Obama's first debate performance lacking

As much as I hesitate to admit it, I made a mistake in this column two weeks ago. I predicted that regardless of the outcome, President Obama would be declared the clear winner of last week's Presidential debate.

Given the track record of the liberal national media, the prediction was no great stretch.

Little did we know, the President was less than stellar in this first debate.

So bad was he that the very same national media was put in the odd position of analyzing the Obama debate train wreck.

Act II will arrive next week. And yes, this time both sides will be prepared.

Rest assured, the Obama camp will change tactics and likely give the MSNBC lemmings something to crow about.

Or perhaps, even a new tingle.

But the image that will remain in millions of minds will be Obama - dazed, confused and awkwardly ill-prepared.

The pundits will ramp up expectations for Gov. Romney, given the first debate results.

But remember, the liberal pundits can repeat ad nauseam what they believe we should take from the final two debates.

But their words cannot and will not erase the weak outcome we witnessed in the opening round.

Voters by and large may not fully understand the economic solutions addressed by both candidates.

But voters can understand what they saw with their own eyes - unfiltered with the biased opinion of others.

Elections are rarely if ever decided solely on the results of a debate. And they most certainly should not be.

But the image of Richard Nixon sweating against the cool John Kennedy in the 1960 election remains to this day an important snapshot of that heated election.

Regardless of the first debate outcome, there remains ample fireworks ahead from both sides.

But for many voters, the sight of President Obama - eyes downcast, disinterested and disengaged - will remain come election day.