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Mark Mardell
North America editor
Romney's practice pays off
If Barack Obama did not want to get into a fight, he held back too much
Mitt Romney had been practising so hard that his voice was not hoarse, but certainly deeper than usual. And it paid off.
Mr Romney was animated, in command of his information, overriding the moderator and interrupting the president. He seemed to be in charge and enjoying the scrap.
On the other hand, President Obama started out looking very nervous, and although he warmed up and got into his stride, he ended up giving overlong, mini-lectures straight to camera rather than engaging and arguing.
He seemed unwilling to actually debate with his opponent and missed a few obvious openings when he should have challenged.
This may be deliberate. Perhaps his team decided that he shouldn't get riled, so it was best not to get into a fight. If so, he held back too much.
If Mr Romney clearly won this debate, in terms of style at least, he can't celebrate too hard just yet. If the polls don't move after a win, then he really is in trouble.
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Fast Track
Comment number 90.
ColleenBen5th October 2012 - 11:38
Americans who can not defend Obama in their own country, writing on another countries blog to defend this horrid president. Don't assume the British are as ignorant as those who voted for Obama in America.
MARC,if you are a debater, you would know one is to debate, not look at the floor because of no teleprompter.
ANN, apparently you did not see what 60 million others did. Pay attention.
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Comment number 89.
Peter Dewsnap5th October 2012 - 4:57
Romney is a Republican and it is perfectly obvious that they are concerned only with the benefit of the rich at the expense of the rest. It scares me that so many Americans are too stupid to see this.
Peter D
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Comment number 88.
ColleenBen5th October 2012 - 3:22
All these lies you all are claiming Romney told.
How brainwashed are you?
According to the Washington Post..a left wing newspaper.....more misleading statements were made by Obama.
Get informed!
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Comment number 87.
Lenn5th October 2012 - 0:37
84.andyparsonsga
All due respect:
* bin laden is dead. Like it or not our President gets the credit for standing up to the Pakistanis without starting WW III (immediately at least)
* Please note # 86. Vouchers WILL punish poor children. Also note that because of generous WW II era VA education programs, I am now a middle class (read that TAX PAYING) engineer (without foreign bank accounts).
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Comment number 86.
Lenn5th October 2012 - 0:17
19.M Holderbach Thanks for your comment. However, I think you misunderstood my point: it's not an option for the vast majority of families to simply pick a different school... these children really have two choices: go to the neighborhood school, or don't go to school at all. A voucher program would help some, but it would also punish children of the poor with a lifetime of underachievement.
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Comments 5 of 90