Decision 2012: Round One - Romney
by Rick Grimaldi - 10/04/12 -
Mitt Romney must hammer the facts. The President is vulnerable on the issue of the economy. He can be beaten if and only if Romney puts him on the Defensive on the jobs issue; on the deficit; on the President's statement that if he could not turn the economy in first term then he should be a one term President; on the fact that this is the worst recovery from an economic downturn ever; on the President's lack of experience in ever managing anything; and on the President's inability to offer any reasonable approach to the debt crisis.
This is what I said on Sunday night during my 10 to midnight club appearance with Mazz on his show. what I could not have possibly anticipated is the absolutely horrible performance by President Obama. How a sitting President could be so ill prepared and disinterested in something so critical is astounding. To me the President appeared to be bothered by the whole thing and candidly annoyed that Romney would have the temerity to challenge him. Obviously this President is not used to that; the shock that Romney would treat him as a mere mortal.
More importantly, as I suggested, the President could not defend his record and resorted to telling personal stores alternating them with weak attempts to mis- characterize Romney's position on economic issues, including health care, the deficit and entitlements. Romney was ready on all fronts and was forceful in essentially calling the President out.
Last night Romney looked Presidential. He looked like a man who could fix what ails the economy. He laid out real concepts and was as specific as one could be in that debate format. And, he took charge. He made the President look pedestrian. He needs to keep this momentum and not waiver. He needs to prepare even more for the next debate because rest assured the President will be very different. To me it does not matter. Romney exposed him last night and only the most true believers in the Obama camp will deny that.
