That debate certainly was “unhelpful”
The first debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney, so long anticipated, quickly sunk into an unenlightening recitation of tired talking points and mendacity. With few sparks and little clarity on the immense gulf that truly separates the two men and their policies, Wednesday’s encounter provided little guidance for voters still trying to understand the choice in next month’s election.
The Mitt Romney who appeared on the stage at the University of Denver seemed to be fleeing from the one who won the Republican nomination on a hard-right platform of tax cuts, budget slashing and indifference to the suffering of those at the bottom of the economic ladder. And Mr. Obama’s competitive edge from 2008 clearly dulled, as he missed repeated opportunities to challenge Mr. Romney on his falsehoods and turnabouts.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
In other words, BO was skunked.
Bob's Kid on October 4, 2012 at 11:48 AM
These people are out of their minds.
forest on October 4, 2012 at 11:49 AM
I thought it was very helpful for Mitt and showed bho to be the fool he is!
I loved the debate and Mitt did GOOD!
L
letget on October 4, 2012 at 11:49 AM
This was one of Mika’s “must reads” on Moaning Joe this morning.
I’ll pass.
But from the excerpt alone, you can just envision the alternating visions of sheer rage and sobbing at the keyboard.
Their emperor has no clothes.
BuckeyeSam on October 4, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Muahahahahaha!!! Suck it NYT!
Dr T on October 4, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Liar!
OldEnglish on October 4, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Pinocchio had a erection that lasted over 4 hours.
faraway on October 4, 2012 at 11:50 AM
lololololol
thirtyandseven on October 4, 2012 at 11:51 AM
The Old Grey Wh0re, proving once again that she is hopelessly in the tank of Big Daddy Barack…
JohnGalt23 on October 4, 2012 at 11:51 AM
I think the framework for this writeup was done BEFORE the debate took place.
michaelo on October 4, 2012 at 11:51 AM
Unhelpful for the NYT? Then it can only be good for America!
Valkyriepundit on October 4, 2012 at 11:51 AM
needz moar wishcasting.
thirtyandseven on October 4, 2012 at 11:51 AM
Yeah, that’s how they characterized Romney’s remarks on the craven Cairo embassy statement– “unhelpful”– before the administration discarded it.
de rigueur on October 4, 2012 at 11:52 AM
What? Ya instead of $22 trillion in debt in four years with obama we can get $20 trillion in debt with Romney. Sorry but while their rhetoric sounds different, the vast majority of their policies will be the same.
MoreLiberty on October 4, 2012 at 11:52 AM
How bad is the NYT’s when MSNBC has a more honest and critical assessment of the President’s performance.
WisRich on October 4, 2012 at 11:53 AM
Little guidance? I think “Wow, that Obama really stunk up the joint.” will guide a few people into the Romney camp.
Rocks on October 4, 2012 at 11:53 AM
Fixed!
BigGator5 on October 4, 2012 at 11:54 AM
This narrative is helpful to Romney. Obama has lots of marginal voters who may or may not show up. If they think it’s all pointless BS they won’t show. NYT would be better off just admitting Mitt won that debate and start cheerleading BO for the next one.
forest on October 4, 2012 at 11:55 AM
Let me finish that for ya ……
fogw on October 4, 2012 at 11:57 AM
I don’t know why people think the media is biased. *rolls eyes*
magicbeans on October 4, 2012 at 11:57 AM
Waa Waa Waa. Loser.
VegasRick on October 4, 2012 at 11:58 AM
It’s become crystal clear that President Obama’s heart is not in it.
President Obama’s people have negotiated for the purchase of an estate in Hawaii and his mother-in-law is so thrilled that she’s telling all her friends about it.
Did George W. Bush or Bill Clinton purchase a home during their re-election campaign?
Nope..
Why is President Obama doing so if he intends to win re-election?
He Ain’t In It To Win It!!!
And after witnessing his foreign policy crumble in the middle east and how he’s handling the Terror Attacks on our embassies abroad, along with the looming economic crises he will have to deal with after the election,, I can understand why..
How can anyone with a academic understanding of how the economy and foreign policy is suppose to work truly believe that President Obama is the most qualifies candidate when running against someone who has a proven record in dealing with how our Unpredictable Economy does work?? And with dealing with a successful record in dealing with Unpredictability could not some of the lessons be applied to Foreign Policy also?
I think the real 800 pound gorilla in the room is this..
Deep down inside, President Obama knows he’s not the best candidate for the Presidency this year and a Mitt Romney Presidency is far better for this country,, America,,, than anything he has to offer…
Delta Wild Man on October 4, 2012 at 11:58 AM
yes , and bo is ready itching for the next debate, the one on foreign policy, where he can explain why the body of our ambassador was dragged through the streets of benghazi
runner on October 4, 2012 at 12:00 PM
WaPo awarded the win to Romney
http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2019336211_debate04.html
pedestrian on October 4, 2012 at 12:00 PM
The only reason it was “unhelpful” is that their guy did not win.
Got that ?
A Republican winning ANYTHING is not “helpful” to the NYT.
Jabberwock on October 4, 2012 at 12:00 PM
Maybe I’m over-thinking it… but where are the ratings/market share for last night’s debate? The media usually loves trivia like that.
And an even BIGGER Hmmmmmm… has just popped up on Drudge.
CPT. Charles on October 4, 2012 at 12:02 PM
Unbelievable. I’d say that it’s the worst that I’ve seen but I know it’s not true.
I mean, it’s one thing to take the falsehood that liberalism is better for the poor as a given, but to actually erect a strawman and pillory it and pass it off as news is sickening. How can even a liberal Manhattanite feel like they’re getting their money’s worth?
Every college campus has a bulk subscription to the Times (paid for by us, of course). That has to be the explanation for their being in business, like CNN and airports.
HitNRun on October 4, 2012 at 12:03 PM
When the New York Times tells us it was “unhelpful” and that both sides were equally bad, you know Obama got his hat handed to him. They will never admit a Republican dominated a debate, so this is the closest we will see to that admission by the NYT.
Shump on October 4, 2012 at 12:04 PM
Wow, so much far-left distortion in this column, where to begin?
No, the Bush-era tax rates, which 0bama extended once, benefit all taxpayers.
This money was already taxed at least once, when it was earned. Estate and gift taxes are cases of taxing the same dollar over and over again, and should be ended.
Tax cuts don’t cost the government anything. To believe this assumes that the wealth belongs to the government in the first place (a common leftist belief).
Benefit the wealthy? What part of “cut everyone’s tax rates” did you not understand?
Nice try, NYT, but once again, this is a big fat FAIL.
UltimateBob on October 4, 2012 at 12:06 PM
http://cdn.saltwaterfish.com/2/2e/2e72291c_sour-grapes.jpeg
smellthecoffee on October 4, 2012 at 12:07 PM
Anyone heard from MoDo today? Last seen at 11:00pm last night in a Manhattan bottle store…
slickwillie2001 on October 4, 2012 at 12:10 PM
They mad, bro. They worked so hard before the debate on their “How Obama won” article, and now it sits uselessly in the Recycle Bin.
Sekhmet on October 4, 2012 at 12:12 PM
I wouldn’t read too much into that. There’s probably no reason to do exit polling in states that are solidly to one side or the other.
I mean, if Romney is ahead in Georgia by 23 points, do the pollsters really need to spend resources there to confirm that? It’s reasonable to expect them to focus their efforts on swing states and states that are “leaning” one way or the other.
UltimateBob on October 4, 2012 at 12:16 PM
Restore??? Doesn’t he mean EXTEND?
That is so COMPLETELY disengenious and misleading. He is not cutting ANYTHING by EXTENDING the current tax structure that has been the law of the land for nearly a decade!
@ntif@n on October 4, 2012 at 12:32 PM
WABC radio bottom of the hour news had snippets of two manhattanites who obviously consult the NYT to find out what to think.
paraphrasing …
“I think Governor Romney needed to deliver a knockout punch last night and I don’t think he did that.”
and
“I didn’t think either candidate did very well or provided any new information about themselves.”
No one who actually watched that spectacle could possibly come away with those impressions. No one.
Lost in Jersey on October 4, 2012 at 12:35 PM
Afraid of competition?
davidk on October 4, 2012 at 12:43 PM
I’m sure it was. Her type probably woke up this morning rather depressed.
Marcus on October 4, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Actually, my liberal co-workers felt neither of them did well and thought it was boring enough to change the channel 30 mins in. The other gripe was that Romney kept interrupting everyone saying, “and one more thing…”
LOL. Sour grapes perhaps?
lucyvanpelt on October 4, 2012 at 12:57 PM
What media bias?!
The sad thing is that things have to get this bad in order to even have a close race.
KMC1 on October 4, 2012 at 12:57 PM
..and the losers sat around the table saying, “Shut up and deal.”
The War Planner on October 4, 2012 at 12:57 PM
What debate were the Salons at NYT watching? “Inquiring Minds Want to Know” to quote a departed publication’s tag line…
CiLH1 on October 4, 2012 at 1:17 PM
Completely delusional fantasy-spin – amazing.
Pork-Chop on October 4, 2012 at 1:21 PM
So let me get this straight. The NYT is telling us with a straight face that Romney Lost.
Got it.
Del Dolemonte on October 4, 2012 at 1:27 PM
Yeah.
I like how libs are complaining about Lehrer and Romney’s “interruptions” when Obama got 10% more talking time.
strictnein on October 4, 2012 at 1:33 PM
NYT is butt hurting.
bayview on October 4, 2012 at 2:24 PM
NYT is giving the Comedy Channel a run for its money lately.
ConservativeLA on October 4, 2012 at 2:27 PM
LOL! I refuse to click on a NYT link, so I’m left to assume that was in the editorial section. Much too much opinion there for it to be in the news section….RIGHT?????????
Tomolena1 on October 4, 2012 at 2:55 PM
Sank.
Tzetzes on October 5, 2012 at 12:02 AM