First, let's get some things out
of the way. I am encouraged by the
first debate. There is no question
Romney won. Even some prominent
Lefties concede that, and a few of them even went in meltdown mode last night,
particularly Chris Matthews and Andrew Sullivan, who called it “a disaster for
Obama.” I think Obama constantly
looking down and smirking while Romney spoke hurt him. And Romney effectively called out
Obama’s lies (my word, not Romney’s) yet in a winsome manner, which is not easy to do. Moreover, Romney was likeable
throughout. I've been hard on Romney, but he did good, as we say in Texas.
One of the reasons last night
may be significant is that millions of viewers found out that Romney neither
has horns nor advocates any number of things Obama says he advocates. And it could be the beginning of undecided voters moving to Romney.
However . . . Obama committed no major
gaffes. And this is only one
debate with two presidential debates to go. Sitting presidents have had weak first debates before and
gone on to win the election. The
remaining debates or other events could easily undo any damage Obama sustained
last night and then some. Yes, two
more debates like this one, and Obama may be done for. But that is highly unlikely to happen.
I saw a lot of my fellow
conservatives get a bit carried away last night. I am not one of them.
Last night was encouraging and certainly a setback for Obama, but, contra Andrew Sullivan, no disaster for
Obama, at least not yet.
Yes, I’m a party pooper.
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