The First Debate

I am just gonna put it out there now: I am an Obama supporter.

That being said, I quite enjoyed this first debate. Both candidates were actually working to make their points, and I appreciated that. It wasn't like when McCain and Obama debated, nor was it the very boring debates between Kerry and Bush.

While I truly wished that there was some more time for Romney and Obama to duke it out some more, (seriously, can't we give them like an hour and half?) I did like watching how the two men went at things.

Firstly, I am a slow arguer, so I would normally like Obama's approach of thinking things over before answering. But in a timed debate, I definitely grew frustrated with how long he was taking. I know that in a perfect world, they should get time to think, but if you only have an hour, PLEASE get to the point/make a point! Romney was definitely quicker to bite, but on that same note, I felt like I wasn't getting as much information, or he was redirecting back to some other statement he made in the debate.

Secondly, can they stop with the smug smiles? Every time something was said that the other thought they could use in opposition of each other, they had to smile smugly. Boys! You are on camera! Keep a poker face!

Thirdly, please let the mediator, mediate! He is trying to keep you within your time slots. Romney was awful at this, always having to have the last word, and going way over his time slot. Obama certainly did it too, but come on! "No, wait, the President got to speak first, so I need to finish this." That is a bunch a bullshit. You guys aren't "finishing" anything. Nothing has been determined as the "right" way to run government. You are just letting the American people know what you are standing for and how you are different or similar to each other.

Lastly, I wish that there would be actual specifics made. Like on education, the energy crisis, the economy, healthcare, etc. I like tangibility.

I also have a side point, mostly on the economy part of the debate. Romney was complaining about Obama isn't working and that his "grand plan" of getting more jobs would equal more revenue for the government. While I agree that more people working would add an overall amount of money in taxes to government, one cannot simply employ 12 million people at the turn of a hat. If that was possible, then I think it would already have been done and implemented. But since obviously 12 million people have not been suddenly employed, I am pretty sure that Romney does not hold some magic card that will make that happen. Obama's plan, which definitely seems more coherent and thought out, won't fix the economy, but it will certainly help more than more spending on military and less taxes on the rich.