As the second Obama-Romney debate would down on Tuesday night, the wind seemed to come back into the sails of an Obama campaign left dead in the water two weeks ago by the President’s lifeless first debate performance.
“Hands down Obama knockout,” tweeted California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom.
“Firm, strong, determined,” added Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker.
The political right, so exultant two weeks ago, came across as grouchy. “Thank goodness this debate is in such a vital swing state and these voters are a pivotal bloc. Oh wait,” tweeted Jonah Goldberg of National Review online.
Obama seemed looser physically, roaming the state. He morphed an old John Kerry line, saying Romney was for gun control before he was against it. He dredged up an anti-coal plant quote from when Romney was governor of a New England state and worried about global warming.
He accepted ultimate responsibility for the killing of Americans by terrorists at the U.S. compound at Benghazi. But it wasn’t enough to satisfy the relentless political right.
“Obama: ‘I am ultimately responsible’ for Benghazi: Yea, you will finally face the music on Nov. 6,” tweeted blogger/columnist/Fox News pundit Michelle Malkin, once a climate change-baiting columnist at The Seattle Times.
Romney came across as a moderate two weeks ago. He seemed at times wanting to be a debate moderator on Tuesday night, an effort repeatedly rebuffed by the real moderator Candy Crowley of CNN.
Comedian Chris Rock tweeted, of the debate: “This is the first black person Romney has talked to since the last debate.” To which comic Bill Maher added, as Romney answered a question on immigration: “Romney: Some of my favorite servants are immigrants.”
The mobile Obama, bothering to ask audience members questions, evoked memories of President Clinton’s performance in a town hall faceoff with George H.W. Bush and H. Ross Perot 20 years ago.
“Romney is explaining. Explaining is losing,” tweeted U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Washington. “Obama is showing Romney for what he is. A CEO who hates being challenged by ANYONE. Not good for a future president.”
As Romney tried to get in more rebuttals, and was rebuffed by Crowley, conservative commentators were angry that their progressive counterparts were crowing.
“Liberal journalists declaring Romney an (bleep)hole. Didn’t notice them saying that when Biden redefined the word,” said pundit John Podhorez.
Only rarely, however, did a conservative pundit claim that Obama was knocked off stride. “Seems rattled by Romney hit on Libya,” tweeted “Bush’s brain” and Fox News mouth Karl Rove.
A question about what deductions Romney would cut in his tax plan — dodged by the Republican nominee — drew hoots from Cory Booker. “Love this question,” he tweeted. “Romney, tell us which deductions you would cut. Give us specifics.”
Mindful of the debacle two weeks ago, the Obama camp seemed to ask for expressions of faith BEFORE last night’s debate.
A morning fund raising pitch by Bill Clinton was followed by a pre-debate appeal from Michelle Obama. The Obama-Biden campaign raised $181 million in September, and could boast of four million donors.
Based on early indications, the morale of the incumbent’s camp has recovered after a rocky two weeks.
