You know how Obama hung back in the debate and let Romney rant, lie and hang himself?

[DonRedwood]

35. Oh, I'm sure he wanted a slam dunk as much as the rest of us!

But when ROmney started lying and flipping I think Obama just stepped back and let him go. His performance in the next two debates was spot on. He had those same abilities during the first debate but chose not to use them. Obama is a cool cool cucumber. He was in total control of himself at the first debate.

The dialogue after the debate did hurt him, and he was probably sorry he didn't turn it up a notch, but he truly did allow Romney to just keep laying on another layer of lies. I noticed that night that the less Obama refuted him, the more carried away Romney was getting. Obama gave Romney the control (did you notice how the moderators where ridiculed for letting Romney speak over them? They'd try to interrupt but Romney just kept going. It makes them look powerless and out of control. Obama had the sense to stay out of that trap. Romney would just keep on talking and then the President looks a fool. You can't debate a steamroller, you just look weak. Ask the moderators about that. Romney really hurt their careers because he made them look useless.