There was a Monday night football game and a baseball play off tonight, so I'm not sure anyone beyond the crew at PBS was watching, but from my view out here in New Hampshire, Mr. Obama made Mr. Romney look like an inept amateur tonight.
Mr. Romney, as I'm sure most people will hear tomorrow morning, tried to attack Mr. Obama as a wrecker of the national defense, as a man who had weakened America by cutting back on our armed forces. Why, we have fewer ships today than we did in 1910, Mr. Romney said, scandalized.
Mr. Obama smiled slyly and replied, "That's because you have no idea of what real strength is. Yes, we have fewer ships, and we also have fewer horses and bayonets in our armed forces, but that's because we have these things called aircraft carriers and these ships that go underwater, called submarines. You have to know how military forces need to be constructed in the 21st century. "
And another exchange, Mr. Obama remarked, "You want to return to the wars of the 1980's, the social policies of the 1950's and the economic policies of the 1920's."
At least, that's the way I remember it.
One thing I do remember is Mr. Romney and his running mate Mr. Ryan both said, quite clearly, during prior debates we do not want to draw a line in the sand and say we will leave Afghanistan at 2014, because then we tell the Taliban all they have to do is wait until that date. But now, with the ever changing kaleidoscope which is Mr. Romney, we are all for a clear date, Taliban planning no longer mentioned.
Romney did what Romney does: He spun his tale about how everything has collapsed around the world and it's all because Mr. Obama has been a failure as a President. Those who want to believe that will believe that.
For whatever reasons, some people want to believe Mr. Romney wouldn't be so bad, and he'd be better than Mr. Obama.
To paraphrase The Wire, Mr. Obama has to be saying to himself, "I can be right about Afghanistan; I can be right about the economy; I can be right about Social Security and I can be right about Medicare, but tomorrow morning, I still wake up Black in a country which isn't."
We'll find out what this country is made of on November 6.
Mad Dog,
ReplyDeleteOne thing is clear-Romney and his camp have total faith in the ignorance,ineptitude and inability to connect the dots of the electorate. Thank God the debates are over,how many incarnations of Mitt are we expected to swallow. Could reasonable,moderate,peace loving Mitt been any more blatant in his pandering to women last night. What happened to his hard line on Iran?? To any of his previous stands?
Each debate debuted a new Mitt and viewers weren't supposed to notice? Bull, viewers who are reasonably informed and have an IQ over room temperature noticed-but you are right, moderate Mitt just gives some an excuse, a way to ease their conscience, when they vote against Obama.
The President did so well last night, his horses and bayonets response was the best of all three debates. Hopefully he pumped the base enough to work hard to get out the vote..
Maud
Maud,
ReplyDeleteIQ over room temperature. Now there is a nice image. Or an electroencephalogram with any activity. Or two synapsing neurons.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure that describes more than 47% of the population.
The electorate may be a subset of the population--what is it? 45%?
Trouble is, these voters are not necessarily sporting IQ's over room temp.
They are motivated, but informed by Fox News and Frothy Rush.
A democracy, if we can keep it.
Did you hear Romney referring to the "Democrat party" last night. He is so locked in, as all Republicans are, to referring to their opposition by that frat boy taunt.
Howard Cossell was immediate in his use of "Muhammad Ali" when Cassius Clay decided that would be his name. Personally, I loved Cassius Clay, just for the poetry of it, but I agreed with Cossel: A man deserves to be called by the name he chooses for himself. Republicans refuse to offer that basic courtesy. And Romney talks about "bipartisanship."
Oh but Mad Dog, Romney is bipartisan; and partisan and hard right and very moderate, saber rattling and peace loving--it just depends on the day and what's most advantageous..
ReplyDeleteAlso, Muhammad Ali is a pretty cool name, but I agree Cassius Clay was much better!
Maud
Maud,
ReplyDeleteBipartisan or bipolar?
Mad Dog