Ah, yet another line of reasoning for the President to explain away the lack of vigor during his dismal debate performance: It wasn’t disdain for Mitt Romney, nor a lack of adequate preparation, nor even altitude sickness; perhaps he was just feeling a tad too genteel that day to even bother trying to go after Romney. Click to hear the audio from RCP:

“Well, two things. I mean, you know, the debate, I think it’s fair to say I was just too polite, because it’s hard to sometimes just keep on saying and what you’re saying isn’t true. It gets repetitive. The good news is, is that’s just the first one. Governor Romney put forward a whole bunch of stuff that either involved him running away from positions that he had taken or doubling down on things like Medicare vouchers that are going to hurt him long term. And, you know, I think it’s fair to say that we will see a little more activity at the next one,” President Obama said on this morning’s broadcast of Tom Joyner Morning Show on the radio.

I would think that the “bunch of stuff” from which Obama says Romney either ran away or doubled down would presumably mean that the debate gave the Obama campaign ample material for easily trumpeting the superiority of their candidate. …But that doesn’t quite explain the oh-so-hard-hitting attack on Mitt Romney for wanting to — gasp — fire Big Bird, now does it?