PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE - ROMNEY 1 - OBAMA NO SHOW

After endless speculation and pundit after pundit either playing down the debate or saying Romney would be in trouble after the debate against a seasoned Obama, the first debate is over and Mitt Romney not only won hands down but may had delivered a game changing blow to Barack Obama who not only looked bad but fell flat in a setting that held an audience of over 50 million viewers.

While there was not a specific moment like the Reagan's, "there you go again," it was not needed as Romney took Obama to task from beginning to end. Romney was the teacher and Obama was the bad school child who was being scolded for what he has done head bowed and ashamed.  Obama was meek meandering and trying to defend the indefensible.  Romney reminded Obama he's had four years and has failed to do anything.

Romney was confident, sure and at every turn taking the debate directly to Obama looking at him and delivering at every point.  When Obama came with an untruth, Romney had three points or more to correct him.  When Obama tried several times to falsely claim Romney planned 5 trillion dollars in tax cuts that would increase taxes on the middle class, Romney came back with, "I've got five boys, I'm used to someone trying to tell me something wrong over and over expecting me to believe it."

Obama seemed distracted and lost with out direction throughout the debate.  Romney got in several digs about Obama failures that have been ignored by the media including the 90 billion dollars he has wasted on green energy companies that have gone belly up after receiving Obama bucks.  Romney hit hard on Obama's  trickle down government approach that has destroyed our economy, jobs and small business. To which Obama has no defense except the same rhetoric that no longer plays well with voters.

Two of the most telling stories of the slam dunk win for Romney in this debate came in the post debate coverage. First ABC, CBS and even NBC without exception gave the debate to Romney and said Obama hurt himself in this debate.  Even ABC's George Stephanopolis who has given 9 of the last 10 debates to the Democrat candidate called it a decisive win for Romney.

The second comes from a focus group with Frank Luntz.  The participants were 25 undecided Colorado voters, a traditional blue state.  17 voted for Obama in 2008 and 8 voted for McCain. Without exception all called the debate for Romney. But the most telling moment in the focus group came when Luntz asked if the debate helped decide any one's vote. More than half of the 25 raised their hands and all decided for Romney. If this is any indication on a national basis Romney may have picked up the undecided vote with an estimated viewership of more than 50 million.

Obama looked weak, tied and uninspired. Romney look confident, strong and energetic.  This debate may not be a complete so called, "game changer," but 50 million people who may have questioned who Mitt Romney was and had believed the false ads now see a strong candidate who is better informed than a sitting President and a more decisive leader. While Romney is no Reagan this debate was reminiscent of the weak Carter against the confident and strong Reagan and that debate delivered a Reagan victory.

Ken Taylor