Obama in Danger?
Published in Asharq Al Awsat
(Saudi Arabia) on 5 October 2012
by Amad al-Din Adeeb (link to
original)
The first presidential debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney, held yesterday in Denver, Colorado on the American economy, set off alarm bells for the American president.
The Democratic candidate entered this debate fully prepared to win. Recent polling data showed Obama ahead of his Republican competitor by at least 4 percent, a comfortable lead for a sitting president before a debate. All Obama had to do was maintain that lead over his opponent and not give him the opportunity to pick up any points.
Yesterday’s debate showed, for the first time, Obama as confused and weak, very far from the charismatic style we’re all accustomed to, and incapable of silencing the volleys of accusations from his zealous opponent. As for Romney, he entered this debate armed and ready. He let loose with the big guns from the beginning, citing Obama administration’s performance, focusing particularly on the economy.
Romney said that when Obama took office there were 23 million Americans accepting food stamps and today, after four years of democratic administration, that number has risen to 47 million. He added that the poverty rate has risen and most of Obama’s promises have gone unfulfilled.
Obama responded that he took office during the biggest financial crisis that the nation has faced since the Great Depression of 1932 and that he was able to reduce military budget spending and cut many governmental programs, which gave the nation a trillion dollars.
The first polls of 80 million Americans who followed the debate showed that close to 67 percent of the poll sample believed that Romney beat Obama.
Alarms are going off in the White House that could tip the scales at the last moment in the “easy, predetermined election” that the White House was expecting.
The battle is vicious and will only become more vicious.
The Democratic candidate entered this debate fully prepared to win. Recent polling data showed Obama ahead of his Republican competitor by at least 4 percent, a comfortable lead for a sitting president before a debate. All Obama had to do was maintain that lead over his opponent and not give him the opportunity to pick up any points.
Yesterday’s debate showed, for the first time, Obama as confused and weak, very far from the charismatic style we’re all accustomed to, and incapable of silencing the volleys of accusations from his zealous opponent. As for Romney, he entered this debate armed and ready. He let loose with the big guns from the beginning, citing Obama administration’s performance, focusing particularly on the economy.
Romney said that when Obama took office there were 23 million Americans accepting food stamps and today, after four years of democratic administration, that number has risen to 47 million. He added that the poverty rate has risen and most of Obama’s promises have gone unfulfilled.
Obama responded that he took office during the biggest financial crisis that the nation has faced since the Great Depression of 1932 and that he was able to reduce military budget spending and cut many governmental programs, which gave the nation a trillion dollars.
The first polls of 80 million Americans who followed the debate showed that close to 67 percent of the poll sample believed that Romney beat Obama.
Alarms are going off in the White House that could tip the scales at the last moment in the “easy, predetermined election” that the White House was expecting.
The battle is vicious and will only become more vicious.
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