October 4, 2012

Rocky Mountain high Obama?

“I’m going to say something controversial here... Obama arrived in Denver at 2:00 p.m. today, just a few hours before the debate started. Romney did his debate prep in Denver. When you go to 5,000 feet and you only have a few hours to adjust — I don’t know, maybe....”

Al Gore said on his TV network that apparently somebody watched.

I've also heard that Obama has trouble when you rouse him at 3 a.m. with a telephone call.



And don't bring up the writing on the pajamas. I'm cautioning against that sort of thing now. Stay upbeat, Romney people. Romney sounded like Reagan last night. He's full of optimism and energy. He can speak cogently for 2 hours in the mile-high city, and he can, I presume, answer the phone in the middle of the night.

AND: Just because we're talking about Al Gore and screwing up debates, I want to show you what I find the funniest presidential debate moment of all time:



Bush's head nod is epic, and if you ever want to make me laugh, just look at me with Gore-y triumph and ask "What about the Dingell-Norwood bill?"

184 comments:

Methadras said...

I wonder of Urkel's people will claim he suffered from altitude sickness, which can be easily cured with some nice wiffs of oxygen.

roger said...

Oh come, now. All the rest of the Kenyans come to Denver to train at high altitude for marathons...... Surely the president can manage an hour and a half at altitude. /snarc

roger said...

I don't understand about the pajamas. Kenyans don't run marathons and debate Republicans in pajamas.

Do I have to turn off the snarc each time? Is it a rule?

Oso Negro said...

There was a hole in my mitt! The moon was in my eye! I couldn't see!

DADvocate said...

Al Gore is such an idiot. In his "home" state of Tennessee, thousands of people regularly drive from 1,000 feet to 5-6,000 feet in the Smoky Mountains each year without any mental debilitation (maybe millions, 14 million visit the park each year).

Oh, wait, I think I did see a sign along the highway warning of falling IQs ahead.

Obama didn't seem to have any problem giving his acceptance speech in Denver last time.

Chip S. said...

OTOH, the thin air added 30 yards to his drives. So it was pretty much a break-even proposition for the prez personally.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

Debate performance excuses from Al Gore, my God, has it come to that!

BarrySanders20 said...

Clearly, the sun was in his eyes.

Or maybe Obama needs to borrow an excuse for why he wasn't prepared from his near-Chicago pal, Joliet Jake:

Honest... I ran out of gas. I, I had a flat tire. I didn't have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn't come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts. IT WASN'T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD.

Brian Brown said...

When you go to 5,000 feet and you only have a few hours to adjust — I don’t know, maybe...

...Obama's an idiot?

rhhardin said...

Pilots are unconfused at 5000 feet, but maybe presidents are different.

YoungHegelian said...

As someone who went to college from a low altitude town to a high altitude town, I can tell you that it takes about two weeks for the body to adjust. It doesn't happen in the short time that Romney was in Denver.

The effects of oxygen deprivation also show up in times of physical exertion, not standing at a podium and talking.

Now, that Obama may have been off his feed for a mild case of food poisoning, or some other gastrointestinal distress, that I would believe. He sorta looked it.

Tim said...

Ooooh Noooos!

Lack of Oxygen!

Our president was impaired!

Oooh nooos!

Cripes.

What a bunch of pussies.

The affirmative action hire runs into someone not only prepared, but also willing to challenge him, and the most predictable thing ever happens: he gets his ass handed to him.

Duh.

Oops.

We, er, I can't say that, can I?

I know.

Ugly.

Ugly, ugly, ugly.

Vote for Obama!

People are recognizing he's not qualified for office, and that's just mean.

Sorun said...

He seems to spend half his time flying in Air Force One, which is pressurized to something well above sea level.

I'm not buying Gore's explanation. Altitude doesn't explain his poor closing statement either.

edutcher said...

Shorter YoungHegelian (my opinion):

The air was just as thin for the Romster.

But, if you want excuses, wait until Nov 7.

TWM said...

"Lock Box" ~ Al Gore

aka John said...

>: You miserable slug! You think you can talk your way out of this? You betrayed me.
>: No I didn't. Honest... I ran out of gas! I--I had a flat tire! I didn't have enough money for cab fare! My tux didn't come back from the cleaners! An old friend came in from out of town! Someone stole my car! There was an earthquake! A terrible flood! Locusts! IT WASN'T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD!!!

David said...

I saw the clip. Even Gore knew that his statement was a reach. Nobody else on the panel picked up on it.

Gore is fatter then ever. Really obese. His carbon footprint now includes gas passing of bovine proportions.



Anonymous said...

He can't even answer a 5:00 pm phone call.

Al Gore is a racist: he says "thin" air, but really means "thin" skin, "skin" reminds the voters of his skin color, a reminder for the racist whities not to vote for a black person.

Brian Brown said...

Al Gore said on his TV network that apparently somebody watched.

Those of you who are pleased with these seemingly exciting new ways to make excuses for Obama are losing perspective. You are not thinking about how you look to the people you need to convince. Here’s a clue: You look ugly.

David said...

I'm much more interested in what John Kerry has to say.

I wonder if anyone was monitoring Obama's body language and facial expressions during the debate preparations. Is there anyone around him that would dare speak up in something like this?

AllenS said...

It's a simple fact that getting enough oxygen into the lungs to make the brain function correctly is limited by smoking cigarettes. Especially when you are very nervous.

BarrySanders20 said...

Is Gore still orange like an Oompa Loompa? Gad, I wonder if that stuff ever washed off.

But if he's expanding, then he should have white flab with orange stretch marks.

Rich B said...

Mitt bought a hyperbaric chamber to help him deal with the altitude. 1% indeed!

Rich B said...

Oh by the way

Ann Romney: "My Husband Is An Alien Robot Who Eats The Poor To Fuel His Radioactive Heart!"

Writ Small said...

I hope someone is compiling a list of explanations for Obama's performance. The human brain's ability rationalize is awesome to behold.

I especially like the ones from Andrew Sullivan's readers saying Obama deliberately threw the debate in order to get Rebublicans to divert resourses from tight congressional races back to the Romney campaign.

That's the ticket.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps there was a fire nearby Denver, due to Global Warming, which sent up some smoke that further exacerbated Obama's brain getting enough oxygen?

I smell another documentary.

Synova said...

5K feet isn't hard. Sorry. Not even for a fellow from sea level. He's not performing an athletic sport and even there it's mostly an accumulative benefit for training at altitude. You don't adjust in a day or two in any case.

Even completely sedentary persons like myself don't feel the altitude until 8K.

It's not as though the debate was in Tulleride.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

To quote Wikipedia:

A typical cabin altitude, such as the Boeing 767's, is maintained at 6,900 feet (2,100 m) when cruising at 39,000 feet (12,000 m).[2]


Obama, flying between such disparate locations as Las Vegas and some place called Madison, has surely spent more time at altitude than at sea level. This is just further proof, in case you needed any, that Algore is a gold-plated idiot.

Hagar said...

If they had held the debate in Leadville, maybe, but Denver, no.

It was just the strain of looking presidential and not being prepared, so that he could not go into campaign mode.

It is a besetting sin of the left that they believe the world's ills are due to the evil rich, so that if they can just get rid of, or at least sideline the kulaks and their henchmen, the inborn virtues of "the common people" will come to the fore, and the government will just naturally run itself very nicely.

This has been how Obama has run his administration; he just has not bothered to keep up with exactly what everybody has been doing around him, and he is not prepared to either defend what has been done or state any specifics as to what should be done next.

I think that for the next debate, he will say the heck with this presidential stuff, and go back to 2007 mode.

Alex said...

Guys don't listen to Ann, she's playing you. We all know how she's voting.

Roman said...

If AlGore said anything on his network, did anyone hear him?

Revenant said...

Wouldn't it be nice if that was the dumbest thing Al Gore had ever said?

Paddy O said...

Maybe just plain old high Obama.

Peter said...

Is the President so impaired as to be "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office??

If so, is someone going to invokde the 25th Amendment?

Sal said...

Romney 4.0 - how's the Tea Party going to like this re-invention? Or is just winning good enough? Was this version really the nominee?

Fprawl said...

This is a ludicrous defense from Gore, but all of the pundits who blurted out the obvious win by Romney are now retrenching and coming out with a Robust Counteroffensive to be consummated within 24 hours.
Fact Checkers who think they really are arbiters are crying LIAR. This is about to get nasty.
This has just awakened a sleeping giant, the MSM, and it will make the one-sided Libya coverage look pale by comparison. Pravda would be proud of the US media in the next 30 days.

Mr. D said...

Icarus had trouble with altitude as well.

Larry J said...

I lived in Colorado for 26 years at an elevation higher than Denver. I arrived just after graduation from Officer Training School where I was running 5 miles a day. The first time I tried to run at elevation, I thought I was going to die. That never happened just when I was standing and talking.

That said, the elevation at Las Vegas is around 2000 feet. The cabin pressure altitude in Air Force One at cruising altitude is around 8000 feet. If altitide was a factor, then it shows Romney was smarter than Obama by getting there earlier to have more time to get used to the altitude.

McTriumph said...

Add this to your debate video library, it's called "The Smirk" Note, Romney has no teleprompter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKMUHcgsbag&feature=player_embedded

Hagar said...

@Synova,

The altitude does affect you. Do not drive straight through from the flatlands to Albuquerque, especially if you are starting out without a full night's sleep.

aka John said...

"If altitude was a factor, then it shows Romney was smarter than Obama by getting there earlier to have more time to get used to the altitude."

Excellent point! I wonder if the President has made an other poor choices since he has been in office.

MayBee said...

Is this a better or worse excuse than he meant to throw the debate, or he had something emotionally draining going on?

TWM said...

"We all know how she's voting."

It doesn't really matter but I do imagine she'll vote for Barry. Still, who knows, maybe she'll go "ugly" when they call closing-time on election day.

TWM said...

Just read that somewhere between 58and 65 million watched that debate. Make of what that what you will, but I'm making it a bad thing for Barry.

McTriumph said...

" or he had something emotionally draining going on?"

Failures?

Nora said...

schmidt said...
Romney 4.0 - how's the Tea Party going to like this re-invention? Or is just winning good enough? Was this version really the nominee?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FYI, this nonsense does not work with adults, for any adult person knows that one has potential of learning and gaining experience through the life. I would rather have a flexible person, than cut in stone ideologue, as executive in chief; and I bet so will you when you grow up.

carrie said...

Maybe everything in the Amateur was true . . .

Scott said...

Al Gore can't tell the difference between "controversial" and "stupid".

(That fact certainly shows in Current TV programming.)

LordSomber said...

Just say that he didn't inhale. Worked for Clinton.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Obama was hi alright... on his polls

Freeman Hunt said...

I don't understand why Obama didn't better prepare himself.

If you're going to debate Romney, you know that Romney will be prepared. He's a prepared kind of guy. (That's a big part of competence.) You should know that Romney will have bullet points memorized for every single Democratic campaign talking point. You should know that he's not going to be flustered. You should be studied and ready to go.

Obama was not studied and ready to go, and he got creamed.

Methadras said...

Al Gore can go fuck himself into oblivion, fucking wonky cocksucker.

Freeman Hunt said...

I had forgotten what a nice voice Bush has.

I wish people where I live had some sort of distinctive, pleasing accent that my boys would grow up having. Everyone here is from somewhere else, so there is no accent.

plainslow said...

Pot is legal in Colorado. Maybe he found a “Choomwagon”.

Christopher in MA said...

Romney 4.0 - how's the Tea Party going to like this re-invention? Or is just winning good enough? Was this version really the nominee?

Looks like somebody's channeling Little Black Jesus. From Reuters:

"When I got onto the stage, I met this very spirited fellow who claimed to be Mitt Romney," Obama said.

"But it couldn't have been Mitt Romney, because the real Mitt Romney has been running around the country for the last year promising $5 trillion in tax cuts that favor the wealthy. The fellow on stage last night said he didn't know anything about that."


Excuses and lies. That's all the crackhead in chief has left.

Well, that and Chicago dirty tricks. Expect a cup of coffee to show up on Mitt's campaign bus in a day or two. . .


"That man last night - that wasn't the real Mitt Romney. . ."

MayBee said...


Obama was not studied and ready to go, and he got creamed.


The next debate will tell us if Obama can study for such things.


I can't think of the last time Obama demonstrated he had a lot of facts at his command, or a lot of patience for explaining himself or disagreeing with others.

furious_a said...

Althouse: Stay upbeat, Romney people. Romney sounded like Reagan.

Looks like somebody else has been breathing that Rocky Mtn. Air, too.

Romney people, heh.

Alex said...

MayBee - yet Romney was agreeing with Obamacare and didn't know about outsourcing rules.

MayBee said...

Freeman- if they don't seem to have an accent, you can always give them an accent by comparison. Send them to college in the upper midwest and they'll sound southern compared to all those nasal A's.

Triangle Man said...

Perhaps Obama's debate strategy was not to "win" the popular perception of the debate itself, but to bait Romney into making statements that can be used in attack ads that more people will see than watched the debates. Is the first post-debate ad out yet?

furious_a said...

ManBearPig: When you go to 5,000 feet and you only have a few hours to adjust — I don’t know, maybe....”

Did anyone else notice Pres. Obama's squeaky helium-balloon voice?

lauren said...

As Commander-in-Chief of the Choom Gang, Øbama always operates high. Last night, Americans had a chance to watch Øbama unplugged from his teleprompter and unfiltered by his prophylactic media.

MayBee said...

Alex- Romney was right about the outsourcing rules.

Obama says there is a tax benefit to countries who outsource jobs overseas, but in reality it's that companies who make money overseas with overseas workers don't pay US taxes on all of those earnings. Which makes sense. It isn't a benefit, it's that the companies are penalized for being US companies.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I don't understand why Obama didn't better prepare himself.

The Obama pattern has been to leave things for others to do... Everything from the debt deal to his own Obamacare.

This maybe the first thing he had to do for himself sisnce he got elected and he is just not used to having to just do it... like the Nike campaing..

“Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.”

Obama is lazy.. and I'm sorry Althouse if you think its ugly. The truth is ugly sometimes.

Alex said...

I'm very sure that the Bain attack ads will go into overdrive now. I think this is where Romney is very weak with swing voters.

MayBee said...

Much like Obama calls tax write offs that all companies get a "tax subsidy for oil companies".

Alex said...

Guys, gain some P-erspective. Obama came in with an 8-point lead. He had margin to work with. All Romney did was close the gap a little. Obama is still gonna win.

furious_a said...

I can't think of the last time Obama demonstrated he had a lot of facts at his command, or a lot of patience for explaining himself or disagreeing with others.

There was that time he hid behind the podium at the Republican policy retreat, berating Paul Ryan while giving him no chance to respond. Then there was that other time during the State of the Union where he invited the Democrats in the Chamber to stand and jeer the Supremes. Classy.

Oh, you mean where other side can respond? Never mind...

David-2 said...

+Tyrone.

Alex said...

why should Obama have any patience to explain things when the MSM will do it for him?

Alex said...

I'm shocked that Lehrer didn't bring up the 47% comment. Obama could have really eviscerated Romney on that. Don't believe he will make that same mistake at the Oct 16th town hall debate. Imagine the boos Romney will get!

bagoh20 said...

In hang gliding, getting only to 5000' is a bit of a disappointment. We regularly fly above 10K, and even up to 18k occasionally without oxygen, although we usually use it over 12k. That's while hand flying and navigating an aircraft with your life on the line.

If it wasn't for the obvious ass kicking courage of asking "What about the Dingell-Norwood bill?", I'd say Gore is a pussy. He certainly thinks the President is. He may be right this time.

Alex said...

Oct 16th is gonna be a slaughter, Obama is gonna wipe the floor I think.

Alex said...

bagoh - you hang gliders are adrenaline junkies. There's nothing courageous about it.

Darrell said...

Is the first post-debate ad out yet?

Yeah, the DNC is saying that Romney was mean to the President. You are supposed to read that as disrespectful.

Christopher in MA said...

Perhaps Obama's debate strategy was not to "win" the popular perception of the debate itself, but to bait Romney into making statements that can be used in attack ads that more people will see than watched the debates. Is the first post-debate ad out yet?

Yes, it is. I don't know how to link it, but it's up at the Ace Of Spades blog. It's called "What A Guy" and basically tries to show Romney was a big meanie for not letting Jim Lehrer cut him off before he could finish making a point. Truly weaksauce.

furious_a said...

I don't understand why Obama didn't better prepare himself.

Maybe...

“I think that I’m a better speechwriter than my speechwriters. I know more about policies on any particular issue than my policy directors. And I’ll tell you right now that I’m gonna think I’m a better political director than my political director.”

How'd you like to be that guy's debate coach? I actually feel sorry for John Kerry having to play sparring partner.

Chip Ahoy said...

My favorite part is where Gore went up and suddenly slumped dramatically grabbing his crotch then abruptly shifted the slump to the opposite angle in a threatening stance, gett'n real all ghetto up in there. "Wudabow dinglebells?"

And Bush goes, eh.

Autolycus said...

Umm... Yeah... I guess Obama shouldn't ever fly anywhere on Air Force One and then have to make any real decisions... The Airbus A380 has the highest cabin pressure (lowest "altitude" of any commercial aircraft)--much higher than the older model 747 used as Air Force One--and it's cabin equivalent altitude is pretty much equal to Denver's real altitude. The older model 747s--as opposed to the new 747-8--is more like being in Summit County, CO and one of the ski resorts.

It's not a controversial thing for Gore to say. It's an absolutely moronic and pathetic thing for him to say.

Although maybe this will introduce a new standard for presidential elections: High-Altitude Decision-Making. Perhaps we can cut the field of candidates down to just those from the Mountain States like CO, WY, MT, and Idaho or with a certain number of flight hours as a jet pilot to ensure that our POTUS can perform his job adequately while aboard an aircraft.

Larry J said...

"When I got onto the stage, I met this very spirited fellow who claimed to be Mitt Romney," Obama said.

I think he discovered that the real Romney is nothing like the strawman caricature Obama has been lying about for months. He couldn't handle the disconnect.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Larry J said...
I lived in Colorado for 26 years at an elevation higher than Denver. I arrived just after graduation from Officer Training School where I was running 5 miles a day. The first time I tried to run at elevation, I thought I was going to die. That never happened just when I was standing and talking.

My 14 year old step-daughter's soccer team can go from Phoenix (1,200 ft) to Flagstaff (6,900 ft) and play a weekend soccer tournament with no one being hospitalized. (At least not due to the altitude) Granted, it's not easy and they never do well against the local girls, but it's not really that much of a problem.

Hell, the Cardinals hold thier summer camp on the NAU campus (smack in the middle of Flagstaff) to beat the Phoenix heat!

furious_a said...

"But it couldn't have been Mitt Romney, because the real Mitt Romney has been running around the country for the last year promising $5 trillion in tax cuts that favor the wealthy.

Dammit, they're on to us!

Methadras said...

Alex said...

I'm very sure that the Bain attack ads will go into overdrive now. I think this is where Romney is very weak with swing voters


Alex, does this require a sarcasm tag? Urkel spent over $100 million on Bain capital attack ads and failed. He's spent over $300 million to date on Romney attack ads and has failed. Since it isn't his money, he doesn't care.

Amartel said...

It's the nod but it's also Gore's inability to take a joke. "What about the Dingell-Norwood bill?" was a go-to joke around my place for a long time after this debate for people who had lost or were in the process of losing a debate point.

Alex said...

Meth - isn't Obama leading in many battleground states because of the Bain attack ads? I think they've been very effective and you'll see another $100 million worth.

bagoh20 said...

Between Al Gore, John Edwards, and The Lightworker, I just can't believe the kind of people The Democrats allow to get so close to the Presidency of the United States. Poseurs, idiots, liars and crooks. Geeze, would you guys take this serious. It's the most powerful position in world history!

DADvocate said...

Last winter, my daughter, 15 years old at the time, went from 541 foot elevation Kentucky to 8,800+ Crested Butte, CO and went skiing for a week without a hitch. Her 50 year old smoker mother (my ex) had to get an oxygen tank. (Snicker)

AF said...

Shut up, Al Gore.

Paddy O said...

New campaign slogan

Romney: A President for all Altitudes.

Seven Machos said...

I miss W. I was one of the last six Americans who liked him and I still do.

Lyle said...

Bad campaign management if true.

bagoh20 said...

"bagoh - you hang gliders are adrenaline junkies. There's nothing courageous about it"

Goofball. That was my point - there's nothing to it, so why does Obama suck?

Darrell said...

According to the analysis, the revised Dingell-Norwood bill exposes employers to virtually all the same suits allowed under the original legislation, but with even fewer limits on liability. For example:

In addition to creating a far reaching set of federal and state personal injury suits that are nearly unlimited and cover any claim for benefits, the legislation also allows new federal suits relating to plan administration.
For the first time, the new bill allows personal injury lawsuits for even simple errors in the administration of the COBRA continuation of coverage requirements, and the preexisting conditions limitations established in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA).
It allows unlimited compensatory and punitive damages under both federal and state law.

The expanded liability provisions in the latest Dingell-Norwood proposal would force many employers, especially small businesses, to stop offering health care coverage to their employees rather than face the risk of a ruinous lawsuit. Even if they are not sued directly, employers and their employees will still face higher costs resulting from the flood of new lawsuits into the health care system. Either way, if this bill passes more than a million people would lose their insurance (CBO, Lewin Group).


Yeah, that's what Al. Now get out of my face.

I'm surprised that Gore didn't say that Obama was still in shock given the new "five million deaths per year" being caused by climate change BD being pushed by the Left.
Oh, the humidity!

Strelnikov said...

What a douche. Or, as I'm sure Al would say, "dou-shay".

Strelnikov said...

"I was trained in Castillian Spanish, not this gutter tripe Manuel is speaking."

Darrell said...

I was one of the last six Americans who liked him and I still do.

That can't be true, I like him and many think that "Miss Me Yet" sign is bang on.

BarrySanders20 said...

7 says: "I miss W. I was one of the last six Americans who liked him and I still do."

I'm one of the six. Or there are seven of us.

McTriumph said...

Al Gore was, is and always will be an idiot. Obama gave a very animated stump speech this morning, with teleprompter, the altitude had no effect.

Astro said...

"When you go to 5,000 feet and you only have a few hours to adjust — I don’t know, maybe..."

-- Words spoken by a guy with his head perennially up his ass. I wonder what the air is like up there?

exhelodrvr1 said...

You misunderstood Gore - he said the problem was the attitude, not altitude. Apparently y'all thought he was just trying to talk with an accent.

Bob Ellison said...

I love that Gore debate moment! He must have been thinking of Naomi Wolf's advice right then.

Methadras said...

Alex said...

Meth - isn't Obama leading in many battleground states because of the Bain attack ads? I think they've been very effective and you'll see another $100 million worth.


Only if you believe the bullshit polls on those specific attack ads which have resulted in reality to be very little to no ROI against them. When you take a look at who is a customer of Bain capital you quickly realize that those ads are bullshit. Even the Romney killed my wife ad has had such a negative backlash against Urkel, that they've essentially stopped running them altogether. Now I'm in California, so we aren't really seeing any presidential campaign ads at all. If Romney or Urkel thought that either was in play, then I'm sure money would start pouring in.

traditionalguy said...

The real question is whether TOTUS has an invisible oxygen tube that can revive the dummy it speaks through.

The danger of fire will have to be accepted. But that damn Mormon will probably have a butane fireplace lighter hidden in his special underwear that will get by the secret service screening.

Methadras said...

Bob Ellison said...

I love that Gore debate moment! He must have been thinking of Naomi Wolf's advice right then.


Oh, I'm sure her vagina was doing all the talking.

kimsch said...

maybe eight.

traditionalguy said...

Seriously the Denver elevation of 5000 feet is meaningless to a health man. Only 8000+ feet has any affect.

Paul said...

No it wasn't the altitude... it was GLOBAL WARMING.. I mean CLIMATE CHANGE!!

Yea, Al should have said that! Then he could blame it on Bush!

Funny that the President of the United States would have such a inept staff they didn't have O2 to combat any altitude sickness.

Bet Mitt's staff did.

traditionalguy said...

The only elevated mental state problem is Rush Limbaugh's today. He is high as a Georgia pine and dancing a jig as he replays the debate clips.

furious_a said...

When I got onto the stage, I met this very spirited fellow who claimed to be Mitt Romney," Obama said.

Never had a straw man punch back before, Mr. President?

Darrell said...

We have photographic proof that Obama's foot slipped, though. That should be enough for a do-over.

bagoh20 said...

Did you see the slight bulge in the back of Romney jacket? Oxygen. Probably delivered through the anus, which is near his chakra.

McTriumph said...

Anyone know, has MSNBC's Toure started the meme yet that Romney winning the debate against a black man is racist?

Sam said...

12 years later and Gore is still a smarmy ass.

MadisonMan said...

AF 1 is on the ground in Madison.

bagoh20 said...

"...dancing a jig as he replays the debate clips."

He was playing a montage of Jim Lehrer trying to help Obama during the debate, practically begging him to respond to the questions better than he was. It was pretty sad. Lehrer clearly felt sorry for him.

DADvocate said...

I have to agree with Ann on the Gore moment. That was a huge "Gore lost me" moment for me. I'm a native Tennessean. I had voted for his father and him for the Senate. I was willing to give Li'l Al a chance, but when he attempted the high school bully act it ended right then and there.

chickelit said...

bagoh20 said...
Did you see the slight bulge in the back of Romney jacket? Oxygen. Probably delivered through the anus, which is near his chakra.

LOLOLOL!

Nathan Alexander said...

Although I didn't like his compassionate conservatism, his failure to rein in spending and earmarks in the GOP congress and his willingness to sign whatever the democrat congress put in front of him starting in 2007 (that resulted in the economic downturn the then-Senator Obama helped create), I never stopped liking and respecting W, the best c-in-c of all those I have/will serve under.

John said...

Can I be first to say Gore is 'UGLY'?

Not relevant to the topic - at least not until Althouse gets peeved over some irrelevance - another example of the use of the word 'UGLY'. A comrade? A kindred soul? A votee and voter?

On page 261 in Audacity of Hope, Mr. Obama pledged to "stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."

DADvocate said...

Poseurs, idiots, liars and crooks.

That's all they have to offer, no other choices.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

My governor Chris Christie looks like Aladin now.

Seven Machos said...

Lem -- Two more debates, two more wishes!

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Lem -- Two more debates, two more wishes!

Good catch seven!

AllenS said...

bagoh20 said...
Did you see the slight bulge in the back of Romney jacket? Oxygen. Probably delivered through the anus, which is near his chakra.

That was great. Best comment in a long time for any thread.

Anonymous said...

Man, you lefties are DESPERATE to save President Affirmative Action By Any Means Necessary.

Seven Machos said...

Hey, look, it's disgusting, trolling racist Whores o' the Internet?

How does it feel to be a lower-than-scum racist, dude?

Freeman Hunt said...

"It was the air. The air threw him off."

Tyrone Slothrop said...

Sarah Palin would have done great. She's from a lot higher up on the globe.

Freeman Hunt said...

"Yes, the sun is wrong." - It's a Gift (1934)

Synova said...

"Sarah Palin would have done great. She's from a lot higher up on the globe."

LOL!

:)

vbspurs said...

For real?? Then I propose the next Presidential debate be held in Bolivia.

Cheers,
Victoria

Freeman Hunt said...

And if you try to find that clip from It's a Gift by googling 'the sun is wrong,' you will get a bunch a nutty videos made by people who actually think there is something wrong with the sun.

Cedarford said...

Surprised Algore didn't claim the Hawaiian-Kenyan-Indonesian was not off his game by the higher than seasonal temperatures in Denver.

Caused of course by Global Warming that evil Republican capitalists do.

furious_a said...

NA: Although I didn't like his compassionate conservatism, his failure to rein in spending and earmarks in the GOP congress and his willingness to sign whatever the democrat congress put in front of him starting in 2007...

Unfortunately, except for the Iraq Surge, that was pretty much W's whole second term.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

My God, the thought just struck me.


That moron was almost president.


Blue@9 said...

Ha, I love that Gore clip-- possibly one of the most embarrassing moments in Presidential debate history. Bush's nod is so perfect in the moment.

FWBuff said...

"When you go to 5,000 feet and you only have a few hours to adjust — I don’t know, maybe....”

An Inconvenient Untruth

FWBuff said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Simon Kenton said...

Freeman Hunt wrote:

"It was the air. The air threw him off."

I was qualifying with another ranger who prepped me by letting me know what a crack shot he was. I shot a perfect 300; he, in the 270s. The problem was that he "was used to qualifying at night." There was just too much light to fire a Smith and Wesson competently.

Methadras said...

Tyrone Slothrop said...

Sarah Palin would have done great. She's from a lot higher up on the globe.


Okay that made me rofl...

Anonymous said...

@Seven Machos:

How does it feel to be a lower-than-scum racist, dude?
---Ask Obama and Al Sharpton that one, "dude."

bgates said...

I don't understand why Obama didn't better prepare himself.

Think of it from his perspective. He's been given progressively higher awards and accolades for his entire life without working all that hard. Not much effort at Punahou got him in to Occy; not much effort there into Columbia; didn't have to outwork people in undergrad to reach HLS; didn't have to be burdened with the normal work the rest of the students did to have professors extol his brilliance decades later; didn't have to set the Illinois legislature on fire to reach the US Senate; didn't have to do much as a Senator to become President.

Now you want the man who became the best writer ever to inhabit the White House without writing anything past some crappy undergrad poetry, the man who won the Nobel Peace Prize and Attendance Ribbon, to miss SportsCenter because he has to put on a tie and stand next to another old white guy and let people gaze in awe at his brilliance again? What kind of sense does that make?

Freeman Hunt said...

That moron was almost president.

Heh. I can't believe I voted for that guy. Ah, youth.

dbp said...

In spite of Bush's cool humor at Gore's weirdness in the debate, it wasn't enough. Gore still got the Althouse vote.

dbp said...

In all fairness though--this was pre-cruel neutrality Althouse.

John Cunningham said...

The local Dem party citadel has the hammer and sickle flag at half staff today.
The Lefties have been moaning today about Comrade Urkel looking bad due to poor moderation by Jim Lehrer, Romney's duplicity, Obama's excessive intellectualism [??], etc.
Al Gore, however, clearly wins the award for the lowest depths of Commie pussyhood-- gutless as well as dickless, no?

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/10/al-gore-blames-the-debate-outcome-on-altitude-obama-cant-function-at-5000-feet-video/

At least Liberals are consistent. Why should Obama take responsibility for his stunningly abysmal debate performance last night when it can be blamed on something else? Al Gore has decided that Obama’s squirming, hand-staring, and off-topic, straw man rambling was due to the high altitude of Denver.

So, in other words, we have a leader of the free world who can’t function at 5,000 feet. That’s reassuring to know. Maybe Obama’s next campaign promise will be to remain at sea level for the next four years.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Obama's excuses

The air was too thin. I was too busy campaigning......

It wasn't MY fault.....I swear to God.!!!

chickelit said...

Freeman Hunt said...

Heh. I can't believe I voted for that guy. Ah, youth.

Me too. And Dukakis, and Mondale, and Carter. Utterly mispent youth.

coketown said...

I live in a town that's 1,000 feet higher than Denver. It takes more than a day to acclimate. I was short of breath, easily winded, and dehydrated for about three weeks after moving here. Romney's arrival a short time earlier than Obama would not give him an advantage.

But maybe both candidates should have prepped at the Olympic training center here in town? That's why the athletes do it! When you're acclimated here then descend to lower elevations, you have super-human strength! They would have been knock-outs for Florida.

One unfortunate thing about the elevation, though, is seeing concerts. There is a gorgeous venue called Red Rocks outside of Denver that's our doors and set into the mountain. Really spectacular. But every single band that performs there can't cope with the altitude and has to complain half-way through the concert about being out of breath. The vocalists especially hate it because they get light-headed and the dry air makes it difficult to sing.

Obama was awful.

yashu said...

I miss W. I was one of the last six Americans who liked him and I still do.

Count me in that number. Even though, like Freeman Hunt, "I can't believe I voted for that [other] guy" in 2000.

coketown said...

Going into work today, EVERYONE was buzzing about the debate. Even the liberals. The buzz on the right was everything Romney said; the buzz on the left was everything Obama didn't say. Not a good sign being mostly remembered for what you didn't say. It hints at Eastwood's critique: The absence is the essence.

sane_voter said...

"What about Dingell Fuckin' Norwood!"

-Barack Obama, 2nd Presidential Debate 10/16/2012

MadisonMan said...

If Gore had been elected, we would not now have Obama.

Methadras said...

Seven Machos said...

I miss W. I was one of the last six Americans who liked him and I still do.


I'm in that camp.

Anonymous said...

I suppose his re-election chances had to vanish into something.

Dante said...

And to think this could have been the guy dealing with the 9/11 terror attacks.

furious_a said...

Heh. I can't believe I voted for that guy. Ah, youth.

Don't beat yourself up.

Mr. Gore hadn't yet gone insane. He was then still the guy who handed a copy of Smoot-Hawley to Ross Perot during the NAFTA debate (handsome, too).

Michael Ryan said...

Gore's objection makes no sense. Obama is used to being high.

Michael Ryan said...

Gore's objection makes no sense. Obama is used to being high.

David said...

Bush did not need tutoring from Naomi Wolf in manliness. I bet Gore nearly shit his drawers when W gave him that little nod. Smashed like a bug, all Gore had wit to do was ask again about Dingell-Norwood. All while trying not to soil his undies.

Unknown said...

Anyone else think that Obama may have thrown the debate?

Darrell said...

Anyone else think that Obama may have thrown the debate?

No.
Not even every lyin' leftie saying it.

kentuckyliz said...

Throwing the debate? Laaaaaaaame.

I conclude: 0bama doesn't really want the job.

marylynn said...

I'd be number 9 then

marylynn said...

I'd be number 9 then

NoraCharles said...

Please don't get me wrong. Romney was impressive. Obama had to know it was going badly and he still didn't pull out the 47%. I think he was pulling his punches. Two debates left and Obama is now the underdog.

Darrell said...

he still didn't pull out the 47%

That's because it's not the weapon you think it is. The Democtrats crafted that issue by talking to people that don't pay taxes. They created TV ads based on that. But when they met someone who did pay taxes--even Dems--they found those people sided with Romney, and more than a little at that. That's why Dems pulled those ads. And Romney never been given a chance to fully explain what he was saying--the media has been taking a snippet out of context. Romney can surely go on and make his case and Obama doesn't want him to get a chance to do that--especially with the huge audience of last night's debate. Do you think he can blindside Romney with that--last night or ever? I bet he can give you a quick fifteen minutes on the topic in his sleep.

Darrell said...

Same reason Obama doesn't hit him with the "you're going to take away womens' contraceptives"--because Romeny doesn't want to do any such thing. He fully supports contraception and never said otherwise. And I'm sure that Romney will be able to fully explain how Obama was stepping on the Constitution by making the Catholic Church fund something for employees that goes against its Doctrine.

Kirk Parker said...

Ten.

Dante said...

Does Obama's debate performance remind anyone of the sham Health Care Summit?

I don't think Obama added anything to that discussion, and he seemed the same way: detached, going through the motions, because he had to.

Almost like he was peeved he was required to.

Dante said...

Does Obama's debate performance remind anyone of the sham Health Care Summit?

I don't think Obama added anything to that discussion, and he seemed the same way: detached, going through the motions, because he had to.

Almost like he was peeved he was required to.

Matt Sablan said...

Politico is on the ball this morning, desperately trying to back fill answers for Obama for the debates to try and hurt Romney. Note the list of things Politico wishes Obama had talked about.

I also find it odd to say Romney dominated the clock/controlled the debate. He spoke less, had fewer chances to speak over all, and was forced to fight for time more frequently. The only reason he had control is that Lehrer and Obama relinquished it while talking over him. Remember: Obama talked more but said less.

Matt Sablan said...

"Obama has never been the nation’s most forceful debater, and he makes no secret of his disdain for the theatrical side of politics."

-- The fact Politico says that about the president who made doctors show up wearing lab coats to one of his speeches shows it is... kind of stupid.

Matt Sablan said...

I do find this bit interesting:

"Indeed, by Thursday morning, Obama already was taking a different tack on the campaign trail, assailing Romney at a rally in Denver for misrepresenting his policy positions and not having shown the American people “the real Romney” in last night’s debate.

“Gov. Romney may dance around his positions. But if you want to be president, you owe the American people the truth,” Obama said."

-- In short, Obama is a coward and unwilling to challenge Romney face-to-face, but prefers to lie about his opponent when they cannot fight back. Something that Paul Ryan and the Supreme Court are intimately familiar with.

Christopher in MA said...

Eleven.

Nichevo said...

I wanted to go to 11! Okay, 12. We are talking about people who still like President Bush, right?

Joe Schmoe said...

Bagoh, I love any Al Gore/chakra joke. That never, ever, gets old.

W seemed like a decent guy, but small-guv he wasn't, thus I don't recall him as fondly as conservatives and view him more soberly like libertarians do. He did admirably in dealing with the wake of 9/11, though. Gore would've been a disaster in those circumstances.

Joe Schmoe said...

I guess you only get one chance to be anointed in Denver, huh?

Joe Schmoe said...

I'm rough on Mitt for being light on charisma and succinct communication skills, but seeing Gore's mug again made me remember how piss-poor his charisma and political instincts were. And still are. Gore was more wooden on the stump than an actual stump.

Michael The Magnificent said...

The air is apparently too thin for Barack at the white house as well.

Tarzan said...

My favorite George W. Bush is not a pussy moment was when he had the shoes thrown at him. He bats them out of the way like nothing and has his eye on the attacker the whole time. Brilliant!

I am a big fan of GWB the man. Comparing him to the likes of Gore, Kerry and Obama just brings a sad shake of the head at all the pathetic frailty and nuttiness of the competition. Sadder still that anyone, anywhere actually takes them seriously.

Tarzan said...

Al Gore is a dork of such epic proportions it absolutely boggles the mind.

sonicfrog said...

Hey... At least he didn't blame Global Warming!

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