Debate Spin

Mad dog finally relented and watched about 30 minutes of the debate before calling it a night.  The problem is not so much cringing as you watch your kid turned on his back, struggling not to get pinned. Unlike a sport, there is not defined scoring system, no points on the board. You see what you see and you try to imagine how other people are seeing it.

From behind Mad Dog's eyes, Romney was what right wingers are--big voice, good hair, hammering away with simple points at simple themes: Get the government off your back; none of your problems are your own fault--they are all the fault of the government and those that weren't caused by the government were caused by your parents, especially your mother.

President Obama seemed a bit weary, his voice high and often weak, but he was smart and scored points when he had to.  

There were moments when he seemed to miss the chance for a big blow, but over thought his response. When Romney blasted away about how he passed Obamacare without a single Republican vote where Romney passed Romneycare with votes from both Republicans and Democrats, Mr. Obama responded that Obamacare was in fact a Republican idea, making a program out of private insurers rather than just government and he wished some of the Massachusetts legislators had been around to persuade some Republicans on the virtues of bipartisanship, Mad Dog was frothing at the leash, shouting, "It takes two to tango!  I reached out across the aisle but someone has to be willing, on the Republican side, to reach out and take my hand. You had the Republican leader saying he didn't care if the country went to Hell; all he cared about was defeating me. How do you have bipartisanship with Republicans like that?"

No, Mr. Obama, just shrugged it off.

Maybe they've focused grouped this stuff.

At any rate, Mad Dog suspects only political junkies watch these things now.  Doubtful the debates will change many minds. 

Of course, there may be some octogenarians in Florida who will be convinced by Mr. Romney he is trying to save Medicare from Mr. Obama. 

Mad Dog is on his back with all four paws in the air, waiting for Maud and other sympathetic souls to weigh in.