Best ways to counter a smooth liar at a debate?

[andym]

Even Gingrich, no paragon of truth, said it's impossible to debate a liar. Part of the problem is that the liar will just call you a liar. A good liar will just use the mimic/mirror rule- whatever you do or say, he will do likewise. If you laugh at a practiced liar, they'll laugh back at you, etc (Ryan wasn't smart enough to use this tactic, but Romney is the real deal when it comes to lying-- a completely ruthless man).

So what do you feel is the best way? I think Bill Clintonesque mockery (with a big smile) is the only way to go. The key is to do it in a little bit unexpected way if possible, so the liar can't easily return serve.

What are your ideas?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. i think Biden did a good job

look voters in the eye and tell the truth

[jsmirman]

2. I've said it a million times

But I'll repeat myself again -

That's not what you said two weeks ago before you decide to recreate your entire record, that's not what you said two months ago, that's not what you've been saying for the last year and a half.

How can the American people trust you when you won't trust them enough to be level with them?

You don't stand for anything, and I don't think we need a President who says one thing in front of his huge money donors and right-leaning crowds and an entirely different thing in front of the rest of the nation.

Here's my plan for xxxx and you know this is my *real* plan because of yyyyyy.

So simple.

Liars are easy to debate. You just stick a skewer in them and push harder into the wall as they squirm around.

[andym]

3. very good. nt.

[renate]

15. short version should do the trick: "that's not what you said two weeks ago"

Over and over. I'd like it to be the new "there you go again."

I also like your suggestion about comparing what Romney says behind closed doors to the wealthy and what he says in front of the 47% he looks down on.

I hope the President's debate team has taken your advice.

[murielm99]

4. I honestly don't know.

I have a narcissistic mother who lies all the time. She changes her tactics, just like Rmoney. When I see him, I imagine her face superimposed on his.

I hope President Obama has some psychologists and psychiatrists advising him, or at least some profilers with this type of background.

I call my mother on her lies and avoid her. Of course, Obama can't avoid Rmoney. He has to debate him. He and his supporters must simply and clearly call him on his lies. They must make sure that as many people as possible understand that he is a sick and slick liar.

[ecstatic]

13. What does she say when you call her out?

Do you think she realizes she's lying?

[murielm99]

14. She insists that she is being truthful.

Even in the face of physical evidence, she sticks to her guns. My dad used to be able to get her to back off a little, but he was also her enabler. Now he has dementia.

I am not the only family member who calls her on her lies. And I do think she knows she is lying. She will do anything to have power and attention.

I don't know who could make Rmoney back off his lies. Maybe Anne? But his lies were told purposely. He and his advisors saw it as a way to win the debate. They only care about winning, not truth, not honest government, not anything.

[HeiressofBickworth]

16. My mother was also a consumate liar

She, however, admitted to it and in fact, seemed rather proud of it. She once said she lied for two reasons: to make herself look better or to get someone to do what she wanted. So, there were times that I just asked her, "is this the lie to make you look better or the lie to get me to do what you want?" That pissed her off.

There really is no effective way to deal with a liar other than to carry a shield of disbelief of everything that comes out of the liar's mouth. There's no point in even having a conversation with a liar as it takes too much effort to fact-check and otherwise make a determination whether or not there is any truth in what was said.

I think that's why I didn't watch the last presidential debate. I pretty much understood Mr. Obama's position on many things -- we've seen his work over the last 4 years and the Republican determination to thwart him at every turn. And as far as Romney is concerned, it takes a TEAM of fact-checkers to figure out all his lies, misrepresentations, obfuscations, etc. No point in even listening to him.

[donco]

5. If i were debating

a board in the ass like "money"...i would have to do something unexpected and throw him off of his game.Then the debate would be all mine.

[Sugarcoated]

6. Well placed humor

and sarcasm. Shame them.

[TexasCPA]

7. Bush Jr. was an idiot, but a very good liar

He would tell the same lie over and over again until people started believing it.

[Hutzpa]

8. The best way to counter a liar is with facts

you MAKE them feel stupid for lying by using facts, exactly the way Biden did it, you laugh at what they say and respond by doing this, you first pause, then breath, then continue by saying how deeply disappointed you are and proceed to show how it makes you angry when Gov. Romney cannot be straight with the American people. You do this by looking straight into that camera. "This is not about erasing what you said previously to accommodate for what you're saying today, this is about the American people, this about putting this country first and also being truthful"

[TexasCPA]

11. Doesn't work

After the last debate, one of the "undecided voters" on CNN was saying that Obama wasn't listening to Romney when Obama said a few times that Romney's tax cut would reduce revenue collections by $5 trillion. Most of the undecided voters are not very smart.

[Donkees]

9. Obama: "We're not here to watch you deal 3-card monte. It's time to put all your cards on the table"

[ffr]

10. Now I don't want to get in the way of all this.

As the Big Dawg would say.

[MSMITH33156]

12. I think it is important to

VERY quickly deal with Mitt's BS, then pivot to the person asking the question. These are real citizens today, so it is not just him and Mitt.

A very effective, quick rebuttal line is simply to say, "Mitt, what you just said sounds like one of those positions you are taking for the purpose of this debate that your campaign staff will say is not really your position after the debate is over, when no one is watching."

And then just move on. Axelrod was right about one thing in the first debate. If you try to fact check Mitt Romney, it will literally become a full time job, and then Obama never gets his message out. It's important to succinctly deal with the lie and move on. Also, only get engaged in specifics when you have to in terms of refuting lies. Otherwise, just call him a liar and move on to your plans.