# The final presidential debate: 10/22/12 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 22, 2012, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497 "2012-10-22T06:57:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 28
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/541 "2012-10-23T03:48:36Z")
She made a point of refusing to ask who they were voting for because “I understand that’s a personal choice.” ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/542 "2012-10-23T03:48:39Z")
We’ve had four debates, 360 minutes, and not one second on the environment. (OK, Willard used the totally dishonest term “clean coal” in the first debate.) 40,000 daily heat records, 8.8 million acres burned, oceans denuded of entire species, and yet zero discussion of the potential doom of human life. Could it be that $150 million of political ads by the carbon industries have stifled even thoughts of what they are doing to us? ---
**Author:** ![Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Curiosity_Kills_Her)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/543 "2012-10-23T03:49:26Z")
Hannity is making the point that the marines still use bayonets. He’s going to pull a muscle with all of that reaching. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/544 "2012-10-23T03:49:30Z")
> [@Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](#): > > Are the CNN undecideds hostile? They didn’t not like the tone at times, laughed at other moments. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/545 "2012-10-23T03:50:33Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Romney wasn’t talking to conservatives. He has them in the bag. What it sounds like he was attempting (I didn’t watch the debate) is to get some of the ‘moderates’ back; specifically, those who simply cannot stand the current GOP but still think the Democrats are dangerous pinko commies. > > By taking reasonable policy from Obama and parroting it in a conservative shell, he’s trying to make himself seem like a viable choice. I agree with Richard Parker. I think if he believes conservatives are in the bag for him, he’s gonna have a big surprise. Not that they are going to vote for Obama, just that they haven’t been very excited about voting for Mitt. I think all the poll movement lately was from conservatives getting excited about Romney after the first debate. I don’t believe he can run ads softening his position on abortion or trying to soften his policy positions without taking a bigger hit in base support than he will gain elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/546 "2012-10-23T03:50:43Z")
I think D.L. Hughley described Romney better than any other I’ve heard when talking about meeting him in 2007: “The guy seemed like a Mercedes Benz dealer.” Bingo. Hole-in-one. Slick, tan, glib and willing to do what it takes to make the sale. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/547 "2012-10-23T03:51:39Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > Romney made a strategic grasp at the Progressive straw but the voters aren’t buying it. The early polls say Romney got trounced. > > Well deserved. > > Crane As I predicted. Sort of. He actually was less moderate and more bellicose than I thought he would be. But this time Obama was prepared for the Mit-flops. ---
**Author:** ![Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Curiosity_Kills_Her)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/548 "2012-10-23T03:51:48Z")
> [@Kozmik](#): > > They didn’t not like the tone at times, laughed at other moments. The ones on Fox were really emotional and angry when answering questions. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/549 "2012-10-23T03:52:08Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > She made a point of refusing to ask who they were voting for because “I understand that’s a personal choice.” Also a personal choice? Sitting on a fricken’ panel during a presidential debate. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/550 "2012-10-23T03:56:57Z")
Any updates on where the polls are sitting on those that have already voted? I understand that there was a big Obama advantage early on, is that still showing? ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/551 "2012-10-23T04:00:26Z")
14 24-hour news cycles to complete before Election Day!!! ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/552 "2012-10-23T04:05:41Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > I agree with Richard Parker. I think if he believes conservatives are in the bag for him, he’s gonna have a big surprise. Not that they are going to vote for Obama, just that they haven’t been very excited about voting for Mitt. I think all the poll movement lately was from conservatives getting excited about Romney after the first debate. I don’t believe he can run ads softening his position on abortion or trying to soften his policy positions without taking a bigger hit in base support than he will gain elsewhere. Agree. The danger of moving to the middle after the nomination isn’t that your base is going to run off and vote for the other guy or even vote third party. The risk is that they’ll stay home. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/553 "2012-10-23T04:06:12Z")
Didn’t see the whole thing and my expectation was that this was Obama’s strongest position and he should wipe the floor with Romney but…have to say I thought it was pretty close to even. To me that’s really bad news for Obama who really needs to be pulling ahead at this point. :(. Guess we’ll see what, if anything changes in the polls. This one might go down to the wire. Still expect Obama to win, but starting to think it will be close…and not as confident as I was a few weeks ago that Obama is going to walk away with this thing. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/554 "2012-10-23T04:10:48Z")
Fun with sample sizes: [CBS poll says Obama trounced Romney, CNN poll says he won close.](http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/10/23/instant-polls-say-obama-won-final-debate/) ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/555 "2012-10-23T04:17:11Z")
Different types of polls, as I read it. CBS was undecided voters only, CNN poll was registered debate watchers. CNN talking heads even made a point to highlight that “we have found that more Republicans watch debates than Democrats”. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/556 "2012-10-23T04:18:53Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > Some commentators have made good points: Romney looked confident and Presidential. Obama looked like a challenger on the attack. Many of his points were cromulent, but they looked petty and mean spirited in context. > > I stand by: A split decision Romney win. ::raises hand:: Excuse me, but is there any chance I can get a hit of what this guy is smoking? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/557 "2012-10-23T04:19:17Z")
I think they need to do away with the senior citizen-moderators (Schieffer, Lehrer). Or maybe they need to do away with the male moderators? 😕 All I know is Bob Schieffer certainly didn’t seem like he was in control of that debate. He just came off as an old ‘fuddy duddy’. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/558 "2012-10-23T04:20:53Z")
_shrug_ Somebody is going to complain about the moderating no matter what they do. People said Crowley was too engaged; no they say Schieffer was too weak. ---
**Author:** ![Tarwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de0a6/32.png) [@Tarwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarwater)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/559 "2012-10-23T04:28:31Z")
With the exception of his crazy “Israel is about to bomb Iran, quick, what do you do?!” hypothetical, I thought Schiefer did a fine job. He kept track of the candidates’ allotted speaking times, interrupted and re-directed the candidates where he could, and kept things more or less balanced. But it was a more restrained debate than the first one, of course, so he didn’t really need to flex much. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497/560 "2012-10-23T04:28:40Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > _shrug_ Somebody is going to complain about the moderating no matter what they do. Well yeah, but some people suck. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497.md?page=27) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-final-presidential-debate-10-22-12/638497.md?page=29)