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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Mitt Romney wins the first debate against a listless Barack Obama -- A debate with a flood of facts and figures to befuddle everyone

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Mitt Romney wins the first debate against a listless Barack Obama -- A debate with a flood of facts and figures to befuddle everyone

Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2012 at 12:10 AM

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Mitt Romney and Barack Obama at the Denver presidential debate

Mitt Romney won the first debate against Barack Obama just by showing up in a fighting mood against a lackluster incumbent.

In a debate weighed down by facts and figures and financial data, Romney was faster on his feet than Obama.

The aura of invincibility that descends on every White House occupant was scraped off by Romney’s combative performance.

It was Obama’s first debate in four years and it showed. He seemed disengaged, not the fiery candidate who took the stage by storm four years ago against John McCain.

Beforehand 72 percent of Americans thought Obama would win, the typical numbers for an incumbent. So Romney did far better coming from a lower expectation base.

But while Romney won on style, Obama landed some punches, especially when focused on Romney’s plan to cut $5 trillion in taxes.

“We have a horse race,” said David Gergen on CNN, the most seasoned of all political operatives who gave Romney the verdict on a night that may have changed the course of the race for the White House.

Even James Carville, the attack dog Democrat, had little good to say about Obama’s performance, saying he gave the impression he did not want to be there.

“The president did not bring his “A” game," said Carville

Obama was somehow subdued, his best moments were in his closing remarks when he finally felt and looked passionate when asking the American people for four more years.

At the same time, the two were reminiscent of two fighters clutching each other in the center of the ring without landing any punches for very long periods.

In the end, there was no knockdown, no moment like when Ronald Reagan floored Jimmy Carter, or Lloyd Bentsen when he decked Dan Quayle with his “You’re no Jack Kennedy” line.

All of which means that Romney will pick up some momentum making this a closer race than the pundits were predicting just a few weeks ago.

Read more: IrishCentral's up-to-date stories on the US presidential election 2012 here

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IrishAndProud | Oct 04, 2012, 05:11 PM EDT

Well, when you've been sheltered from reality all your life -- merely surfing white-guilt to the top and babied and pampered with a sympathetic press, to boot -- how can you be expected to deal with reality when it hits you (devoid of all that)? Even Obama's own people -- in addition to all the usual left-wing pundits -- are saying he did AWFUL, last night. Did anyone hear Chris Matthews, railing on Obama? Sheesh! Most FOX people don't even let him have it, like that. The tiny-minority liberals (just 21% of Americans, according to Gallup) is inching, slowly but surely, toward the reality that all the rest of us have known for YEARS, now: Barack Obama will lose next month. And that's a colossal understatement.

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Smyrnian | Oct 04, 2012, 05:05 PM EDT

Obama had that scolded schoolboy, dazed, deer in the headlights look. No teleprompter and no record to run on. He was roadkill by the end if the debate.

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oTuachair | Oct 04, 2012, 04:40 PM EDT

If these are the only choices I think I'll write in Mickey Mouse's name on my ballot...

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pilib04 | Oct 04, 2012, 04:31 PM EDT

My son told me that Obama is playing it safe. I don't know. One thing is for certain, if Obama had behaved like that in the Democratic primary debates four years ago, Hillary would have be President. I will grant that Obama has other things to do besides campaign unlike Romney who hasn't held a job since being Governor in 2006. So I guess Romney did have more time to prepare. But still, it just didn't look real.

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pilib04 | Oct 04, 2012, 04:23 PM EDT

The Guardian made some good points about President Obama "taking a dive" in the debate. The simple stuff was not calling Romney a flip/flopper on the 5 Billion tax giveaway. Not nailing him to his own Healthcare plan. Not making Romney come clean on Medicare and Social Security. But the "coup de grace" came with the President's complete silence on Romney's infamous Let Detroit go bankrupt!!!

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PiperMac52 | Oct 04, 2012, 04:12 PM EDT

So let me get this straight, by your reasoning Romney's facts and figures were more befuddling than Obama's? Thing is Obama has had four years to prove himself and his facts and figures still don't add up to any fo the promises he made in 2008.

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PiperMac52 | Oct 04, 2012, 03:30 PM EDT

Eschetic | Oct 04, 2012, 12:58 PM EDT It was an interesting evening, and only the most "conservative" sources convinced themselves that Romney hit a home run.--------------- Wow. The most "conservative sources" include Rachael Maddow, Chris Matthews, Ed Schultz, Lawerence O'Donnell, James Carvile, and every political writer and TV person I have heard. The only people who saw something different were people who post to this and other blogs and even they are in the vast minority.

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RedBranch | Oct 04, 2012, 03:08 PM EDT

Romney had a bigger flag pin, I think I'll vote for him!

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EphraimKibbey | Oct 04, 2012, 02:52 PM EDT

I think the score depends on what style you value most and whether you believe in independent fact checkers or never let the truth ruin a good story. To me, Romney was full of sound and fury while signifying nothing while the President was his calm, cool presidential self. Romney shape shifted into moderate mode while Obama stated exactly what he has been saying all along. Only in Romney World, does the truth change from moment to moment and is dependent on to whom you are talking. I wonder if Romney will be attacked from the far right for his etch-a-sketching away many of the things they hold near and dear or if they will assume that he was just lying to attract undecided voters and give him a pass?

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EphraimKibbey | Oct 04, 2012, 02:34 PM EDT

cillowen - don't look now but some imposter stole your good name for a post at 11:16 AM EDT. Don't worry though, we all can recognise your eloquence and that post wasn't even close!

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Willipotts | Oct 04, 2012, 01:54 PM EDT

I was very disappointed in Barak's performance. He missed a number of opportunities where he could have nailed Romney, e.g. his flip/flop on coal burning generation plants, abortion, medical care, etc. Romney was sharp, organized and articulate while Obama was lethargic, jerky presentation and too many generalizations. Had I been on the fence I might have been swayed to Romney. I wanted to kick Barak's ass for him.

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MegK311 | Oct 04, 2012, 01:13 PM EDT

There is no doubt in my mind that Romney was the winner. He knew what he was talking about. Obama for once was not able to slither through on his charm. He didn't have his teleprompter and looked very uncomfortable all evening.

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Searlit | Oct 04, 2012, 01:07 PM EDT

To me Romney comes off very robot like, whereas President Obama is sincere and able to keep his composure, in spite of Romney's rudeness & posturing. Imagine the pressure of all that elitist money being spent to try and spin things. I think the President did alright, and Mr. Romney looked like a lurch.

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FastEddy | Oct 04, 2012, 01:06 PM EDT

It ain't over 'til it's over ... Jamthecat: we could do better. We could have had Ron Paul!

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Skibberrean | Oct 04, 2012, 01:05 PM EDT

Ditto MotherIrish......Obama was pathetic as usual. Without his teleprompter and being coached what to say,he is a complete failure. No previous experience with jobs, governing, peoples health, foreign affairs, the list can go on and on. he walked the streets in hi local communities and stirred the pot of Acorn! he is a fraud, a liar and a self serving blowhard!! he needs to go NOW!

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