The Great Debate Megathread! Black Lincoln versus whiter, richer Douglas!

[CountDeMoney]

Unfortunately, after an hour, I see no real home runs hit by either candidate so far.

[FunkMonk]

Romster started brightly, Obama slowly got into the game but has caught up. It's a wash so far.

[Sheilbh]

Romney won taxes and regulations.  Obama won entitlements.  Obama's losing healthcare.

More importantly Obama's got this wrong.  He needs meaningless anecdotes of someone from Peoria complaining, rather than mentioning 'healthcare economists'   And he should be beating Romney over the head with that 1-10 revenue/spending line.

The one worry for Romney is I don't know that this looks credible on all the points.  A lot of this comes down to who you believe and right now I think there's a credibility issue on his line about re-funding Medicare and revenue neutral tax cuts - it doesn't sound like what anyone will have heard from any Republican this year.  It's the right strategy though, as is his compassion in this and that he returns everything to jobs.  This should be, for him, an election about jobs above all else.

[mongers]

The foreign policy one will be more interesting, especially in the light of current events in the Middle East.

[Kleves]

"Mr. President, you're no Abe Lincoln."

[derspiess]

I had to pause to put my little girl to bed so I'm about 20 minutes behind, but from what I've seen Willard seems more polished and confident.  I agree no home runs, but this debate format seems to play more to Willard's strengths.

And this should be Lehrer's last ever debate.

[CountDeMoney]

The one worry for Romney is I don't know that this looks credible on all the points.  A lot of this comes down to who you believe and right now I think there's a credibility issue on his line about re-funding Medicare and revenue neutral tax cuts - it doesn't sound like what anyone will have heard from any Republican this year.  It's the right strategy though, as is his compassion in this and that he returns everything to jobs.  This should be, for him, an election about jobs above all else.

I was a little surprised that Mittens was willing to wade in so deeply into Obamacare myself, particularly since he's been so opaque on his own plan: yeah, he wants to keep the "best parts" like pre-existing and let the states buy in (which they are able to do now anyway), and yet repeal it.  Don't get that.  Why Obama didn't just say, "well, I already did it, the Supreme Court upheld the issue, and it is now the law of the land. Case closed."

[Sheilbh]

WHO IS THIS OLD ANNOYING MAN?

It's like the Third Republic.  Why are all the debate moderators septuagenarians?  Because the octogenarians are dead.

Obama's education policy is an unsung success.  Romney's doing well on education so far.

But I think Obama ultimately won healthcare.

I like this Romney answer.  Good compassionate conservatism - though I did hope the 'pursuit of happiness' riff would be to announce his sudden support for gay marriage.

"Mr. President, you're no Abe Lincoln."

'Mr President, my ancestors fled Abe Lincoln to live their polygamous lives.  My ancestors, feared Abe Lincoln.  Mr President, you're no Abe Lincoln.'

I was a little surprised that Mittens was willing to wade in so deeply into Obamacare myself, particularly since he's been so opaque on his own plan: yeah, he wants to keep the "best parts" like pre-existing and let the states buy in (which they are able to do now anyway), and yet repeal it.  Don't get that.  Why Obama didn't just say, "well, I already did it, the Supreme Court upheld the issue, and it is now the law of the land. Case closed."

I think Obama's response on Romney's opaqueness was his best yet.  He should be saying something similar to every question.  I know what Romney's message is in this debate - I don't know what Obama's is yet.

[Sheilbh]

Oooh.  A bit of class war.  Weak class war attack though.

[Sheilbh]

Here's an issue.  Romney - in this debate - has said he wants to increase funding to the military and to Medicare, his tax reform will be revenue neutral and he won't cut education.  How can he be credible on the deficit?

Also his 'I'm all for green jobs' line is very good.

[merithyn]

I was a little surprised that Mittens was willing to wade in so deeply into Obamacare myself, particularly since he's been so opaque on his own plan: yeah, he wants to keep the "best parts" like pre-existing and let the states buy in (which they are able to do now anyway), and yet repeal it.  Don't get that.  Why Obama didn't just say, "well, I already did it, the Supreme Court upheld the issue, and it is now the law of the land. Case closed."

He'll kick himself for not doing that very thing come tomorrow morning.

What IS Romney going to cut? He's yet to say a single thing that he's going to cut....

Oh wait. It seems that he's going to cut green energy funding. Brilliant.

[CountDeMoney]

I had to pause to put my little girl to bed so I'm about 20 minutes behind, but from what I've seen Willard seems more polished and confident.  I agree no home runs, but this debate format seems to play more to Willard's strengths.

I agree it fits Mittens more, and he came out more "emotionally invested" than the POTUS, but I think we all kinda knew that going in.  Obama's a bit of a cold fish in this format, but Mittens has done well in reigning in his snarkiness, except when it comes to beating up on PBS employees.

I really don't see this debate moving the needle much, except maybe a slight bump for Mittens for those who've never watched him.  I think the next two debates should definitely be much more interesting, and could really move the numbers much.

[Valmy]

Here's an issue.  Romney - in this debate - has said he wants to increase funding to the military and to Medicare, his tax reform will be revenue neutral and he won't cut education.  How can he be credible on the deficit?

Yeah I mentioned this during the Convention.  It makes no sense.

[CountDeMoney]

Obama has no real killer instinct in this format.

[CountDeMoney]

Weak close, Mr. President.  Self-effacement works, but the rest of it sucked.