Gary Pearce posted on October 10, 2012 14:29
Could one debate turn the presidential race upside down and give Mitt Romney a comeback win over President Obama? Yes, and there are 67.2 million reasons why.
Nielsen says that’s how many people watched last Wednesday’s debate. It was “the highest-rated first election-season debate since 1980.” Of the viewers, 12 million were age 18-34 and 30 million were 55 and older.
They watched because it was their first chance to measure the two men against each other. For many people, it was their first chance to see Romney without the lens of media coverage and TV ads (his and the Obama campaign’s).
Like him or not, Romney was impressive. Like him or not, Obama was stunningly disappointing. Romney looked caring and competent. Obama looked over his head. No wonder Romney is rising in the polls.
Even more people may watch the next debate. They want to know if the first was a fluke, if Romney will hold up and Obama step up.
Joe Biden can give Democrats hope and heart this week, but that’s all. The election now rides squarely on the President’s shoulders. He has to earn his job back.