Green: Mitt Romney wins first presidential debate

After the Oct. 3 debate, the world concluded decisively that Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts and Republican presidential candidate, defeated President Barack Obama in the first of three debates.

This comes as no surprise. Obama hasn’t had a real debate since he was on the campaign trail in the 2008 elections. Romney has been vigorously practicing his debating skills and talking points for months.

It clearly caught the President off-guard when Romney challenged not only the ideal of his message, but Obama’s facts. The frustration smeared over Obama’s face was enough to draw this conclusion. Romney looked more like a dog that cornered a squirrel while balancing the look of a future leader of the free world.

Romney masterfully attacked Obama’s record and pushed the President into defensive actions. Keeping the President like this is a brilliant move that made Obama seem more stern and off-putting. A surprise to most people, Romney actually looks like a *gasp* human.

Obama’s biggest problem with the debate: rhetoric.

One of his favorite phrases “Let me be clear” is the exact opposite of what he was. He seemingly tried to use his methods of old when he famously roused crowds and hyped up the country with fiery speeches by building up the rhetoric. These tactics, while limited, were inappropriately used in this debate. His message was on point but not fully developed.

What should have been empowering was, instead, an awkward flatline. What would normally be a stirring one-liner or attack-line, instead was thrown back in his face with full force by Romney.

CNN, CNBC and CBS polls all show that Romney was not only the clear favorite in the debate, but that he was also rated as a better leader. However, those results won’t be permanent.

Republicans have a right to be excited. This is only the first time that America has seen Romney seem somewhat competent. His campaign and the Republican party had to “introduce” him to the country two times. It seems that the campaign has finally taken a step in the right direction.  

But what's going to happen?
Democrats shouldn’t, and mostly don’t, feel like the campaign is slipping though. Romney hasn’t been the best at not stepping in the mud. Obama is exceptional as keeping his mouth shut at those times.

Public opinion regularly fluctuates between support and not. Lest we forget the 47 percent comment. Since that time, public discussion about that negative issue is virtually gone. That’s the way most presidential races go.

Because public opinion is only a temporary shift in polls, the Obama campaign should sleep a little bit better at night. Not only that, there are two debates left, plus a vice-presidential debate on Oct. 11.

At the end of the night, Romney will get a boost in the ratings in the next few days as the media focuses on his primetime success. However he needs to clear up a few issues if he wants to grow further.

In future debates, he should be even more clear and more direct with his responses to certain questions. Both Obama and the moderator Jim Lehrer asked Romney to ask what he will replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) with. Romney responded weakly by saying it should be left to the states and that’s that. Continued ambiguity can result in disaster come election day.

Romney won. Obama lost. Who will win the election? That’s still up in the air.