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Joe Raedle / Getty Images
People at the Lavanderia coin laundry watch as U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney are seen during their televised debate on Oct. 3, 2012 in Miami, Florida. The telecast is the first of four debates for the 2012 Election, three Presidential and one Vice Presidential.
Chris Schneider / AP
Rachael Bass, 20, a supporter of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney watches a band perform at the University of Denver before the first presidential debate.
Paul J. Richards / AFP - Getty Images
Patrons watch the debate at Bullfeathers, a historic bar just feet from the US Capitol in Washington, DC.
Julie Jacobson / AP
Dawn, right, and Randy Cornell, watch the presidential debate at the United Steelworkers Local 4856 Union Hall with fellow union members,in Henderson, Nevada.
Chris Schneider / AP
Caitlin Alexander, 20, a supporter of President Barack Obama, watches the debate on a screen outside at the University of Denver.
Stan Honda / AFP - Getty Images
A customer gets a shave as he watches the debate on a television at the USA 1st Stop Barber Shop & Hair Salon in the Harlem section of New York.
Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
Reporters watch the final minutes of the presidential debate between President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at the University of Denver on Oct. 3, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. The first of four debates for the 2012 election, three presidential and one vice presidential, is moderated by PBS's Jim Lehrer and focuses on domestic issues: the economy, health care, and the role of government.
- Video: Watch the entire debate
- Vote: Did debate influence your vote?
- Story: Policy differences take center stage in first debate
Ed Gillespie, a top adviser to the Romney campaign, discusses the Republican reaction to the first presidential debate and whether he believes the candidate's performance was strong enough to alter the trajectory of the race in his favor.
David Axelrod, a top adviser to President Obama's campaign, responds to claims that the president was outdebated, saying that Obama "treated the American people like adults and he told them the truth."
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Whoever thought that Romney won that debate you are sadly mistaken. Romney the flip flopper did it again and that is lie. Obama won that debate. If you want to save the middle class vote Obama. If you want to save Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and other social programs vote for Obama.
MSNBC had a melt down ...matthews "we at msnbc would have brought our knifes" WTF
they were screaming and yelling....classic...I thought schultz was going to cry, like he did when walker won re-election in Wisconsin...
Obama is weak and been hiding behind his handlers for so long , he couldn't answer questions and kept looking to moderator for help "maybe would could change the topic " what a loser.. this is the true obama without his people running interference and no tele-prompter....
get ready for the polls to show romney leading in all states and the media spinning as a non important and means nothing..when earlier this week they had obama all ready re-elected !!!! what a joke !!
Yesterday, I posted the following:
Everybody's talking about how Obama appeared so disoriented at the debate. You could say his mental state is finally becoming evident.
How in the world did Obama win this debate. he looked like a deer in the headlights. With out his teleprompter he is worthless. Oh wait a minute, he is worthless with it!!!!!!!!!
The MSNBC panel looked like a Jerry Springer Show rerun.
I thought they were going to start throwing chairs.
It's hysterically pathetic to see how much MSNBC/NBC worships 0bama.
People don't realize that this is who 0bama is. a weak man with nothing to stand for. When is was just him all alone on stage without his media bodyguards and his teleprompter filled with someone else's words, he is just an empty suit, or an empty chair if you will.
Now on the other side of the stage we had Romney showing America who he really is. After months of the media making him out to be everything from a dog abuser to a wife murderer, the American people can finally say without a doubt that they have been lied to by the media. The media hates these debates because they cant stand by 0bama's side and protect him. And they hate that they cant tell the American people who they should think romney is, the people get to see for themselves that Romney is not what the media said he was.
Romney 2012
maybe instead of going on the VIEW , LETTERMAN SHOW , JZ AND BEYOUNCE etc. Obama should have taken the time to prepare and not wing it. Romney got critcized for not going on Letterman , but now we know what his priorities are, this country and our very real problems and winning an election while the president's head is elsewhere. you may not like all of what romney stands for or has to say but at least you know for him it will be a full time job and he will do his homework while this president does what he does best phones it in, like he did to Netanahue last week. being president is not about picking and choosing to do what you want when you want and based on what is your agenda politically at the time . he was never ready .. he was a community organizer .. he never had to measure up and really work hard .. he just can't do it . Hillary Clinton was right . she assesed him correctly and we all made a huge mistake cut our losses and move on or we are really in for a very very tough four more years .. don't make it about the party you are with .. think about the future . if you like what is going on now and want to continue on as we are then hey good luck to us all
Mike...
It was hilarious wasn't it? I believe matthews had been balling his eyes out. He and Al Sharpton were on the defensive but I swear they looked sickened.
The true Obama shows himself...like the empty suit he really is. BTW, he's got his teleprompter today! LOL
Another showing like that one and Obama will make himself irrelevant...
Romney/Ryan 2012!
Yes, Romney/Ryan 2012, let's spend ourselves into oblivion!! Seriously, how can you support their level of hypocrisy? They say they want to "slash spending" but then turn around and say they're going to drop taxes and RAISE the military budget by another trillion dollars to a grand total of TWO TRILLION DOLLARS PER YER. How exactly is that supposed to help reduce the deficit? Let's put this in math terms:
- taxes
- two trillion dollar military budget per year
____________________________________
Less money to reduce the deficit with.... I mean, am I missing something here???
2 trillion a year? I think it's time for you to hit up Uncle Sam for that GI bill. You have no idea what you are talking about.
Seriously this debate was a disaster for Obama. With that said, I am old enough to remember the 1st Reagan/Mondale debate where Mondale walked all over Reagan. Yet Reagan carried 49 of the 50 states in that election. This is JUST A DEBATE, not the election.
Elliot - Well, for one, I actually am going to college already, thanks. For two, I think it is you sir that have no idea what you are talking about. Romney has stated more than a few times, including in last night's debate, that he wants to increase the military budget to 2 trillion per year. We're already at ONE trillion per year as it stands.
With sign: Fire Obama tells the story.
Every media outlet is going to toast Obama for "holding back" but give the President High marks for statesmanship. For Romney this was a win... a win that will, at least, slowly build until next debate (barring any further gaffs). Many will spin the 1st debate as "not important" but whether one argues that "Romney was all over the map." or "He interrupted the mediator." One thing stands out, He was cool, calm, Romney was enjoying himself where Obama was "tortured" almost annoyed at times.
The left will spin it but Romney did very well.. Now I hope he can "stay on message" the rest of the campaign and Romney is assured a narrow victory.
I predicted that Unemployment will drop (seasonal hires start in November and last thru January)
Oil price will fall: But they will remain above 3 dollars a gal. avg.
But I did not foresee foreign policy being so prevalent. Obama should have had that box checked in his column. Russia touting "reset" failure, and the Libya attack "fumbled" by the Administration is going to take Obama off message... Remember his advantage is being an incumbent, but he still "has to" be President.
I hope Romney actually tells about all of these "plans" of his that don't seem to contain specific details or number of any kind....
The idiot Obama shows he has no plan also, Wake up idiot Obama has created 6 trillion in debt so his plan is not working either and he has no plan.
I just gave Romney $2500.00 to get the idiot out of the white House
And instead we put in an idiot that will cut taxes and raise the military budget to $2 trillion a year, grats.
Simple ... Romney demonstrated far superior talents as a debater, and as a policy wonk in command of facts and issues. At the minimum this was a TKO in the early rounds and someone should had thrown in the towel.
This contest was a total embarrassment in having the President being present.
Yes Romney used superior debating tactics by talking over the moderator, lying about previous positions he has taken, only talking about what he won't do instead of what he will actually do instead, and demonstrating his inability to do math and lack of ideas by claiming he will make up revenue from lowering the tax rates by making people the full lower rate. Lowering the rates for all and removing deductions from some does not equate to more revenue.
The only reason people can call this a win for Romney is because it was totally expected that he would get his ass handed to him... but Obama didn't show up
Mitt Romney reminded me of a used car salesperson. Say whatever- to make a deal. I am an independent voter, but whenever I hear or see Romney or Ryan on television, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up...this usually happens when something creeps me out. I just don't believe them. I want to vote for someone that cares about people; not a business man that is closing a deal and not caring what happens to the people. I have a child age 23 with a pre-existing condition, Type 1 diabetes. I am paying for her insulin and supplies because she doesn't have insurance-$300 just for insulin per month. I can not afford to keep her on my policy through work, because a family plan is $800 a month and for the first year, no pre-existing condition is covered and anything that could be related to it. I would lose everything. I already sacrifice a lot of money for my uninsured daughter, I don't want to do anymore of it. I don't feel confident that Romney would help her get insurance; I don't think he knows what it is like to wonder what it is to be without insurance coverage and need it so badly.
your Obama colors are shining, ignore the truth.
"Say whatever- to make a deal. I am an independent voter, but whenever I hear or see Romney or Ryan on television, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up...this usually happens when something creeps me out. I just don't believe them. I want to vote for someone that cares about people"
Funny, I get the same feeling about President Obama.
I'm sorry to hear about your daughter. My work has a similar high cost insurance, and some of the same restrictions. And in the past 3 years it has increased 20% EVERY year since the ACA passed. (previous increases were well below 20%, Mr. President-who-said-last-night, "increases are down.") I know that when the ACA is fully implemented all of the insurance costs will go down for the employees. But not the employers. I care about the employer because I need my job, as I am sure you do. That "cap" Mr. President talked about last night won't protect my employer, or yours from rate increases. My job is in HR. I see the info coming from the insurance companies. And the projected cost to my company after the ACA goes into effect is more than triple, or quadruple the annual cost to the company right now. That's quite a blow to the ability to employ, expand or even exist. I worry about losing my job after the ACA is implemented. ACA isn't the answer. Obama isn't the answer.
Your daughter is at risk under the ACA. She has an expensive condition that reduces her overall health and "quality" of life. At what point will her health come under the auspices of a bureaucratic panel somewhere who decides that any doctor who chooses to treat her won't get paid because it isn't cost-effective regarding her overall "usefulness" and quality in society? Check out the purpose of IPAB, the panel Mr. Obama claims is "spedifically prohibited" from rationing care. Make sure you look at more than one source of information. In fact, look up the law/the ACA itself. Go right to the source. All 2,450 pages of it.
Reform, regulation, restructuring are all pieces of the answer to get all Americans the basic necessary healthcare they need. It always was, not this unholy mess of a bill that no one, INCLUDING Mr. Obama, bothered to actually read before passing it.
My opposition to the ACA, to this president and his current administration are all due to the fact that I want to protect myself and people like your daughter from becoming victims to a government that is allowed to decide which of it's citizens have value to society and which don't. I believe that every human being, from poor to wealthy, from city to country, from housed to homeless has a purpose and a value in this society. The ACA not only doesn't value human life, it is part of an administration whose overall agenda harkens back to an era that sets human beings down as servants to the government, instead of the government as a servant of the people.
Romney the pro and obama the whimp !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Obama now wants his lollipop and ballon.
I felt the President was too frequently diffident and dismissive.
The Governor struck me as philosophically vague and evasive about any details.
To my mind, neither man won this debate, except perhaps to say that Romney managed not to implode or generate another gaffe.
98 billion thrown away to the President's friends in the "alternative energy" industries was detailed enough for me ........Was there something I missed ?
Romney did great! Obama made no sense. I know who I am voting for.
in the first photo shown a "laundry mat" the American is watching the debate the 2 Latinos that are just there, they are not concerned with any presidential debate because they don't speak the language, and obviously they are a focus of many people's displeasure with Obama, open the borders we need more foreigners. and more entitlement recipients.
or you could look at it this way, the American is being lazy and watching TV and the two Latinos are working to fold their clothes. Just another perspective. At best, that picture shows exactly what it shows, two people folding clothes and another person watching TV waiting on theirs to be done. Have a good day!
anyone can make up whatever sounds good. obama actually had follow-up to what he was saying.
bullying and acting like a clown may seem to work for the republican, but who wants that?
a sustainable future is what obama can give us, even with all the vetos from congress.
he is laying a good foundation, and it takes time
But four years? To many trips and not enough office time.
Once again Obama shows us that he doesn't know what he is doing. Didn't four years ago and still hasn't learned. Do we really want him back. I THINK NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was not a huge Mitt fan before but I dislike BO intensly, so I was happy to see Mitt shred the president last night. For those that think he acted like a bully, really? Lukily that word is taking a front seat in a lot of news stories lately or the thought would not have occured to anyone. President Oboma looked like he was being bullied because he was not prepared. Nither for the questions or the ability to think on his feet. He definately looked like a deer in the headlights. Pathetic.
Job well done Romney !!!! This debate has exposed part of Obama's weaknesses and his lack of leadership qualities. Maybe by the next debate, he will be FULLY EXPOSED. Wait, that may not be suitable for regular TV. Let's stop the damage he's done so far and restore our great nation !!
I am a 61 y/o retired "independent" RN; I don't tweet nor do I email in regards to a news story. However, concerning last nights debate, I agree that Mr. Romney was "crisp, sharp, energetic" and looked and sounded great. President Obama was somber and at times distracted. Is it just me or does anyone else remember that President Obama is just that, President, and with alarming middle east events occurring, he doesn't just talk about keeping us safe, he is actually working around the clock to do just that. Is the population comparing apples to apples?
Plarn1
I'm 60, and trying to get to retirement before I die. And you are exactly correct. President Obama looked like the man he is, responsible and responsive to the U.S. citizens. He looked exhausted to me. Can you imagine dealing with all of the open hatred that this man has dealt with for 4 years? It makes me mad as hell.
Mitt Romney, well, lots and lots and lots of money on the back end, as he and his rich contributors well know, can do wonders.
Plarn, Obama has not kept us safe.. Four killed in a terrorist action, our Southern border wide open. This man was finally put to the test for the first time..
He has been protected for four years by the media.. This is the first time he has been placed into a position that he had to answer, timed with those answers, made to stay on topic, and without his teleprompter. Without Valarie Jarrett and others to write his speeches, the man is completely lost.. His having to answer questions not knowing the subjects, shows he was completely lost. We have only heard from him a few times with out the TelePrompter and each time he falls on his face.
Obama does not understand how to run a business, he has never had any experience...Romney proved he has the knowledge and experience to turn this Country around and everyone needs to quit thinking otherwise.. Obama spoke for ten minutes longer than he was allowed. So quit thinking he was not given a chance.. He fell all over his/self.
ROMNEY/RYAN 2012
So Jean, you want to keep us safe like the conservatives??? Lets see... 3000 killed during 911 during their last reign..
Just keep making excuses for Obama jjc9999, although he is pretty good at that himself. He can blame Bush, the Republican majority, whatever! I am tired of him not taking responsibility in his role. He is the PRESIDENT, highest office in the US and he can't even be accountable. Obama says he has plans for the next four years, well I want to know what happened to all his "plans" for the first four. I don't know if Romney is the better choice. I watched the debate last night not sure who I liked or who I would vote for but I felt Romney showed he would make a commitment to the American people. He said he would get in there and work with Republicans and Democrats to do what was best for the people. Obama is charismatic and good at delivering a speech but I have yet to see him roll up his sleeves and get down to business. I voted Obama last time and I am disappointed he did not deliver. I am not sure I want to take a chance on him for the next four years. Obama gives a great interview on The View but what is he really doing to get the job done for the American people? I am not asking for a miracle, I am just asking him to stand up and do the job he said he would do when he gave me "hope" that he was the right man in 2008.
Obama looked exhausted, as I am sure he is. He does have a day job, ya know, not just time for "debate camp". The debate is a TV show people! its like American idol. If you base your vote on that instead of the policies these guys have and what people they care about, you are a fool. Nothing has changed except Obama had a less than stellar night on the podium.
Funny......he's always "bright-eyed and bushy tailed" when he's on Letterman. Gimme a break.
If Obama was exhausted it was because he has been partying for the last how long..Thats all he has done while in Las Vegas. He plays golf, takes vacations as no other while he should be trying to figure out how to run a Country.. He has had four years and has done nothing but put us in the tank. It just gets worse each year.. He is taking us into the NWO and most of you have no idea what that is...Agenda 21, google it.. He is a Socialist and will not be happy until that job is complete..
I just don't know why most of you people here don't study what he is doing.. If you would spend as much time studying as you blog, you would truly find out what this administration is all about.
BIG Government.. He wants all of your rights in the toilet. You best all get on board and find out what is behind this regime.
ROMNEY/RYAN 2012
I love how the first word out of the "lefties" mouth is "lies". 99.99% of all media is lift wing (we ALL know this). Yet they say nothing about lies, they are saying obuma lost and Mitt Won. As he will in 33 days.
Mitt has run companies that are successful and employ hundreds of thousands of people.
obuma has spent his whole life getting and spending government (meaning our) money. He has NEVER created a single job. And to this day he has not.
Romney clearly won this debate. It wasn't a TKO but President Obama got bloodied and lost the first round. I believe we are going to see a double down from the mainstream media on trying to play the gotcha game in order to right the Obama ship and Fox news is going to do its' thing to... You know folks, I'm just a regular worker bee. I know that I have a tendency to over simplify the larger picture but am just so tired of the process. Just fix the freaking economy... Stop the political polarization... Somebody please do something up there that helps my pocketbook, please... (gas, food prices, inflation, utility prices)
Roger, you won't see any help until we remove this obama regime. He is a socialist and your money will never come back as long as he is in office. It will only get worse.
Please study, agenda 21, NWO, where he is heading this Country...Government does not create money, the tax payer creates the money.. With all of the NEW government jobs he has created, you will never see jobs as we once had..
Socialism is great until you run out of OTHER peoples money.. We are almost there.. He is now after the big wealth of this Country. He has brought middle Americans down to their knees.. When he is through, you will wish you had found out what I am talking about..
Google Austria, see what Hitler did to them, because its the same thing he is doing to the USA.
We have to remove him from office or we will NEVER see our wonderful Country as she was intended to be. Please study people, you don't have much time left.
ROMNEY/RYAN 2012
Jean, I appreciate your freedom to say and feel the way you do...but, you're a bomb thrower. We are on the same side. Mitt Romney is going to get my vote but not because Obama is a "socialist or a despot" Quite simply, Pres. Obama hasn't done what he promised to do... I have been voting in these things since '84' so have been around the block...If you remember, the far right thought Clinton was the anti-christ as well... You know what, if Romney gets the job and doesn't do what he said, I will vote against him in the next one.
Obama should have stayed home last night ..he has no ideal whats going on in the USA at all....Romney will get my vote.
Good for you Joe, now get the word out.. We don't have much time to save our Country..
Jean the word is out ......The POTUS is a sham .... "The Amateur" showed up last night ....
David Axlerod failed the president!
Here we go again .....blaming someone else ......This is becoming very common. Just how many people can fit under the President's bus ?
As they saying goes; 'Its not over till the fat lady sings' May I also, remind joyful Republicans 'that a week is a long time in politics'. AS for Democrats, have faith in the President, this thing is not over yet. Mitt. Romney might have been very economical with the truth last night, that will also be his undoing.
How shallow to think it is these two men who should/could run the country. OBAMA?ROMNEY? REALLY?
Things will be stagnant under obama and the reason things are not better yet is because any change in economic policy always causes inflation at first and if romney wins we will see that all over again. If romney really wants to end reckless spending and promote a free market he would be against all subsidies not just the ones he disagrees with. They are both fiscally irresponsible and I see bad bad things happening if either of them are elected. Its not just a case of a lesser of two evils. If Romney wins he will screw up. If Obama wins he will screw up. All the logic in the implementation of both parties policies is self serving for the industries they pander to. Wake up republicans VS democrats is just a spectacle to divide and distract the people and it is working marvelously...
With Romney we will avoid total collapse. with Obama stamp us Greece. Obama is a racist and is a man with no plan the word Amateur fits this clown
I was on the fence, until I watched the debate.
When I vote it will be for Romney, unless President Obama can pull something out of his hat. He did not sway me toward him at all.
Obama lost big time.
Then I heard a petty excuse about how lost because he is busy running the country. This further turned me toward Romney. Either step up Mr. President or step aside.
It just seems he always has some excuse for everything. I only would have voted for him because I Romney worried me. I can now see Romney as President.
no matter what the presidentdidnt pounce on mitt romney about listening to what mitt said was bad enough for me to hear
Heavens, you people with your teleprompters. Anyway, people named Obamanot were not swayed by the debates - you already hated him. He's racist? Please turn off Limbaugh. People saying he doesn't know what he's talking about are clueless themselves. Romney lies, flip-flops, panders to whatever audience he's playing to. He knows he has his base no matter what, so at the debates he talks in the middle. Why is it when it's not Kerry or any Democrat, it is okay to be a flip flopper? Watch Jon Stewart - you'll learn a lot more about both of them than you will from these Debates. There are things I don't like about Obama, but I would NEVER vote Republican with the radical right taking over. Remember Grover Norquist said "Romney will do what we tell him to do". And you're not gonna like it. You think your taxes are high? Wait until they privatize everything and do away with what's left of unions . Why do you think Wal-Mart is the biggest employer? Oh, I forgot, all those people should have gone to college and become entrepreneurs. Santorum critizes Obama for wanting kids to get education ("what a snob"), yet the college educated Republicans that I know have disdain anyone who didn't go to college and would vote for Santorum in a minute. You Obama haters are the racists, you just won't admit it. The idea that Republicans and Ayn Rand have all the good ideas is ludicrous. Get yourselves off FOX and Beck and Limbaugh and smell the coffee. The people out to kill the middle class are the corporatocracy and voting Republican just pushes their agenda faster.