# Romney: Biggest Debate Hurdle Will Be Dishonesty **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 14, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704 "2012-09-14T16:09:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/1 "2012-09-14T16:09:49Z")
Mitt Romney’s latest [expectation-lowering spin](http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/political/mitt-romney-president-barack-obama-tends-to-say-things-that-arent-true) for the upcoming debates: tell people he’ll have to choose between getting his own message out and rebutting Obama falsehoods: > [@](#): > > “I think the challenge that I’ll have in the debate is that the president tends to, how shall I say it, to say things that aren’t true,” Romney said in an interview that aired Friday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”… > > “Am I going to spend my time correcting things that aren’t quite accurate? Or am I going to spend my time talking about the things I want to talk about?'” he said. “That’s a judgment you make.”… Yeesh, every time I think he can’t get any more pathetic, he does. :dubious: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/2 "2012-09-14T16:21:09Z")
It’s really fascinating watching the product of Rove-ian style attacks in Romney. Almost negative quality Romney tries to stick on Obama is a quality he exemplifies. Yeah dishonesty from Obama is the real issue. Nothing that comes out of Romney’s mouth was meant to be a factual statement. I’m sure he’s being honest about Obama being dishonest. Romney’s not lying this time right? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/3 "2012-09-14T16:22:05Z")
It’s sort of traditional for both candidates to try to lower expectations before the debates. This is a lame example, but regardless of the patriculars it’s always annoying to read this stuff because it’s so disingenuous. ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/4 "2012-09-14T16:32:26Z")
Seriously, the debate challenge for Mr. Romney is that he has to play both offense and defense. Obama has a five point lead in battleground states Ohio, Virgina, and Florida–and this after the lousy jobs report last week. Romney just can’t gin up enough of the base to win, so he has to start appealing to some Obama voters. That’s going to be a difficult needle to thread–given his previous statements and the fact that he comes off as something of a dick–and as the primary debates showed Romney has something of a glass jaw when he’s challenged on stage. I’m not a believer that the debates do much to move public opinion, but a poor performance might convince some of the moneybags to get off a sinking ship, and cash is the only real advantage Romney has over Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/5 "2012-09-14T16:42:24Z")
What the hell is wrong with this guy? Is he just that much of a sociopath? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/6 "2012-09-14T16:42:25Z")
> [@](#): > > "Am I going to spend my time correcting things that aren’t quite accurate? . . . Well, if you start with your own running mate’s lies, you won’t even have any time left to address any statement of Obama’s. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/7 "2012-09-14T16:49:06Z")
Pretty sure Obama will handle it with ease, though… ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/8 "2012-09-14T17:21:12Z")
The tried and true pre-emptive attack. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/9 "2012-09-14T17:23:11Z")
I’m surprised the OP picked this quote on which to start a thread, given Romney handed the opposition such low-hanging fruit as this: > [@](#): > > GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Is $100,000 middle income? > > MITT ROMNEY: No, middle income is $200,000 to $250,000 and less. > **[ROMNEY: 'Middle Income Is $200,000 To $250,000 And Less'](https://www.businessinsider.com/romney-middle-income-2012-9#ixzz26SwXnzqV)** > > Romney's stance on middle-income families sparks debate. Analyze the implications for his campaign and voter perceptions. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/10 "2012-09-14T17:36:31Z")
Why does Romney get a pass on the twisted logic that the conservative/right wing/Tea Party types typically use in every debate but ignore in his ‘tax plan’ (or, what little we know about his tax plan)? Romney said he would lower everyone’s taxes and close tax loopholes. Since the wealthy benefit most and the middle class also benefit from loopholes like mortgage interest deductions, etc., won’t closing those loopholes actually raise everyone’s taxes and hurt the wealthy the most? Why does Romney want to raise the taxes of the wealthy?! That’s class warfare! ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/11 "2012-09-14T17:45:32Z")
Quote: > [@](#): > > GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Is $100,000 middle income? > > MITT ROMNEY: No, middle income is $200,000 to $250,000 and less. WTF? Now I actually feel bad for him. In sports, they call this an unforced error. Romney just keeps making them. Damn. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/12 "2012-09-14T17:46:29Z")
I look forward to Obama’s response, “The biggest challenge for me will be the fact that Mitt Romney smells like stale cabbage.” ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/13 "2012-09-14T18:03:45Z")
It’s like he’s announced that his debate strategy will rely heavily on cheating. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoning\_the\_well](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoning_the_well) ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/14 "2012-09-14T18:29:16Z")
Mark my words, Romney will not actually answer many of the questions asked during the debates at all. He will respond to questions with non sequiturs, deflection, and prepared, tangentially-related mini speeches that he will trot out when the moderator utters certain key phrases. My hope is Obama will not do this as well. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/15 "2012-09-14T18:30:02Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > My hope is Obama will not do this as well. Pretty much everybody does this in debates now. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/16 "2012-09-14T18:39:43Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Pretty much everybody does this in debates now. Yeah. They’re not debates; they’re alternating stump speeches. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/17 "2012-09-14T18:42:25Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Pretty much everybody does this in debates now. More’s the pity, which is why debates are really just a gauge of who’s the better and more believable obfuscator, which I believe is Romney, who has, after all, much more practice. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/18 "2012-09-14T18:49:36Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > More’s the pity, which is why debates are really just a gauge of who’s the better and more believable obfuscator, which I believe is Romney, who has, after all, much more practice. I ma not sure about this, in the sense that Romney has a low likability factor and at times seems either emotionless or out-of-touch, even smarmy. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/19 "2012-09-14T18:55:32Z")
Ahh, but the problem is that [Romney’s campaign has already eschewed the fact checkers.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/23/mitt-romney-_n_1836139.html) So how will we know if Obama lied or not? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704/20 "2012-09-14T19:07:22Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > I ma not sure about this, in the sense that Romney has a low likability factor and at times seems either emotionless or out-of-touch, even smarmy. I agree, if this becomes a battle of believable and likable and gaffe-free oration, Obama wins. (“You’re likable enough, Hillary” notwithstanding.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-biggest-debate-hurdle-will-be-dishonesty/634704.md?page=2)