There are far too many things that could, and almost certainly will happen in tonight’s debate to know what’ll ultimately shape public perceptions of the outcome — and as a rule candidates themselves have less ability than they normally do to shape those perceptions in a town hall format.
But there’s one major exception to this rule tonight, and it has to do with Romney’s secretly taped comments about the 47 percent. Read More
Before things get started this evening and we slip into history, I wanted to take a moment to look back at the last debate and also forward to this one.
Everybody has a theory about why President Obama so underperformed in the first debate. Indeed, it’s drilled so deeply into many people’s psyches that it’s become almost a prism into their own hopes, wants and insecurities. Basically, I don’t think there’s any real knowing. I also suspect that if most people watched the debate again now they’d be surprised at how relatively normal it seems. Not that Obama did great. But the whole thing has become so vast and hyper-discussed and stressed-over that it’s become vastly bigger in the retelling than it really was.
So with all that here’s my theory. I won’t say this is ‘why’ he did poorly. I’ll just put it forward as what resonated for me. Read More
Listening to all the pre-game commentary for this debate I’m struck by the wild mix of incredibly high and also incredibly low expectations for Barack Obama. It has a surreal sort of feel to it.
Having a hard time containing yourself? We’ve opening up a Debate Anxiety Thread to calm or inflame your nerves over at TPMPrime.
Everyone is lining up to offer their advice to the candidates before tonight’s debate…
To me a pretty good rule of thumb is this: Yes, you could have a split between the popular vote and the electoral college. But in practice, it won’t happen. 2000 was an exception. The last time it happened before that was more than a century earlier. Read More
Siren calls to Team Romney from Pennsylvania, where the polls are tightening up: You can compete here, don’t write us off!
Long Island Rep. Peter King (R) says Mitt isn’t changing at all. He’s sticking to his shape-shifting roots.