Presidential Debate #2: Obama's Edge
Obama Debate Advantage #1: It always helps to have the moderator in your pocket.
Tonight's moderator pushed the story that picking Ryan would be a disaster for the Romney ticket. Then she announced to the world that she wasn't going to let the candidates get away with false facts. To a liberal commentator that means that Romney will be asked about his flip-flops and frequent lies about his economic plans, and Obama will be asked why he did so poorly in the debate and why he chose that color of tie.
Obama Debate Advantage #2: When Jim Lehrer was moderator, Obama talked past his time limits prompting Romney to ignore rules as well. They had an actual debate. Tonight is "audience participation" night.
This isn't equal opportunity: this is the questions liberal journalists would like to ask but put into regular Americans mouths. Remember, we are talking about a very few questions: who picks the questioners? sorts the questions?
The questions in the Indiana Senate debate last night all were straight from the Democrat playbook.
Also, the President is strongest in short answer, no real exchanges formats. This is right up his alley.
Obama Debate Advantage #3: The media wants him to win for two reasons - they prefer him and they want a close race to cover. If Romney keeps winning debates, then all the excitement could end. So Obama has a big edge because the media wants to declare him the winner.
Obama Debate Advantage #4: You can almost always "dramatically improve" from a terrible performance. No matter what Phillip Rivers, the San Diego Chargers quarterback does in his next game, it will be an improvement. Unless he throws 6 interceptions. It's possible that Obama will miserably fail again, but highly unlikely. He knows the stakes in two foul-ups so we will hear how much better he did in story after story.
Obama's Debate Disadvantages: 1) His record 2) the issues he stands for.
Because of his disadvantages, and the fact that Romney has found his footing, Obama may win but likely can not overtake Romney. Then in debate 3, with the focus on Foreign Policy, Romney has the chance for a knock-out blow. If Hillary Clinton hasn't knocked out President Obama by then. Events are NOT on Obama's side in foreign policy.