Don’t miss this month’s First Friday Happy Hour tomorrow night, October 5, from 5-7 pm at Tommy Rockerswith special guest Judge Jim Gray, the Libertarian Party’s vice presidential candidate.
Tommy Rocker’s is located just west of the “Strip” at 4275 Dean Martin Drive. Take the Flamingo Road west exit off I-15 then left on Hotel Rio Drive and right on Dean Martin and you’ll see it. If you’re coming from Tropicana, head north on Dean Martin Drive and it’s right before the Flamingo Rd. overpass.
THE MASTER DEBATER FALLS FLAT ON HIS FACE
Despite pre-debate efforts by his campaign to lower expectations by claiming that Barack Obama was just an “OK debater,” the fact is the president is widely known as an expert communicator who has been trained in making arguments and defending positions as a lawyer who graduated from the very prestigious Harvard Law School.
So last night’s performance in his debate with Mitt Romney can only be chalked up to how tough it is trying to defend the indefensible.
In case you missed the debate and/or weren’t following my “live” tweets on Twitter (@ChuckMuth), here’s my play-by-play, followed by some additional post-debate post-mortems from others:
- Obama looks annoyed. Romney taking POTUS to school on small business. Obama shot at Trump seemed petty.
- Obama focus on math reminds me of the old saying about "liars figure."
- Round 1 goes to Romney.
- Romney line that he won't continue programs paid for by borrowing money from China. Good line.
- Romney: "You shouldn't raise taxes on anyone." Amen.
- Romney: "You raise taxes, you kill jobs." Amen.
- Romney taking POTUS to school on issue after issue.
- I'm liking the candidates actually debating each other with Lehrer being frozen out!
- Round two to Romney.
- I'm suspecting the average voter's eyes are glazing over whenever Obama tries to explain things to us.
- Loving how Romney is handling Lehrer...after all, if you can't handle Lehrer, how can you handle Muslim terrorists, right?
- Obama hugely relieved that ref Lehrer finally stepped in and stopped Romney from pounding him into the debate stage.
- Prof. Obama lecturing again on Dodd-Frank. Eyes glazing over again.
- Round three: Romney.
- Uh-oh. It looks like Romney has gotten under that thin skin of Obama's over ObamaCare.
- Obama really flailing around on ObamaCare.
- Romney with passionate defense of freedom and free markets. Go Cleveland Clinic!
- You'd think Romney would be at disadvantage on ObamaCare because of RomneyCare. Didn't work out that way. Obama's corner readying towel?
- Round Four: Romney
- Romney quoting Declaration and Constitution. Music to Ron Paulers ears.
- Romney: "The path we're taking is not working; it's time to take a new path." Amen
- Obama stinking up the stage. I guess it really IS true he's just an "OK" debater. Too bad he's been an even worse president.
- Ouch. Romney landed square one right on jaw with how many teachers could have been hired w/money Obama has spent on green energy.
- Round Five: Romney.
- Can you get one of Obama's "ladders of opportunity" at Home Depot?
- Bonus Round on working across the aisle with the other party: Romney.
- Debate proves what everyone's been saying for four years: Without a tele-prompter, Obama is a lost ball in the high weeds.
- Final Round/Closing Arguments: Obama saved by the bell! Romney's round. 7-0 unanimous decision.
- I've not been an enthusiastic Romney supporter. I am now.
- Was debate a game changer? We'll see. But it clearly stopped Obama's momentum.
- The HUGE number of GOP primary debates really, really, really helped Mitt Romney tonight.
- Let's hear more about Obama's "trickle down government."
- Guy on CNBC suggests Obama might be infected with some of Jimmy Carter's "malaise." Or words to that effect.
- Obama campaign attacking Jim Lehrer. Yeah, that'll earn 'em points. Not.
- James Carville: "The president didn't bring his A game."
- Rich Galen: "Romney didn't land a knock-out blow; but unless this was Obama's version of rope-a-dope, he took a pretty bad beating."
What others wrote (hat tip to our friend Ann Stone):
- Bill Maher: “I Can’t Believe I’m Saying This, But Obama Looks Like He DOES Need A Teleprompter” (Bill Maher, Twitter Account, 10/3/12)
- Bill Maher: “Obama made a lot of great points tonight. Unfortunately, most of them were for Romney” (Bill Mather, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza: “Good golly. Obama looks very annoyed/unhappy.” (Chris Cillizza, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- NBC’s David Gregory: “One hour in Romney is far more energetic and aggressive than the President.” (David Gregory, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- NBC’s David Gregory: “Bipartisan feedback im getting right now is that Romney is doing much better than expected.” (David Gregory, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- The New York Times‘ John Harwood Tweets: “Another Dem strategist: ‘Incumbent presidents usually shocked in 1st 30 mins of first debate. Obama seemed rusty, frustrated by Romney’” (John Harwood, Twitter Account, 10/3/12)
- Newsweek’s David Frum: “Romney consistently looks at Obama when Obama speaks. Obama looks down when Romney speaks. Not alpha dog behavior.” (David Frum, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- Buzzfeed’s Andrew Kaczynski: “Beginning to think Obama should have done debate prep instead of skipping it to watch football.” (Andrew Kaczynski, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- The New York Times’ Adam Nagourney Tweets: “Who is more absent from the stage? Jim Leher or President Obama. Close call.” (Adam Nagourney, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- The Philadelphia Inquirer ‘s Thomas Fitzgerald: “Romney is puncturing the presidential bubble…” (Thomas Fitzgerald, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- MSNBC’s Chuck Todd: “Very important night for Mitt Romney. And he rose to the challenge.” (Chuck Todd, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- The Hill ‘s Cameron Joseph: “When you’re explaining, you’re losing. Obama’s been explaining all night.”(Cameron Joseph, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- University Of Virginia’s Professor Larry Sabato: “Somehow I doubt the Obamas are going to fondly remember this 90 mins of their 20th anniversary. ” (Larry Sabato, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- Larry Sabato: “My judgment: Romney won 1st debate. Not especially close. Obama left his A game at White House.” (Larry Sabato, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- Larry Sabato: “Probably Romney’s best debate ever. Maybe Obama’s worst. I lost count of # of opportunities Obama missed.” (Larry Sabato, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- Politico’s Roger Simon: “I think Professor Obama and not Presidential Candidate Obama showed up for this debate.” (Roger Simon, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- NBC News’ Luke Russert: “Obama shooting himself by not getting personal on HCR. Clinton probably screaming at TV. He needs an ‘I feel your pain’ moment.” (Luke Russert, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- Mother Jones’ David Corn: “Romney looks like he’s having a good time. Obama does not. #debate” (David Corn, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- The Washington Post‘s Suzy Khimm: “Obama is stumbling, hesitant in describing the selling points of his signature achievement. Not good.” (Suzy Khimm, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- The Miami Herald’s Marc Caputo: “How I know Obama is losing: Dems are fuming that Romney’s “getting away with it.’” (Marc Caputo, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- WMUR-ABC Manchester’s Josh McElveen: “We have never seen @BarackObama on the defensive like this. Unprecedented. Wrong or right. @MittRomney is on the game he needed to be on.” (John McElveen, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- NBC’s Betsy Fischer Martin: “Bottom line: Obama is simply not accustomed to being challenged & answering questions for a prolonged period. In 2008, he was.” (Betsy Fischer Martin, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- The Boston Herald‘s Dave Wedge: “Obama looks like Rex Ryan against Belichick. Perplexed.” (Dave Wedge, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12)
- The Tampa Bay Times’ Adam Smith: “Two words for Obama @ next debate: Red Bull” (Adam Smith, Twitter_Feed, 10/3/12)
- MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough: “Tonight was a big win for Mitt Romney. He dominated the debate in every way. This wasn’t even close.” (Joe Scarborough, Twitter Feed, 10/3/12
My guess is Obama’s so vain and egotistical that he won’t even allow himself to acknowledge he stunk up the joint Wednesday night. Nevertheless, he’ll come out guns a’blazing in the next debate…and risk looking desperate or nasty by over-doing it.
We can only hope.
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