How Did Voters React to the Debate?

[Texas Lawyer]

Source: ABC News (The Note blog)

When asked to describe their impressions of Romney, the women used words like “rude,” “pushy” and “assertive” – and when asked to clarify if assertive was positive or negative, the woman who offered that description said it was negative.
...
Several women expressed disappointment that abortion rights were not brought up, saying that they would have liked to hear the candidates talk about that issue in their own words, since they mostly just hear small snippets in commercials.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/10/how-did-voters-react-to-the-debate/

[still_one]

1. This debate was about the economy I thought? Isn't that why abortion wasn't brought up?

[Jamaal510]

8. I thought the topic was with regards to domestic issues in general,

and that there would be 3 segments dedicated to the economy.

[still_one]

9. Wow, then that should have been brought up /nt

[tarheelsunc]

11. The plan was for it to be a domestic debate with certain questions asked

I don't think anyone could name even one of those questions now because Romney kept cutting Obama and Lehrer off to continue each question much longer than it should have gone on for.

[spicegal]

33. I thought it was suppose to be about domestic issues too, which means there

was lots of territory not covered. Romney ran out the clock with nonsense, leaving no time for other issues.

[tblue]

2. Did Spit On-Me's likeability go up?

I doubt it.

[Politicalboi]

3. What happened to

The debates with questions from the audience?

[skeewee08]

5. I think that's next

I believe Candy Crawley is the mod

[gtar100]

24. Jim Lehrer had to live his finest hour, being the tool that he is.

If the world wasn't so skewed by money and self-interest, he would never be in the position he's in. Bias oozes from him. But in today's America, that's what republicans pay millions of dollars for. Substandard talent is a byproduct of being a sell-out.

[ailsagirl]

4. Hey, I like that first part!! (rude, pushy, assertive...)

Perhaps we're not the only ones who thought his behavior was abominable.

[Indpndnt]

6. That's the way he came across and not just to us.

Let Willard run loose and show his real self. I enjoyed it. He was a real ass.

[ailsagirl]

20. He might as well have put a lamp shade on his head and danced the Charleston

Not very presidential at all

[Texas Lawyer]

7. Another article on the same topic: Group at Dole applies dials to Romney, Obama during debate

When Republican Mitt Romney said he would cut government funding to Public Broadcasting Service, a group of undecided and independent voters at the Dole Institute of Politics watching the first presidential debate moved their dials way down.
...
After the debate, Kansas University associate professor Mary Banwart asked the group members why they disapproved of Romney's verbal shot at PBS. "I thought that was a stupid move," Kathie Stovall of Lawrence said as others around the table nodded in agreement. Stovall said she supported PBS.

Banwart also noted that during the debate, the group seemed to grade Romney down the more aggressive he became in pointing out differences between himself and Obama, than they did when Obama did the same thing to Romney.

Elaine Grosser of Eudora, and a registered Republican, said she felt Obama did a better job of explaining himself than Romney, and she said that she did not appreciate Romney's remarks that were publicized last month about 47 percent of the population being dependent on the government and in Obama's column.

"I don't think he is in touch with us," Grosser, 68, said of Romney. Her husband, Stewart, 73, and retired from the Navy, said he was undecided about who to support. He agreed with Obama on some issues, but added, "He (Obama) seems to hit a brick wall with Congress." Later, he said he felt himself agreeing with Obama more during the debate. "I felt like Obama was giving stronger answers," he said.

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/oct/03/group-dole-applies-dials-romney-obama-during-debat/

[ailsagirl]

21. Thanks for the encouraging post!

[Liberalynn]

34. I agree with Ailsagirl

thanks for the booster

[wordpix]

40. excellent! Maybe the truth is getting through at last

[Xipe Totec]

10. So what set Romney apart as the winner in these women’s minds?

From the article:

"Two things seemed to resonate – Romney’s history of reaching across the aisle in Massachusetts and the fact that these voters felt like they heard something new from him in terms of his plans, while Obama was telling them the same thing they’ve been hearing for four years."

Not surprising since Romney's plan changes every time he tells it. It's always new, like he just finished pulling it out of his ass.

[ffr]

12. I liked what Romney had to say tonight

He supports plans put in place by Bill Clinton
He supports federal funding for education
He supports single payer health care reform
He supports regulations on the banking system

Heck he supports everything that anybody in the middle would want to hear.

In affect, he supports everything the current GOP platform is against.

Wonder how many of my Rep buddies will actually be crying tomorrow morning.

[skeewee08]

14. None because the know he's lying

[regnaD kciN]

31. Right, it'll be the American people who will be crying...

...two years into President Romney's term.

[Jazzy_Obama]

13. Very depressed tonight

On top of being frusturated with Obama MSNBC & That stupid moderator overall I'm not feeling to good about tonight & to be quite honest I'm probably won't watch the news all day tomorrow goodnight guys

[skeewee08]

15. Don't be there are 3 more quarters

The VP debate & 2 more Presidential debates

[wordpix]

41. counting on O and Biden to lengthen lead in homestretch

I'm positive they will Call me an optimist but posts like this one give me hope

[Shuhered]

19. No Need To Be Depressed

Look. It was Obama and Michelle's Anniversary. They need a dinner out somewhere and snuggle time. My vote here in Iowa is already sent in as are many of my friends. Obama looked down a lot but was far too charitable with not coming after him with Romney's lies. I think that is the plan and that he will go for the kill by the third debate. There is a timely and methodical method to Obama's media.

[Jazzy_Obama]

22. Aww Thanks you guys

I feel a lil better after thinking about what y'all said. I'm not giving up by a long shot I'm still preparing to fight till the end & march to the polls Oct 27(MD early vote starts) This is just a speed bump to our road to victory!

[Shuhered]

48. Totally Agree Jazzy

Yea life in Iowa is very much in favor of Obama. I have donated and, of course, signs are in the yard. Having mailed in my vote already, I feel confident that Obama's abilities have already won over enough swing states to guarantee a second term. But let's keep up the full court press!!!! VOTE!!! And often, heehee.

[tblue37]

30. He wasn't just "looking down"--he was making notes on points he wanted to rebut from

Romney's answers.

[whathehell]

32. Yes, but it did not look good,

especially with the "split screen". At times it looked like Romney

was "lecturing" Obama. Bad optics.

[wordpix]

42. well some of us take the "lecturing Obama" as extremely disrespectful & entitled-looking

The "entitlement" appearance of Rmoney was also very negative when he was running over Lehrer's attempts to rein him in and stick with the time limit. I found Rmoney to look both entitled and just like the spoiled brat he is.

[whathehell]

46. Yeah, well "some of us" would include me and I don't really know what your point is.

It does look "disrespectful", but Obama, in my view, unwittingly enabled

this by constantly lowering his head. Everyone watching the debate is

not strongly pro-Obama" as we DUers. The undecideds are watching too

and they are not as likely as many of us to view it all as "Romney Bad".

My point was, this may look "bad" in a sense, for Romney, but it's JUST as

likely undecideds will view it differently, e.g. Obama looks weak.

Honest assessments are not signs of "disloyalty". The president

did not, in the view of MANY, if not most, did not have a good night last night.

He needs to step up his game for the remaining debates.

[defacto7]

26. Watch it again on c-span... it's a whole different ballgame

Different view makes a huge difference. I was utterly surprised. Obama was great!

[FailureToCommunicate]

39. He did come off looking better on C-Span.

[Fuddnik]

16. I don't know who prepped Obama for this debate, but they should be fired.

He left ALL the meat on the table.

He could have pushed Romney into history's dustbin several times, easily, and didn't.

[Kablooie]

18. Obama should have just studied Clinton's speech.

[Kablooie]

17. "(Romney) has attempted to work across the aisle."

“I’ve not seen that from Obama.”

Good god!
The GOP strategy is working.
OBAMA is getting the blame for not working with Republicans!
Remember when he had a special meeting with them at the beginning specifically to encourage bi-partisan discussions?
They all said he was very open and sensible, then they kicked him in the teeth.

That is a huge failing on the part of the Democrats.
They didn't get the truth out that the Republican are the whole problem, not Obama.
Too late now to do anything about it now unless Obama can make a convincing case in the next debate.

[skeewee08]

23. "Too late now to do anything about I now unless Obama can make a convincing case in the next debate"

President O will

[Rustycup]

35. Dems in MA first agenda wasn't

to say no and defeat Romney. This is the problem with Dems they do work across the aisle...Once Romney gets in they will work with him also.....it is a huge failure on their part. They don't get create and need to let people know they work with others the republicans don't. But MSM will spin it they are whining. They also need to start promoting government. My concern was when Obama said he and Romney agree on SS. WTF? Ryan wants to privatize it and means test it. The Dems are going to lose big if they don't get on saving SS. Do they not believe that? Then why vote for them. At least I know where Ryan stands.

Crap people are losing pensions, the stock market is not keeping up with 401K...when need all three pillars. Ugh! .

[ailsagirl]

36. Arghh! I couldn't believe my ears when that charlatan claimed

Obama 'didn't reach across the aisle' nor be bipartisan!!!
That's got to be the toppling outrage!!

Obama has ALWAYS striven to be bipartisan and to work together as Americans, not Dems/repukes/independents, etc.

[Ikonoklast]

44. We wanted him to STOP. Mr. Obama bent over backwards trying to be bipartisan.

I realize that this strategy made the Republicans look like the obstructionists that they are, but it was maddening.

[defacto7]

25. I know I'm repeating myself BUT...

Please watch it again on c-span if you have any doubt at all. The view is different than the original and it is quite a surprise....

www.c-span.org/Debates/

[skeewee08]

27. I agree defacto7

[progree]

29. No you're not. Thanks much for the link. nt

[DallasNE]

28. I'm Waiting For The Retractions Tomorrow From The Romney Campaign

They will be coming. You can count on it. Except for his Tenther comments there wasn't much in it for Romney's base. And when will somebody apply math to Romney's proposals and report on it? Why is MSM giving Romney a free ride on this when it is the core issue of the campaign.

[maddogesq]

47. 27 whoppers in 38 minutes.

Yeppers!

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/10/04/958801/at-last-nights-debate-romney-told-27-myths-in-38-minutes/

[Blueprogress]

37. Mitt the bully

I have been not too enthusiastic this election cycle. I have been disappointed with some of the actions of the President especially when it comes on to dealing with congress and the concessions he made. I had just recently updated my voter registration card and up until last night did not make a donation this election cycle. However, after watching the debates last night I am fired up again. I cannot believe people are saying Mitt Romney won. Although I agree Pres. Obama could have tried harder to swim out of the murky mess that was Mitt Romney last night; Mitt proved to me that he is nothing more than a rich 1%, who feels so entitled, does not follow rules and does not believe he has to prove anything to the voters that he wants to elect him. He also clearly does not believe in facts. He had many promises but few specifics. To me the president looked very presidential in that the midst of a fire storm he has a level head. However, pants of fire Mitt seems as if he was about to pounce on the "moderator", the Pres. or anyone who challenged him last night. He is not calm and collected enough to be the President. I think Mitt's performance was that of a school yard bully and he should not be rewarded for that. He was extremely rude and in a frightening way showed he is not steady. If Pres. Obama performed anywhere close to what Mitt did last night the media would be using the angry thug who breaks all rules message. Yes, Obama was not on his A game but nobody should act like Mitt did last night. In my opinion it was a terrible performance. I cannot wait to vote against this rude repugnant Rmoney.

Another issue I have with what I have been hearing is that the President was looking down too much- I must have been watching a different the debate, because the President was the only one who constantly looked directly at the camera and address the viewing audience. I wish here in Florida, we started early voting already, can’t wait to vote for Obama.

[Ikonoklast]

45. Welcome, Blueprogress! Many feel the same as you do.

GOTV in Florida, do whatever you can, and we can change things together.

[Overseas]

38. Jim Lehrer gets a lot of the blame from me. Pretending he could get specifics by posing the same

question again and again.

He should have known R would lie all the way and should have moved through a range of domestic policy questions.

[LibertyLover]

43. Lehrer was terrible as the moderator in my opinion

He was way too deferrential to Romney and let him get away with way too much crap.