That Was One Debate Night to Remember

As of Sunday, October 7, 2012

Wow! Debate night was not just good. In the words of Tony the Tiger, it was “grrreat!”

Wednesday turned out to be one of the finest nights in my political life. It started with the Tar Heel gubernatorial debate between Pat McCrory and Democrat Walter Dalton, that fill-in for Gov. Beverly Perdue. Frankly, I was concerned for Pat. He was ahead in the polls. Many of us thought that a poor debate performance could give his opponent a chance to ignite an otherwise lackluster candidacy.

But, unlike President Obama later that night, McCrory did not play it safe. He came out swinging with plans to reduce the government’s carbon paper footprint on the backs of small business and middle class taxpayers. The former Charlotte mayor chided his opponent for joining the governor in a bill to increase sales taxes on shoppers buying blue jeans for their children.

Then McCrory bravely called for an end to direct business subsidies. He opted instead for a business-friendly environment with lower taxes overall for both new businesses and current residents. The latter, he pointed out, was the better than a one-time bribe to attract new industry.

Then came Mitt Romney debating Barack Obama. As I watched the demise of the president under the pounding logic of the former Massachusetts governor, I could not believe the euphoria into which I entered. Within a few minutes of the start of the presidential debate, I thought that Dalton had shown greater knowledge of key issues than the president on whose coattails he intended to ride.

So I turned to those “unbiased” champions of the mainstream media to see what Obama the apologists would spin. To my surprise, James Carville, the same would-be liberal, feminist sympathizer who called Bill Clinton’s sexual accusers “trailer park trash,” described Obama as being “off his game.” Next, he described Romney as destroying the president “with a chain saw.”

John King described Obama as figuratively getting “spanked.” Even the socialist Obama czar Van Jones and “Ed Show” host Ed Schultz expressed extreme displeasure with their White House hero.

Before this debate, the mainstream “mad” media told us that the Game of the States was over. Their “narrative” was that Romney’s “money men” and the few women still supporting him were deserting the Republican nominee in favor of congressional candidates with better chances of winning. After the debate, the NBC peacock reversed its feathers and CNN was in shock.

Watching CNN and MSNBC pundits eat their narratives was almost like watching my daughter eat her spinach. I wanted to calmly suggest, “Swallow quickly and it won’t taste so yucky.” Instead, I found myself sadistically shouting at Wolf Blitzer, “Chew on it slowly and absorb the nutrients no matter how the taste lingers.”

As I write this column, it is Thursday morning before dawn. It is just after the cable news shows have concluded their live telecasts and have surrendered their air to videotape. And, as I conclude this column, I can feel the euphoria of a big win fading just as the night’s beer loses its magic. What I realize is that our election will not be decided in a single debate. The stakes are higher than that.

Mitt Romney stands for an expanding economy built with private sector jobs and free enterprise. President Obama stands for an economy built with government jobs financed through a redistribution of wealth. These are the choices given Americans as they enter the polling booth.

Winning a debate or losing a debate based upon style or energy simply opens a window through which voters can visualize the future that their choices will create. Perhaps, for the first time, Mitt Romney and Pat McCrory have constructed that pane of glass so clear that both pundits and their viewers can see their choices clearly and visualize their future accurately.

With their debate wins, both Mitt Romney and Pat McCrory have shown that they represent the best choices for the future of our democracy.

Robert M. Levy is chairman of the Moore County Republican Party. Contact him at Law52@prodigy.net.

More like this story

The_AnonymusProfit 7 months, 2 weeks ago

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

geoffcutler 7 months, 2 weeks ago

Brit Hume made a point today that I thought a good one. Everybody says Obama was off his game for the debates. Hume said, not so. It was the same Obama we've seen for the last 5 years. It's just that Romney was the first given the chance to argue against the man's failures. I agree. Obama looked like...Obama.

Toyboy52 7 months, 2 weeks ago

Geoff, you may be exactly right

JimHeim 7 months, 2 weeks ago

Obama has never been a good debater. Hillary was much better in their race.But since presidents don't debate (except during elections) it hardly matters.

Go ahead, tell me you changed your vote as the result of last week's debate.

geoffcutler 7 months, 2 weeks ago

From what I understand, it's more about the undecided voters. They too have listened to and seen the result of Obama's policies. For the first time, they have reason to consider alternatives thanks to the debate. You'll notice the polls have been closing to a dead heat ever since. Hmm....

JimHeim 7 months, 2 weeks ago

You're welcome to enjoy the moment. It will be all you have when Obama is re-inaugurated in January.

MikeNC 7 months, 2 weeks ago

JimHeim 6 hours, 53 minutes ago ...Obama has never been a good debater.

He also has never been a good President. The nation has a fix for that on Novemmber 6th...Mike

madstork 7 months, 1 week ago

I can understand why Jimmy is so focused on having POTUS get reelected. After all, hanging out at his Grey Goose Farm requires revenue which, by his own admission, is derived by the fact that his wife is a federal retiree receiving said revenue.

JimHeim 7 months, 1 week ago

madstork, what have you got against America's service men and women? I'm tired of hearing all about your patriotism then you disrespect the service our military members give to the country.

Our military people sacrifice a lot to serve their country and deserve the retirement benefits promised. If you have a problem with that, let us know.

I have a hunch you're too fat for a horse. How's the carriage working out?

geoffcutler 7 months, 1 week ago

If you have so much respect for them, Jim, then I'm sure you'd also want to make sure that each and every one who wishes to vote in the upcoming election gets the chance, and that their vote is counted.

JimHeim 7 months, 1 week ago

geoff, Let me know who has decided not to request a ballot and why. We'll look right into it. So far there are a lot of unsupported allegations and no actual facts.

Find me a military member who has been prevented from requesting a ballot. Simple enough.

geoffcutler 7 months, 1 week ago

See report of about five minutes ago. "Wisconsin fails to get military ballots out in time."

JimHeim 7 months, 1 week ago

Well then, Wisconsin needs to get its act together. Remind me, who is the governor there and what party does he belong to?

JimHeim 7 months, 1 week ago

From Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Madison - About 100 military and overseas voters from Wisconsin were sent their ballots a few days late, but a state election official said he is confident they will all have their votes counted. Under Wisconsin law, ballots for military and overseas voters must be sent 47 days before election day. Separately, federal law requires the ballots to go out 45 days before election day. Twenty-eight communities missed the 47-day deadline, and another 30 missed that deadline as well as the 45-day deadline, according to the state Government Accountability Board. Ballots have now been sent to all 97 military and overseas voters in those 58 communities who had requested them, according to the board, which oversees state elections.

Okay, is this part of some grand military vote suppression scheme? How does it work exactly? How does this relate to your earlier story about our uniformed service people not even requesting ballots? Is this more of the conspiracy?

geoffcutler 7 months, 1 week ago

Well, Jim, as you know, each state has a board of elections who are directly responsible for getting the ballots out in time. Correct?

madstork 7 months, 1 week ago

JimHeim Writes "Our military people sacrifice a lot to serve their country and deserve the retirement benefits promised. If you have a problem with that, let us know.

I have a hunch you're too fat for a horse. How's the carriage working out?"

Jimmy..I come from military and am disabled. Nice touch.

JimHeim 7 months, 1 week ago

madstork, Then I assume you are another beneficiary of federal revenue. So what was your point?

On the other hand, anonymous posters can claim to be anything they want. Your writing style is quite familiar to me. That person is neither a vet nor disabled (at least not physically).

JimHeim 7 months, 1 week ago

geoff, no. Each county in each state has that responsibility. So, if you want to deny military members' requests for ballots (or systematically send them late), you would need (in North Carolina) to get 100 counties on board with your conspiracy. Nationwide we're talking over 3,000 counties. Go ahead, tell me how that works while I snicker into my evening martini.

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