US presidential election first debate

Peter Wu

2012年10月5日

I didn’t watch the full debate but based on everything I’ve read post-debate, Mitt is the overall winner for round one.

Obama came across as dull, rigid and lack lustre. The spark on his face, his trade-mark oratory and the fire in the belly was not there.

Mitt, on the other hand, was relaxed, well prepared, had a smile on his face and oozed confidence.

I have no idea how much these debates are going to influence the voters but given such a tight race, many political commentators are saying they can make or break Mitt or Obama. I believe them.

Several months ago, when the Republicans were holding a series of primaries to select the contender for the presidential election, I made fun at the quality of their candidates, including Mitt Romney. I was saying that Obama will beat them hands down and be returned with a comfortable margin.

How wrong was I.

What I didn’t bank on is the state of the US economy, the lingering effect of the Global Financial Crisis, and the stubborn un-employment situation.

This is something Charley - our US correspondent and avid political commentator - has said all along: that the presidential race is decided not by the charisma or oratory of the candidate buy by the economy. In his words, ‘it’s the economy, stupid’. It’s as simple as that.

What he said makes perfect sense. When you have no job, when there is no or little food on the table, when you don’t make enough to keep body and soul together, everything else is secondary, including the election of the president. And many of these people are taking it out on Obama.

So if Obama were to lose the coming election, that’s because of the economy and the job market. Forget about Medicare. Forget about Afghanistan or Iraq. Forget about Osama Bin Laden. And I think the unemployment situation might just undo his attempt at a second term in office.

PS Given the tight race, election officials are furiously checking the vote punching machines to ensure there is no repeat of the ‘hanging, dimpled or pregnant chad’ incident which gave the election to George Bush Jr in 2000.

PSS Mitt is pretty belligerent towards Iran. If he is elected, brace for nuclear bombs to fall from the sky in the Middle East.