By Zachary Almond
Image Courtesy of WhiteHouse.gov
The Presidential race is heating up in the final stretch of 2012 election season. Both candidates were geared up for last Tuesday night’s debate.
After President Obama’s poor performance in the previous debate against Republican hopeful Mitt Romney, he went into seclusion for three days in order to prepare.
Since the last debate between the two candidates, Vice President Joe Biden and Republican Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan debated in Kentucky. It was interesting, to say the least. Biden, as I predicted, would make some sort of off-color comment. It was as if Ryan was debating Dr. Jekyll. Many panelists and viewers took Biden’s remarks and gestures as offensive, rude, and creepy. Biden proved one point in the debate with Ryan, which was that he simply needs a few lessons in etiquette.
Ryan, on the other hand, performed well but not to the extent GOP supporters had hoped for. Even though the performance was not at his caliber level, he was viewed in a more positive manner than Biden due to a conglomeration of gestures. Biden repetitiously humiliates the Obama administration. Axelrod may want to advise the cameramen to steer clear of Biden, but all the while he doesn’t the Romney campaign benefits.
So, who has the upper hand after the second debate? Romney or Obama? I have a feeling Jay Carney is going to be having a few rough days after this one. Romney called Obama out on the situation in Libya, which he continued to dodge. He then attempted to throw a jab at Romney saying it was offensive to claim that members of his administration were politicizing the situation.
Obama finally claimed the incident as an act of terrorism in the debate; something that he had not done thus far. Attempting to play it off in the debate, like he had called it an act of terrorism all along. A politically savvy person would quickly call Obama out on his endeavor to clean up his lack of aggressiveness in the Libya incident and Romney certainly did.
Obama actually showed up to this debate unlike the last when he was all but annihilated by Mitt Romney. Body language was key in the type of setting the debate was in; Obama did not perform like he did two weeks ago. Romney spoke with substance; fact and evidence while Obama continuously said, “that’s not true.” I was informed yesterday evening that viewers in bars across America were playing drinking games during the debate.
Every time Obama would say, “Let me be clear” or “that’s not true,” people would take shots. Though Obama said Romney’s claims were not true, he never actually rebutted with factual information proving him wrong.
There is no denying Obama performed better than the last debate but it was almost humanly impossible to not perform better. The Romney campaign and Obama campaign are both happy with the debate. Romney is a consistent sharp debater and the Democrats are simply happier because Obama improved drastically.
To have a debate that is fair, two moderators are needed or none in which questions could be asked digitally. We have yet to have an unbiased moderator, and not only is it unfair to the candidates, but the viewers and undecided voters watching across the nation. If the election were to be held today, Romney would have won but there is much to be foretold about the coming weeks. Obama is nervous and I would not be surprised at anything from the Obama campaign or administration before Election Day.
I believe Romney has already won in North Carolina, with Florida and Ohio close behind. The Romney campaign’s ground game has outperformed the Obama Campaign in North Carolina. Ultimately, that’s what it takes in swing states to win.
I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon this week with Reince Priebus, listening to him speak in Raleigh. Priebus, the Chairman of the Republication National Convention, has been in NC campaigning along with Rick Santorum and Tagg Romney from Raleigh to Charlotte. North Carolina will be Wolfpack red in this election, without a doubt.