Obama camp tips hand on debate, hints president will attack Romney on Bain

[KWA]

Obama camp tips hand on debate, hints president will attack Romney on Bain | Fox News

As President Obama began to hunker down at a plush resort here for three full days of debate prep, his campaign team signaled the incumbent may steal a page from Vice President Joe Biden and show a more aggressive tone in Tuesday's second face-to-face showdown with Republican Mitt Romney.

"Gov. Romney has been making pitches all of his life and he knows how to say what people want to hear whether that was during his time at Bain or during the dozens of town halls he did during the primary," said Obama campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Saturday. "His running mate also left him vulnerable on a number of issues -- admitting there was a $5 trillion tax cut, after he denied it, but again failing to explain how they would pay for it, leaving women worried about their ability to make choices about their own health care and failing to articulate their plan for winding down our presence in Afghanistan."

Regardless of how you feel about Bain or Romney, it seems like poor strategy to let this out before the debate. How do you think this will impact Tusday's debate? Personally, I think Romney was already expecting this and now that it is almost certain that it will be brought up, he will be prepared. I'm expecting a close debate more like the VP debate than the first Presidential debate.

 

[Thrilla]

Obama should come out an laugh, snicker, and generally be disrespectful in the debate.
his base eats that **** up like candy corn.

 

[justabubba]

Obama camp tips hand on debate, hints president will attack Romney on Bain | Fox News


Regardless of how you feel about Bain or Romney, it seems like poor strategy to let this out before the debate. How do you think this will impact Tusday's debate? Personally, I think Romney was already expecting this and now that it is almost certain that it will be brought up, he will be prepared. I'm expecting a close debate more like the VP debate than the first Presidential debate.

well, you acknowledge that romney was likely expecting this now exposed approach; so, what disadvantage would it then cause the president
and then, what if this is a feint, causing romney to prepare for one line of attack to only have to respond to another in real time. his crib notes would be no good to him in that scenario
we can't know the impact until the debate

 

[KWA]

well, you acknowledge that romney was likely expecting this now exposed approach; so, what disadvantage would it then cause the president
and then, what if this is a feint, causing romney to prepare for one line of attack to only have to respond to another in real time. his crib notes would be no good to him in that scenario
we can't know the impact until the debate

We can't know anything until it happens, that is common sense. It may have been expected but confirming it would still create additional emphasis to prepare for it. The pont of this post was to discuss possible reasons and outcomes of this statement, and you are right it could just be a distraction.

 

[apdst]

It would be awesome if Obama went after Bain Capital. I would love it if he went after a private sector corporation, that hasn't committed any crimes, proving how much he hates private business.

 

[jerry7]

Democrats Cory Booker, Harold Ford Jr., Ed Rendell and Steven Rattner have all criticized the Obama administration for attacking Bain. Obama campaign bundler Johnathan Lavine is the Managing Director and Chief Financial Adviser for Bain. And Bain's employees have contributed a lot of money to Obama and democrats in 2008 and 2012.

“President Obama has accepted $92,270 in his last two campaigns from employees of Bain Capital, the private equity firm formerly led by Mitt Romney, which he has villainized for profiting on failed companies that laid off workers.
Romney has taken $229,650, more than any other politician. But together, Democratic candidates and committees have received more than $1.3 million from Bain Capital workers since the 2008 election cycle – double the amount collected by Republicans.
Obama Bain Capital contributions, Bain contributed more to democrats in 2008, FEC changes to Bain contributions, Treasurer Martin Nesbitt Pritzker ties | Citizen WElls

 

[Born Free]

As in the last debate, Obama had to defend his record, and Romney had to attack his record. As in the last debate Romney won hands down, I see the next debates to be more of the same. When Obama is asked by a person in the town all, he will answer by attacking Romney, and not answering with is own plan. This will give Romney again the opportunity to clarify his plan. Romeny will say "no Mr President, no matter how many times you say it, it's not true" then Romney will go onto explain his plan and at that point Obama might as well leave the room.

 

[justabubba]

As in the last debate, Obama had to defend his record, and Romney had to attack his record. As in the last debate Romney won hands down, I see the next debates to be more of the same. When Obama is asked by a person in the town all, he will answer by attacking Romney, and not answering with is own plan. This will give Romney again the opportunity to clarify his plan. Romeny will say "no Mr President, no matter how many times you say it, it's not true" then Romney will go onto explain his plan and at that point Obama might as well leave the room.

and that is when you woke up from your dream

 

[Fiddytree]

Personally, I think the heaviest punches will come from the foreign policy angle. Romney has to demonstrate his chops with it, against a sitting President of the United States.

 

[Born Free]

and that is when you woke up from your dream

Obama never showed up for the last debate, so why would he stay this time?

 

[Fishstyx]

Its no secret that this was gonna happen, especially following Obama's dismal first showing. I'd bet Romney isn't only ready for this but wants it to happen. He gets to actually rebut the attacks in real time.

 

[Bob Blaylock]

It would be awesome if Obama went after Bain Capital. I would love it if he went after a private sector corporation, that hasn't committed any crimes, proving how much he hates private business.

I had been thinking a day or so ago, and this seems to be the first real opportunity to express this thought, about the irony and hypocrisy that is involved in Obama and his supporters condemning Romney for his involvement in the venture capital business; given that Obama and the Democratic-dominated Congress spent much of the first two years of Obama's Administration engaging in high-risk venture-capitalist-type investments using the taxpayers' money, to much less favorable effect than Romney achieved using his own money and that of informed, consenting investors.

If the matter of venture capital investing comes up as a serious debating point between Obama and Romney, this is an area in which Romney ought to be able to completely crush Obama.

 

[Bob Blaylock]

Personally, I think the heaviest punches will come from the foreign policy angle. Romney has to demonstrate his chops with it, against a sitting President of the United States.

That might be a valid point, if the sitting President had, at any point, demonstrated any competence of his own in this area. So far, President Obama has not demonstrated that he has any better understanding, aptitude, or competence for foreign policy than any average American; so it would really be a stretch to argue, given any solid lack of evidence so far regarding what talents Mr. Romney might have in that area, that he couldn't be expected to do at least as well in it as Obama has done.

 

[TurtleDude]

That might be a valid point, if the sitting President had, at any point, demonstrated any competence of his own in this area. So far, President Obama has not demonstrated that he has any better understanding, aptitude, or competence for foreign policy than any average American; so it would really be a stretch to argue, given any solid lack of evidence so far regarding what talents Mr. Romney might have in that area, that he couldn't be expected to do at least as well in it as Obama has done.

competence had no role in the reasons people voted for Obunny

 

[Fiddytree]

That might be a valid point, if the sitting President had, at any point, demonstrated any competence of his own in this area. So far, President Obama has not demonstrated that he has any better understanding, aptitude, or competence for foreign policy than any average American; so it would really be a stretch to argue, given any solid lack of evidence so far regarding what talents Mr. Romney might have in that area, that he couldn't be expected to do at least as well in it as Obama has done.

Obama has continued the slow transition out of Iraq and Afghanistan, for the most part (the current debacle being the biggest kink here) was able to claim that NATO's Libya mission did well without American troop deaths, allowed the United States to let events unfold as they may without too many problems (Syria being the exception to the generalities).

Romney, in contrast, has had numerous problems conveying his foreign policy position without a number of public setbacks. The distinctions between himself and Obama are harder to parse out, with exception to Syria, where the proposition by far seems to include participation in helping the rebels. Iran is greatest weakness for Obama, yet from every discussion I have seen/heard between representatives from both campaigns to various think-tanks, it's much more difficult to see a clear difference between the two. It's become akin to the difficulties Romney faced with regard to Obamacare. The answers can be there, but you do have an enormous problem to overcome in selling what makes your perspective different and furthermore, what you would do instead.

 

[Rokkitsci]

Obama should come out an laugh, snicker, and generally be disrespectful in the debate.
his base eats that **** up like candy corn.

I have already commented in the VP debate thread that Obama will come out and moon Romney during his opening statement and then go over and pee on Romney's shoes while he is trying to respond to an allegation.

Maybe he could also pick up Kruchev's meme and beat his shoe on the lecturne anytime Romney tries to talk.

 

[Rokkitsci]

well, you acknowledge that romney was likely expecting this now exposed approach; so, what disadvantage would it then cause the president
and then, what if this is a feint, causing romney to prepare for one line of attack to only have to respond to another in real time. his crib notes would be no good to him in that scenario
we can't know the impact until the debate

I think you may be missing the point. Romney doesn't HAVE to 'study' the situation. Romney knows the TRUTH about Bain and it was a huge success story for him. The only "studying" that has to be done is by the Obama camp in order to maintain the illusion that something was "wrong" with what Romney did at Bain.

I suspect Romney is not spending one hour 'preparing' his defense of Bain. It is a self-evident truth. I am sure Romney was disappointed that Obama was too chicken to bring it up in the last debate. Romney was ready to slam dunk that lie back down Obama's throat then. Same with the 47percent comment.

It is instructive to note that Obama did NOT bring those two lies up - he KNEW they were both insipid lies, and that he would have to dodge the line drive response aimed right at his stomach.

If Obama mentions them this time it will be a sign of desperation. I an SO hoping he does.

I actually don't know how Obama is going to survive this debacle. His only hope is that the moderator hectors Romney and coddles Obama to an unbelievable extent. There will be bias for sure - that much is a given - but the moderator is going to have to suit up and run physical interference for Obama for him to survive a knockout.

 

[washunut]

Obama camp tips hand on debate, hints president will attack Romney on Bain | Fox News


Regardless of how you feel about Bain or Romney, it seems like poor strategy to let this out before the debate. How do you think this will impact Tusday's debate? Personally, I think Romney was already expecting this and now that it is almost certain that it will be brought up, he will be prepared. I'm expecting a close debate more like the VP debate than the first Presidential debate.

Why are you calling this town hall meeting, taking questions from people we have no idea how they were vetted a debate?

 

[Fisher]

Why are you calling this town hall meeting, taking questions from people we have no idea how they were vetted a debate?

Probably because it is being called a Town Hall Debate would be my guess. I thought it was supposed to be the foreign policy debate, but apparently not. Look, maybe Obama will attack him on Bain; maybe they leaked that so he would be super-prepared on that as opposed to other things. Who knows. It isn't like they let people stand up at random. They know what the people want to ask and theycall on them to ask the questions the moderators would have asked. It is just smoke and mirrors.

 

[washunut]

Probably because it is being called a Town Hall Debate would be my guess. I thought it was supposed to be the foreign policy debate, but apparently not. Look, maybe Obama will attack him on Bain; maybe they leaked that so he would be super-prepared on that as opposed to other things. Who knows. It isn't like they let people stand up at random. They know what the people want to ask and theycall on them to ask the questions the moderators would have asked. It is just smoke and mirrors.

Don't care what they call it. Answering questions from "random" folks is not a debate. None of these "debates" are the real thing. Pick a topic and let them talk to it as they wish. No need for a moderator, just a timekeeper.

 

[RenoCon]

I think you may be missing the point. Romney doesn't HAVE to 'study' the situation. Romney knows the TRUTH about Bain and it was a huge success story for him. The only "studying" that has to be done is by the Obama camp in order to maintain the illusion that something was "wrong" with what Romney did at Bain.

I suspect Romney is not spending one hour 'preparing' his defense of Bain. It is a self-evident truth. I am sure Romney was disappointed that Obama was too chicken to bring it up in the last debate. Romney was ready to slam dunk that lie back down Obama's throat then. Same with the 47percent comment.

It is instructive to note that Obama did NOT bring those two lies up - he KNEW they were both insipid lies, and that he would have to dodge the line drive response aimed right at his stomach.

If Obama mentions them this time it will be a sign of desperation. I an SO hoping he does.

I actually don't know how Obama is going to survive this debacle. His only hope is that the moderator hectors Romney and coddles Obama to an unbelievable extent. There will be bias for sure - that much is a given - but the moderator is going to have to suit up and run physical interference for Obama for him to survive a knockout.

I agree. Romney should clean his clock. It is almost unfair for Romney to be arguing about principles that he actually believes in and can defend. As opposed to Obama arguing against something he doesn't understand, policies he cannot defend, or principles (socialism) he doesn't want us to know about.

 

[RenoCon]

Don't care what they call it. Answering questions from "random" folks is not a debate. None of these "debates" are the real thing. Pick a topic and let them talk to it as they wish. No need for a moderator, just a timekeeper.

Bill Laer actually did a good job with this. I don't expect as much from CNN's Crowley.

 

[Fisher]

Don't care what they call it. Answering questions from "random" folks is not a debate. None of these "debates" are the real thing. Pick a topic and let them talk to it as they wish. No need for a moderator, just a timekeeper.

I'd do away with both the moderator and the time keeper and let them go at it Lincoln-Douglas style because eventually they would run out of crap to say about each other and actually have to discuss their own stuff.

 

[Chaddelamancha]

As in the last debate, Obama had to defend his record, and Romney had to attack his record. As in the last debate Romney won hands down, I see the next debates to be more of the same. When Obama is asked by a person in the town all, he will answer by attacking Romney, and not answering with is own plan. This will give Romney again the opportunity to clarify his plan. Romeny will say "no Mr President, no matter how many times you say it, it's not true" then Romney will go onto explain his plan and at that point Obama might as well leave the room.

I think if Romney explained any, ANY, part of his plan, we all would be shocked. Since he hasn't explained it by now, I very much doubt he will during the debate.

 

[American]

Obama needs to stay away from debate over domestic issues, you saw what happened last time. To bad Laura Ingraham isn't the moderator.