by
dominique DiPrima
By now it is almost universally agreed upon that President Barack Obama lost the first debate of this election season to Candidate Mitt Romney on October 3, 2012. The deep concern, disappointment and condemnation surrounding the president’s performance is shrill and widespread. I simply do not agree!
And I am not going to use the “rope-a-dope”analogy that is popular among the few pundits that are defending the President at this point. It would be nice if the strategy made famous by boxer Muhammad Ali were being employed, but we can’t prove it
And I admit that the President appeared to be ever-so-slightly off his game. When he walked into the ring, er, debate venue, he did not have the full on swagger of a man who is locked & loaded for Zombie…(Mitt Zombie as I affectionately call the GOP candidate.)
But I believe President Barack Obama and his team (including debate coach Senator John Kerry) had a plan to focus on being dignified and presidential and not sinking to Romney’s level. They had a strategy of rising above the fray. And they stuck to it. And while I’m quite sure they were not expecting Mr. Romney to pursue a strategy of out and out lying and denying the policies he’s been touting for the past year and a half, they stuck to their plan, no matter how tough it was to do so.
Many were angry that The President did not bring up Romney’s revealing comments disparaging 47% of Americans. And yet by not doing so, President Obama denied Romney the chance to use the primetime forum to peddle his crocodile tears while taking back his comments in front of his biggest audience ever. It forced Romney to go on Fox News the next day and apologize. It kept the topic in the news longer, and it took away Republicans complaint that the president was dodging questions on the economy by focusing on Romney’s many missteps.
Pundits say that Mitt Romney took control of the forum with his commanding style. And it is certainly true that he stared menacingly at the President, disrespected the President, ignored the debate rules and treated the moderator like a servant. Had President Barack Obama done what the challenger did on Wednesday he would have been seen as rude, imperious, and most damagingly of all, as the stereotype of an angry Black man. Remember in 2008 when all of us progressives wanted the President to go harder, be more aggressive, go after Hillary, go after McCain? Well, he didn’t take our advice. And he won.
Is it possible that President Barack Obama has a finely tuned ear for what mass America is ready for from a Black man? Is it possible that his patient and intelligent style amounts to a more evolved and effective form of leadership than the chest-thumping “alpha male dog” posturing of a George W. Bush or, might I say, a Mitt Romney? Why do we equate loud with tough? Why is disrespectful spun as “take charge?”
People are saying that Willard “Mitt” Romney looked more like a leader because he dominated the debate by force. All he proved to me is that as an entitled, white, wildly wealthy man he is used to bullying people, flouting the rules, and getting his way without the consequences the rest of us would face if we did the same! How is that a victory?
Many of us would have liked to see the president push back with more facts as Romney stunningly told lie after lie (27 “myths” according to the website Think Progress.) But the president let Mitt make his own bed and now he’ll have to lie in it (pun fully and ruefully intended.) Several major papers including the New York Times and Washington Post have already pointed out the enormity of the level of untruths Romney put forth in this first debate. Amazingly, those same papers matter-of-factly refer to “Mitt Romney’s victory” and “the President’s loss” in the debate as if they were indisputable!
I would have liked to see the President look up more. I would have like to have felt him flash his charisma more generously and cut through the piles of Romney’s B.S. using his intelligence like a machete. But I still believe the president won. He looked presidential. He kept his dignity. He told the truth.
And ponder this. Now that the President has “lost” the first round, no one will fault him when he beats Romney like he stole something in Debate #2 on October 16, 2012. No one will fault an “angry black man” for going after an outmatched dim-witted novice. No, they will say the president is fighting back, defending his job. They, we, will applaud him.
So even if you think President Obama got his clock cleaned in the fist debate, watch how the that so-called loss sets up the arc of victory in the big picture of a three game, er, three debate series. As a Mom (we work hard to teach our children’s manners, something Romney showed little of,) as an average citizen (who has to play by the regular rules not the millionaire rules,) and as a broadcaster (who doesn’t tolerate jerks that try to punk the moderator,) I believe it was Willard “Mitt” Romney and not President Barack Obama who was the loser here. Congratulations on your victory Mr. President…And Happy Anniversary!
October 7, 2012 at 1:25 am
This is election is a game of Chess not Checkers. Could it be that Mitt doesn’t currently work and has had an infinite amount of time to study and practice his one-liners; practice learning how to talk without saying anything? Could it be that the President has actually been engaged in being the leader of the United States and has not been debating through the years with the competition like Mitt?
To all the callers who want him to throwdown- that is what we are for. Get on your social media sites and stick up for him. Say what he cannot. We have to say it loud, because he cannot act like Mitt for obvious reasons.
The fact that he looked down could have been for any number of reasons. The terms of the debate are negotiated up front. There may have been a period where they negotiate split screens, solo pics of the speaker, and maybe even when the non-speaker believes the camera may not be on him and he can check his notes for accuracy about what he is going to say instead of “Mittn it” and apologizing later about getting the facts wrong.
October 7, 2012 at 2:00 pm
I seen the debate and like a lot of others I was with, I don’t think his heart was in it. Your right this is Chess not Checkers so there’s 2 more debates, I hope to see a better President Obama, we need to see Candidate Obama and not President Obama in the next two. The fact people say he needs to be submisive, low key, because he’s acting like a angry Black Man. Men respect men that stand up and fight back, too many of us are not angry enough. Now I’m not saying he or we need to act the Fool and act like were in the street, but he’s been a Attorney they know how to shove a man’s lie’s down their throat and still be Kool with it.. The dominate society’s media is never going to like the President angry or not most of them make over a hundred thousand or more a year. Also they didn’t spend all these year’s trying tear Black Men down in the media to give in because we have a Black President. Chess not Chckers.
October 8, 2012 at 9:22 am
Maybe your want to see something you can eat popcorn to and throw a couple fist pumps at, not that kind of party yet–wait, wait for it. I personally would have wanted to jump over the podium and knock Mitt’s teeth out for the lies but ofcourse that can’t occur either. It takes an immense amount of self control to just STAND when you know somebody is lieing on you to your face and you know the Devil is in the details and you don’t have the time to rebut every single lie. If you noticed there WERE points that the President threw in sarcastic zingers and Mitt just had a goofy look on his face. The President was Presidential DIDN’T LOSE, Romney is what people seem it be OK with but was nothing more that a rude, entitled Aristocrat. The President should already have the same percent of the Black vote as he did last time. He was methodically trying to acquire or maintain the independents and some of the others that ran from McCain after Sarah Palin rocked that campaign.
Black folks, can we build him up please?! Instead of tearing him down..
October 7, 2012 at 8:34 pm
If I may quote GOP hopeful Newt Gingrich, Newt Gingrich said today that Mitt Romney was the reason for his poor performance in the most recent Republican presidential debate — but not the former Massachusetts governor’s rhetorical skills or command of the issues.
“You cannot debate somebody who is dishonest. You just can’t,” he said. “The people say I’m a good debater. I can’t debate somebody who won’t tell the truth.”
Gingrich said he admittedly backed down at Thursday’s debate. He went back and watched the last two debates and was not happy with either one of them.
“A couple scenes you can go back and replay, I’m staring in amazement. I know what he’s saying is untrue. And I also know that in that particular audience it would not have worked to take him head on,” Gingrich said. We can hope the President keep his head up and the audience recognize the liar.
October 8, 2012 at 5:11 am
Mitt Romney clearly won the first debate! Had the president taken charge the way Romney did,everyone who is for Obama would have been saying the same thing!
October 8, 2012 at 9:30 am
Romney clearly lied multiple times about the facts and people like you mistake lieing with conviction as some sort of victory instead of dishonorable.
October 8, 2012 at 5:36 am
Dominique I must say like you I truely believe Our President did and outstanding job. We were not looking at a boxing match. If President Obama focus on anything else but bringing the facts to the people he would be label as and angry black President. In my opinion Romney looked desperate and was just shooting off at the mouth….
October 8, 2012 at 7:01 pm
well President Obama did ask for his five seconds for being interrupted,besides i think it been said that a boxer, train not to be angry, so one can stay on there game like someone said show me what you”re working with Mitt Romney
October 8, 2012 at 7:14 pm
Let us not forget that a then Senator Barack Obama fought long and hard in a close primary with the ultra-popular Hilary (and Bill) Clinton and came out victorious. Obama also lost the 1st debate to McCain and re-grouped to spank McCain in the next two debates particularly the last one. President Barack Obama has a proven record of winning difficult elections, and a current track record of being a highly competent president. I believe he will do the same as he has done before and re-group to properly spank Mitt Romney in the next 2 debates.
October 9, 2012 at 4:15 am
Well I’m so disappointed with people for not paying attention to whats really going on! You know i cant see that well i wear glasses, and i saw that debate real clearly he gave him rope a whole lot of it, and man i cant wait to see that tree in that picture when its all said and done I’m excited real excited actually, really people come on we cant keep bucking are president. it is crazy. I dont let any one talk about my President period or his wife or his family.
October 15, 2012 at 1:05 pm
Thanks Francine! I appreciate your support…ANd I know Newark folks don’t play! (That’s why I have one on the team…Tal Talib!) One Love! dominique
October 9, 2012 at 2:24 pm
I was there Saturday at the NHPAC and I was very happy to see the crowd. I was late (not my usual way). I saw a very, very, relaxed and cool demeanor in our President. He played Rommney lie a fiddle. Did you hear when out of the blue he said ” I have five sons” that was a dig at our President only having girls and not being ablle to have anymore children. Remember when he debated the other hopeful who brought up “Joe, the plumber. He looked at him as if to say, who is Joes the plumbe? Then he very very, cooly started referring to Joe the plumber himself. I just laughed to see the expression on ( I forgot his name, really). Women know he won (smart women, that is) Rommy left feeling very elated, and feeling that he won. I listen to the “Front Page” and have been since its inception. I have only called in once and that was to ask Bernard Parks what they were going to do with that contaminted dirt pile in the Santa Barbra Plaza. I’m not a “Mollie Bell” I prefer to operate in the background. I’m from “Newak, NJ, I know your step-mother, we played together as children, her name was Sylvia then; I was in Newark when your brother-in-law murdered your sister. I remember your father before his name now, when I knew of him he was Leroy Jones. You saw my hat, hat has our President and his family on it. The lady in front of me gave you a pair of earrings she made. You are right on it and have been since you started, especially when you have a man as your co-person. Keep it up, you got it Dominique,
October 10, 2012 at 5:41 am
Even without a male wing man she has been right on it. Wouldn’t an email or private letter be more appropriate for some of this content?,,, just saying
October 16, 2012 at 6:03 am
I TOTALLY feel you on that one Just Saying..
October 16, 2012 at 6:20 am
Totally late to the party on this one but..
Our president DID NOT win the last debate.. He was unenthusiastic, at times listless, and seeminley unprepaired for Romney..
Obama seemed to either (A) think he could charm his way through the debate or (B) thought that Romney was not gonna be prepaired to do battle.. Either way, Obama didn’t win..
Hopefully we’ll see a more invigoratted president and not a clone or a double tonite..lol..
October 16, 2012 at 6:27 am
P.S…
An angry Black Man is what THEY fear and EXACTLY what WE NEED!!!!!!
October 17, 2012 at 10:47 am
you are correct. obama did win the first debate. why? because he was talking about policies that will benefit the country and benefit the poeple
biden won the second debate for the same reasons
the president won third debate for the same reasons.
the president will win the fourth debate for the same reasons.
the criticism is coming from people who are, to quote the great
amiri baraka, ” tearing out their own eyes, they dont want to see”
jackie ryan