Obama whips Romney in last debate: election tomorrow, please!

I'm feeling good about the presidential election. Let's have it tomorrow, not in two weeks. Obama whipped Romney's ass tonight, just like he did in the second debate. 

Don't believe me. Believe the snap polls. 

CBS: Obama won - 53%  Romney won - 23%
PPP: Obama won - 53%  Romney won - 42%
CNN: Obama won - 48%  Romney won - 40%

The CBS poll was of undecided voters, so that's great news for Obama. Wow, he beat Romney by more than two to one among those who may tilt the election one way or the other.

Not surprising.

Romney looked lip-smackingly nervous, tentative, cautious, and over-eager to appear more moderate than he really is. Never loath to pander, Romney willingness to flip-flop was on full display tonight.

For example, at the second debate he criticized Obama for setting a firm deadline for an American withdrawal for Afghanistan, the end of 2014. Romney said he supported that goal, but as president would evaluate the policy as conditions demanded.

Tonight, though, he mind-melded with Obama. December 31, 2014 became a hard and fast withdrawal date. I enjoyed the vision of neo-con heads exploding as they watched Romney cave on his previous positions.

Because on virtually every foreign policy issue, Romney agreed with Obama. Romney doesn't want to go to war with Iran except as a very last resort. He doesn't want American troops in Syria. Over and over, we heard "I agree with the president."

The few strong criticisms of Obama were based on lies. Obama's "apology tour" around the Middle East is a Pants on Fire lie. The lie that our military superiority is at risk because of a weakened Navy and Air Force also earned a Pants on Fire from PolitiFact.

My favorite part of the debate was when Obama called Romney out on his disgraceful lack of understanding how military power works. The prospect of Romney being commander-in-chief is scary. He's clueless about military matters.

I loved this exchange.

At one point, when Mr. Romney complained that the Navy “is smaller now than any time since 1917,” Mr. Obama pounced and noted that the comparison works only if aircraft carriers are equated with gunboats. “We also have fewer horses and bayonets, because the nature of our military has changed,” the president said.

Slowing his words, he added sarcastically: “We have these things called aircraft carriers, where planes land on them. We have these ships that go under water, nuclear submarines. And so the question is not a game of Battleship, where we are counting ships.”

Still, it's going to be a nail-biter of an election.

Tonight I just feel a lot less worried that I'm going to lose all of my nails on November 6. At the moment Five Thirty Eight has Obama with a 70.1% chance of winning re-election. That could rise to 75% or 80% with a 1/2 or full percentage point boost in national polling for Obama. 

We'll see how polling goes this week. It seems very unlikely that tonight's debate is going to hurt Obama. He looked a heck of a lot more presidential and commander-in-chief'ish than Romney.

What foreign leader would ever trust Romney, given his innumerable "etch a sketch" flip-flops? The guy is willing to say anything, at any time, principles be damned. That's a dangerous quality in a president.

Comments

[Dungeness]

I was disappointed there was no diagnosis of Romnesia during the debate. With all the mind-melding, they could've hailed Romney a miracle cure.

[Frank Haynes]

I reserve my comments until November 7th....

[DJ]

The presidential debate miniseries of four episodes has been a game-changer for Team Romney.

Debate 1: Unprecedented dramatic win for Romney resulting in obvious poll bump.

Debate 2 (VP): Biden gets the win, but at what cost? Romney poll bump sustained.

Debate 3: Obama gets the headline win, but internals show Romney far stronger on economy. Romney poll momentum continues.

Debate 4: Obama gets the win, but not without Romney repeatedly hammering him on the economy. People will ultimately vote their pocketbook. Romney poll momentum likely continues but isn’t entirely revealed until election day.

I’m looking for a reason to be more optimistic for Obama voters, but I keep coming back to what may be the most prescient comment on this topic to show up here at HinesSight. It was posted by tucson on 8/20/12 well before the first debate kick-started the racehorse in the polls:

“Not one American who voted for McCain 4 years ago will switch to Obama. Not one in all the land. Well, maybe one. But many millions of people who voted for an unknown Obama 4 years ago are angry, disillusioned, turned off, or scared about the future. Voters know Obama now and that is a bad harbinger.”

-AND-

“Few in America will wake up on election day saying, ‘I didn't vote for Obama 4 years ago, but he's done such a fantastic job, I can't wait to vote for him today.’ Does anyone feel that a vote for Obama makes their job more secure? Forget the polls. I sense this will be a historic landslide and a world-class repudiation of Obama's radical and risky socialist class-warfare agenda.”

http://hinessight.blogs.com/hinessight/2012/08/progressive-me-is-happy-with-romneys-paul-ryan-pick.html

Sincerely,
Big Oil

[Patrick]

Remember, Romney jumped in Ohio by 20 points in the GOP primaries in one week for no apparent reason. Never underestimate the power of 248 million dollars. Ask Ron Paul and Rick Santorum.

[tucson]

This debate is not going to make much difference, imho. Basically it was a talking points exposition with a peevish O trying to score catch-up points in the final seconds of a game with the front runner R having a comfortable, if not insurmountable, lead. I think R looked like the incumbent, secure in his position, with O trying to make headway against him. O was like a fly buzzing around trying to be annoying while R mostly ignored him, kept his cool, and stayed on topic.

Also, R had more to lose at this point by playing the agressor and taking risks, like bringing up the Libya fiasco which is not yet thoroughly vetted and where he could end up putting his foot in his mouth. He was wise to let investigators and the media sort that one out further. Better to appear calm, reasonable and not rash to act concerning touchy issues such as Iran, Russia and Syria. This plays well with single female voters where they say R is still a bit behind. I think this was the R camp strategy. To look calm, in control, presidential and not aggressive, for the undecided women, and to hold his position. But O had to be aggressive. He even looked a bit Bidenish a few times with smug smirks and out of context attacks.

The fact is the United States of America is $16 trillion in debt under O's watch. That is the #1 national security emergency. Very inconvenient for the big government spending O. Very pesky indeed.

And and marines still train with bayonets.

I still think R will win.

[Willie R]

I'm trying hard to feel bad about the fact that I have not voted in over 40 years.

I just can't do it.

Only the Grim Reaper will be able to wipe the smug smirk off of my face.

I will gladly accept the blame for whoever wins.

[tucson]

I didn't vote until I was in my 40's because I thought politics was BS. I still do, but these liars and grifters affect our bank accounts, the amount of blood spilled and the collective quality of life. So, I exercise what little power I have, hold my nose, and vote at arms length for the ones who at least appear to be a better choice than others.