There's no denying that President Obama's performance in the first debate with Mitt Romney has hurt his chances of reelection. He let Romney control the debate nearly from start to finish, missing many opportunities to steer the discussion in a more favorable direction, call out Romney on his dishonesty and newfound moderation, and failing to make a compelling case for his reelection. Before the debate, Obama looked to be the clear favorite, but now the race is looking like a tossup, and Romney has clear momentum.
What I found most disturbing in Obama's performance, as an enthusiastic 2008 Obama voter, was his apparent lack of passion. Perhaps the most important aspect of Obama's first campaign--what drew me to him in the first place--was his ability to beautifully articulate his ideas; simply put, he is a master orator. He had an amazing ability to combine a unique poetic style with real progressive substance, in a way that appealed not just to progressives, but to most people who tuned in to listen. I suspect that hundreds of years from now, historians will remember several of his speeches as some of the best in American history. Most notably, his Inaugural Address.
And I think the President's reelection hinges on whether he prepared for this second debate by getting back in touch with the man he was when he wrote that masterful 2009 speech. It should act as a guide for his campaign moving forward.
Just look at what he did in that speech. He laid out the basic idea of what would become the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, whose effects we are still feeling today:
The state of our economy calls for action, bold and swift. And we will act, not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We'll restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.
Later on, he not only references, but manages to redefine, many of the issues that are still at the forefront of our politics. See the passage about the size of government:
The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
In that bolded sentence, he defines part of his vision for what government should do, and he needs to point out in the debate just how well his administration has ahcieved these goals. It should help people find jobs--
check! It should help people afford medical care-
check! It should help retired people live with dignity-
check, and
check!
He set the foundation for what would later become the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act:
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched. But this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control. The nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity, on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good. (Applause.)
He lays out the basic principles that have driven his rather successful foreign policy (the intervention in Libya, the exit from Iraq, drawing down Afghanistan, the defeat of Osama bin Laden, the tough work of rebuilding America's image abroad--oh, and refusing to apologize for America):
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort, even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we'll work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet.
We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense. And for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken -- you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you. (Applause.)
I've only highlighted some of this amazing speech, but we should all reread it or watch it again. Back in January of 2009, the newly-inaugurated president passionately laid out the principles with which he would govern, and in these last four years, he's done a pretty damn good job of sticking to them. The man who gave this speech was poised, poetic, presidential--a winner--and President Obama could use his help tonight.