- Joined
- Jul 21, 2005
- Messages
- 51,710
- Reaction score
- 35,488
- Location
- Washington, DC
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Conservative
Take these numbers as you'd like. I am not going to include any commentary or statements regarding them, I will simply post the facts after a little bit of background as to what I did and how I did it...
After watching the first bit of the debate and being frustrated with how both were acting, I wanted to be able to factually count a few key things during this debate. As such, I rewound the DVR to the beginning and started again taking tallies of the following things; Who had the first segment of a question, who had the actual last segment on a question, how many times each person interrupted during a segment, and what the on-going time standings were after each round. Now, just to be clear, let me give an explanation of how I decided a few of those things.
In terms of who went last...this was based on who had the last clear, non-forced or largely talking over the moderator, full segment on the issue. So, for example, in segment two the fact that Romney attempted to get a last word in but the moderator was saying no and was moving the debate on would not make it a case where he went last.
In terms of who interrupted who...I based this on instances where a candidate is speaking during his turn and the other candidate interrupts by commenting toward the candidate, to the crowd, or to the moderator. Only the initial interruption during an instance was counted (So if, for Example, Obama is speaking and then Romney interrupts and then Obama interrupts the interrupt and then Romney cuts him off to interrupt again...that's one interruption for Romney). Interruptions needed to either cause a lengthy pause or needed to be multiple words long. So, for example, in segment 9 Obama's statement of "Candy" and attempts to get the Moderators attention that largely failed would not count as an interruption.
So, with that said....here's the tallies I came up with. If anyone has issues with them, I would welcome you to rewatch the debate and tell me specifically which segments I am incorrect about and why.
First and Last Speaker
Rnd 01: Romney First - - - Obama Last
Rnd 02: Obama First - - - Obama Last
Rnd 03: Romney First - - - Romney Last
Rnd 04: Obama First - - - Obama Last
Rnd 05: Romney First - - - Obama Last
Rnd 06: Obama First - - - Romney Last
Rnd 07: Romney First - - - Obama Last
Rnd 08: Obama First - - - Romney Last
Rnd 09: Obama First - - - Obama Last
Rnd 10: Romney First - - - Obama Last
Rnd 11: Romney First - - - Obama Last
Summary:
Number of times Romney was first: 6
Number of times Obama was first: 5
Number of times Romney was last: 3
Number of times Obama was last: 8
Number of times first and last were opposite: 7
Number of times Obama was first and last: 3
Number of times Romney was first and last: 1
Interruptions
Rnd 01: Romney 0 - - - Obama 0
Rnd 02: Romney 0 - - - Obama 2
Rnd 03: Romney 0 - - - Obama 0
Rnd 04: Romney 0 - - - Obama 0
Rnd 05: Romney 0 - - - Obama 1
Rnd 06: Romney 0 - - - Obama 0
Rnd 07: Romney 1 - - - Obama 2
Rnd 08: Romney 0 - - - Obama 1
Rnd 09: Romney 0 - - - Obama 0
Rnd 10: Romney 0 - - - Obama 1
Rnd 11: Romney 0 - - - Obama 0
Summary:
Total Romney Interruptions: 1
Total Obama interruptions: 7
Speaking Times
Rnd 01: 3:20 O - - - 3:42 R
Rnd 02: 9:32 O - - - 7:53 R
Rnd 03: 15:01 O - - - 14:18 R
Rnd 04: 19:44 O - - - 17:00 R
Rnd 05: 22:28 O - - - 19:33 R
Rnd 06: 25:08 O - - - 23:07 R
Rnd 07: 30:20 O - - - 27:59 R
Rnd 08: 34:07 O - - - 31:31 R
Rnd 09: 38:55 O - - - 34:31 R
Rnd 10: 41:57 O - - - 38:39 R
Rnd 11: 44:04 O - - - 40:50 R
Summary:
Final difference: Obama + 3:14
After watching the first bit of the debate and being frustrated with how both were acting, I wanted to be able to factually count a few key things during this debate. As such, I rewound the DVR to the beginning and started again taking tallies of the following things; Who had the first segment of a question, who had the actual last segment on a question, how many times each person interrupted during a segment, and what the on-going time standings were after each round. Now, just to be clear, let me give an explanation of how I decided a few of those things.
In terms of who went last...this was based on who had the last clear, non-forced or largely talking over the moderator, full segment on the issue. So, for example, in segment two the fact that Romney attempted to get a last word in but the moderator was saying no and was moving the debate on would not make it a case where he went last.
In terms of who interrupted who...I based this on instances where a candidate is speaking during his turn and the other candidate interrupts by commenting toward the candidate, to the crowd, or to the moderator. Only the initial interruption during an instance was counted (So if, for Example, Obama is speaking and then Romney interrupts and then Obama interrupts the interrupt and then Romney cuts him off to interrupt again...that's one interruption for Romney). Interruptions needed to either cause a lengthy pause or needed to be multiple words long. So, for example, in segment 9 Obama's statement of "Candy" and attempts to get the Moderators attention that largely failed would not count as an interruption.
So, with that said....here's the tallies I came up with. If anyone has issues with them, I would welcome you to rewatch the debate and tell me specifically which segments I am incorrect about and why.
First and Last Speaker
Rnd 01: Romney First - - - Obama Last
Rnd 02: Obama First - - - Obama Last
Rnd 03: Romney First - - - Romney Last
Rnd 04: Obama First - - - Obama Last
Rnd 05: Romney First - - - Obama Last
Rnd 06: Obama First - - - Romney Last
Rnd 07: Romney First - - - Obama Last
Rnd 08: Obama First - - - Romney Last
Rnd 09: Obama First - - - Obama Last
Rnd 10: Romney First - - - Obama Last
Rnd 11: Romney First - - - Obama Last
Summary:
Number of times Romney was first: 6
Number of times Obama was first: 5
Number of times Romney was last: 3
Number of times Obama was last: 8
Number of times first and last were opposite: 7
Number of times Obama was first and last: 3
Number of times Romney was first and last: 1
Interruptions
Rnd 01: Romney 0 - - - Obama 0
Rnd 02: Romney 0 - - - Obama 2
Rnd 03: Romney 0 - - - Obama 0
Rnd 04: Romney 0 - - - Obama 0
Rnd 05: Romney 0 - - - Obama 1
Rnd 06: Romney 0 - - - Obama 0
Rnd 07: Romney 1 - - - Obama 2
Rnd 08: Romney 0 - - - Obama 1
Rnd 09: Romney 0 - - - Obama 0
Rnd 10: Romney 0 - - - Obama 1
Rnd 11: Romney 0 - - - Obama 0
Summary:
Total Romney Interruptions: 1
Total Obama interruptions: 7
Speaking Times
Rnd 01: 3:20 O - - - 3:42 R
Rnd 02: 9:32 O - - - 7:53 R
Rnd 03: 15:01 O - - - 14:18 R
Rnd 04: 19:44 O - - - 17:00 R
Rnd 05: 22:28 O - - - 19:33 R
Rnd 06: 25:08 O - - - 23:07 R
Rnd 07: 30:20 O - - - 27:59 R
Rnd 08: 34:07 O - - - 31:31 R
Rnd 09: 38:55 O - - - 34:31 R
Rnd 10: 41:57 O - - - 38:39 R
Rnd 11: 44:04 O - - - 40:50 R
Summary:
Final difference: Obama + 3:14