Obama 'Bayonets' Romney In Boca Raton, But America Is Real Victim After Miserable Debate

Obama "Bayonets" Romney In Boca Raton, But America Is Real Victim After Miserable Debate

By Michael Miller Tue., Oct. 23 2012 at 7:00 AM

VOA via Wikimedia Commons

Last night's debate was what political experts call a "turd sandwich." Barack Obama and Mitt Romney provided 90 minutes of crap, and moderator Bob Schieffer happily mashed it all together between the blandest, stalest, white-bread questions he could find.

Obama supporters will say their man won the debate (which is true), while Romney fans will insist the Republican came across as the more composed candidate (also true). But both miss the bigger point: that this two-year campaign isn't a cure for what's ailing America but a symptom of our sickness.

Here's your 10-second breakdown of the debate:

Obama scored several scathing zingers like when he told Romney that the 1980s were "calling to ask for their foreign policy back"
Romney improved on his cranky previous performance with a calm approach. But by ignoring Obama's jibes, Romney looked more pusillanimous than presidential
Bob Schieffer's questions could not have been worse if written by Fake Filipino journalists

See also:
- New Times LIVE BLOGS the Debate from Boca Raton!
- Barack Obama Makes Mitt Romney His B*tch In Second Presidential Debate
- Mitt Romney Wins First Debate By Being a Ballsy, Big Bird-Killing Bullsh*t Artist

The debate at Lynn University in Boca Raton was supposed to focus on foreign policy. Just 40 minutes to the south, Miamians could have expected questions about Hugo Chávez's recent electoral win, Cuba's surprise decision to eliminate exit visas, or rumors of Fidel Castro's imminent death.

Instead, Schieffer simply redefined "foreign" as "Middle Eastern" and ignored all countries not called Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, or Syria.

Only twice did Latin America come up: once when Romney accused Obama of offering to meet with strongmen like Chávez and Castro, and again when Romney said he wanted to double U.S. trade with the region.

Fidel: not discussed

With Latin America out of the discussion, Miamians could be forgiven for watching playoff pelota instead. But those that stayed tuned saw two clear arguments quickly take shape. Obama repeatedly accused Romney of "wrong and reckless" policies, while the Republican tried to paint the president as a failure both abroad and at home.

"Governor, the problem is that on a whole range of issues, whether it's the Middle East, whether it's Afghanistan, whether it's Iraq, whether it's now Iran, you've been all over the map," Obama said.

"I don't see our influence growing around the world," Romney retorted. "I see our influence receding, in part because of the failure of the president to deal with our economic challenges at home."

Tags:

Barack Obama, Election 2012, Lynn University, Mitt Romney, Presidential Debate

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drakemallard topcommenter

Yet not one word from Republican candidate Mitt Romney about Iraq and Afghanistan. Nothing about the sacrifices made by these heroic military mean and women. Nothing about the sacrifices made by the families of these heroic men and women.

Yet nothing in the speech in the speech about caring for our heroic men and women. In fact, the word "veteran" or "veterans" was not uttered by Mitt Romney. The most important job of a President of the United States is not the economy or jobs, as Mitt Romney would have you believe.

Commander-in-Chief of the United States.

Yet nothing from a man who wishes to become Commander-in-Chief of the United States.

Picasso Esp

Nelson ur the man! I agree!

mjorizondo topcommenter

On the bright side Channel 4's pregame show featuring Elliott "what day is it" Rodriguez was a hilarious. Sixty minutes of Elliott, Antonio and Shannon trying to out-dumb one another.

ymendozza

. . . EXTRA! . . NEWSMAX INDEPENDENT AMERICAN POLL:

WARMONGER OBAMA: 266.544 = 28%

"WACO" MORMON ROMNEY: 653.237 = 70%

ymendozza

CROOKED/CRIMINAL OBAMA... SATAN'S MASTER OF DECEPTION AND A FATHER OF LIES!

Tom Berry

Perhaps if Al Qaid puts missiles in Cuba it could get some attention, but no one north of Broward County thinks twice about Cuba or Fidel. The attention received down here is pandering for votes, that's all, and it has never translated into actual policy from either party.

Nelson Dork Knight Cortez

OMG these cubans and their need to be tge center of attention here in miami. YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY LATIN COMUNITY IN HERE!!!! besides don't you fuckers have that wet dry foot policy? we need to focus on serious migratory regulations.

Christopher Jorge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uH5PF_4sd0&list=UU1yBKRuGpC1tSM73A0ZjYjQ

Donovan Brin

I agree with @Antonio Casanovas an infinite percent. It's not fair we deport others whose countries are far worse than Cuba (like Haiti, Afghanistan, North Korea, Somalia, etc.)

Jorge Gonzalez Graupera

Outside of Miami, few care about the plight of Cubans. And I hate to admit this, being a Cuban exile myself, but there are more important issues at hand.

D.f. Basora

Cuban policy has been the same for years. So it should be discussed, why, exactly?

Antonio Casanovas

again....we need to save money and rewarding cubans for swimming here and at the same time demonizing and deporting central and south americans makes zero fucking sense in my book...our countries are doing a hell of a lot worse than cuba

José Manuel

Cuba stopped being relevant after the missile crisis.

Mabel Gonzalez Nava

Oh right...because this is the United States of cuba.......

drakemallard topcommenter

1 Like

mitt romney will say anything in order to get elected, even if it makes no sense. His recent foreign tour was a complete debacle.

As president, I will create 12 million new jobs." —

Government does not create jobs. Government does not create jobs." —Mitt Romney, 45 minutes later

Andrew Jordan

BTW the Marines still use bayonets

Alexis Ivan Martinez

Bob Schieffer mentioned in the beginning that the questions were all his. If none of the questions were about Cuba then how are the candidates expected to talk about it?