(The following is a letter to the editor from House District 94 State Representative Dar'Shun Kendrick. Kendrick is running for HD 93.)
It seemed as if President Obama was not quite "there" last night, to be honest. That being said, he's the incumbent going into the debates leading in the battleground states, particularly up several points in Ohio which many states consider a "must win" by Romney.
The pressure was on Romney to perform, not the President, and, as a Democrat it saddens me to say it, but he did perform and quite beyond my expectations. He didn't offer specifics and at times seemed a little combative but it offered a contrast to the President who seemed to fail to connect with the audience and indeed did not have much eye contact with Romney who seemed to stare the President down most times during his remarks.
I would have liked to see the President to call Romney out on his stretches of the truth and facts and figures but it didn't happen.
Listen...these debates won't decide the election - historically they don't and they mostly rally each side's team. The countdown to the White House has many moving parts and a long time line in political time for undecideds to make a decision but I think it did expose more of Romney's strengths and more of the President's weaknesses.
I look forward to the next two debates with the Presidential candidates and hope for a more vigorous debates on specific issues.
