Who slipped Obama a mickie? We Dems, even the most inarticulate ones, wasted 90 minutes trying to put words in his mouth. I've spent half my life stewing and ruing, "That's what I should have said!"--but even I could have counterattacked some of The Mittster's bullet points. For example, when talking about the deficit, and what spending he'd cut to bring things into line, I think The Mittster's Point #2 was cutting subsidies to PBS, which of course would save around a buck two eighty. Number two on the list! Obama, however, was mute. All the Thursday morning quarterbacks are saying what Obama should have said, because the field is pretty much open. My favorite belongs to Nicholas Thompson, who, live chatting the debate, said, soon as Romney mentioned firing his accountant, that Obama should retort, "You're paying 13%. Your accountant is doing fine."
But, no. On social security, Obama said he and Romney basically agreed. Can you imagine, if the Social Security Act had never been enacted, and Obama was proposing it now, what Republicans would say? The nanny state! Big government taking your money and redistributing it to people it has decided need it more than you! Are your surprised to be old and without an income? Did you think you'd be able to work forever? How about a little personal responsibility? That's what they'd say. But it's been a wonderful, popular success, so they can't say what they really think, except when raising money from zillionaires at private mansion parties. "We basically agree," Obama said.
Good grief.
