I have to say the conversation after the debate is something pretty spectacular–it's all about lies and anger. I never expected that. But before I get there, I need to say this...It's my birthday today, and I'm depressed.
I'm depressed because I wanted Obama to go out there and knock the smirk off of Romney's face. Instead, he seemed listless and maybe even depressed. Maybe he was depressed that he had to talk policy with such a lying, conniving, arrogant twit. He knew it would never be a real conversation, and it was just depressing. I get that.
Yet...Obama could have ignored Romney and just talked to the American people. That's all he really had to do. Trying to engage with Romney or his ideas was futile. But there were other people there too, and Obama could have just explained stuff to them. You really can't argue with a liar, and I don't think he should have tried. So he got the part about not arguing with a liar mostly right–just not the part about connecting with the audience on stuff that matters to them. Maybe next time? Who knows. That's why I still feel depressed. Some of my convention high got smacked right out of me.
But now I'm getting to the good part, about the conversation we are actually having, which is coming to you after the salt and pepper shakers... (do you see it?)
This is the part that I can hardly take in. After the debate, Chris Matthews went off on a rant that was magnificent. He was so angry at Romney's lies that he outlined all of Obama's missed chances with total passion. Here's the link:
Chris Matthew's rant
Do you get that? Here is the conversation right now:
•Romney lied
•Obama missed all these chances
•We are pissed
Could it get any better than that, really? Everybody is talking about why didn't Obama say this, or that, or refute the other. Everybody is talking about how much Romney LIED. That will seep out there, zing, zing, zing, into America's consciousness.
If Obama had refuted everything, nobody would be talking about the lies. Nobody would say, oh my god, Romney blatantly lied about X and Obama called him on it. Nobody would find that particularly interesting. It's because Obama didn't, that everyone seems to need to say: Oh my god, Romney blatantly lied about X and Obama didn't even call him on it.
Can you see how powerful that meme is?
Every news channel on the planet is going to want to put some side-by-side Romney video up, because it's bloody entertaining to see someone contradict themselves so blatantly in a matter of weeks. They are ALL feverishly looking for video right this second. This has entertainment value off the charts. Obama, not so much–nothing to show there. It's all about The Romney Then and The Romney Now. Can't wait.
But there's more. We are all so damn angry too. That anger is a beautiful thing. It makes you finally say stuff you might have held back. It makes you spout facts and breathe fire and jump off the couch. It's making me pull that Obama car magnet off the fridge that I've always been afraid to put on my leased car because I think someone will scratch the paint here in central Florida. Fuck them. It's going on the car now. I am pissed. (So you see what a wimp I am at heart, and how the anger truly helps).
I am still depressed. I still want Obama to talk to the American people and explain stuff–just like Bill Clinton. But I am also kind of amazed. I've never seen anything quite like this as a reaction to a debate. It was so lopsided in such a strange way, that it will continue to be talked about for some time.
So let's review the conversation we are all having:
Oh my god, Romney blatantly lied about X and Obama didn't even call him on it.
Here's what Obama should have said about X.
The Romney Then on X vs. The Romney Now on X.
Big Bird is dead if Romney wins.
Isn't that spectacular?