Why are the Obama Handlers trying to lower expectations for the upcoming political debates?
Steverno~POTL~PWCM~JLA
2012/09/19 07:46:07
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President Barack Obama's re-election campaign doesn't want to talk
about what the Democrat is doing to prepare for the fall debates with
Republican Mitt Romney. But aides are readily setting expectations -
and not surprisingly, they want to keep them low for Obama while
raising the stakes for Romney.
"While Mitt Romney has done 20 debates in the last year, he has not
done one in four years, so there certainly is a challenge in that
regard," Jennifer Psaki, Obama's campaign spokeswoman, said of the
president on Monday.
With Obama edging slightly ahead of Romney in public polling seven
weeks from Election Day, the three October debates could be one of the
Republicans' best opportunities to break through with voters. But the
high-profile events are just as crucial for Obama, who was an uneven
debater during the 2008 Democratic primaries.
In that way, some of the Obama campaign's tactical lowering of
expectations is also rooted in the truth. Aides say the structured -
and time-limited - nature of the debates isn't a natural fit for
Obama, who often is long-winded when answering questions during news
conferences or town hall-style meetings.
Obama's campaign purposely has been vague about how he is getting
ready for the debates and aides refused to discuss details of his
preparations publicly.
But those preparations are well under way. Obama has held multiple
practice sessions, some with Massachusetts Democrat Sen. John Kerry,
who is playing the role of Romney. One of the president's practice
spots is at the Democratic National Committee's headquarters a short
drive from the White House.
Romney, on the other hand, has not hidden that he's been in the midst
of intense debate preparation since early September. That's when aides
announced that the GOP nominee would spend much of the week of the
Democratic National Convention off the campaign trail huddling with
advisers in private debate sessions.
Romney got started early in part to help him get accustomed to the
one-on-one format he'll face next month. Most of his numerous debates
during the GOP primary featured several other candidates.
The Republican nominee is doing timed, mock debates with Ohio's
Republican Sen. Rob Portman playing Obama. Longtime adviser Peter
Flaherty is standing in as the moderator, asking questions about both
domestic and foreign policy.
Top Romney advisers, including strategist Stuart Stevens, longtime
aides Eric Fehrnstrom and Beth Myers, and senior adviser Ed Gillespie,
then dissect the sessions.
Among the locales Romney has picked for debate preps are a friend's
home in rural Vermont and a Marriott hotel in Burlington, Mass. Obama
may also practice at the presidential retreat at Camp David, besides
using DNC headquarters.
Obama's campaign has tried to use Romney's intense public preparations
to ramp up expectations for the Republican.
"We know that Mitt Romney and his team have seemed to prepare more
than any candidate in modern history," Psaki told reporters traveling
with Obama in Ohio on Monday. "They've made clear that his performing
well is a make-or-break piece for their campaign."
Romney's campaign countered Monday by noting that the president will
be the only one on the debate stage in November with experience in
three general election debates.
But the Republican nominee, a former Massachusetts governor, has tried
to tamp down expectations, too.
During a Friday night flight to Boston, Romney and Portman walked to
the back of the airplane to offer birthday greetings to two reporters
covering his campaign. "Can you tell us a little bit about debate
prep? How's he doing?" a reporter asked Portman. The senator replied,
"He's doing great."
Romney, laughing, quickly interjected. Turning to Portman, he said:
"Say nothing more."
The candidates will meet for three debates: a domestic policy debate
in Denver on Oct. 3; a town hall-style debate in Hempstead, N.Y., on
Oct. 16, and a foreign policy debate in Boca Raton, Fla., on Oct. 22.
Vice President Joe Biden and GOP running mate Rep. Paul Ryan of
Wisconsin will meet for one debate in Danville, Ky., on Oct. 11 that
will touch on both domestic and foreign policy issues.
Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/19563051/obama-touts-new-auto-case-against-china?clienttype=printable#ixzz26tm6jJIZ
about what the Democrat is doing to prepare for the fall debates with
Republican Mitt Romney. But aides are readily setting expectations -
and not surprisingly, they want to keep them low for Obama while
raising the stakes for Romney.
"While Mitt Romney has done 20 debates in the last year, he has not
done one in four years, so there certainly is a challenge in that
regard," Jennifer Psaki, Obama's campaign spokeswoman, said of the
president on Monday.
With Obama edging slightly ahead of Romney in public polling seven
weeks from Election Day, the three October debates could be one of the
Republicans' best opportunities to break through with voters. But the
high-profile events are just as crucial for Obama, who was an uneven
debater during the 2008 Democratic primaries.
In that way, some of the Obama campaign's tactical lowering of
expectations is also rooted in the truth. Aides say the structured -
and time-limited - nature of the debates isn't a natural fit for
Obama, who often is long-winded when answering questions during news
conferences or town hall-style meetings.
Obama's campaign purposely has been vague about how he is getting
ready for the debates and aides refused to discuss details of his
preparations publicly.
But those preparations are well under way. Obama has held multiple
practice sessions, some with Massachusetts Democrat Sen. John Kerry,
who is playing the role of Romney. One of the president's practice
spots is at the Democratic National Committee's headquarters a short
drive from the White House.
Romney, on the other hand, has not hidden that he's been in the midst
of intense debate preparation since early September. That's when aides
announced that the GOP nominee would spend much of the week of the
Democratic National Convention off the campaign trail huddling with
advisers in private debate sessions.
Romney got started early in part to help him get accustomed to the
one-on-one format he'll face next month. Most of his numerous debates
during the GOP primary featured several other candidates.
The Republican nominee is doing timed, mock debates with Ohio's
Republican Sen. Rob Portman playing Obama. Longtime adviser Peter
Flaherty is standing in as the moderator, asking questions about both
domestic and foreign policy.
Top Romney advisers, including strategist Stuart Stevens, longtime
aides Eric Fehrnstrom and Beth Myers, and senior adviser Ed Gillespie,
then dissect the sessions.
Among the locales Romney has picked for debate preps are a friend's
home in rural Vermont and a Marriott hotel in Burlington, Mass. Obama
may also practice at the presidential retreat at Camp David, besides
using DNC headquarters.
Obama's campaign has tried to use Romney's intense public preparations
to ramp up expectations for the Republican.
"We know that Mitt Romney and his team have seemed to prepare more
than any candidate in modern history," Psaki told reporters traveling
with Obama in Ohio on Monday. "They've made clear that his performing
well is a make-or-break piece for their campaign."
Romney's campaign countered Monday by noting that the president will
be the only one on the debate stage in November with experience in
three general election debates.
But the Republican nominee, a former Massachusetts governor, has tried
to tamp down expectations, too.
During a Friday night flight to Boston, Romney and Portman walked to
the back of the airplane to offer birthday greetings to two reporters
covering his campaign. "Can you tell us a little bit about debate
prep? How's he doing?" a reporter asked Portman. The senator replied,
"He's doing great."
Romney, laughing, quickly interjected. Turning to Portman, he said:
"Say nothing more."
The candidates will meet for three debates: a domestic policy debate
in Denver on Oct. 3; a town hall-style debate in Hempstead, N.Y., on
Oct. 16, and a foreign policy debate in Boca Raton, Fla., on Oct. 22.
Vice President Joe Biden and GOP running mate Rep. Paul Ryan of
Wisconsin will meet for one debate in Danville, Ky., on Oct. 11 that
will touch on both domestic and foreign policy issues.
Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/19563051/obama-touts-new-auto-case-against-china?clienttype=printable#ixzz26tm6jJIZ
Read More: http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/19563051/obama-touts-...
maybe...never needed liberal media to tell about what happen in any debate...
funny to here them spin what the candidates said... ha ha...bark
Same with Brainless Biden against Ryan.....
And if Obama doesn't do well on the debates.The MSM Press will say this kind of debate format 'doesn't allow the genus of Obama to shine' !
To Busy Campaigning, to really get focused on what he Needs to Do...Over Confident....