Noone WINS A Presidential Debate

Romney did well tonight.  He won the talking points.  He got away with saying we have the best health care system in the world.  He got away with not explaining his REAL tax plan.  He didn't get called on his flip flopping.  And he threw up such a bullshit smokescreen on his REAL plans for Medicare and Medicaid, which the President didn't call him on?  I guess you'd have to say he won THIS debate.

But winning is a hard term to pin down in these things.  And always has been.  Neither candidate really answers the questions.  And they don't punch the other guy in the face when he lies, either.

You think I'm just being a partisan, Obama supporter?  OK, riddle me this?  The whole world KNOWS that Kennedy WON the first televised debate over Nixon because Nixon looked sweaty, and, nervous, and could have used a closer shave.

Name ONE question either guy answered during that debate.  Can't do it?  Not surprised, neither can I.  History remembers the story, but not always the substance.

Gerald Ford flubbed a question about the Soviet Union's influence in Eastern Europe in the 77 election (flubbed it?  Oh, he totally BLEW it) but what did he say that GAVE, Carter the election?  Do you remember?  Bet you don't.

He said there was no Soviet influence in Poland.  I'm pretty sure he meant to say there WAS, but he misspoke.  Remember anything else from that debate?  No?  Figured as much.

The only thing anyone remembers from the Bush/Clinton debate was Bush looking at his watch.  I'd be really surprised if anyone remembers the question being asked when he did that.  I sure as hell don't.

Watching the film, it kind of looks like he did it during the introductions.  I don't remember.

So this whole Presidential debate thing is highly overrated.  Romney did well tonight in that he didn't step on his dick, as he is prone to do.  But as, Steven Colbert said, "Facts tend to have a Liberal bias" and he kept avoiding them.

Until the Republicans quit saying that we have the best health care plan in the world, cause it's such a ridiculous, and horrible lie, they won't really win any debates.  At least not any that there were really judges, scoring them, like in high school debate.

But they can win in a world where more than 47% of the population thinks Faux News is actually, news.  And those dumb asses vote.  And that is the only winning that matters.

And it's a shame.