Second Debate: Obama's Waterloo?

[This post is being written on Monday, October 15, 2012]

How did it all go so wrong?  Obama was (supposedly) surging to as much as a nine point lead in national polls after the Democratic National Convention.  He was far a head in the battleground states such as Ohio.  Obama had a double digit lead in some polls.  In Florida, he was leading by as much as five points in various polls.  Republicans were screaming at Mitt Romney to change up his campaign, especially the campaign leaders.  Many were starting to question Romney's Vice-Presidential choice.  In short, President Obama appeared to have smooth sailing toward the Presidential Election.  But, then the first Presidential Debate took place.  It was an unmitigated disaster for Obama.  I have been around a long time.  The first Presidential Debate I can remember was the Nixon-Kennedy debate.  I was a child then and it was something special for us to see on TV back in those days.  I've seen a lot of debates.  But, none were as one-sided as two weeks ago between President Obama and Governor Mitt Romney.  As a result, it gave a historic poll shift to Romney.  Romney is leading President Obama anywhere from 2-4% nationally.  But, where the President is really hurting is in the battleground states such as Ohio, Florida, Virginia and North Carolina. There has been movement in virtually all demographics.

The Second Presidential Debate, to be held at Hofstra University, will be more of a town hall debate where audience members ask the presidential contenders questions.  The moderator, Candy Crowley, will supposedly moderate unbiased.  Neither campaign is happy with her.  But, the important thing for Obama is to come out with something resembling fire and enthusiasm.  His lackluster performance in the first debate was the reason his campaign is rattled to its core right now.  President Obama has to show the American people he has a plan to get the economy going and not slogans this time.  He has to give reasons why he should be reelected with such a still terrible unemployment rate and sluggish economy.  Mitt Romney has to keep the heat on Obama.  Breaking even in the debate with an incumbent president will not be enough.  That will be seen by the biased mainstream media as a win for their Lord and Savior, President Obama.  If Obama has another subpar performance, it could well be his final mistake of this campaign (and there have been plenty).  Another subpar performance by President Obama could, indeed, be his Waterloo moment of the campaign.