Debates. My thoughts re Romney.

[Ninga]

I've heard that Romney is supposed to be a strong debater.
He has been "practicing" for a really really long time. Ohio Senator Rob Portman (R) is playing the President during practice.

Romney will most likely bring the same memes and skills he displayed during the primary when debating against the 3 or 4 or 5 Stooges.

However, the time will come during the Presidential Debate when Romney will have to field a question or comment that will require him to "speak off the cuff".

His mind will spin and he will remember how his wife and staff and advisor's screamed and screamed....
"why did you say THAT?"
"where in our playbook does it say THAT?"
"we told you speaking too soon after the embassy tragedy, would come back to bite you in the ass! But NOOOOOO,you tried to talk with authority and sound presidential when you ended up looking like a buffoon!!"

So there will be a moment when Romney's brain will down shift into "caution, caution caution"!!! The submarine "dive" horn will blare in his ear, shattering what little self-confidence remains.

His gaffs will come home to roost and his frozen smile and blank eyes will be the death nell of his wrongful and distrustful candidacy. Putting a fork in him for good.

[jpbollma]

1. I think he will come on hard as much as he can

in the very beginning. He will then just call Obama a liar the rest of the time and make things up. So basically, the same as he has run his campaign.

[Ninga]

2. Yes you are right. He will lie with a straight face. His head has gotten messed up since the

primary season ended.

He has made too many stumbles and those verbal stumbles will play with his head. It is not a good thing to enter into a debate with a huge "caution" sign on your forehead.

[Erose999]

3. Romney's experience in debates has been against the other clowns in the GOP circus. Its not much of

a victory saying you beat Michelle Batshit or Prick Erry or Ricky man-on-dog in a debate. And in the GOP debates, they all advocate for the same policies and try to sell those the voters on "their" take on them. Wheras in a debate against Obama he will have to defend those shitty GOP policies.

[Johonny]

10. I agree

Romney wants the debate to be about the made up Obama the GOP fantasized during the primary. The general election has been about Obama's actual presidency and more to the point Mitt Romney's actual life. Obama is going to attack Romney's fantastically low tax rate he pays, Romney's call for war, Romney's lack of foreign diplomacy, Romney's terrible job creation record as governor...

[MADem]

4. They won't be able to medicate him, though.

He will have the tense, nervous voice, not the deeper slurred voice of the convention.

He will have to have a clear mind to come up with his retorts, and he won't be able to avail himsel of calming drugs...!

[JaneyVee]

5. I sense crash & burn on Romney's part. He's going to be facing the REAL Barack Obama

not the one Romney keeps making up on the campaign trail.

[obxhead]

12. Excellent Comment. nt

[uponit7771]

6. Its really up to the moderators, if they're going to let him get away with BS he did during primarie

[mojo2012]

7. Over Confidence

If Romney compares his debates to be as challenging as the ones in the primaries, he's being over confident. As mentioned before, the candidates in the primary were to say the least "weak". A field of bumbling idiots (except Huntsman). Huntsman was too unknown and too moderate for the RW.

The Polls are showing that running in the General Election is far different than running in the Primary. He has to be transparent and more knowledgable, more presidential which he isn't...he deserves everything he gets....CRUSHED....

[mojo2012]

8. Just to add....

Yes the moderators will make a big difference...

I've sent suggested questions to the moderators....here's the info on where to suggest questions to the moderators...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021359961

[Lucy Goosey]

9. I predict problems for Romney...

...if he gets pressed for details about something he doesn't want to give details about, or if he's just outright asked a question he doesn't think he should have to answer, especially if the moderators have the gonads to insist that he answer.

If he gets into an exchange where the moderator has to keep telling him "you haven't answered the question" or "but how, specifically, will your economic plan benefit the economy" or whatever, Romney will lose his cool, and start to get pissy - he doesn't believe he owes us common folk answers, after all. I don't know if releasing his income taxes will come up - it's not policy, after all - but if it does, that's another topic that could lead him to come across as a bit unhinged.

I could see him losing his cool and doing something to make him look really unpresidential, like say repeatedly interupting President Obama against the rules of the debate, or physically approaching the President in an aggressive way. That kind of thing wouldn't play well.

[obxhead]

11. I think Romney will continue to do exactly what he has done for 2 years.

He will continue to talk in generalities and give no specifics to how he will "fix" the world.

Obama will slam him on every issue giving specific details of what he has done and what he would like to do.

Slam dunk Obama win in all 3 debates.

[Aviation Pro]

13. The fact that the Fucking Stiff....

...has been practicing for weeks is a tell. It tells me that Portman is cleaning his clock during rehearsals and that Lurch is breaking down in fucking tears like a little boy every time he gets cornered.

I can't wait for our sniper President to figuratively put two in his frontal cortex.

[ksoze]

14. Concise and sound bite friendly win debates

In the end the media will not reward a win to the smarter or more informed, but to the one who can get his message across easy. Think about past debates where the sound bite s the summary. I think the challenge will be for Obama to zero in on his attacks clearly and succinctly and fight the urge to over analyze. Romney will be well prepped with a pocket full of zingers and sound bites, which may be remembered after more than a professorial answer. I do not see any game changers with the debates but the "winner" may be the one with the memorable lines and comfort on stage.

[Avalux]

15. I expect a meltdown/temper tantrum.

Romney couldn't even handle being interviewed by Univision without acting like a petulant child, I don't think he'll be able to hold it together against Obama. There were times during the GOP debate circus where he was awkward (10k bet?), and remember - he really wasn't challenged much and with the other trainwrecks on the stage, he seemed the most sane.

Whole different ball game against Obama.

[HopeHoops]

16. (In my best St. Ronnie voice) - "There you go again."

[EC]

17. I'm figuring someone will call him on his

lies and he'll get mad and lose it. I noticed in other debates he has a short fuse.

[IggleDoer]

18. I think he may feel so privileged and superior ...

... that he may ask why he is losing to a black man. Then he just loses it.

[1-Old-Man]

19. I think the Conventions gave us a glimpse of how each side will approach the debates

Contrast the Republican and Democratic Conventions at a basic level and what you come up with is the Republicans appealed to emotion and the Democrats backed up policy with facts. There you have the blueprint for the debates. Romney will do everything he possibly can to seem likable and the President will nail his ass to the wall with knowledge and preparedness.

[MiniMe]

20. And what will his answer be when he says something really stupid?

They asked me the wrong question?