sons will be armed with the best bayonets and finest show horses money can buy…so they can ride in to Canada to avoid the draft.
Not sure but is Ronmesia is covered under the Affordable Health Care Act?
God Bless America
Re-Elect President OBAMA
Obama is dishonest
October 23rd, 2012
2:20 pm
mainstream media stunned: this video clip is superb………everyone should watch!
It is worth posting again:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/10/23/romney_wins_cbs_focus_group_in_ohio.html
The look on Nora O’Donnell’s face is priceless. You must watch the video to the very end…….CBS obviously edited the clip to give viewers the impression the group favored Obama and THEN the truth is told when they are asked to raise hands indicating who won……..heh heh heh……CBS exposed (very rare these days).
FCM
October 23rd, 2012
2:37 pm
“What hit me was how smoothly Romney flip-flopped. A consummate salesman of any product. But is that who you want to be President of the US?”
Why not, Clinton could feel pain even as he was the one who inflicted it!
FCM
October 23rd, 2012
2:38 pm
Er….
Why not, Clinton could feel MY pain even as he was the one who inflicted it!
NYCDAWGFAN
October 23rd, 2012
2:45 pm
Why is my comment being held for “moderation”? I didn’t say anything profane…
DJ Sniper
October 23rd, 2012
2:48 pm
So one focus group says Romney won debate and ya’ll are taking it as the gospel?
Retired Soldier
October 23rd, 2012
2:53 pm
MANGLER-
FLASH!!! Bush isn’t on the ballot. Guess you forgot that.
NYCDAWGFAN
October 23rd, 2012
3:21 pm
Mitt made his millions from Americans losing jobs.. Research Bain Capitol… Can’t vote for a man that profited on our country’s pain.
honested
October 23rd, 2012
3:24 pm
DJ,
Any focus group that does not support their distorted contention must be all closet libruls!
And remember, this is the same group of people who thought the President was ‘aggressive’ because he had the temerity to call robe on his incessant lies!
honested
October 23rd, 2012
3:27 pm
td,
Do they supply a special filter for those who will have trouble accepting ‘FOUR MORE YEARS’ in two weeks?
Otherwise, I can’t see how anybody would confuse robme’s muddled, disjoint, lost performance as anything approaching a well played strategy.
I could envision little mittens saying ‘king me’ though, as the Nation laughed.
DJ Sniper
October 23rd, 2012
3:29 pm
Honested, that’s what kills me. People act like Obama is just supposed to sit back and let Romney lie his way through this thing. The man has flip flopped and told more stories than I can remember, but it’s Obama who’s the bad guy for calling him out? Only in Rightwingnutistan.
cc
October 23rd, 2012
3:41 pm
MITT NEEDED A TELEPROMPTER:
Bernie, try another tactic because you’ve worn this one out.
cc
October 23rd, 2012
3:49 pm
DJ Snier and honested:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/10/23/romney_wins_cbs_focus_group_in_ohio.html
Debate highlights: On bayonets, Afghanistan and the China-Detroit corridor – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | PAULitics.US – Wake Up America
October 23rd, 2012
4:18 pm
[...] Debate highlights: On bayonets, Afghanistan and the China-Detroit corridor – Atlanta Journal C… Posted in Afghanistan, Constitution, Featured Stories, U.S. News, War on Terror, Washington Politics, World at War, World News | Tags: atlanta-journal-, china, foreign-policy, journal, last-night, obama, only-on-points, president, the-winner, winner /* [...]
DJ Sniper
October 23rd, 2012
4:22 pm
CC, we already talked about that post. That’s one focus group. Just one.
Democrats Are The Devils
October 23rd, 2012
5:17 pm
General Election: Romney vs. Obama
RCP Electoral Map | Changes in Electoral Count | Map With No Toss Ups | No Toss Up Changes
Polling Data
Poll
Date
Sample
MoE
Romney (R)
Obama (D)
Spread
RCP Average
10/15 – 10/22
–
–
47.7
47.1
Romney +0.6
Rasmussen Reports
10/20 – 10/22
1500 LV
3.0
50
46
Romney +4
ABC News/Wash Post
10/18 – 10/21
1376 LV
3.0
48
49
Obama +1
Monmouth/SurveyUSA/Braun
10/18 – 10/21
1402 LV
2.6
48
45
Romney +3
CBS News
10/17 – 10/20
790 LV
4.0
46
48
Obama +2
NBC News/Wall St. Jrnl
10/17 – 10/20
816 LV
3.4
47
47
Tie
IBD/TIPP
10/16 – 10/21
938 LV
3.5
43
47
Obama +4
Gallup
10/15 – 10/21
2700 LV
2.0
51
45
Romney +6
WashTimes/JZ Analytics*
10/18 – 10/20
800 LV
3.5
47
50
Obama +3
Politico/GWU/Battleground
10/15 – 10/18
1000 LV
3.1
49
47
Romney +2
All General Election: Romney vs. Obama Polling Data
Auntie Christ
October 23rd, 2012
5:21 pm
Disabled War Veteran
October 23rd, 2012
12:11 pm
Thank you for your service, and for voting rationally and correctly.
Auntie Christ
October 23rd, 2012
5:33 pm
cc
October 23rd, 2012
12:53 pm
You are faulting GM for building a plant where they are going to sell their product? I can see why you aren’t a CEO of a fortune 500 country. Here’s something the CEO’s of the Fortune 500 understand that you apparently don’t: if you are going to sell in the largest developing market on the planet, it is good business practice to manufacture there.
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/jobs-and-economy/2012/03/how-us-companies-decide-where-build-their-chinese-factories/1412/
Between 2000 and 2010, China grew from the 14th-most important destination for U.S. investment in manufacturing to the fifth-most important, the research shows, and that investment more than quadrupled during that period, from $7 billion to nearly $29.5 billion. The companies surveyed include electronics manufacturers (28 percent), apparel makers (nearly 9 percent), machinery manufacturing and food products (6 percent each), as well as smaller numbers of chemical, plastic, metals, furniture, and sporting-goods producers.
So GM is doing what every other US corporation is doing, investing in facilities where they sell their product. To impute something sinister or improper in this is simply dissembling and dishonest. They are not closing plants here to manufacture there, as Bain capital does when it “saves” corporations.
Auntie Christ
October 23rd, 2012
5:37 pm
Democrats Are The Devils
October 23rd, 2012
5:17 pm
You’re a regular Mr Wizard with those ‘charts’ aren’t you. I’m sure everyone here is studying your ‘chart’ intently. Good Job!
Big Hat
October 23rd, 2012
7:24 pm
Trump just revealed Obama has a black baby, just like McCain. Why isn’t Fox News all over this?
tb
October 23rd, 2012
11:08 pm
cc, you’ll be waiting a long time.
tb
October 23rd, 2012
11:08 pm
to cc, you’ll be waiting a long time.
tb
October 23rd, 2012
11:09 pm
to cc, you’ll be waiting a long time.