Prez debate update No. 5: Romney controls debate
Yael T. AbouhalkahUPDATE at 9:24: Romney has controlled this debate with sharp answers, specifics and inept moderating by Jim Lehrer.
So at this point, Romney wins anytime he talks about how well Massachusetts has done on health care and schools.
Obama has looked so timid it’s been pitiful for many of his followers.
UPDATE AT 9:13: President Obama had months to prepare for this debate when the Obamacare question came up.
He could have crushed Romney with strong defense of good points of Obamacare, then compared it with what Romney did in Massachusetts, and talked about strong future for the nation.
Mission fail for Obama.
He stuttered all over himself in explaining why Obamacare was a necessity for the nation.
Romney actually had a few good points here - even though I disagree with him on the need to kill Obamacare.
Romney pointed out that his state’s health care plan was put together by bipartisan effort - something Republicans didn’t want to do with Obama on health care.
UPDATE AT 8:54: All Romney had to do with the Medicare question was make sure seniors know they will be able to keep their plan.
Mission accomplished.
Then he gave younger people their option: They can keep Medicare or have some other plan for when they get to 65.
Yes, there are financial problems with Romney’s plan. But where was Obama when it came time to pointing out all these problems?
He disappeared.
Not a good segment for the president at all.
UPDATE at 8:35: Neither Obama nor Romney offered anything of real substance in answering what the country should really do about the deficit and the country’s debt.
Obama brought up the Simpson-Bowles plan - which he refused to endorse - yet sounded like he was trying to follow its recommendations. Bad move by the president.
Romney, however, did not come out with any real plan for dealing with the country’s overspending woes.
By the way, moderator Jim Lehrer has been absolutely incompetent in this debate. Lost control of it, and can’t ask a direct question of candidates well.
(Published at 8:24)
Mitt Romney attacked well during the first presidential debate question on taxes Wednesday night.
Romney was more aggressive than President Barack Obama in talking about what his tax plan could do for America.
Now, Romney was still short on specifics about exactly what he would cut from the budget.
But Obama looks like he’s sleepwalking through the debate so far.
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