We’re all ready to watch the debate tonight between Vice President Joe Biden and Republican ticket running mate Paul Ryan. But, since both presidential candidates are young enough to last the next four years, what they say is less important than what the two #1s on the ballot say next week.
Ladra will watch the debate with Craig Romney, son of the Republican nominee Mitt Romney, at JohnMartin’s in Coral Gables and hopes to ask him one question if I get the chance: Who was that guy on the screen Oct. 3? And where has he been? (Okay, I know; that’s two questions.)
This wasn’t the Romney most people were expecting. He was strong, confident, energized. He spoke well, extremely coherently, and interjected and interrupted frequently, stealing some of President Barack Obama‘s thunder on occasion and put the POTUS on the defensive.
Guess that’s what they mean by practice makes perfect: Romney had reportedly been stashed away for three days preparing for this. Obama, who normally sounds very rehearsed and canned, had to ad lib. Our usual prince-at-the-podium didn’t shine as much as usual. He stumbled. He said “uh” a lot. He let Romney take the lead and ended up on the defensive most of the time — and not even as good as the Dolphins on a bad day.
Someone mentioned to me that Obama looked and sounded like he didn’t really want the job anymore. That he seemed apologetic. His body said “Sorry.” And this was from a Democrat supporting him.
Conversely, I mentioned to some Republicans that Romney was different — and they agreed.
“Who is this guy,” I asked under my breath as I stood next to a former GOP elected and watched the screen at one of the many debate watch parties that sprung up at the last minute, rushed by the Republican Party of Florida.
“And where has he been,” was the question the Republican leader candidly shot back.
Some might say it’s too late for Romney, who has been trailing in national polls and is seen as the underdog here, to make a big enough difference with the debates to turn things around. But Ladra says the timing is perfect.
And not just because the voter’s attention span is as big as the type size on most political disclaimers. That’s only one reason: Get good at the end so it’s fresh in voters’ minds when it comes time to bubble in the box on the ballot. But also because now the Obama campaign is on the defensive and has to react to their new reality — which is a real contender.
Don’t you think the Massachusetts governor also surprised the Obama camp? And now they have to react to that, go back to the drawing board and figure out how they won’t let this happen again at the next debate. They have to review, adjust and recharge — and all that takes energy from the momentum of the campaign.
It’s useless to ask partisan people to speak on the record about the debate. Democrats will say Obama took it. Republicans will say Romney scored on the first one.
But, privately and on background only, everybody was at least a little bit surprised.
Even the so-called “liberal” media that has been thwarting him gave Romney props for his performance.
“Michelle probably would’ve preferred that Barack had a date with another woman, rather than Mitt tonight,” wrote the Miami Herald’s chief political writer, Marc Caputo, on twitter. He also quoted the POTUS and added his own grade to Obama’s role: “‘We came here w/a specific purpose; to have a conversation w/voters.’ And you bored them. To tears,” Caputo wrote, adding that the Gov simply was better.
“Romney won on style, not substance. And it probably doesn’t matter anyway. Tough to see how anything tonight persuaded undecided,” Caputo wrote.
He quoted Obama in another tweet: “Obama: ‘I think this was a terrific debate.’ That makes one of us.”
From the Crowley Report: “Obama must be very confident in his polls because he sure isn’t putting much of a fight tonight….”
Even Bill Maher was impressed: “I must say, of all the Romneys I’ve seen, this Debate Romney is my favorite.”
Mine, too, bill.
Forget tonight, I can’t wait to see what happens Oct. 16.
VP debate? Yawn. Surprising prez debate still the buzz added by Ladra on
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