Elaine Lac
Writer
Who will win the presidential debates? Will it be Barack Obama, our 44th president who has failed to drastically change America’s economic situation? Will it be Mitt Romney, the self-made business man with numerous public flubs? The first presidential debate is set for Oct. 3 with the first topic being domestic policy. Obama will be more consistent and informed in his debate, but Romney may have an edge because of his recent experience debating during the Republican primaries.
I would have an inclination towards Obama because of his consistency in policies. He’s spent four years in office so he has to know about the debate topics. Better yet, he has clear cut proposals to fix things. He has spent his term trying to deliver the promises he made in 2008, but most of his proposals were shot down in Congress. The Democratic majority in the Senate cancelled the Republican majority in the House of Representatives, which made passing legislation difficult. Ultimately, he appears ineffective as a president and hasn’t delivered the “change” he promised. This could be a vital point for Romney to exploit, and I’m sure it will be because Obama hasn’t done anything drastic during his term to improve America. Maybe “change” is needed.
Romney has the advantage over Obama in debates because he had to go through the Republican primaries. This will make him more relaxed and ready for these debates. However, he has been placed under critical scrutiny because of a video recording of him disregarding 47 percent of the United States because they didn’t pay income tax. This 47 percent is mostly comprised of people who are either elderly or making less than $20,000 a year. They can’t afford to pay income tax, but still pay things like payroll taxes.
This damages his image, and Obama will definitely question him about the video. Obama will also question his policies regarding helping the lower class who are struggling the most with “Great Recession.” Romney has already been painted as out-of-touch after refusing to release his tax returns and making a casual $10,000 bet with a Republican primary candidate. This is just the cherry on top of the sundae.
Obama has an upper hand in terms of knowing his information and having experience writing policies for a broader range of issues like immigration and healthcare. Romney has experience running businesses which can translate into effective politics and may perform more naturally than Obama. But, the recent scrutiny Romney is facing for his video will tip the balance in Obama’s favor.