Video
Was Obama Debate Failure a Ploy?
Obama Jokes About Debate: I Can't "Perform Flawlessly, Night After Night" ... Attending a star-studded concert that included the likes of Katy Perry and Stevie Wonder where money was raised money for his campaign, President Obama said "everybody here is incredible professionals, they're such great friends and they just perform flawlessly, night after night ... I can't always say the same," the President said to laughter from the crowd at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. – Real Clear Politics
Dominant Social Theme: The president failed the first time around but he will be energized by his failure.
Free-Market Analysis: A Daily Bell editorial pointed out previously that President Barack Obama's poor debate performance had been buttressed by an array of elite promotions designed to make him look better.
A suddenly favorable jobs report, along with various media reports that interpreted his performance in a positive way and, of course, the celebration of the death of Osama bin Laden all played into this larger meme.
But at least one Daily Bell feedbacker questioned the reality of the performance and surmised that Obama had meant to do poorly.
There are reports on the Internet to this effect, one from a current.com article that summarizes why Obama might "throw" the debate. It as written by Jessica Roy, and makes the following points:
1. To rally the base: Obama supporters are emphasizing the importance of turnout in this election. If everyone in America went to the polls, he would win, but not everyone in America makes it there on Election Day. If everyone thinks he's a shoo-in, they might be less inclined to stop at the local middle school gymnasium on their way home from work. But now, smug Romney supporters are braying about how it's a new game. Obama is in trouble! Of all the reboots Romney has tried, lying about Obama – and himself – on a national stage seems to be working the best. And Obama supporters are worried. Worried enough to vote.
2. To save the best for last: There are still two more presidential debates to go. Pulling out "at least I wouldn't fire an icon of early childhood education to save one-tenth of a percent of the federal budget" a week before the campaign ends would be a hardcore burn. Again, a lot of Obama's strategy, thus far, has been to let Romney dig his own grave. Letting Romney talk (see: lie) for a night gives Obama plenty of ammo for the future.
3. To avoid negative perceptions of his race: He doesn't want to be seen as an angry Black man any more than he already is. Professor Tricia Rose came on "The Young Turks" Thursday and said studies have shown that black men are perceived as angry and threatening before they even open their mouths. Fox News has spent the last week pummeling Obama over daring to be angry and black in a 2007 video. When people say, "I wish Obama had cowboy'd up for that debate and yelled at the old white guy," it ignores the reality of being a black man in America.
Whether Obama threw the debate or not, the amount of mainstream media resources being thrown behind him is truly astonishing. And the boldness with which it is being deployed is somewhat disheartening – not because it may mean his reelection, but because it is so obvious. Those behind the manipulations are hardly bothering to hide the extent of them anymore.
Time will tell whether Obama's performance was the result of a bad night or it if was a clever ploy. He certainly seems fairly relaxed about it, as you can see in the video here.
(Video from adalrich00's YouTube user channel.)
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Posted by Adam on 10/09/12 03:05 PM
To rally the base...
YouTube: Lady Gaga makes surprise visit to Assange at Ecuador embassy
Click to view link
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Posted by Kelly on 10/09/12 11:28 AM
Many movies we watch are filled with stage combat where the hero is bested by the villain in all the early battles. This seems to energize the movie goers to stay engaged in the drama. This election may be holding steady to this tried and true script. Its keeping me in the drama!
However, make no mistake, any president that can stop a war without winning or losing is a rare leader. The ability to out flank our war machine with the 'noble lie' of the death of Bin Laden and thus quench the fuel of war was very amazing.
The performance during the debate to not react to the stares and glares of Mitt at the beginning also showed amazing self control. The Daily Bell is on to something here! Keep up the good work!
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Posted by Peachyme22 on 10/09/12 11:04 AM
Obama would not have been a challenge for RON PAUL. therefore we have Romney American voters will not vote in fear. We will vote for the 3rd candidate Gary Johnson ...
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Posted by Jj on 10/08/12 06:32 PM
I watched and concluded it was as bland as electing a prom king. Maybe it was the Yawn/Stretch of again hearing about waste/fraud elimination; streamlining operations; closing loopholes, on and on. I was much hoping to hear how the Constitution must be altered to "comply" with a global currency, or how unemployment checks will be replaced with subsistence allowances so we will continue purchasing, or why Gary Johnson is not there to address these very real issues soon to be upon us, welcome or not.
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Posted by Chemist on 10/08/12 05:46 PM
Another possible reason why Obama didn't appear to try very hard is because he knows the elections will have to be canceled or at least delayed for a while. That thought certainly aligns with bill HR 6566 (requiring the Administrator of [the] FEMA to provide guidance and coordination for mass fatality planning, and for other purposes), the recent billion-plus hollow point round purchasing by the DHS, and the rampant speculation of a coming fiscal cliff. I'm not saying that's a high probability, but I have not heard this idea discussed before. All options should be considered.
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Posted by TimurTheLame on 10/08/12 04:51 PM
I tend to support this type of analysis but maybe it was simply because he had no tele-prompter? Even so, if you read the transcript of the supposed 'winning' performance you might come to the conclusion that a slightly above average high school debater could have 'whupped' them both.
If real facts, knowledge and rational deductions could have been used, the viewing public would have thought that they were getting the Swahili feed by mistake. Even intelligent voters don't know the difference between debts and deficits. More e-con-comics for the masses.
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Posted by iddy on 10/08/12 04:15 PM
Don ... That is a favorite tool of the planners.
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Posted by taxesbyanyothername on 10/08/12 03:16 PM
There are inevitable slips but, other than the occasional gaff, everything Obama and his team have done is preplanned political theater. Most of it has been designed to "energize the base", even when no election is near. Why would the debate be any different?
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Posted by Don from the Republic of Lakotah on 10/08/12 02:24 PM
It's hard for me to divine Obama's debate performance intentions. On the other hand, as a sideline, mass media seems to take a sadistic delight in raising expectations before dramatically squashing all hope later. At first, mass media baits others into emotionally investing (in Romney). Then later, mass media most hatefully clobbers its audience with the hard truth (Romney's loss).
