AP
The first presidential debate was dubbed do-or-die for Governor Mitt Romney. This morning, it sounds like he did "do" it.
By a 2 to 1 margin, uncommitted voters said Governor Romney won last night, according to a 500-person instant poll by CBS News. Many of the headlines across the country this morning suggest the same: The Washington Post, "Romney Goes on Offense, Forcing Obama to Defend Record." The Los Angeles Times, "In Position to Surprise, Romney Has Sharp Answers in First Debate. The Denver Post, "Mitt Romney Comes on Strong Against President Obama in University of Denver Debate." Earlier on the TODAY Show, Obama Senior Adviser David Axelrod admitted that Governor Romney gave a strong performance last night - adding that it was just that, a "performance." Moments later, Romney Senior Adviser Ed Gillespie called Romney's "performance" a "fact-based critique of the failure of President Obama's policies."
Others, including BuzzFeed, note that last night may have been the pivot to the center that had long been expected of the Massachusetts Governor following his primary win.
Today on NOW, we'll take a look at how Governor Romney's words last night compare to what he's been saying about those topics on the campaign trail. Was there a major switch in the Republican nominee's positions last night, or did he take advantage of the debate's estimated 50+ million viewers to get fresh consideration among those critical undecided voters.
PANEL
Michael Eric Dyson, Georgetown U./msnbc Political Analyst (@michaeledyson)
Fmr. Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA), NBC News Political Analyst
Dan Rather, Anchor, AXS TV’s “Dan Rather Reports” (@danratherreport)
Hugo Lindgren, Editor, The New York Times Magazine (@hugolindgren)
GUESTS
James Lipton, Host, “Inside the Actor’s Studio”
BULLPEN
Savannah Guthrie, Co-Host, TODAY/NBC News Chief Legal Correspondent (@savannahguthrie)
Leave a Comment:
Of course it was a Performance. It was rehearsed and practiced. Very fake. How the heck do you argue with a liar?
The problem with pundits is they look at the debate through the wrong prism -- their own. Romney lost the debate with his Big Bird comment. President Obama was not debating Romney or the pundits in the stand, he was talking with the American people. Many centuries ago, a Greek orator named Aeschines was upset because Demosthenes did not respond to his points in the order that Aeschines wanted him to. Demosthenes won the debate and is considered one of the greatest orators in history. This is the 21st century media age, the old rules of debate do not apply in the subtleties of television.
Besides, did you watch the Fox News special on Obama as the angry, arrogant black president. Obama defeated them and he defeated the Romney that showed up last night. Romney also lost to Big Bird.
Was this a 'set-up' or even deliberate? Maybe Romney took the bait? As a strong Obama supporter, I'm trying to figure this out. I assume 10/11 Biden v Ryan....Joe will be unleashed. Awaiting this one, but anxious for the next Obama/Romney.
Standing still, while getting punched in the face and kicked in the groin, is a TERRIBLE battle strategy. Someone PLEASE tell the Potus!! He was too cool for his own good. Fortunately, the facts are still on our side.
Romney repeated his lie about the medicare money cut and talked about some health care insurance plan he was going to replace Obamacare. But because he came out swinging in the debate he looked like he won. The President's crew better think of another strategy to rebut Romney's lies and distortions or they will be out there as truths and the President better hold up his head.
I rewatched the debte ovr again on CNN. I concur the Pres did not look his usuall fired up self. Yet I feel he was right on his facts. Also if he called out Mitt as a liar what would the conversation be today. Yet maybe because my mind has been made up for awhile I understood the facts he discussed which Romney did not explain except to say I like that to & I will do that to.
1) Romney I wll not cut education which he did massive cuts in Mass. as a state Gov. 2) I worked across the aisle which Ted Kennedy is the one who brought the democratic support across the aisle not Mitt. 3) Also MASS dropped to rank 47 in jobs under Gov. Mitt.
YET AS I RUN IT OVR IN MY MIND MITT IS RIGHT HE WILL NOT DO IT. HE WILL THROW IT BACK TO ALL THE BROKEN STATE GOVS. WHO WILL HAVE TO DEAL with approx 30% in costs off the top.. Unless u have been living under a rock we have seen the Rep. Gov. working their black magic these last 2 yrs.
How Wisconsin reelected Scott Walker still boggles my mind now I wonder if it was voter fraud on the Rep. side.
Wisconsin reelected Scott Walker because the Democrats had the same candidate that lost to Walker in 2010 and who was not considered a strong candidate this time. The Dems did win control of the State Senate when Walker won. I predict the Dems will do nicely November 6. Watch for Ryan to lose his seat in Congress. Two Ryan losses: as vice-presidential candidate and as a Congressman.
Yes the President looked tired and preoccupied at times. I doubt Gov Romney gave the Turkish-Syrian clash of the day a second thought.
But the President had to deal with it, and worry about another war breaking out !!
Truth: President Obama played it too safe in last night's debate. Being "Presidential" is already a given---when you're the President! If you are fighting for re-election...then FIGHT! Get in, Get down and get dirty. Mitt Romney did what had to do. He was aggressive, assertive and and assured that he could not only run over the moderator...but the president as well. And he did. I get it. President
Obama missed several opportunities to lay into Romney on medicaid cuts, food stamps, the 47 % comments, etc. The president has a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" cloud over his head. If he gets "dirty"...he's that "angry black man." If he came too strong, he's "arrogant and dismissive." Who and what we saw llast night was not indicative of the Barack Obama we had grown accustomed to seeing. He was not fired up, nor ready to go. That, was Mitt Romney. Sorry to say it Mr. President, but got served.
I about fell out of my chair when he(Romney) said he needed to find another accountant because he was in buisiness for 25 years and didnt get a deduction for shipping plants oversea's
I'm a bit confused by the comments and by Alex Wagner and the MSNBC panel indicating that Governor Romney simply changed his stance and lied last night.
I am not a fan of Mr. Romney or President Obama. Today it seems like all of the President's staff and supporters are quick to try to spin a pretty brilliant performance into being a "Etch-a-sketch" performance for Romney.
Call a spade a spade...Romney schooled the President last night. President Obama appeared to be tired, disinterested and didn't appear to have answers to the "lies" Romney was telling last night.
This is getting old. Fox skews too much toward the right and MSNBC skews too much toward the left. How can we ever get over the divisiveness in this country when both sides are so hateful toward one another?
I'm an independent who has voted both Democrat and Republican. It's not about left or right, it's about who is the best candidate. I don't necessarily think Mr. Romney is the right candidate, but I am starting to feel as if he is a "better" candidate than the President.
Time will tell. Nice job to both Fox and MSNBC for putting their biased spin on the evening, as usual.
Why do you feel "better" I watched the debates and if you remember what Mittens has said in the past he was inventing himself once again last night. If you want 5 trillion of tax cuts for the top then vote for Mitt. If you want everyone to be playing by the same rules then the choice is clear.
I do not know who Mittens is, I do know who Obama is.
Thank you Alex!!! I love your show. You have everything that SECup wants and need!
In addition, In my opinion, during the debate if Obama had behaved as Romney, he would have been "that angry black kenyan" or, "he needs to learn how to be an American" or he would have been 'arrogant"...which most African American males are called when they are 'intelligent." It is too bad for Romney that after all that has occurred, Obama will STILL be re-elected!!!!! "This is why God sent him..."
Pardon, but why are we talking about race right now? What in the heck does race have to do with anything that happened last night?
President Obama is arrogant. So is Mr. Romney. You don't generally get to a place of power like the Presidency of the United States without having at least some smug or arrogant qualities. It's how most politicians are and have been for quite some time.
Also, I'm not sure which God you pray to, but the God I believe in doesn't play favorites in things like this, no more than he doesn't play favorites at football games, etc. I don't like it when conservatives bring in the "God" factor and the same goes for the President's supporters.
There is no denying the President is well educated and intelligent. His education background alone would support that.
Why does race need to be pulled in to this?
funny i live in Arizona. race is always an issue. it's not always blatant but it is there. here is an example.
my girlfriend is a50+ Independent(voter she says),white Caucasian. her children are half Mexican-American Caucasian. They are dark-skinned not at all like her, not even close.
Her kids would every once in awhile ask her about why someone called them a "Mexican"?, said it to them with hate. She said "ah that's nothing they didn't say or mean that, i understand because i grew up around Mexicans and your dad"
I couldn't believe it! So I took each one aside, her17&18boys and 16girl through the years and let them vent there hurt and pain. Asked what they were feeling. Each one cried saying Mom didn't understand. All the hate and anger people say and show us at times she says not a big deal but it is. The kids are now in there mid 20's and now are better equipped in understanding that just because there dark-skinned it doesn't mean there less.
It is okay to embrace all of who you are.
When they are feeling hurt from prejudices done to them now they talk with each other or go talk to there dad and his family. You know other Mexicans;-)
Her and I are no longer together. Biggest reason she said she would not support me when helping Latin-Americans who are being discriminated against. And when it happened she didn't.
But she is a Independent Voter. I was to until I was around her and her friends and finally understood want real Independent Voters are. And they spew racial and prejudiced crap with her just sitting there pretending it's not being said, wow.
i am a dark-skinned 50+ Mexican-American now Democrat Male. Beginning in my 20's at times i have not been served at bars, restaurants, told can't work there, not hired, women grabbing there purse, walking to the other side of the street then moving back over after passing even when they had children of color with them, pulled over and asked for my papers by Chandler AZ police in 1997, it goes on and on all because to them i am, a Mexican, a f--king Mexican, a spic, greaser, a wetback, one of those people even a N--g-r. All this was said. Yes I stood up and fought back peacefully, way I was raised. Use the system to help one move forward;-)
The issue of "Race" is there. And since our first Bi-Racial president but to America Black President it has gotten worse. Meaning more open and blatant.
So here we are "Race" it is always a issue. The job is to confront it head on and deal with it. Deal with it so people of color can no longer feel less than even if they have succeeded in what is considered success in this Our United States of America;-)
Half of swing voters are women and the republican war on women was not even brought up last night. Women swing voters are not going to be swayed by Romney's babble about taxes. Women want assurances that their children and their health will be protected. Romney is not the man for that job.
If Romney's tax plan... as stated last night... is revenue neutral then how does it stimulate the economy? IOW: if my tax rate goes down 20% but I loose deductions equivalent to that 20% then I have no more discretionary income that I did before... I have no additional money to spend or invest...
He explained that his plan is revenue neutral because he is planning on the tax base broadening by the creation of new jobs. So in other words, our tax burden will be less if there are more people paying in. It makes sense what he is saying, but there's no way of knowing if he will be able to create the jobs he is saying he can. It's interesting to say the least.
hahaha they said that about the bush wars, the bush tax cuts, the bush medicare bill it goes on and on. and now as a typical independent voter you want to believe these new lies, wow. There are "No Specifics" CBO and other independent(you know independent) economists say the math doesn't add up.
Why is it so easy for people to choose lies over truths? Deceptions over Honesty? The Great Deceiver over The Truth, why?
hahahaha they said that about the bush wars, the bush tax cuts, the bush medicare bill it goes on and on. They said we will create jobs so vote us in in 2010. So will vote to defund planned parenthood, against roe vs wade, for naming of buildings, for legitimate rape, for bankrupting the country, for no infrastructure, against jobs for teachers police firefighters on and on.
But NO NEW JOBS! Lies and Lies and more Lies.
There are "No Specifics" C.B.O. and other independent(you know independents) economists say "the math" doesn't add up.
Why do so many choose the lies over the truth? deception over honesty? The Great Deceivers over The Truth" why?
Are you kidding me? This is ridiculous. Romney LIED, he lied over and over and over again, yet you are talking about a couple of very lame jokes that we all have used before. The American people already look at Romney as a liar and last night did him no favors. Just like the 47% comment confirmed to many people what they thought about him, the number of lies he told last night confirmed what many people already think about him. Face it, no one likes Romney, he's the jerk in high school that people tolerated but don't invite to the reunion. Spin it however you want but last night didn't change a thing. Romney came across as a lying bully and our President let him dig in. Sorry you were disappointed but I wasn't.
James Lipton? really? that's an insult to the American people and our intelligence. I'm thinking tomorrow a shadow puppet show might be in order. (Lame joke... people will snicker but it's not really funny)
I remember when President Obama debated Hillary Clinton and the same analysis was made as now. When are you pundits going to learn that our President and the American people are smarter than you. Time for you pundits to get out of Manhattan and see the real world. You're missing out on a quite a bit of good bbq. (BBQ was a lame joke, people will laugh but it really isn't funny. Got that?)
Nash- I totally agree with you. The President played Mitt Romney.
“STYLE” over “SUBSTANCE”
President Obama, I wish that you had challenged Romney on some of his “LIES”. Taking the high road and remaining “LIKABLE” is honorable, but misguided. The Democrats always confuse nice and passive. The American People hate a bully, but they respect courage. Believe it or not we know the difference. It seems to me that you were holding back, I could see your frustration and your calculations. “Remember to take the high road, I can’t affect my likability”. You still have to be a CHAMPION; we still have to believe you’re strong. So yes I am disappointed, but I have not changed my mind.
As disappointed as I was in the President’s debate, I was more disappointed in my favorite cable news station MSNBC. You seem to have been distracted by the shallow. You seemed to forget your responsibility to your viewers, who I am guessing are LIBERAL. You hardly spent anytime, analyzing what was said only how it was said. We count on the Press to educate us, to do the research. It gives us pause when you seem to go all “Entertainment Tonight” on us. I am going to take a guess that your audience has a higher number of college grads then Fox Noise and to us “SUBSTANCE” is important. I am going to give Andrea Mitchell a “B+” for her interview with John Sunumu. She did what the Press should be doing, challenging! So as your news coverage continues and you sit there gleefully in you anchor chairs, know this, your viewers are just as disappointed in you. Where is your credibility? You seem to have contempt for us, thinking that we too can be distracted by shinny things like you are.
Mitt Romney said NOTHING last night of any “SUBSTANCE”, his ARITHMETIC didn’t add up, he contradicted himself and flip flopped. Issues that are important to suburban home owners (Mortgage Interest Rate Deduction), Women Health Issue, Immigration, Tax Fairness, and Declining Salaries did not come up or they were given with no detail. Mitt Romney didn’t just have to get up there and smile, not this year. We need to know what this man is going to do to us….and with his HUGE flip flops last night, on Obamacare, Pre-exsiting conditions, the deficit, and tax reform…he only made my trust him less. TRUST HIM? NOT ON YOUR LIFE…
Nice post Yahoo Thom. I too am disappointed that MSNBC only talked about how it looked instead of the substance.
Is it possible that President Obama was simply following the oldest axiom in politics that says, "when your opponent is making a fool out of himself/herself, don't get in the way?" Clearly, up until last night, that would be the sagest advice. Romney has been acting like a clown-car full of fools.
Romney threw change up pitches that shook up Obama's timing. This time. There are and will be a number of good campaign ads that will come out of Romney's creation of a parallel universe of mathematics, and perhaps the unsatiated, blood-thirsty folks will change their minds
Alex- Thank you , thank you, thank you!! Whereas everyone else on MSNBC including Chris Mathews, Ed and to some degree Rachel MAddow were SAVAGING Obama's debate performance, you on Now took the more reasonable tact- pointing out the many faces of Mitt Romney. A fan for life.
Sorry Obama, it is a little more complex then basic arithmetic.