Gaming the town hall debate – PostPartisan – The Washington Post

Who prevails this evening depends not only on how each candidate does but also on how their supporters react. …

First and foremost, [Obama] needs to show that he really wants to keep his job, and that he’s happy to fight for it. The most disconcerting aspect of the first debate wasn’t that Obama failed to go after Romney’s shape-shifting and untruths, though that was a problem. It’s that Obama was utterly disengaged and seemed to have no desire to battle for a second term. A number of Obama supporters I spoke with after Debate One said they felt that were fighting harder for Obama’s reelection than he was. This time, he needs to convey spirit, energy and a little joy. …

Republican spin-meisters did not worry in the least that they might have contradicted themselves by saying that Romney’s aggressiveness against Obama was a sign of leadership while Biden’s aggressiveness against Ryan was a sign of disrespect.

Gaming the town hall debate – PostPartisan – The Washington Post