# The first presidential debate...did it change your mind? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 5, 2012, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-presidential-debate-did-it-change-your-mind/636793 "2012-10-05T11:43:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-presidential-debate-did-it-change-your-mind/636793/21 "2012-10-08T07:55:58Z")
As a non-american, I don’t get to vote of course, so my opinion doesn’t matter. That said, the debatec convinced me that Obama is still the better choice, but that Romney probably won’t be another W. Bush if he gets elected. And that’s reassuring. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-presidential-debate-did-it-change-your-mind/636793/22 "2012-10-09T01:59:42Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > I feel talk is cheap. and wonder what sort of miracle he intends to preform to create all the jobs he talks about. So does everyone else in America, whether they admit it or not. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-presidential-debate-did-it-change-your-mind/636793/23 "2012-10-09T02:15:37Z")
> [@Gukumatz](#): > > As a non-american, I don’t get to vote of course, so my opinion doesn’t matter. That said, the debatec convinced me that Obama is still the better choice, but that Romney probably won’t be another W. Bush if he gets elected. And that’s reassuring. I don’t really recall anything he said that would have been out of line with the stated ideals of the Bush administration. They both have a tax plan that they try to sell as progressive. and Romney’s five point plan was all [things that Bush touted in 2004 and 2006](http://www.nextnewdeal.net/rortybomb/romney-will-solve-crisis-exact-same-gop-plan-2008-2006-2004), with “school choice” replacing “No Child Left Behind.” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-presidential-debate-did-it-change-your-mind/636793/24 "2012-10-09T02:17:09Z")
I was going to watch all the debates, but I’ve changed my mind and decided not to bother. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-presidential-debate-did-it-change-your-mind/636793/25 "2012-10-15T23:00:41Z")
I think debates are over-hyped as indicators of whether a candidate should or will win, and of how well that candidate will do the job if he or she does win. That said, I’m not sure how any debate could change a voter’s mind at this point; in fact, how is it even possible to be undecided? The choice is frankly quite stark. I could say more about that but I think it’s best left to another thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-presidential-debate-did-it-change-your-mind/636793.md?page=1)