First, I'd like to go on record that Bob Schieffer did a good job as moderator. At least...he was better than the last three, by far. I don't like Schieffer. I don't like his liberalistic ideals and I don't like his politics and I don't like what he stands for. But he put on his objectivity hat last night and verbally showed no preference for either candidate. I think a few of his questions were lightweight, but overall I give him a B+.
A lot of people are wondering why Romney came out with powder puff gloves on and had what some have called a 'hugfest' with the president. I didn't see it that way, but that's just me. A lot of reasons have been thrown out in the ring. But, there is one reason I don't think anyone wants to talk about. It's his Mormonism. Now, I've never been a Mormon. Never went to a Mormon church. I've talked to Mormons and done battle with young Mormon missionaries who have regrettably (for them) knocked on my door. I have had the good fortune of being married to a woman who's grandparents on her father's side were devout Mormons. She lived with them for almost two years in the hill country of Texas and was made to attend Mormon services and events. She saw firsthand what the Mormon psyche entails and has related her knowledge about them to me. I have also read the Book of Mormon and studied its contents. When I was in the ministry, I felt it my duty to read other 'holy' books besides the Bible to understand what these other beliefs were about. I have read the Quran, the New World Edition of the Jehovah's Witness, the Baghavad Gita, among others. I didn't just read them, I studied them so I could put up more than just a good defense of my faith.
Mitt Romney is a devout Mormon. He eats, sleeps and breathes his faith. In many ways, that is a good thing. In others, not so much. But in the political arena I think it has been a detriment to him. Last night was a good example. His campaign manager revealed, after the debate, that the strategy was all Romney's. He did not want to get into another brawl with Obama and wished to stick to the talking points. In one way, this made the debate turn out to be a yawner. In another, it placed him above the fray. On two occasions he told Obama that attacking him personally wasn't a policy agenda. I agree with some of the talking heads that Romney was trying not to look like George W, and trying not to look like a warhawk. In so doing, he allowed Obama to take the advantage and charge into his attacks. Romney held his own, getting in a couple of good zingers, but on the whole remained passive and supported the president's actions in many areas. This was his Mormonism coming out. In my humble opinion. Don't get me wrong, Mormons will fight when it becomes necessary. But Romney is seeing the same polls we are, and he didn't think he needed a decisive win last night to win this election. Only time will tell if he was correct.
Obama isn't a devout anything, other than believing in himself. He looked angry last night, and so he should. He's losing. I couldn't help but smile as he was talking about his leadership. I had to shake my head at the millions who throng around him like he's some kind of demi-god, nodding their heads in agreement as to his great leadership. How easily and quickly they forget his 57 States remark. How easily they forget him bowing before foreign kings and dignitaries. How quickly they forget him speaking in France in 2009 saying how America, in the past, had been arrogant, dictatorial to its allies and derisive. Romney had the best line where that was concerned, telling Obama that America doesn't dictate, it rescues countries from dictators. With all of Obama's bluster last night, and his hard speech and iron look, he failed as a debater, he failed in his attempt to portray himself as a leader, and he failed to look presidential. He looked like a man who knew he was in the fight of his life and that he might not have the flexibility to give Putin what he wants come January.
Neither man won last night. Only one of them had to. As the experts say, foreign policy isn't what wins or loses elections unless someone doesn't know that Turkey is a country and not a Thanksgiving bird to be served with dressing stuffed up its butt. Romney didn't hurt his campaign, and Obama didn't help his. Fortunately, we don't have to suffer through these anymore.
Here is where I hope the American voter places their focus. Our country is broke. B-R-O-K-E. The debt we have looking at us right now reminds me of the John Wayne movie, Big Jake. Wayne has a double barreled shotgun trained at Richard Boone. He tells Boone..."Anything goes wrong, anything at all... your fault, my fault, nobody's fault... it won't matter - I'm gonna blow your head off." The debt we have facing us has the potential of blowing our economic head off, regardless of who's fault it is.
I want a president who will take office and take responsibility on the first day. Even last night, Obama is still whining about Bush. Obama wasn't forced to be president. He exhaustively ran to be placed in the White House. He WANTED it. But he has yet to take responsibility for anything in the last four years, blaming all his woes on past presidents and past policies. He has to. His record is so abysmal he can't realistically run a campaign on it. That's not leadership. America deserves better. He needs to go.
The looming fiscal cliff, or Wayne's double barreled shotgun, doesn't care who's fault it is. If our government doesn't get a handle on spending, it's going to blow our collective head off. Instead of assigning who is at fault, and pointing fingers, and whining about Congress, and whining about Bush, and whining about anything else he can think of to whine about...let's put somebody in there who will try to straighten this mess out...at least 'try'.
I hope the majority of the American voters, in the right places, will see it the way I do.
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