( - promoted by Rob "EaBo Clipper" Eno)
Mitt Romney re-introduced himself to the nation with a stunning performance that even David Axelrod, with a very thin reed upon which to praise his boss, gave the former MA governor points for style.
But it was Romney's substance that rolled over Obama throughout the 90 minute debate. On taxes, the budget and health care, Romney was well-briefed, intelligent and exceptionally crisp. His strong convention speech was strong but soon forgotten in the noise of the campaign. The debate performance lost none of the August enthusiasm. The resilient Romney has come alive when it matters the most. Game-change is a term that doesn't capture the energy coming from the once-skeptical base from last night's showing.
In contrast, Obama was off his charming game, stumbling, stretching for facts, grasping for flashes of me-too responses. Obama favors cutting taxes. Did you hear that? The debate showed that Obama has spent too much time on the night-time shows and The View, away from the gritty details that spell success. Can we thank Romney stand-in, Senator John Kerry for bad preparation? And can we now praise Sen. Rob Portman for any sagely advice given to Gov. Romney?
Romney was presidential and thoughtful. He put in a performance that not only revived his candidacy but the Republican Party. Romney reminds us that he is a GOP presidential candidate who can string together a coherent sentence freeing use from the despair of candidates who don't get the power of language.The party faithful who early on put their faith in Romney have been vindicated. The cantankerous Tea Party should realize the stakes on November 6. Romney's citation of the 10th amendment and its wrap-around defense of RomneyCare was a shrill call to those worried about the breaching of the constitution by executive order.
The President's performance was so listless and unfocused that the compliant mainstream media refused to spin on his behalf. It too must think of its credibility on occasion.
The President declined for some reason not to sting Romney on the supposed weak links of the GOP recapitulated time and time again by the media: no mention of the Romney 47% gaffe, no talk on budget items favoring women i.e. health care and family planning. There was the usual pandering to college students by President who blamed the fee-gauging bankers, those middle men in the student loan chain. But the President could not connect.
More critically and more specifically the superior Romney performance exposes the pathetic liberal media bias that has dominated the news cycle since the end of the conventions. Romney has called them out. He has the details. He has the style. He has the chops.
Look for the media to sober up and assume its natural default position boosting Obama in the next debate.
A post-debate insta-poll from CNN showed 67% believed Romney had a superior night.
Game on! |
