Romney Plays It Safe, Misses Opportunities

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Obama was exceedingly condescending and disrespectful.

9:15 AM, Oct 23, 2012 • By STEPHEN F. HAYES

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Polls have shown Obama with strong lead on the question of “likability” – something that has mattered a lot in the era of the televised campaign. With an electorate skeptical of his record, it is arguably the one advantage that has allowed him to stay competitive. It’s hard to believe anyone who watched last night, other than the hardest Democratic partisans, would have found the president likable.

If Romney seemed eager to avoid sharp contrasts, Obama was determined to provide them. And in that sense the president was the challenger and Romney conducted himself like the incumbent – or at least the candidate leading the race. Either way, the debate Monday told us much more about the next two weeks than it did about the next four years.