“If Romney won the instant reactions from last night’s debate, it is more than possible that the Obama camp can win the next 24 hours. Why? Because Romney said several things that could make life difficult for him today or in the next debate.”
“First, Romney declared, ‘I will not reduce the taxes paid by high-income Americans.’ But in addition to supporting the extension of the Bush tax cuts, which are skewed heavily to the wealthy, the non-partisan Tax Policy Center says that Romney’s tax plan would give the Top 0.1% an average tax cut of more than $246,000. Next, he stated that “there will be no tax cut that adds to the deficit.” While he has said his plan will be paid for, he’s yet to lay out any SPECIFICS on how he’ll pay for it. Romney also said, ‘I’m not going to cut education funding. I don’t have any plan to cut education funding.’ But the Ryan budget plan, which Romney has said he’d sign into law, leads to long-term spending reductions in education. And Romney also didn’t disagree with the description that his Medicare plan would consist of ‘vouchers’ for future retirees.”
“Winning a debate is always a two-part deal — the night itself, and then the aftermath. This is now an opportunity for Team Obama and a challenge for Team Romney.”
Indeed, and then there is the next debate. By doing well last night, Romney reversed the expectations game for the next debate. He will be expected to be great again, and Obama will be expected to collapse to the ground in fear. But this next debate is the town-hall format. That was Obama’s best debate last time, and it is something Romney does not do well, i.e. relating to the common folk.
One final point to last night’s debate: if Democrats and the President were complacent, they are not any more. Actually, that was the biggest danger to the election: Democratic complacency because we expect to win. Well, that is no longer a problem.