Plenty has been written about your less than lackluster first-debate. Frustrating and depressing for sure. I figure you were so angry you couldn’t speak, and anything you said Romney would respond to with a lie.
Of the 67 million people who watched the debate, some must be wondering if they can count on you in a time of crisis (haven’t you already proved that?). My brother told me, “Only he and Michelle will know what really happened,” and he heard that you really, really don’t like Romney.
Yesterday at work I received a request for money from the Romney/Ryan campaign. They’re blabbing, “Victory is in sight” and “we’re going to undo all the liberal damage of the past four years.”
“You’ve got to be kidding! I’m a proud liberal Democrat and Romney is an unscrupulous liar,” I yelled. Really, Romney would like to check off being president on his bucket list. He’s the wealthiest person to ever run for the presidency. He’ll say anything to get there. But what would he do there? It’s too scary to think about. I think you feel the same way.
On Thursday Rachel Maddow made me feel a little better, walking us through the history of modern televised presidential debates, relating how incumbents have lost the first debate and still won the election.
So shape up, Barack. We need you. How could you allow that hyper-liar to walk all over you? Is there some national security matter you’re worried about that you couldn’t discuss? Were you being a polite statesman while Romney engaged in his opportunistic lying? Are you too busy as president to prepare?
You’ve probably been getting lots of advice. Here’s mine:
Ask Romney what he would cut to reduce the deficit. Don’t let him off easy. Stare him down and keep asking.
Don’t let him f****ing agree with you on Social Security and Medicare. What a big fat lie!
Don’t let Romney be the one to bring up wanting to help poor people! Hit him with the 47 percent video.
Don’t keep looking down. Talk directly to the American people. They like you better.
Practice with Wild Bill before the next debate. And get Jon Stewart to moderate it.
Tucson Writer Editor 
I hope you are sending that advice directly to Obama’s campaign manager. AND…Where are women’s issues in this debate? It all seems to have fallen off the table. Women VOTE, and hopefully not for “pretty faces”, if one can look at that smarmy, snarky face on Romney and see something attractive. And why are the pundits on NPR just talking about how the candidates sounded, not what they said; if I hear the words “looks presidential” one more time, I’m going to throw up, no matter who it refers to.
Sure did, Sharon!
Right on as to why Obama seemed so lackluster. He may have also been tired in addition to things on his mind, being a mensch and having little time to prepare.
Thanks Arlyn! I can’t figure out why your comment says it’s from me. And yes, Obama is a mensch.
S
A few days ago, when I first read this, I had so many things to say. Now I have forgotten exactly what….ha! And so maybe the 67 million who watched also forgot. It was a down night for the president, but it won’t destroy him. The 24 hour news cycle insures that we are all on to the next thing.
Barack let Romney hurt his feelings. He seemed truly shaken by the mean-spiirited attack. He wanted this to be about ideas not about defending himself from lies and misrepresentation of the facts. The entire debate could have been Obama calling Romney out on his lies. He chose not to fall for that trap…but he came across as weak and unprepared. And the moderator didn’t help. So, time for Barry to get tough..and he can do that.
Republicans want to lie about the truth and now they want to turn the truth into lies…the latest ecnomic statistics don’t work for our message! Let’s call them lies! Of course, these same statistics weren’t lies a month ago, or two, or a year ago. Those were not strong enough to help the president significantly, so they were true! But now, those same numbers, compiled by the same agency, the same statisticians with the same methodology….now they are lies. Quite the strategy. With Carl Rove at the helm and Rush Limbaugh plotting the itinerary, what can you expect? This has gotta backfire.
Yes, thank you Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O’Brien for offering a different perspective on the debate. It was good medicine.
Let’s hope people forget real fast, Claire, cause the polls are tightening up and some swing states have begun to swing again. Ugh. Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments. Good luck to us all!