Debate

(Community Matters) First, absolutely acknowledge last night was disappointing to Obama supporters and probably felt like a Phoenix moment to Romney supporters.

Calls from Obama supporters to get on message seem overblown – who wasn’t praising the campaign or wishing theirs was as successful just 11 hours ago?

I was watching while here in Midland at a Democratic friend’s house with two independents and three older teenagers. The two independents and the D thought the President did “fine.”  The independents haven’t followed the campaign or the candidates like die hard politicos. One was a bit turned off by Mitt’s disrespectful behavior toward Lehrer. I was shocked to hear them say they thought it was a draw – and they didn’t like comments about removing oil & gas subsidies, but they heard Romney say he’s likely to repeal these too.

The D expressed frustration that the President wasn’t more aggressive and didn’t call Mitt out on the inconsistencies of his comments, but he didn’t seem upset by the performance. Axelrod says  Romney’s likely to gain 1 to 3 points in the polls.

It’ll be interesting to see editorials and columns today – even more so to see the next 2 presidential debates. I’m not sure I want to watch the veeps’. It’s pretty clear the Romney/Ryan strategy is to make shit up – no tax cuts for the rich, some alternative healthcare plan that preserves protections against pre-existing conditions and college kids’ coverage on parents’ plans. Been there; done that w/ Ryan’s convention speech.