Obama/Romney Presidential Debate — Round 1

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And so it begins…

President Obama and Mitt Romney will meet on the stage at the University of Denver tonight at 8:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. (ET), to “debate” domestic policy.  The moderator will be Jim Lehrer of PBS.

Each campaign has worked over the last week to lower expectations for their candidate, with the notable exception of Chris Christie promising Romney is a great debater and is going to kick some Obama ass.  Oops.

It’s a school night, so a drinking game might not be in order — although a certain amount of alcohol might help us cope with high levels of bullshit — but if you’re up for a drinking game, here goes:

I think we’re going to be in bad shape this evening…

C-Span will be live-streaming the “debate” here, but it’s a safe bet that all major news outlets will be having live coverage as well, and live-blogging/commentary is happening in TheZoo comments section.

Let’s do this thing…

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392 thoughts on “Obama/Romney Presidential Debate — Round 1”

  1. I’m just going to drink constantly until it’s over. I was going to drink every time Mittens lies but I can’t drink that fast.

  2. I am thinking that some drinking game rules have to established early on. I propose double drinks anytime anyone says 47%

  5. The 90-minute debate, the first of three between the Democratic and Republican nominees for president, will begin at 9 p.m. ET.

  7. Too many rules. I’m going to drink when I think I can swallow before spewing good beer over something stupid or hilarious being said. This will be tricky because I expect Willard to be stupid and the President to be slyly funny.

    • The first sensible comment, why take a chance of wasting beer. I’m opening my first beer now to get rid of the desert in my mouth!

  8. I love the pregame show asking how many people will be watching this debate. Thanks to the Internet I would say a whole shitton of people overseas who are curious as to just how crazy America has become. Actually, the same might be said for many Americans as well.

  16. Oh dear! I decided to listen to a bit of the “pre game” and some lady from Tennessee wants to ask them when they will “return America to its Christian roots”. I guess she can’t decide between the Muslim and the cultist.

  18. Why do the TV people insist on putting their talent in front of crowds of yahoos?

  20. Lawrence O’Donnell just said Romney is up against the best debater he’s faced in his life. Better than Ted Kennedy?

  21. Heh! There are only 20-30 students active in the campus Republicans. Their leader thinks that Mittens will “correct the lies being told about him”.

  24. Both sides will use campaign accounts, such as @TruthTeam2012 for Obama and@RomneyResponse for Romney, to fact-check one another in real-time.

  26. Will Mittens have a, barley discernible, earpiece feeding him the ‘zingers’ at the opportune time in the debate?

  28. FYI…

    There’s only one “Promoted Trend” ad unit allotted by Twitter per 24-hour period…. [Romney's] ad puts the hashtag #CantAfford4More in the feed of every user who logs into Twitter via the Web, and it is also visible to mobile users and those accessing via desktop application Tweetdeck. The ad, which insiders say costs $120,000, is accompanied by a Promoted Tweet from the @MittRomney account that reads, “Another term for @BarackObama will bring more taxes, regulations, and debt that have ground our recovery to a halt.”

  29. Here’s another drinking game and it could go on for weeks.

    1. Take a stiff drink every time a Reichwhiner whines about how “librul” Jim Lehrer is.

    That is all. Enjoy to excess.

  37. Crowd shot has Anntionette looking like she has a head of cabbage stuck up her ass, while Michelle is laughing and smiling.

  38. Will those who still have a TV be forced to watch the dim bulb, David Brooks, opine without Jim leading him and making him sound a little less stupid?

  41. ExCUSE me, but the President is not the Democratic “nominee” — he’s THE PRESIDENT

  67. Mitt’s trying to do Raygun’s body language.

    Small business bullshit — the Koch brothers are considered a “small business.”

  68. Man, Obama is boring and abstract. He’s putting us to sleep. I get his points but he is entirely wonky tonight. And he is on the defensive. Romney’s crazy math is somehow made legitimate. Romney is kicking the president’s ass.

  71. My company has never hired a single worker for any reason except one: we had more work to do than the people on hand could deliver on time!

  78. Obama’s looking down as Romney speaks. Horrible TV. Why doesn’t Obama just say: “How do we afford this? Where will you get the money to pay for the big tax cuts?” I hate to say this but Romney is connecting more than Obama

  94. Mitt, you’re the one who wants to spend more on wars and cut the fucking taxes! That puts the burden on our children!

  108. And Romney is right — Obama rejects Simpson-Bowles. I knew that would cripple Obama.

  112. Some business group says a few percent more of profits will kill jobs! Yeah, I believe that!

  115. Romney is nervous. He keeps this smirk on his face and he keeps swallowing hard. Again, if I close my eyes when Romney speaks, he sounds just like Reagan.

  126. Here comes ‘divide and conquer’. Pit current retirees against the younger worker.

  127. Mitt is shooting himself in the foot with the over 60 thing and the $716 billion cut from Medicare.

    Go for the throat, Obama.

  129. I’ve heard recently that the Kock brothers have been contributing a lot to PBS.
    Maybe this is the payout.

  134. This is a rolling calamity for Obama. He’s boring, abstract, and less human-seeming than Romney! I can’t even follow hm half the time. Either exhausted, over-briefed … or just flailing. He is throwing this debate away.

  141. Mitt, you’re leaving out pre-existing conditions when you ‘fire’ one health insurance company for another.

  144. How Obama has managed to give Romney the advantage on Medicare in this exchange is political malpractice by Obma. CHRIST.

    • This entire debate from Mitt has been one big flip-flop. He’s advocated none of this in his speeches.

  149. Look, Romney can lie his ASS off all night but if Obama can’t refute the lie then it’s a Romney win. Plenty of media will support the lies.

  152. Mitt going folksy, like he cares.

    If you care about the cost of health care, then single payer is the way to go — but he doesn’t.

  156. One more thing… I don’t think Romney came across as being more likeable and believable. He started out “Reagan like” and has now returned to his lies and his stump speech. He looks like the person that speaks to his crowd. Guess you can put lipstick on a pig but it is still a pig. You can put bows in a dog’s hair but it is still a dog. Romney is who is and he can smirky smile all he wants but he is still the 1% that hides his money in tax shelters.

  165. I cannot believe that Romney is saying he is more bipartisan than Obama. And Obama never pushes back. He is leaving argument after argument on the table, while he seems to be writing a memo to himself whenever Romney is speaking.

  166. I’m wondering now if someone failed in debate prep — did NO ONE tell Obama there’d be a split screen?? LOOK UP!!!

  167. I really dislike this format. Romney is dominating the conversation, and the so-called moderator is letting him.

  168. Private enterprise is about charging as much as the market will bear. Government bid-contracting is about performing a service at the lowest rate. I’d rather have government provide me a service.

  178. Son’s eyes glazed over and he went to bed at 9:35. Husband uttered the first “fuck you Mitt” at 9:47 and has now gone to bed. My take, Romney overprepared, and while he’s slowing down now (Ann must fear for his mental state) Mitt behaved like a meth head for the first 45 minutes of this debate, (And this comes from someone who actually owns a meth lab),

  180. Obama is finally getting a bit of energy, and Mitt has energetically veered off from just about everything he claims to believe in.

    I have a feeling the Cons aren’t going to be happy with him.

  190. School vouchers will just inflate the cost of schools; for-profit schools that won’t be better, just more expensive. More money chasing a product increases the price, and lowers quality.

  194. disabled kids…and uh, poor kids, and uh the disadvantaged, need vouchers for education…
    Did I already say “Fuck you Mitt”?
    I’ll take my voucher down the gravel road and search for a nonexistent school that can meet your needs.

  196. Mitt doesn’t have to have any plans. He’s going to let McConnell and Boehner do the plans.

  198. “You’re entitled to your own house and your own plane, but you’re not entitled to your own facts.”

    That is the lamest zinger I’ver ever heard. How long did he practice that?

    • “Romney didn’t work across the isle.”

      Actually he did — the isle of the Caymans.

    • Romney has seemed really sarcastic most of the night so I wonder how that will play out with the undecided folks

  211. So, is the “liberal” media going to expose all of Mitt’s egregious lies over the next few days? Obama seems to be relying on it.

    Bad move, IMHO.

    He has a week to get his shit together.

  212. The idea that the candidate of the current Republican party is portraying himself as the most willing to reach across the aisle is staggering. That he is more persuasive on this than the president is a staggering personal failure on Obama’s part.

    It’s as if Obama was on qualuudes and Romney drank a case of Red Bull.

  213. Mitt is confident that he’s won the debate, and maybe to those who aren’t actually interested in facts, he’s right.

    Obama was off his game tonight, but he stuck to the facts. That has to count for something.

    • I’d have liked to see him more aggressive, but he did appear as more thoughtful and reasonable. I’m sticking with Romney being overprepared, and perhaps a meth head. Romney needed to be pressed on details.

  217. The Prez did not do well tonight. Jim Lehar, who I respect, sucked.
    Romney lies, yet doesn’t get called on them. The Prez seemed not to want to attack; was too agreeable, constantly saying where he and his oppenent were in agreement. WTF? 716B in cuts, and the Prez doesn’t forcefully doesn’t counter?

    • The truth always wins out, though it may take a long time.
      I’m still waiting for who really called for the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and what Dick Cheney was doing on 9/11/2001.

  223. My sister posted a pithy comment about Mitt’s strong finish, and I could restrain myself. She’ll delete my comment because her conservative friends might be offended. No worries about me being offended. Pffttt…

    • Romney’s closing statement – very very vague and highly deceptive. And his final statement was on defending Medicare! He’s the protector of that entitlement, even as his actual plan is a radical overhaul of it.

  227. Hayes is saying what I said, that McConnell and Boehner have Mitt’s plans for him.

  229. Watch. Everyone will go for the throat of Jim Lehrer and PBS.
    The Kock Brothers will smile and make another check in their little red book.

    • Nice to see your, clever, Occupy gravatar.

      –
      The KBs can afford and do cover all bases. They need to point out their ‘charitable’/non-profit works that balance out the purchasing of elections.

  230. Sharpton is articulating Mitt’s committing of ‘perjury’ in the debate very well.

  231. Obama needs to stop being afraid of the “angry black man” label. The right already hates him, so he should do what he wants.

    Unless what he wants it to lose this election.

  232. Obama, should have been more aggressive but Romney came across as arrogant and disrespectful both to Pres and moderator, The Pres looked the American people in the eye and Romney didn’t. Romney sound like a whiny rich kid and Obama sound like someone that gave a shit. Pudits will scream how Romney was so aggressive…yeah, he was but he didn’t tell the American people shit. Biggest thing O did and I think will resonate with voters is tag Romney with Medicare as a voucher program and say AARP agreed with him.. Seniors across the country will respond to that.

    • I hope you’re right, pj98rider.

      I’m feeling pessimistic. The lies were just epic, and my sister falling for that shit is so discouraging.

    • “Pudits will scream how Romney was so aggressive…yeah, he was but he didn’t tell the American people shit.”

      Best summation of this debate in one sentence.

  234. I agree pj98, but low information voters may think differently. You and I, and all others here know the facts differently. Romney wants to kill Big Bird!

  236. Not long…was in front of TV most of the night. Romney was an arrogant lying fuck. Obama, I think, was pissed but felt it was better to let Romney show himself and O would be Pres. As a voter, I felt Obama gave a fuck while Romney tried to get in words like “crushed” and other stupid crap. Had him for Gov here and Mass and he sucked. Only thing I wished Obama had said that Mass is number 1 in education but there’s been a Dem Gov there who’s responsible for that.

        • He really is a lying fucking dooshbag. He went back to his bullying roots, and that should not impress anyone that he could be a good president for all Americans.

  237. Romney wants to kill Big Bird! and vouchers for old folks…that will resonate. That’s what Dem spin folks need to push and Romney’s “screw you and go find your own insurance.” I think O will come back stronger in 2nd.

    • I was particularly put off by his insistence that nothing would change for retirees and near retirees. I’m old, not selfish. I won’t screw young folks, who already see the job security and pension thing my generation believed in as an ancient myth, into shredding the last strand or two that comprise their meager safety net.

      • O commenting that SS was okay would continue to be for was important. And again tagging Romney with vouchers was significant in mho.

        “I’m old, not selfish. I won’t screw young folks,”…I’m in same boat and feel the same.

  239. Gov. Martin O’Malley and David Plouffe have done a fairly good job defending Obama’s debate.

  241. Gotta run and do a ‘toon. On Repugs, not debate. Have a good night all and I’m still optimistic. It’s all about seniors, women and minorities and O win’s hands down. I think the big news this week is that the courts stuffed voter suppression laws in PA and a couple of other states…thatwill make a difference.

    • I always send my debate critiques to Michelle. I figure she’s in the best position to advise Mr. Obama on style when I really have no problem with his substance.

    • I don’t know about most of the night, but he sure passed up many instances when he could have had Mitt whimpering.

    • Wine not relaxing you? I sometimes ‘burn through’ the effect of a couple of beers and then can’t sleep. That’s why I hate to drink on work nights.

        • relax mon amie. tomorrow is another day, and as Raven spoke, truth will eventually win out. People do know, and the day will start with a sunrise. Go Jolly.

            • Do you think that the remaining “undecided” is going to make the difference? Tomorrow Nate Silver will announe that Obama only has 80% chance of winning. Will the polls change? Yes for the corparte machine. I’m into my third bottle of wine, and I want to toast the President of the United States Of America, “not a good night, but I trust you to stay the course,and Mittens to continue his. Congrats you win!

            • Heh, I’m still on my first bottle, but I join you in that toast. :)

              Sorry about my earlier aggression, it was uncalled for.

            • Our greatest enemy is complacency, but those people are not hanging out here, so I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about.

            • Of course you know what you are talking about. Just don’t think the ship is sinking. Tonight was not an iceberg. The Obama team will regroup.

  248. You knew David was going to chime in..he’s happy to have a true notable (Lehrer) taking the heat off of his own poorly ‘moderation’…

    Jim Lehrer blasted for his performance in first presidential debate

    Lehrer, who moderated his 13th debate Wednesday, was “head-scratchingly absent,” wrote Buzzfeed’s Rosie Gray, who also pointed out criticism from several of his peers, including Meet The Press host David Gregory, who was himself pilloried for his performance in the Massachusetts senatorial debate Monday between Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA)

    • I’m sensing a pattern of Republican debate strategy. Overrule the moderator every time it suits you. Scott Brown sure did it.

      • They count on the manners of others to get in the way of their boorishness.

        I hate people like that, but Obama has to recognize they exist and thump that shit.

      • What has the moderators running scared?
        It’s as if they are being paid to ‘throw the fight’.
        A *professional* such as Jim was a flailing fish in extremely shallow water…

        • I was surprised by Jim Lehrer’s performance tonight. He failed in such a big way that he’s ruined his reputation. Of course, the right will love him now, but I’m not sure that’s what he wants.

  249. They brought up something at the end of Current’s analysis that hadn’t been mentioned anywhere else. Romney has been in Denver for a couple of days. Obama flew in this afternoon. It takes a while for your body to acclimate to higher altitude. This may have affected Obama, and may have affected Lehrer too.

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