Just to clarify, in case anyone didn't note my sarcasm in the paragraph above, they didn't actually show the Alabama vs. LSU BCS National Championship game on Wednesday night. All of the major networks were actually, in fact, showing the first Presidential debate between Mitt Romney and President Obama. But I could not help but feel like I was watching the BCS-NC game with Romney as Alabama and Obama as LSU because let's be honest, Obama didn't really show up to play.
Did anybody else think that Obama was completely off of his game? Say what you want you silly democrats and republicans, blame it on the altitude and that Obama wasn't able to think clearly with the lack of oxygen, or that this is just how he is without being able to read a speech off of a teleprompter. Whatever the reason and no matter what your party, we all have to admit that Obama didn't really show up for the debate last night. Perhaps it is because he is the President of the United States and wasn't able to lock himself up in a mansion for weeks to prepare (coughRomneycough), but either way everyone is saying that Romney "won" the debate. This idea of Romney having won the debate is exemplified in the picture to the right of a poll done by CBS News. They asked uncommitted voters to rate which candidate cares more about their individual needs and problems. Both candidates made a positive jump, with a 33% increase in people saying that they thought Romney cared more about their needs after watching the debate and a 16% increase saying the same for Obama. 
I think that Romney did well in the debate. He used a lot of statistics and facts, although they may not all be 100% true, and had many specific examples of people that he has met along the campaign trail. These examples of specific conversations he had made him seem like a charismatic candidate, one that really does care about your personal needs because he remembers the small people along the way. Romney was well spoken and carried himself like a man who is prepared to be president. He was attentive to Obama when Obama was speaking and persistently made eye contact with the president. He responded to Obama's remarks and questions with specific examples of what he is going to do and how he plans on doing those things if he is elected. Again, not all of the statements that he made were 100% correct or perhaps truthful, but to the uncommitted voters watching the debate, Romney knew what he was talking about. How else could you explain a 33% jump in the poll above?
Obama on the other hand was again, off his game. He just gave a poor performance. I personally feel like he responded to Romney's questions and remarks with emotion instead of facts. He had a tendency to harp on certain statements instead of addressing the topic at hand, which made him come across as unknowledgeable and unprepared. Obama's story about the school teacher he met in Las Vegas seemed like a meager attempt to try and say to Romney, "Well hey, I have met people along the campaign trail too, so maybe I should mention them like you...". Obama rarely made eye contact with Romney and had a tendency to look everywhere but at his opponent when Romney was speaking. He just came across as somebody who was worn down and not completely prepared for the battle. No matter the circumstances behind his poor performance, I know that his advisors will be hounding him and thoroughly preparing him for the next debate. I can bet that Obama will come out swinging in the second presidential debate.
No matter who won or lost, both candidates lied and twisted statistics and facts, made faces at comments made by the other, and repeatedly talked over the moderator. They were both trying to one up each other and get the last word in and while this was not the dirtiest of the presidential debates, they certainly got some snide comments and jabs at each other in there. Both Obama and Romney tried to present themselves as the best candidate while simultaneously putting the other one down. But does it really matter? The people who liked Obama before the debate certainly liked him after and the people who liked Romney before, definitely liked him after. It has taken me a couple of days to really process what each candidate said and the performances of both. I wanted to be able to write this blog without having my political affiliations sway my argument in this blog. I think it is naive for a person to vote on a president based on what they hear in the debates because both candidates lied and facts were incorrect. I think that it is important for people to research what the candidates are for and against, what they stand on and how voting for one candidate over the other will personally affect you. No matter which way your state swings, it is still your right to vote and it is important to do so. So vote. Register, apply for an absentee ballot, whatever it is you have to do to make sure you can vote in this election. VOTE.
After the battle on stage Wednesday night, didn't y'all just love the gathering of the families on stage? They just have to remind America that they are family men and that no matter what personal politics are, democrats and republicans really can be friends!
Very nicely done - I really like the beginning - sadly I had no idea about the game. I'm simply ignorant when it comes to sports. Keep up the good work!
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