After Denver: Can Obama Bounce Back?

The challenger came in well-prepared and displayed an impressive command of the issues. He was sharp, energetic, and direct. Time and again, he corrected the President, politely but firmly pointing out that his proposals were being misrepresented. He gave a strong closing statement, and after it all ended, the pundits were in agreement that he had breathed new life into his campaign. The President, for his part, seemed a bit listless and distracted. He lacked zip and looked down at his notes a lot. All in all, he gave the impression he’d rather be at the dentist. Even some members of his own party admitted he had lost the debate.

The year was 1984. The President was Ronald Reagan, and the challenger was Walter Mondale. Before reading too much into last night’s debate in Denver, which the talking heads and Twitterers almost unanimously proclaimed a big victory on points for Mitt Romney (some pronounced it a T.K.O.), it is as well to recall a bit of history. This is but one debate of three, and the fundamentals still heavily favor Obama. He didn’t lose the election last night; far from it. But he certainly made it more interesting, which was the opposite of his intention going in. That nobody can deny.

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