Why Biden Won

I don't understand what you mean, but I saw a white guy onstage who is the literal and figurative essence of everything wrong with wall street bulldoze a moderator, spill a torrent of lies in a condescending and demeaning manner consistent with what you'd expect from a wall street huxter, and steamroll the President of the US with rudeness. And after doing so, the polls swung around up to around 12 points.



If there is ever a time to 'risk' being the angry black man, THIS is the perfect opportunity. I'm not saying he should go Rambo, but he has to unleash a few broadside blasts at romney on key issues. Because being a pinata for the disgraceful creatures that romney represents isn't cutting it... unless you want romney to win, of course... which may not be the worst possible outcome if you believe as I do that not enough people are feeling the pain of republican trickle-up economics... romney will spread that pain far enough where we can maybe bury those policies once and for all.
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Obama vs. Romney: Jobs

It's nice when YOU say it.



But I have to I wonder if the President will have the courage to confront romney on Tuesday night at the next debate over these differences.



And not in his usual passive-aggressive feebleness ("I just don't think Americans believe the governor's numbers add up") - say something clear, conclusive, bold, and memorable (e.g. "The governor's plans and budgets are all based on phony economic ideas that have failed for 99% of the population while redistributing Trillions of dollars to the top 1% during almost every republican administration over the last 30 years").
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Obama's Presidential Failure

I'm impressed by the tenacity of Obama supporters to excuse or equivocate over the debate performance.



A lot of voters cast their ballots based on things like how someone handles themselves in a debate. You may not like that and you may be rightly offended by those who are superficial and ill-informed. You may have put in literally days and days of detailed research on policies, etc. to arrive at the support of a candidate.



But their measly 2-hour "investment" in candidate research and vote is worth exactly the same number of tallies as yours or mine. There are no vote-quality points included in the system.



So the bottom line is this: Polls are getting close to even at this point - SOLELY because of the debate. Rail on against the writers who post uncomplimentary things about the debate and remind you of the discomforting reality that debate performances matter a great deal - but that doesn't change the fact that if the President doesn't decide to put on his big boy pants for the next debate, you may have to get yourselves ready to deal with romney in the White House.



Maybe instead of complaining about the writers you should raise your voice to the President and demand that he do a better job in the next debates. Arguing that Obama deserves a pass doesn't help your cause.
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Myth and Its Dangers

How about these myths, too:



To get re-elected President, you must govern from the center.



And the related one: Voters don't care about the results of a government - the only important thing to voters is to see all parties get along collegiately.
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No More Excuses

I'll put it another way.



When your opponent is almost resoundingly, unilaterally disliked and mistrusted, represents all the bad aspects of an economic system that rewards the rich and punishes the non-rich, has a lies to statements ratio of around 1:1, behaves rudely and condescendingly - and you STILL don't have the stones to call the guy on the carpet in from of millions of people for any of the misstatements and lies, you have absolutely no guts, no honor, and/or no dignity at all.



Comparing any of this to launching a war in Iraq is way off base. It's nowhere near relevant. Letting romney get away with his string of lies because it's so shockingly bad is more like walking away from the scene of an ongoing rape in order to avoid calling attention to it or getting sullied. Having confidence that others can later piece together the evidence and charge the criminal with the crime isn't enough - people expect and respect action in the face of crime.



Review the arc of all the President's "accomplishments" and you will find a man who is terrified of personal conflict of any kind. And if he doesn't pull on his big boy pants for the next debate, get ready for some serious shifts in the polls. Clearly, romney isn't going to conveniently fall on his sword during debates like mccain did. So Obama better shape up fast.
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No More Excuses

The thing that bothers me most about the badness that was Obama's performance is the shock so many people have over it.



This isn't anything to I feel very happy about saying, but anyone who wants to go back to my 2008 comments about my greatest fears of Obama's personality can verify that we all should have seen this coming.



The books from Taibi and Suskind and others with behind-the-scenes access to the President and the inner circle spelled it out in very plain text: Barack Obama has intellect, but no vision, no passion, no fight, no urgency, and no political instincts at all.



He is more concerned about behaving respectful to everyone than anything else. He wants everyone to like him - never realizing that many people relying on him to take up their causes prefers a fighter to an adorable door mat. No one likes bullies, but no one follows 'leaders' afraid of conflict.



The last 4 years of campaigns and record in the White House presaged this debate performance. Anyone paying attention to all facets of the man's work is completely unsurprised.



And don't expect much in the next debate, either. My prediction is Obama will announce something like, 'after the debate, go to ____ website to see where any of us has not told the truth' in lieu of actually taking romney on directly. It'd be great if I'm wrong, but I'm rarely let down when predicting this President turning tail from a fight.
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Snap Debate Reactions

"Do you "win" a debate by lying from beginning to end?"



No, you don't necessarily win on that alone...



But - you DO LOSE a debate when your opponent lays out a constant stream of lies and all you do about it is stammer in surprise that someone could be so brazen and do NOTHING AT ALL to counter the lies.



Obama's performance was a complete embarrassment. romney won by forfeit brought on by self-implosion. And if Obama doesn't have the courage to challenge a man as wholly awful as romney, what does that say about the man?!?



I forget who said it here, but given what we know about romney and the President's incredible naivete, "this election is not picking the lesser of two evils, it's picking the lesser of two apocalypse." That assessment is dead on.
About Elections 2012
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Snap Debate Reactions

Usually find myself in agreement with just about everything you write. But this article is mainly built upon sheer optimism.



I'm not the only in history to repeatedly say, "A lie, left uncountered, will become the truth." I had to turn the TV off last night. romney would churn out a package of lies and then Obama would pensively stand, in clear and obvious agony, trying to find a way to rebut romney's without calling any attention to the core lies under romney's words.



The President is so desperately and paralyzingly afraid of confronting someone that he surrendered that debate. Looking feeble and intimidated, he consistently came across as the least-prepared because he couldn't bring himself to counter romney's often groundless claims.



Based on the 'snap polls' showing that likely voters saw romney crush Obama, it's clear that the President's long-standing belief that America rejects politicians who go toe-to-toe with their opponents needs to turn around - and fast.



Maybe the President only needs to run out the clock here for a win - but he had a chance to put away romney last night and got pounded instead. We'll know better over the next few days if the President is in trouble.



Bottom line: fact checks the day after mean absolutely nothing... if the President doesn't shove the fact check results into the face of the debate-watchers DURING the next debate, then romney can feel free to say whatever he wants with impunity.
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Debate Suggestions for Obama

"Eye-rolling, head-shaking, sighs, smirks and cackles can kill a campaign."



No they can't. Never has, never will. Reagan shook his head, smirked, and rolled his eyes frequently - makes no difference. And Reagan was considered a very solid debater.



Body language (or regular language) that kills is that which exudes a loss of control (like McCain's temper in 2008). The context and the appearance that the candidate is in control of his/her emotions is what matters.



Please, let's stop perpetuating this tired myth.
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