The Romney-Obama Duel on TV

The public is eagerly anticipating the television debate between President Obama and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney. Even if Romney performs brilliantly, he can’t avoid defeat on election day.

On Wednesday, the first of the televised debates between the incumbent President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney will take place. For quite some time, it seemed as though the debates might be decisive as to who would win the election. Both men were in a virtual dead heat in the polls.

But that’s now history. Obama has meanwhile taken the lead not only in national surveys but also in the so-called swing states, where most U.S. elections are really decided. True, the race is still close, but many statements made by Romney’s supporters reveal a fear that even a brilliant Romney performance in the debates won’t be enough to avoid catastrophe.

Romney, the Talking Robot

Obama is a good debater while Romney lately comes off as a robot incapable of showing any emotion even after one puts money in him. Unless that changes, Romney will only have himself to blame if he loses: Obama will have won the election not because he was more convincing but because his opponent was less so.

Obama’s campaign has been thus far typical of the kind usually waged by an incumbent, both tactically and content-wise. He waits for Romney to make errors. He avoids making promises and puts the best face on his own shortcomings of the past three and a half years.

Obama was fortunate that Romney’s campaign was marked by a series of embarrassments. Wherever he appeared and whatever he said all just confirmed the fact that a successful business investor might have what it takes to be president, but not necessarily. Clearly Romney doesn’t have it.

Whether appearing amateurish in foreign countries due to an inability to come up with the right words or insulting half the U.S. electorate at home by calling them parasites dependent on government help, Romney proved over and over that he might have been the best pick from the sorry bunch offered up by the Republicans this year, but he also proved he wasn’t in Obama’s league.

If things turn out the way it seems they will today, then not only most Americans but most Europeans will have reason to celebrate. They will have been spared a repeat of another George W. Bush as president — one who isn’t even as disciplined as Bush was, but nonetheless one who, after causing the worst financial crisis of the post-war era, still believed neoliberal policies were the answer to all the nation’s problems. One who, when the chips were down, still preferred war to peace.

Two days until the first televised debate and it looks like after November 6, Romney will be able to count his millions in peace and quiet. Not the worst of all possible news.