A CNN poll reveals that 67 percent of those surveyed feel Romney performed better in the first debate of the 2012 presidential election than President Obama. Despite where you stand politically, that sentiment is hard to refute. Here is how Romney kicked Obama’s butt…
He wore the red tie!
Der. Wearing the red tie to appear dominant is listed on Page 1, Paragraph 2, in the How to Steamroll Your Opponent guidebook. Everyone knows red is a power color! Makes you wonder. Do the candidates draw straws to see who gets to wear the red tie? Do they play eeny-meeny-miny-moe? Do they go paintballing first? As the electorate, we’ll probably never be privy to such crucial decisions and how they are made, but when Mitt Romney showed up wearing the red tie, Obama should have just gone home.
Polite zingers
I think I speak for most Americans when I thank the candidates for keeping their discourse respectful and polite. There have been a few presidential debates that have made the millions of us watching want to crawl under the couch cushions, which has ultimately distracted us from whatever message is being conveyed. Romney made a polite, but cheeky comment about having five sons and how they repeat things in an attempt to make him believe them, but that it doesn’t work. President Obama tossed out a couple sarcastic comments, the gist of which was, “If you think this sucky plan will work, vote for Romney,” — which was funny. Who doesn’t appreciate a well-placed sardonic comment? Still, Romney’s humor must have come across as a bit less politicized and more relatable. He joked about liking Big Bird and PBS, but not enough to borrow money from China to pay for those kinds of things. Zing…
Romney was awake
Like an Olympic champion, Romney appeared pumped. He was well prepared and polished. The president had more an attitude of, “I’m kind of tired from running the country. Could you just cork it already?” This sort of brings us back to a fundamental question inspired by the debates: “Who the hell, in their right mind, wants to be the president these days?????”
Stage presence
Obama was on the defensive, as you would expect an incumbent president to be. He wants to keep his job, so now he has to defend every decision he’s made in the past four years. But when one debater is continually defending his policies, it gives the other debater a more domineering presence. Additionally, you didn’t see Obama put Romney in the position of defending his governorship in Massachusetts. This gave the debate a very one-sided feel. Romney also made a lot of eye contact, or at least tried to, and spoke directly to the president, who was often looking down. It almost had the feel of a parent gently reprimanding a contrite child. So, Mr. President, in our humble and unsolicited opinion, for the love of all that is good and holy — look up next time!!
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