I would say that Obama certainly held the night but I wouldn't say he "dominated completely". The only debate where one candidate "dominated" was the first. Obama certainly won the 2nd and 3rd but I'm not sure it made up for the gains Romney received after the first. Unfortunately, what determines who won is the spin after the fact. Last night and today all of the press will be dissecting the event. Obama had some clear "zingers" -bayonets/horses that will make for good press and he did a nice job of combating the "apology tour" line. But Romney had his moments too. "attacking me is not a policy for the future", which will get spin in the conservative media. I guess my point is that there was enough content on both sides to spin it in the direction the pundits are already pointed. With the first debate Obama gave them nothing to work with. I am still amazed at how badly he did in that one. He certainly showed up last night though.
I felt like Obama won that one almost as thoroughly as Romney won the first. Better on substance, made Romney look out of touch, got Romney to flip flop some more and agree with Obama's own policies, had the most memorable one liners and attacks (stupid, but it matters). I don't think that that will translate to much though. Romney was so far behind going into the first that his initial debate performance was able to reap large rewards. Obama doing well in the next two doesn't magically make Romney non-viable in the way that many undecided voters saw him previous to the first debate.
Do you think Obama has a clear victory in site?Romney was so far behind going into the first that his initial debate performance was able to reap large rewards.
Agreed. There was nowhere but up for him at that point but Obama didn't need to give him a ladder?! I also agree that Obama clearly won the debate and had last night been the first of the debates, this election process would be over.
I do think Obama has a clear victory in sight, though it will be close. I'm just talking from the standpoint of poll aggregates and electoral college math rather than policy positions or or feelings of who "should" win or who I want to win. If you step back and just kind of coldly analyze the language of Republican surrogates almost across the board, it also coming across as desperate. It isn't overt, but it is there, -an awful lot of active narrative constructing centered around how Romney really could win. Obama wins this debate handily and Rodney's foreign policy is confused and conciliatory towards the current admin's positions? The messaging from the right post debate is "Romney passes the Commander in Chief test" You expect both sides to spin every utterance of campaigns in their own favor, but what is interesting is how much of the pro Romney spin is centered on convincing people that he is viable and has an actual shot. It's a bit nuanced, but I think it is very telling, and in perfect keeping with the electoral college math.