It was Michelle Obama. Bang. Right on tape.

Posted by: Ace at 11:47 PM | Comments (88)
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Big roundup at Instapundit, but this is the one you want to see: more...

Posted by: Ace at 10:46 PM | Comments (105)
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In the press room, separate from the debate floor, the press broke out in applause when Obama "zinged" (?) Romney by stating that Romney's was "bigger than mine."

Posted by: Ace at 09:26 PM | Comments (232)
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Video below the fold. more...

Posted by: andy at 09:05 PM | Comments (165)
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You now, as far as "Debate Winner" it's pretty close with those registered voters. CBS gives it to Obama, among registered voters 37-30. CNN's registered voters gives it to Obama 46-39.

But on actual issues -- the ones that will determine this election -- Romney destroyed him.

CNN's focus group claimed they thought Obama "won." They had it something like 14 for Obama, 15 draw, 6 Romney.

But even that group said this-- on the question of "Who offers a better vision for the future?," Romney edged Obama 18-17.

Now that's very slim. I wouldn't read too much into that.

But consider: More people think Romney presents a better vision for the future -- the quickest possible shorthand for "who should be President?" -- and yet he didn't "win" the debate?

You always have to question what the criteria people are employing when you ask them who "won." I think people are rating the performance. And narrowly saying, on performance, it was a close thing, but edge to Obama.

But ask about who actually reached them on the most important issues, and it's Romney, all the way.

So they seem to be distinguishing between performance and substance.

Romney wins the substance, pretty clearly.

I'll take it. And give Obama his charity performance points.

More: Foreign policy, Obama edges 49-47.

But this is amazing: Did Obama offer a clear vision for solving the country's problems?

38% Yes

61% No

61% No. Wow.

How about that asked about Romney?

49% Yes

50% No

A Specatator Culture: Americans have gotten pretty sophisticated about judging performance, especially after 10 years of American Idol.

We shouldn't assume that when people answer the question "Who won the debate?" they confuse that question with "Who did you find more persuasive?"

They might actually be offering a sophisticated analysis: "I think this guy won on debate performance points."

But then ask them "Who actually persuaded you?," and they might answer a completely different way.

It certainly appears that's what happened here tonight.

More: NumbersMuncher has even more of the below-the-topline polling questions.

Romney wins.

Posted by: Ace at 08:01 PM | Comments (354)
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Well since all the decent folk are off at the debate thread, feel free to 'get comfortable'.

NO PANTS, NO SHIRT, FULL ONT SERVICE.

Remembering Joe Kittinger: C-O-M-E A-N-D G-E-T M-E

Felix Baumgartner made the news earlier this week with his jump earlier but don't forget that he was trying to outdo what Captain Kittinger did over 50 years ago.

In 1960 Kittinger jumped from 102,800 feet and set the highest balloon ascent, highest parachute jump, longest drogue-fall (four minutes), and fastest speed by a human being through the atmosphere. Later he served three tours in Vietnam and spent a year as a North Vietnamese POW when he was shot down in 1972. And this week at age 84 he served as the capsule commander during Baumgartner's jump.

But he wasn't the only jumper in that period - there were others who weren't as lucky:

Finally, there was the tragic case of Nick Piantanida, a truck driver, erstwhile exotic pet dealer and daredevil from New Jersey who six years after Kittinger's final statospheric jump decided that he was the man to beat the jump record. After two failed attempts, the second of which reached an unofficial altitude of 123,000 feet, Piantanida ascended over the South Dakota prairie in his Strato-Jump III gondola. Things were going well until about 57,000 feet when the ground crew heard a whoosh and a scream of "Emergency!" from Piantanida.

Though he was immediately rushed to a hospital, Pinatanida had spent too long exposed to a near-vaccuum and, after four months in a coma, he died at the Veteran's Hospital in Philadelphia.

Posted by: Maetenloch at 06:14 PM | Comments (562)
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Livestream and liveblog thingies below the fold.

Comments will be moderated during the debate but we'll turn off moderation before and after.

While you're waiting, give this VDH piece a read - A Presidency Squandered: In January 2009, the future seemed to be all Barack ObamaÂ’s more...

Posted by: andy at 04:45 PM | Comments (2786)
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That's the good news.

The bad news its orbit is apparently, like, almost exactly on the edge of the star itself, so it's kind of... well, you ever been to Phoenix? It's like that, more or less.

Fun stuff though.

Thanks to Dave in Garfield Ridge.

Now seriously, though: Everyone who was about to say "SOL IS THE CLOSEST STAR," smack yourselves.

Because, come on. It's annoying.

Like Barack Obama, you should man up and admit it in the comments.

Posted by: Ace at 04:42 PM | Comments (43)
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I have to confess, I haven't read this paper -- or heard much of it -- in forever.

It had always been my belief it was liberal-leaning. I think that idiot Tish Durkle, whoever the eff, the ditz that was always on Hardball, wrote for it.

Anyway, I don't really know its politics, I guess.

Sorta thought they were liberal, though.

They're endorsing Romney now, so I guess they can't be that liberal.

They did endorse Obama in 2008. Change.

The Observer endorses Mr. RomneyÂ’s candidacy and urges readers to support him.

Four years ago, Barack Obama captured the imagination of many Americans with his thrilling message of change. Given the challenges confronting the president—two raging wars and an unprecedented global economic collapse—the desire for a quick fix was unrealistic.

America supported that candidate (as did this newspaper), but his presidency, so filled with promise and potential, has failed to deliver the change America needs.

True, Mr. Obama deserves credit for strong, decisive action that helped prevent a catastrophic economic meltdown on Wall Street. The financial services sector, the city’s most important industry, came very close to the unthinkable as once-unshakable entities—Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch—simply vanished. Mr. Obama’s policies helped to shore up the industry and, thus, the city.

At the same time, however, the president has evinced a distaste for that very same industry, and his rhetoric has begun to erode its foundation. Class warfare might be a successful strategy for cobbling together 270 electoral votes. But itÂ’s not the way to unite a divided nation.

The president comes to town on a Monday, takes our money, shakes our hands and tells us how much he values the CEOs and innovators of New York. And then on Tuesday, he turns around and refers to business leaders as fat cat bankers whose success was created by the sweat of others. ThatÂ’s not a friend. ThatÂ’s not a leader. ThatÂ’s a politician.

Mitt Romney stands out because—unlike so many candidates in the past—he understands how to build businesses, create efficiencies, make tough deals and carefully consider divergent viewpoints. America needs a strong leader, a practical leader. Mr. Romney knows full well that it would be a tragic mistake to simply assume that the United States will continue to be the world’s economic powerhouse simply because that’s what we’ve been for decades. America earned its global prominence because of the nation’s culture of work and individual freedom. That’s why immigrants came here and continue to come here—not because they seek a handout, but because they want a chance to work and to create and to innovate. In today’s competitive economy, the country needs competitors, not class-war crybabies.

Not too shabby, I guess. Eh, nothin' wrong with an unexpected endorsement.

Their Previous Endorsement: They had Hopenchange Feveh four years ago, and compared Obama to FDR -- favorably.

Via @alwaysonoffense.

Posted by: Ace at 04:05 PM | Comments (190)
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Third story I've heard like this. And I'm hearing it from NE states (NY, NJ).

The stories go like this: There were lots of Obama signs last time, and rather few for McCain/Palin, and now Romney/Ryan signs are dominating.

I've heard this from middle-to-high income suburbs. Again, in the Northeast. Where, last time, Obama made his rent.

Anecdotal, I know. But the third time I hear it, well. That's what we call a "filler post" in the blog business.

Oh, by the way: the #warontampons continues.

It's a very funny response from a corporation. I mean, not like "ha," I mean like actually professionally funny.

Posted by: Ace at 03:44 PM | Comments (200)
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