First debate jitters? Obama, Romney camps maneuver for advantage
As the clock ticks toward the first presidential debate Wednesday, the Romney and Obama camps are maneuvering for position, framing the event to best advantage, hearing (but not necessarily taking) the advice of pundits,
The scene was on full array on the Sunday TV blabfests.
"At the end of the debate Wednesday night, Romney has to be a clear alternative," Romney鈥檚 former GOP rival Newt Gingrich advised on CBS鈥檚 "Face the Nation.鈥�
"He doesn't have to hit a home run,鈥� the former House Speaker said. 鈥淏ut Romney has to be, at the end of the debate Wednesday night, a clear alternative who is considered as a potential president by a majority of the American people in order for his campaign to have a chance to live."
That last dark phrase 鈥� 鈥渢o have a chance to live鈥� 鈥� implies a steep uphill path for Mr. Romney, who remains behind in most national and state polls.
搁贰颁翱惭惭贰狈顿贰顿:听Obama vs. Romney 101: Where are the sharpest divides?
Acknowledging that Romney has had 鈥渁 tough couple of week,鈥� New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie put more positive spin on how the Republican challenger will do Wednesday night and where the race is headed.
"That's where he shines," Gov. Christie said, also speaking on CBS. "He's going to lay out his vision for America, and for the first time a majority of the people who are going to vote in this race will have an opportunity to make that direct comparison."
"This whole race is going to turn upside down come Thursday morning," he said 鈥� implying, as Gingrich did, that Romney鈥檚 pre-debate position does not portend victory in November.
鈥淲e've had some missteps, but at the end of the day, the choice is really clear and we're giving people a very clear choice,鈥� Rep. Paul Ryan, Romney鈥檚 running mate, said on 鈥�Fox News 厂耻苍诲补测.鈥�
Still, Rep. Ryan sought to downplay the importance of the debate.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think one event is going to make or break this campaign,鈥� he said. 鈥淟ook, President Obama is a very gifted speaker. The man鈥檚 been on the national stage for many years, he鈥檚 an experienced debater, he鈥檚 done these kinds of debates before. This is Mitt鈥檚 first time on this kind of a stage.鈥�
Still, as Fox News host Chris Wallace pointed out, Romney did endure 23 debates during the primary campaign, and he鈥檚 been running for president non-stop since before the 2008 election.
Not surprisingly, White House senior adviser David Plouffe plays up Romney鈥檚 debating skills.
鈥淗e鈥檚 prepared more than any candidate I think maybe in history, certainly in recent memory. He鈥檚 been a good debater in the past. He鈥檚 very prepared. He鈥檚 got all these clever zingers and lines in his pocket, so we understand he鈥檒l probably have a good night on Wednesday night.鈥� Mr. Plouffe said on ABC's "This Week."
On NBC鈥檚 鈥�Meet the Press,鈥� Plouffe tossed a little taunt at his Republican rivals: 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to understand: the election is happening right now. People started voting in Iowa this week. They will in Ohio next week. People are requesting absentee ballots. We like what we鈥檙e seeing in those numbers.鈥�
Will Wednesday鈥檚 debate and the subsequent encounters make much difference to the outcome?
鈥淭hey sometimes have a short-term effect, a bounce in response to the debates, but at the end of the day there often is not much of an effect,鈥� Robert Erikson, author of聽鈥淭he Timeline of Presidential Elections,鈥� told the Daily Beast.
The Gallup polling organization found that in just two elections since the advent of televised debates was the outcome impacted in a perceptible way: The debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960 and a debate between Al Gore and George W. Bush in 2000.
On one thing, everybody agrees: Moderator Jim Lehrer of PBS is uniquely qualified to be a fair inquisitor.
鈥淛im鈥檚 reputation is unassailable. He reeks integrity,鈥� Tom Brokaw, the veteran 鈥淣BC Nightly News鈥� anchor, told Politico. 鈥淗e knows that his role there is to make this about the two candidates, not about him.鈥�
鈥淛im is the best person for the job, the straightest guy in this profession, and absolutely trustworthy,鈥� said Robert MacNeil, Lehrer鈥檚 longtime co-host on the 鈥�MacNeil/Lehrer Report.鈥� 鈥淗is idea of fairness is fiercer than anyone鈥檚 鈥� he has an almost religious respect for being fair. He stays so far out of the political swamps that he doesn鈥檛 even vote.鈥�
搁贰颁翱惭惭贰狈顿贰顿:听Obama vs. Romney 101: Where are the sharpest divides?
