Come on, Fred. It just wasn't that close.

Yes, Mr. Romney certainly did pass the test and, in my opinion, President Obama did not. FTA: “For his part, Obama had no trouble demonstrating his command of foreign and national security issues. He deals with these issues every day.” It’s my view that President Obama ‘had no trouble’ (if one doesn't count the stammering and the 'uhs') not because ‘he deals with these issues every day’, but because he prepared for this last debate by being tightly sequestered with, and schooled by, the people who really do deal with the foreign and national security issues ‘every day’. To me, Mr. Romney appeared to be in much better command of the issues at hand while President Obama appeared to be talking disparate platitudes and aiming for oddly placed 'gotcha’ moments.

The one who appeared unqualified was The Won.

FTA: Obama sneeringly suggested Romney “maybe hasn’t spent enough time looking at how our military works.”  Fewer Navy ships?  “Well, governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets because the nature of our military’s changed,” the president said.  This came across as condescending.  The tone was less than presidential.


Obama was a condescending jerk whe he also went on about we now have shps go underwater called submarines, it was the pettiness of Obama that makes him unfit for the office of President.

I was bitterly disappointed that Romney let the specific Benghazi question slide, and did not press Obama on the lack-of-security issue. And to also ask who in D.C. were watching the real-time video of the attack? Why did they deny help to our citizens? And, why did Obama go to bed instead? (So he could get his beauty sleep for the next day's Vegas trip.)

Mr. Romney has run a great campaign. I will have to give him the benefit of the doubt on the strategy for this debate. But, the press will continue to ingnore Benghazi, and I feel we lost a vital opportunity to get this story out to the American people without the legacy media filter.

Forgive the second post, but something struck me as odd and wanted to ask if any others noticed the same.

Obama seemed to be making an awkward effort to prounounce "Pakistan" more like a regular American, rather than the tradmark "Pokkeesthan". It was particularly noticable the first time early in the debate.

I wonder if this was part of the debate prep. (Most of his answers sounded like a student memorizing class notes before the final exam.)

Good-bye pResident Snark. We're all totally sick of you now.

I don't want to jinx anything, but I can't wait to do the happy dance! But I expect

''For his part, Obama had no trouble demonstrating his command of foreign and national security issues. He deals with these issues every day.''

Bah. He doesn't deal with squat. He goes where he's sent, says what he's programmed to say, and other people - unelected for the most part - deal with these issues up close. They maybe tell him about what they're doing, but probably not. He's happy to let them run our country and our finances and conduct our nation's business while he plays, travels, and speechifies.

Two weeks left for the Left. May they be eradicated forever on Nov. 6th.

Uh oh... sorry. Lost my train of thought there.

Meant to say: I expect lawsuits. Leftists don't/WON'T go down easily.

I think Obama was 'drilled' to expect this debate to be all about Benghazi and little else. I think he was ill-prepared to discuss his plans to cut military funding.
.... In military matters, it was Romney who was strong on America's strength issues. Obama tried to appear pro-military, pro-world leader, but he was unable to pull it off. In his attempt to convince viewers he cared more about America than he did the Mullahs, he failed.

In the middle of the debate Obama simply rambled around on one question. For a while it appeared he completely forgot where he was and what the question was. I am surprised no one has mentioned that yet.
It was pretty obvious that Romney was trying to be presidential and let Obama be petty.
In the beginning of the debate he stopped Obama short when'd he said in so many words , attacking me is no agenda. That put O n his place.

#5,#6. I agree, I thought Romney took a lot of fat ptches without even a swing. Guess that's why I lost my 6th grade Presidential bid.

I'm sooooooo tired of the spinnnnn rooms...

I saw the debate from start to finish and I say President Romney did a fine job conducting himelf with style and grace. He was fighting off a community/street fighter from Chicago -- and he held his own....

obama talks and talaks and doesn't produce. It's clear who can lead from strength and American pride....

President Romney will fix the mess obama has left behind.

LZK

Obama did exactly what democrats do. "IF" they answer a question, it's briefly and then they take up half of their time attacking their opponent. And there is never enough time to refute the allegations.

Here are my thoughts......

Half the population cant name their own representatives, many cant name the candidates. Most people have no idea what's going on oversees and could care less. I heard a college student ask if Benghazi was a new dance. If the "undecideds" dont know who they are voting for, not only are they not paying attention, they are morons. NO ONE decided last night who they were voting for based on foreign policy. Romney looked good and didnt make any mistakes. Romney took the debate back to what the election will be decided on.....the economy.

As for Obama ...... That profile shot made him look bad all night....and I'll take it. Obama came out rambling and attacking Romney as if Romney was the president. Obama "ELEVATED" Romney ...... unintentionally.

#4 - obama and his handlers are so freaking dumb that they didn't know submarines were around in a big way during WW1. It's just that the Germans had them, and they used them, like for instance on the Lusitania. Additionally, aircraft carriers were being tried out by us and the Brits.

The incumbent president has an advantage because they are privy to information nobody else has. Romney has the demeanor you need in a president. Obama has a mean streak that was evident throughout the debate. He was hunched over waiting to spring like an ugly troll. I liked the part where Romney asked the people to be president. Did anybody else notice how Obama keeps insisting that he is president?

Romney won on points, around 70/30. On demeanor he dominated. Fauxbama was jittery, meandering and always on the defensive. Romney looked like the president, Fauxbama like an inept and inexperienced challenger who'd been cramming for a week.

Romney is the transformative figure we've been waiting for - not Obama.

At last a Republican candidate that even the harshest of critics can't refer to as a dumb cowboy, wimp, or amiable dunce.

Obama probably had a bag full of excuses on Benghazi that he was waiting to unleash. He must be furious that was left holding that bag.
Since the government keeps changing the ''facts'' about what really happened, Mitt must have decided to let it drop until after 01/20/2013, when a full investigation will uncover the truth.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the first subs used during the Civil War?

#6, I noticed he said "Pockeystahn" with only slightly less accent than he used to, but it was still too foreign. I would have loved it if Romney said "It's Pack-i-stan - that's how Americans say it."

Fox and the Concervative blogs will keep on hammering about Benghazi, Romney didn't have to. The Brit papers seems to be very happy with Romney's presidential aura as so a lot of the Conservative pundit base. "Going forward," as Obama likes to intone.

#19 gets an A+ for history. Yes, submarines were used in the Civil War but also before then for other purposes.

Here's a quote from the website Submarines in the Civil War By Chuck Veit http://www.navyandmarine.org/ondeck/1862submarines.htm

In the early 1850s, Lodner Phillips designed and employed a submarine for salvage work on the Great Lakes. They continued successfully in this business for fully five years, 1851-55. Interestingly, their boat used an underwater cannon to blast obstructions. Seeing the military value of their vessel, Phillips and Peck offered it to the Navy, which responded by informing the inventors that “the ships of the Navy go upon the water, not under it.” Brutus De Villeroi had demonstrated an even earlier boat in Nantes, France in 1832.

The snarky attitude of Obama was a real turnoff when he said: “Well, governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets because the nature of our military’s changed,” He then proceeded to talk about supposed modern ships such as submarines and air craft carriers - both of which have been around a long time. Even nuclear-powered ships date back to the early 1960's.

To some people the 1960's is "old" - that's 50 years. Oh I forgot most people childishly think history began the year they were born - Obama was supposedly born in 1961. He came across as childish with that smart aleck comment. Romney was definitely the adult at the table.

A caller to WMAL early this morning said (about the debate) that he soon realized Obama worked at the law firm of ''Condescending, Snarky & Peevish.''

Romney looked like an adult. O looked like a petty, sarcastic little twerp.

Romney looked "presidential" and people will feel confident voting for him. I think he drew a lot of women with his "mature" attitude. The contrast was stark.

BTW, I love the metaphor provided by Staff.

When exactly was the last time Obama sat down with the Secretary of the Navy?

Rom passed the test, give an a+++++.

The guy who doesn’t know the difference between a corpsman and a corpse proved again he is a military ignoramus. The military uses horses and bayonets and ships that go under water are called submarines. He must be putting us on – he couldn’t be that out-of-touch, or could he?

The first combat submarine was the Turtle. It was used by the Americans during the Revolutionary War.
http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/sub_turtle.htm

I think we have had ships that go under water way before Obama was born. What a stupid statement!!!!! That was only one of his many stupid statements.

#12 talaks in my native tongue to mean, speaking in a loud shrill voice, which kinda fit it the sentence. As far as the debate, Romney passed the test as CinC. It did not alter the course of the election, Obama will be going home to Chicago where he and Michelle belong.

David Bushnell's submersible "Turtle" was built in 1775 and used in 1776 in the Revolutionary War.

Just to let you know #20, we ground guys in the AF use the same M9 combat knife as the other branches. No all of us are flyers...

a small prototype sub was used during the Revolutionary War by the US against a British warship. It was designed to drill a hole in the ship and plant an explosive.

As Fred Barnes states, Romney committed no gaffes and ceded no ground to Obama. However, if the segment on Fox this morning with Frank Luntz's "uncommitted" voters is indicative, then he gained nothing either, since the Luntz "uncommitteds" thought Obama had won hands down, and were gushing that Obama was "Presidential", "knowledgable", majesterial, etc. Unhappily, it looks like the American Idol voter is still with us. Hope this is just a blip.

We also went into Afghanistan on horses...there's a book about it "Horse Soldiers".
'

Romney played it smart. His strategy worked and Obama knows it.

I was very upset after watching the performance the current President. To be so rude, insulting, interrupting, condescending... Then I read my Proverb for today and found.. 23:9 "Do not speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words". Go Mitt Go.

It was interesting to me that he mentioned no longer using horses a week after the dedication to the "horse soldiers" at the 9/11 memorial. We know that the Seals used horses as recent as 2001 to get to the areas they needed to get to in Afganistan. My guess is they would still have to use them today to reach the same areas.

It is time we have a grown-up in the WH. The current occupier is a no-class, braying jackass. He must go. Praying. Keep the prayers coming.

#6 and others: Zippy was uncharacteristically sporting an American flag pin.

Over the four debates, Romney and Ryan looked like serious leaders, ready to bring America back to the vision of the Founders.

Obama's debate strategy was nothing more than a series of talking points. One of the commenters at Ace of Spades summed it up this way:

Big Bird -- Biden -- Binders --Bayonets

And there you have it. Romney/Ryan are ready to lead the country into a prosperous, successful future. Obama/Biden, not so much.

I liked the way Romney reminded everyone that a strong defense pivots on a strong economy. To which Obama responded repeatedly “That’s why I want to hire more math and science teachers”. To which I repeated, loudly “What’s the use of more math and science teachers if half the college graduates we’re producing cant’ get jobs!?”

I have to admit nervousness. Scared spitless for my country is more accurate.

The choice could not be clearer and this election boils down to a national intelligence test.

The half who will vote for Obama deserve whatever happens to them, but the rest of us do not.

Romney is clearly smarter, more capable, more responsible and, he has our country's best interest at heart.
Obama reminded us again that he's the affirmative action punk out of his depth but ready to lie, cheat, and sucker punch anyone trying to reclaim "his" stuff.

a nice sum up by Barnes. I thought O-hole looked childish - very hard to imagine he is president he just doesnt look the part and his talking points werer just that, i dont believe O really has a grasp of anything except some ......never mind i wont say.

Romney: Big Picture.

Obama: Small Man.

RSquared 2012.

I too was frustrated that Romney wasn't able to even subtly work in the fact that the administration lied about Benghazi for two weeks. And I disagree with the poster who said people will know or find out anyway. It's water under the bridge to most people. I was also disappointed that Romney allowed several misstatements about him to stand (or I assume they're misstatements) about his tenure as governor, etc. I realize he was playing it smart, but not sure that was that smart.

Otherwise, it was a pleasure to listen to him expound with his insights and presidential demeanor. My favorite line: "That is the height of silliness." From that and the look he gave o all night, he remains in adult to child mode with him.

Romney won by throwing the neocons at the Weekly Standard under the bus. Good for Mitt.

Obama is an idiot. I don't know where he gets the idea that the military isn't asking for money. My husband's ship is trying to fix everything before going on deployment, but they don't have the money for parts. Also, almost (if not all) commands are undermanned in the Navy (don't know about other branches). Deployments used to 6 months, now they're more. My hubby is going for 8, neighbor is on 10, and some EOD friends are gone for 12. My husband has heard of a ship (didn't know the name) that has been gone for 17 months. We need people and money now. Oh, wait, I forgot, this is the president who thinks that Social Security and the private sector are doing just fine.
Good grief.

I think the keep-it-light-and-boring strategy worked for Romney. Running out the clock when you are ahead is good sense. Obama bin Laden was running around frantically trying to score and couldn't!

I think the most condesending remark by the snarky little punk was he told Romney that we have aircraft carriers now and thats when planes land on a ship. The commander in chief indeed!

One of the Republican talking heads said that Romney has some very smart people working his campaign. I think they scammed Obama's people into thinking that Mitt would go all in on Benghazi, but he fooled the Won completely. Maybe thats why Obama was flummoxed and acted like a fool?

Romney passed it. Obummer pi-sed it.

No conservative should be surprised that Mitt would move to the middle. He also adopted "strategery" last night that made him come across more like John McCain in 2008.

The aggressive approach in Debate 1 thrust Mitt into the lead. The approach of Debates 2 and 3 were "not to lose". Let's hope this doesn't work out the way it usually does in sports.

Electric slide? I thought it was more like shuck & jive. Obama came into office with no foreign policy experience, unless you count eating dog meat in Indonesia as FPE. His 4 years of OJT has been a mixed bag, lots of mistakes, more reactive than proactive, but it could have been worse, yet he would have you think he's Franklin, Jefferson, Churchill and Rommel all rolled up into one, and that Romney shouldn't be afford the same OJT opportunity he had. If I had to pick one word to describe how he came off last night, it would be an unprintable seven letter word that starts with A and ends with E. But we'll let the word jerk suffice. As for Romney, he seemed last night like a football team running a prevent defense. He was calm and capable, but I like others would have liked to have seen a bit more agression out of him. Let's pray it was enough to run out the clock for a victory.

Romney did better than just "pass". He was a gentleman against a thug. Obama couldn't hide his contempt. His death stare was evident. You could tell he was waiting to pounce and Romney held his own like a true diplomat.

Thanks #33. This former zoomie was expecting some snarky comment about golf clubs.

#1 & #2 Foxnews aired the debate a second time so I had time to watch and listen to what the two candidates said and the action and behavour of the participants. What stood out was Obama interrupting when Gov Romney was in the middle of answering. Watching the two I noticed the grimacing of Obama fidgeting waving his hands around. About gaffes they were uttered by Obama. He mentioned horses and bayonets obsolete . Horses were used by the US Army in Afghanistan and ask any Marine whether he still carries and uses his bayonet. About a plan to keep a peace keeping force after exiting Iraq. Obama did not know anything about the plan . Perhaps he was golfing. There was a period when what Gov Romney said irritated President Obama and this individual started losing his cool. Gov Romney was at all times calm and collected no insults just the facrs and he looked Presidential . Also I thought that the Governor seemed to know more of what was going on in the Middle East .Gov Romney's summary was clear, do we want another 4 years of Obama with 23 million unemployed, 48 million on food stamps. The Comnmander in chief has spent 6 trillion of our money consequently upping the total National Deficit to over 16 Trillion Dollars. Gov Romney reminded Obama that he had not presented a budget during his 4 years. How on earth can anyone know what is going on without a plam or a budget. WE cannot AFFORD another Obama term .It's not a question of who won or lost it's not a drag race it's who acted and looked Presidential .

The visual alone was stunning. Any time the adult, Mitt, talked facts in easy to listen to order for more than a minute, you could see the child figiting angrily, ready to boil over, looking really nasty (my, how revealing and transparent he became), ready to interrupt because of his psychological discomfort at the words the adult was saying
This child is out of control. We can't let him out of the country, take away his traveling privileges. He's dangerous out of parental range. We've all seen hundreds of movies where our hero, the secure guy, remains calm, collected, and the bad guy gets loud, noisy and careless in his insecurity. So simple. Play it back without
sound. It's a revealing experience seeing this puny child misbehaving in front of many millions who heretofore, have only seen him "perform" with a teleprompter.
Worst case: even if his guide dog Valerie Jaret was coaching his every word with a hidden headphone, his BEHAVIOR WAS FOUL. The spoiled, little king. We got rid of kings over two centuries ago.
Paul M Fick PhD brilliantly describes this angry person in www.destructivepresident.com

#52 - I think that Moderator Bob started out the debate with Bengazi to set the tone. When the Governor didn't take the bait, I think it set both Bob and Obama back. I think Obama was frustrated 15 minutes into the debate because none of his memorized talking points would fit anywhere. Then he started to wing it and we got aircraft carriers and submarines and horses and bayonets, Oh my! Can you imagine what leaders of other countries have been thinking when they had to meet with this arrogant ass and he had no teleprompter to think for him?

#54 - If we get our Tea Party people in the Senate and House, then they will keep Romney from having to negotiate with many of those "across the aisle". Let it be so.

Agreed, #54. Winning the Senate is almost as important as winning the WH. Dingy Harry must no longer be a factor.

#60 :-)

There are some on our side of the aisle I hope Governor Romney doesn't fall in with, too. If Mitt tries to extend a hand to one of the Progressives "across the aisle", he will draw back a bloody stub!

The thing that I got so upset about was the constant yapping by Obozo that every opinion on any subject that Romney had was "just wrong." I wanted to scream at him "And just who is making that decision? You"? Of course I guess that Obozo always thinks that he is right and any and everybody is wrong, simply because he says so.