Romney - 1, Obama - TBD

by Abdul-Hakim Shabazz

So after sitting down in the Star newsroom with several fellow political commentators and pundits and watching the Presidential debate I have to call this one for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

I thought Romney was aggressive, offered enough details and used his opening statement to spell out his five point plan.  I thought the Governor did what he needed to do.

I thought the President was a little off his game, however he found his footing later in the debate. 

Fundamentally what you took away from this debate is basically what you brought to it.  If you are a Republican you thought Romney was on point, if you are a Democrat you thought Romney was overbearing and the President was measured.

I don’t think this fundamentally moved the needle, watching the CNN focus group monitor Romney did better with men, Obama women; but it did energize Republicans.

The big loser in this was Jim Lehrer.  Watching Lehrer moderate was like watching an athlete who was well passed his prime.  He didn’t control the candidates and he lost control early and never managed to get it back.  His one redeemable quality was he all but admitted it at the end of the debate.

And before anyone gets too excited or too upset, remember John Kerry was determined to have won the first debate back in 2004.