# Mitt, get that fucking smirk off of your face and try to show a modicum of respect. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 4, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653 "2012-10-04T01:54:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/21 "2012-10-04T06:22:01Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Obama had over 4 minutes more talking time than Romney. And still lost. Yeah I was watching on CNN the whole time so I saw the counter that added up the amount of time each candidate had been talking, and I just kept thinking to myself, “SHUTUP OBAMA!!!” (I’m an Obama supporter) It’s funny how people on other networks _thought_ that Mitt talked more and commandeered the debate, but Obama talked far longer and less effectively. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/22 "2012-10-04T06:26:31Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Still, from whence your numbers? _Moderator Jim Lehrer of PBS, at times, tried without success to keep the candidates within time limits for responses, especially Obama, who ended up speaking four minutes longer than Romney._ [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/03/politics/debate-main/index.html?hpt=hp_t1) CNN had a timer for each candidate, as well as an audience response graphic for undecided voters in Colorado, both running live on screen during the debate. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/23 "2012-10-04T06:29:07Z")
The best part about the debate has been watching the liberals and lefties go into damage control over it, AND I’M A LEFTIE MYSELF. I thought Ed Schultz was about to have a coronary after the debate ended. He was literally yelling with outrage, blaming Obama for being so incompetent in the debate. Heaven forbid they actually recognize that Romney did a fantastic job, and Obama just more or less held his own… and acted like… Obama. On a related note, did Fox News drop balloons and confetti and put up “WE DID IT” after the debate was over? If not, I’m sure Colbert will tomorrow night 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/24 "2012-10-04T06:33:01Z")
Is that the third or fourth time you tell us what a big Obama fan you are before you start in slamming him? ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/25 "2012-10-04T06:37:09Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Is that the third or fourth time you tell us what a big Obama fan you are before you start in slamming him? I’m sorry if it upsets you, and I don’t think I was “slamming” him with my quote. I also don’t claim to be a big Obama fan. I like him well enough, but I think he’s been a fairly mediocre president overall. So let me clarify. I think Obama did fine. He acted just as I would expect him to act. If you compared him to Bush’s first debate in 2004, it was a tour de force. That being said, Romney did an incredible job and it was obvious within the first few minutes to me that Obama was getting his clock cleaned. I still sincerely hope Obama wins the election. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/26 "2012-10-04T06:49:32Z")
Frankly there were quite a few times there while Romney was speaking when it looked like Obama was sucking on a lemon and clearly pissed. It was interesting, I’d never seen that expression before. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/27 "2012-10-04T07:07:10Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Frankly there were quite a few times there while Romney was speaking when it looked like Obama was sucking on a lemon and clearly pissed. It was interesting, I’d never seen that expression before. Yes, I believe at those moments he was saying to himself, “Don’t point out to everyone that Mitt is lying through his teeth; Americans don’t respect it when you call your opponent a liar. FUCK.” It was an interesting expression and it clearly looked like he was losing it. ---
**Author:** ![Phatzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@Phatzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phatzo)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/28 "2012-10-04T08:48:52Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > The thing that bothered me the most about the debate is that Obama didn’t bring up the 47% issue when discussing medicare/social security. But perhaps he is saving that zinger for the final debate that is closer to the election. > > As for Romney, I think he held his own. He wouldn’t have a leg to stand on if he went there, 47% of SFA is still SFA ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/29 "2012-10-04T09:16:51Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > But also, Jim needed to say “Governor Romney, it’s not your turn to speak right now”, “Mr Romney, I’m talking”, “Mitt, you can make all the stupid faces you want, but stop interrupting”. I’m not sure he actually wanted the rules enforced. One year (1988 or 1992, I think), he actually toyed with unilaterally getting rid of the rules at the beginning of the debate. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/30 "2012-10-04T09:46:49Z")
These two blowbags talked about nothing. Romney looked ready for a debate and still fails to give numbers and economic details, and Barack refuses to look energetic at all and doesn’t even bring up the “47 percent” thingy. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/31 "2012-10-04T10:20:31Z")
They had a gentlemens agreement on how the debate was to be conducted, turns out one of them actually is a gentleman, and the other is just rich. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/32 "2012-10-04T13:06:39Z")
To be completely fair to the moderator, he got run over by both candidates. And to be fair to Romney, Obama did get an extra 4+ minutes for his “um’s” and “uh’s.” ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/33 "2012-10-04T13:10:37Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > When did he turn into a human Cheeto? [Couple of days ago, apparently. Obama too.](http://blogs.suntimes.com/politics/2012/10/the_snack_food_debate_cheetos_romney_or_cheetos_obama.html) ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/34 "2012-10-04T13:29:26Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > The best part about the debate has been watching the liberals and lefties go into damage control over it, AND I’M A LEFTIE MYSELF. For me, the most fun is watching the lefties turn on each other, not sure whether to attack anyone “on their side” who dares to suggest Romney did well, deny that Romney did well, or complain about how Romney stole time from Obama. I wish that latter complaint had been allowed to develop into full-blown outrage before the CNN time numbers were widely circulated, but oh, well. We’re seeing a microcosm of that here. On “my side” I will complain about Marco Rubio, who was interviewed just after the debate and said something like, “Well, the Romney campaign asked me to make this appearance and announce that Romney had won. And it turns out I can do that for real, not just because I’m supposed to, but because he actually won.” Uh huh. So, Senator, what you’re saying is you came out here fully prepared to lie, and presumably lie convincingly, but, hey, by the greatest of fortune, you don’t have to lie? And… so why should anyone trust you after that announcement? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/35 "2012-10-04T13:39:25Z")
I think the thread in “Elections” was actually a pretty fair take from this left-leaning board. The opinion there was pretty unanimous that Romney won. And as for the larger world, even MSNBC was calling this for Romney. Do you think Fox News would have done the same if the tables were turned? And I think the complaint about “going over” was less about total time and more about the willingness of each man to continue talking past Lehrer’s attempt to intervene. I recall Obama doing so two or three times, but Romney six or seven times. Maybe that’s just because Obama was asked to go first for most of the questions while Romney was struggling to get equal time on the last word. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/36 "2012-10-04T13:44:09Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > I think the thread in “Elections” was actually a pretty fair take from this left-leaning board. The opinion there was pretty unanimous that Romney won. And as for the larger world, even MSNBC was calling this for Romney. Do you think Fox News would have done the same if the tables were turned? Going by memory, they had no problem in '08 in announcing an Obama win over McCain in the debate I’m remembering. But I agree with you – the Elections thread has been a very fair take on the debate. This thread, in which the OP characterizes Romney’s performance as “Either way, epic fail,” is not a fair take. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/37 "2012-10-04T13:52:15Z")
Obama has proven to be a dynamic speaker when giving a prepared speech. He is barely adequate when speaking off the cuff. That has been obvious for the last 4 years. Romney has had dozens of public debates and has been preparing for debates for the last 2 years. Is anyone really surprised by the way things happened? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/38 "2012-10-04T14:01:19Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Obama has proven to be a dynamic speaker when giving a prepared speech. He is barely adequate when speaking off the cuff. That has been obvious for the last 4 years. Romney has had dozens of public debates and has been preparing for debates for the last 2 years. Is anyone really surprised by the way things happened? Obama is actually quite good off-the-cuff most of the time. His debates in 2008 weren’t stellar, but he was good. I think he easily bested McCain in each debate. When he does interviews and press conferences, he’s much more fluid and clear than he was last night. But I actually don’t think it was Obama’s under-performance that made the difference last night. It wasn’t his best showing and he was overly cautious and slow, but it was a B- or C+ not an F. The disparity was because Romney brought his A+ game. And his strategy of withholding key policy details and abandoning previous positions without a second thought paid off when he was able to deflect Obama’s substantive criticism by pretending he’d never proposed 20% cuts in rates or to repeal Dodd-Frank, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/39 "2012-10-04T14:10:35Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Obama has proven to be a dynamic speaker when giving a prepared speech. He is barely adequate when speaking off the cuff. That has been obvious for the last 4 years. Romney has had dozens of public debates and has been preparing for debates for the last 2 years. Is anyone really surprised by the way things happened? What? Obama schooled a room full of Republicans without a prepared speech just two years ago. Romney’s entire job right now is to get elected. Nothing else. Obama, on the other hand, has a day job you might’ve heard about. Add in the fact that pinning Romney down on a position is like trying to nail jello to a wall, it’s not really surprising that Obama didn’t do better. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653/40 "2012-10-04T14:16:01Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Obama is actually quite good off-the-cuff most of the time. His debates in 2008 weren’t stellar, but he was good. I think he easily bested McCain in each debate. When he does interviews and press conferences, he’s much more fluid and clear than he was last night. Agree to disagree. He seems better in a one on one interview situation. Although he does do a lot of softball interviews. Off the cuff in front of a crowd has stammers and ums a lot and gets derailed off his own message. And he does fewer press conferences than even Bush which means he barely does more than me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mitt-get-that-fucking-smirk-off-of-your-face-and-try-to-show-a-modicum-of-respect/636653.md?page=3)