Obama vs Mitt (by Cameron Turner)

    
*That mess was pitiful.  Mitt Romney didn’t win last night’s Presidential debate.  President Obama gave it away.

Barack Obama is an incumbent President with an admirable record of accomplishments, but he didn’t act like it Wednesday night on the debate stage.  The President could have easily run the stage but, for some bizarre reason, he played a weak, apologetic and defensive game.  President Obama allowed Mitt Romney to dominate the discussion, to trash his record and to define him.

Over and over again, President Obama allowed Gov. Romney to get away with outrageous, easily-refutable claims.  The President did a pretty good job of challenging Romney’s newly-minted claim that he won’t reduce income taxes for the rich.  But Obama blew it when Romney accused him of cutting $716 billion from MediCare, and claimed that the President’s healthcare reform law will cost jobs and force people to lose their medical insurance.  When Romney made those allegations, the President should’ve pushed back hard with the facts – but he didn’t.

And when Romney stated, over and over again, that he is compassionate toward the poor, children and the elderly, President Obama could’ve hit an easy homerun by mentioning Romney’s  cruel, inaccurate and elitist claim that 47% of Americans think of themselves as victims entitled to government handouts and who are not willing to take responsibility for their lives.  But the President didn’t do that either.

Worst of all, President Obama didn’t defend his record.  He didn’t brag about the 18 months of private sector job growth, or the 4 million jobs created on his watch or the fact that he saved the American auto industry.   He didn’t talk about the American Jobs Act and his other employment bills that were killed by Republicans in the House and Senate.  He didn’t play up his defense of women’s reproductive rights, or women’s right to equal pay for equal work.  Neither did he dwell on his support for marriage equality, immigration reform and the DREAM Act

And when Mitt Romney accused him of failing to bring bipartisan leadership to Washington, President Obama should’ve pointed out that he bent over backwards to cooperate with the Republicans on Capitol Hill, but that he was rebuffed blocked at every turn.

But the worst part of Wednesday’s debate was President Obama’s pathetic closing argument, which was a basically rehash of his wimpy Democratic National Convention speech – only wimpier.  Instead of touting his achievements and telling the American people why they are better off now than they were four years ago, President Obama apologized for his imperfections and begged folks to vote for him.  That is not leadership.  Especially for a President who has accomplished so much in the face of historic challenges and unprecedented opposition.

President Obama has a proud record and the best plan for the future of our nation.  His heart is in the right place, he’s  on the right side of the issues and his policies are working!  He is simply a better man for America than Mitt Romney.  The polls show that the public trusts him.

Mitt Romney can’t beat him.  But if he doesn’t put up his dukes and start fighting, President Obama could mess around and beat himself.

Thanks for listening.  I’m Cameron Turner and that’s my two cent