Conservative Refocus

Barry Secrest

The bitter 2012 Republican primary had been a hard-fought, uphill battle, with many near disastrous revelations and clearly vicious political street fighting; however, the extensive experience, insider financial connections, and tentative mainstream media backing had ultimately paid off. Conservative businessman, Herman Cain, and Texas Governor Rick Perry had nearly capsized Romney's glistening campaign juggernaut.  Nevertheless, in the end, the establishment would win out.

But not completely. VP selectee, Herman Cain sat among the spectators, enjoying the fact that someone else would have the duty to debate for a change, while worrying over the next campaign stop on the left coast.  Cain, smiling knowingly, casually pish-poshed hangers-on for unceasingly crowing over his being the first Black VP nominee in US history, but his entourage's banter soon eased as the countdown approached the one minute to air-time signal.

Republican candidate Mitt Romney now stood, gleamingly spotlighted before an expectant crowd of over 400 academians at Wake Forest University near Raleigh, NC.   TV cameras and microphones bristled in every direction. Romney was in his element. Polished and confident, across from Romney stood the current leader of the Free World, President Barack Hussein Obama, the crease in his pants clearly separating him from the proletariat. The first debate between the two had been but a carefully crafted skirmish, each respectfully feeling out the other's vulnerabilities and strengths, neither emerging as the clear winner.

But this night would be different, as over 75 million viewers would witness the course which would be laid out for America over the next four years.

An Immoderate Moderator

The list of Debate moderator prospects had read like a who's who among the insider media elites. A mini tug-of-war, with oafish sniping and even some veiled, mostly empty threats had ensued; however, it was folksy Liberal and oddly likable Bob Schieffer, the CBS Anchor, who eventually won the honor of carefully crafting the questions which would determine this particular debate's outcome.

After the final instructions had been delivered, both to the spectators and contestants, the 2012 Presidential debate theme music blared, both men tensed, and all camera's zeroed in on the two candidates selected who would largely determine the future course for the, somehow, still largest economy on the planet.

Schieffer went through his monologue, delivering a quick summary of the rules for the viewer audience's comprehension, and then the debate began.

The first question seemed tailored for an immediate coup de' grace, when Schieffer stated, "To begin, and as an introduction, why should each of you be elected President of the United States in 2012?"  Schieffer squinted into the lights, smiled tightly and directed an expectant gaze to Romney, who had been granted the first response.

Romney answered with a laundry list of polished, yet succinct reminders of how the US economy had only trudged laboriously at best under the kindergarten tutelage of Barack Hussein Obama, carefully staying away from the Republican's avowed centerpiece of Obamacare's planned demise, desiring to put that subject off for as long as possible. With a technically correct flourish, Romney finished his response and smiled glisteningly.

Schieffer then turned to the President, expression deliberately solemn, and thoughtfully stated, "Now, why do you think that you should be elected for four more years, Mr. President?"

Obama, flashing a sarcastic smile, stated:  "Well, um...in large part because Mitt Romney has already told us verbatim that there are a lot of reasons not to elect him as President, and that was even back in September of last year. Do the American people really want a President who admits that there are a great many reasons not to elect him as their President?"

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A Cautionary Tale: The 2012 Obama / Romney Presidential Debate