Debate Analysis

Unlike so many of the crowing conservatives this morning, I was overall a bit disappointed in Romney last night.  Not that he didn't outshine the president in the debate, but I believe he fumbled a chance to destroy Obama.

Particularly in the first half hour, it seemed to me that Romney was pulled into the deep weeds by Obama arguing wonky policy stuff that must have had half the audience picking up their remotes to change the channel.  Instead of arguing the fine points of tax policy, Romney should have focused on the big picture principled discussion of why Obama's socialist ideas have failed and why Romney's market-friendly approach will succeed.

I give Romney credit for blunting Obama's misleading attacks on his proposals.  He was effective when he called Obama out for lying by saying, "Everything you just said about my tax plan is inaccurate".  It's nicer than calling him a liar, but still conveys the message.

USA Today published a fundamentally dishonest review of the debate, with an article from their so-called "fact checkers", who of course went to greatly dishonest lengths trying to suggest Romney twisted the truth.  At least they confirmed other Romney statements in the article, maybe because they knew they had to show at least some credibility.

A big disappointment for me was that Romney allowed Obama to pull him into a wonky discussion of ObamaCare, trying to argue the merits of the law's supposedly popular provisions, like forcing insurers to cover folks with pre-existing conditions or cover grown children.  Romney should have redirected the discussion to the principles of freedom and the error of one-size-fits-all dictatorial management of healthcare from the ivory towers in Washington.  I especially wanted him to make a strong principled argument against the HHS Mandate for free contraception.

Romney at least gave a good principled argument against the IPAB.  I thought Obama's defense of IPAB was weak. 

Late in the debate it seemed obvious that Romney had Obama on the ropes, as we saw the president scowling and shaking his head while Romney landed his body blows, especially about the Obama "green energy" disaster.

Only the political junkies get much out of the debate.  I think regular people were probably unaffected.  I'd be surprised if the persuadable people came away from watching the debate as Romney supporters; actually, I'd be surprised if the persuadable people even watched.