With just over a week to go before he faces President Obama in their first debate, Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney lowered expectations a hair, noting it is his first time in a presidential debate and his opponent is an "eloquent, gifted speaker." "The president is obviously a very eloquent, gifted speaker - he'll do just fine," Romney told Fox News in an interview from Dayton, Ohio. "I've, you know, I've never been in a presidential debate like this and it will be a new experience." Romney said the American people will make "their assessment as to who's the better speaker," but he believes that regardless they'll be drawn to his plan for the nation. "People will make a choice," Romney said. "I think I have, if you will, the facts on my side. I think the American people will be drawn more to the vision I have for the future of the country, but time will tell." The first of three presidential debates is Oct. 3 at the University of Denver. Lowering expectations on his ability to speak? i was hoping for a more fired up Romney ready to take on Obama, but already he is creating excuses . . . or I don't know what, but not the tone I was hoping to hear from him. I "think" I have the facts on my side . . . come on Mitt, you think? Iif you are going to sway this election you have to step up in these debates. He almost sounds defeated already.
Here's the fucked up thing about debates: It's not about how you actually do, it's how you're perceived to have performed compared to media "expectations". That false reality is what creates the narrative. And for the record, it's happening on both sides. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politic...ep-in-nevada-as-campaigns-lower-expectations/ As to your point, I agree. I wish debates were judged in a bubble, where facts, plans and grasp of the issues were what was important. However, that's not reality, as many people take the analysis they watch and let it form their opinions. For the record, it all changed in 1960 with the debate between Nixon and Kennedy. Those who listened to the debate on the radio thought Nixon won. Those who watched on television thought Kennedy won.
They should change the debate format... Debates should be completed, and the only record available to the public is a written transcript with the candidates names removed and replaced with "candidate A" and "candidate B".
Obama is a substantially better speaker. But Romney has the better facts due to the Obama administrations abject failures. Still, Obama is so elequent he'd make a snake believe a lie. I think Obama will mop the floor with ol' Mitt.
Absolutely. Quality of the debates both in the presidential election and the nomination proccess is my single biggest complaint with our election system.
You've managed to get it ass backwards. The hype, the superficial, those are the fictions, moro...er, sir.
Quality of debates? That's really up to the debaters. An intelligent, educated American ought to be able to discover the monkey in the living room no matter what the quality of questions.
Do you then get to vote based on candidate A and candidate B and after you vote, you get to know who you voted for? (not being sarcastic, just playing along with the hypothetical)
Honestly I haven't really thought through it all that much, but I imagine that at the identity of candidates A and B could be released when all debates have been completed?
Everything these two will be saying is going to be complete bullshit anyways and not at all reflective of what they'll actually accomplish in the next 4 years. It's a totally pointless spectacle where they can lie and pander to the naive public for hours on end. The same would be true if it were in written form.
True, but it would be nice to force voters to actually listen to or read what was said and lied about instead of simply voting for either an "R" or a "D".
It's the lack of confidence in his speaking ability and whimpy attitude that first bugged me when reading his quotes and had me posting it. But after a day and reading these comments, I expect Obama to "mop the floor" with Romney. Which means if Romney can hold his own, that is a victory for Romney. So maybe good strategy by Romney. I keep thinking that if Romney, during the debates, can convince people he can do better with the economy (possible) and come across likable (???), then he has a shot.
