Israel National News - Arutz Sheva
Contact UsContact UsSearch
  • Main
  • All News
  • Briefs
  • Israel News
  • Global News
  • Jewish News
  • Defense & Security
Search
  • Op-Eds
  • Judaism
  • Food
  • Culture & Lifestyle
  • Podcasts
  • Technology & Health
  • Yeshiva Website
  • Contact us
    • About
    • Contact us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility
  • More
    • Weather
    • Tags
    • News team
HERUAR
  • Israel National News
  • Opeds
  • Daniel Pipes on the Second Presidential Debate

Daniel Pipes on the Second Presidential Debate

Romney could have done better, but Obama will be haunted by his words on Libya.

Daniel Pipes
  Oct 18, 2012, 6:55 AM (GMT+2)

US Elections 2012

This evening's presidential debate, the second between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, featured some very sharp disagreements over facts that almost no viewers can judge (such as the licenses issued for drilling in federal lands) and agreement on the topics where viewers have strong opinions (such as capitalism).

Perhaps this debate will move those few undecided voters in Ohio, Virginia, and Florida, but it leaves the rest of us judging the debate according to which candidate we'd rather have as a dinner companion.

Put differently, Romney missed an opportunity by not discussing larger issues but letting himself get mired in details.

Obama got away with saying that he had characterized the attack on the Benghazi consulate as a terrorist incident because the moderator confirmed his point (Moderator Candy Crowley helped Barack Obama on Libya, but not for long). In fact, he misrepresented the facts when he said "The day after the attack, governor, I stood in the Rose Garden and I told the American people and the world that … this was an act of terror." (Actually, he called it "senseless violence.")

Reince Priebus, the Republican party chairman, instantly seized on this inaccuracy and accused Obama on Fox News of lying and others are sure to follow suit. This inaccuracy will likely haunt Obama over the next three weeks and turn the Libyan fiasco into an even bigger problem for his reelection campaign.

That will matter more than who "won" the debate.

Cross-posted from History News Network and the writer's October 16, 2012 blog, with full permission.

Headlines

Radio recordings from the incident that nearly ended in disaster

Radio recordings from the incident that nearly ended in disaster

Netanyahu wins 28 seats, Religious Zionist Party gains strength

Netanyahu wins 28 seats, Religious Zionist Party gains strength

IDF raids old Syrian army outposts

IDF raids old Syrian army outposts

You may like

Israeli News

Two women win millions in back-to-back lottery tickets

Two women win millions in back-to-back lottery tickets

Smotrich threatens to quit government over hostage deal

Smotrich threatens to quit government over hostage deal

Recommended

Jewish News

Jewish tourists filmed replacing cross with Star of David

Jewish tourists filmed replacing cross with Star of David

Meet the man who helped bring down the Lev Tahor cult

Meet the man who helped bring down the Lev Tahor cult

Defense/Security

IDF raids old Syrian army outposts

IDF raids old Syrian army outposts

Radio recordings from the incident that nearly ended in disaster

Radio recordings from the incident that nearly ended in disaster

Opeds

The venom of 'Open Orthodoxy' and the pathos of 'I did not know'

The venom of 'Open Orthodoxy' and the pathos of 'I did not know'

The rebirth of myths: Those Jews are poisoning the wells again

The rebirth of myths: Those Jews are poisoning the wells again

Judaism

On the wages and pensions of security personnel

On the wages and pensions of security personnel

Of course Aliyah is a Mitzvah!

Of course Aliyah is a Mitzvah!

Spotlight

Mother of four stranded without cancer care

Mother of four stranded without cancer care

Gaza frontline soldiers beg for AC relief

Gaza frontline soldiers beg for AC relief

A life of space, community, and stability in Karnei Shomron

A life of space, community, and stability in Karnei Shomron
Contact us
AboutContact usAdvertiseTerms of usePrivacy PolicyAccessibilityContact UsעבריתEnglishPусскийعربية
Sections
All NewsBriefsIsrael NewsGlobal NewsJewish NewsOp-EdsDefense & SecurityJudaismFoodCulture & LifestylePodcastsTechnology & HealthCommunicated ContentWeatherTags
Follow us
TwitterFacebookInstagramYouTubesections.tiktok

© All rights reserved to Israel National News Ltd.
פיקוד העורף