Q: Did Team Obama deliberately set a word-trap for Mitt to fall into? A: Personally, I think so.

[TrollBuster9090]

The jury is still out about whether Obama is really a Super Ninja/ Three-Dimensional Chess Player of politics or not, but personally I think Team Obama set a word trap for poor old Mitt to stumble into over the 'Acts of Terror' comment.

Here's the MYTH that Republicans are trying to spin: 1. Obama is an apologist for terrorism, and is afraid to SAY the word 'terrorism' for fear of offending Muslims (being a secret Muslim himself and all...). Remember those weeks and weeks of Fox News spinning the meme that Obama doesn't use the word 'terrorism,' which were easily disproved by the average Jon Stewart montage. and 2. They 'LIED' to us about it being terrorism (something that really only resonates with the GOP base, but what the hell...two birds with one stone).

Here's how Obama put it to rest in less than a minute: 1. Claim that he SAID it was an 'act of terror' the day after it happened, and hope Romney would challenge him on THE EXACT WORDS he claimed to have said. 2. If he does that, FACT CHECK THE EXACT WORDS, making Romney look surprised, confused, uninformed and WRONG. Their only comeback is to argue semantics, and you and I know that in politics explaining is LOSING. "Sure I was wrong about the words, but I really meant...blah blah blah, and HE really meant blah blah blah..." just doesn't cut it in the sound byte universe.

It successfully nullified the issue with non-partisan voters. Making a big fuss about it now, after the myth has (apparently) been exploded just makes Romney look like a whiner.

So, you tell me: watch Obama's face as he turns to face Romney and then makes the statement about "acts of terror," and tell me if you think he was deliberately setting this feckless plutocrat up to fall, ass first, into a wordsmith deathtrap on this issue?

[Agnosticsherbet]

1. No, the crafted a speech before they knew the facts that would cover all bases...

They could not really know or guess that the right would salivate over this. They had to write a statement to the American people about a terrible event where four Americans were murdered.

Had they crafted this as a word trap, then they would be as guilty of politicizing the murders as Romney was in his statements.

[TrollBuster9090]

7. No, I'm not saying the Rose Garden statement was a trap. Just the setup in last night's debate. nt

[Agnosticsherbet]

20. Now I understand, and I tend to agree.

They used this point to debunk a rabid right wing talking point in the most embarrassing way. If they try to push it next week in the debate over foreign policy, it will be a non-starter.

[TrollBuster9090]

23. Or just look petty and 'knit-picky.' :)

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. However it was set up, the part I thought was totally brilliant

was when Mittens started in on the whole thing, and then Obama said, "Proceed, Governor." He saw Romney walking right into the trap he (Romney) had unwittingly set for himself.

Awesome.

[TrollBuster9090]

13. Napoleon's famous words:

Never interrupt an enemy when he's making a mistake. That's bad manners.

[Barack_America]

3. I actually wondered the same thing.

I think it's possible.

[TrollBuster9090]

15. I'm just amazed Romney was dumb enough to challenge him on his exact words.

He must realize that Obama knows what he said. Today the whole right wing noise machine is in full panic mode, arguing not about what he SAID but what he MEANT when he said it.

If they can't repair this talking point, it's game over for them.

[pinboy3niner]

4. It's a...

[TrollBuster9090]

12. That talking point is a FAKE!

[pinboy3niner]

25. ERMAHGERD!

[arely staircase]

5. where all this fails

please explain to this teacher what the f'n difference is to anyone not trying to parse Shit out of context.

[TrollBuster9090]

8. There is no difference.

The GOP used a false argument to bring down the President, and he retaliated by attacking the false argument with an out of context quote.

It was a straight forward example of a cheap political hit-job tactic being taken out by another.

You may find it distasteful, but it's a reality.

[arely staircase]

24. romney tripped on his own dick

that's all that happened.

[Incitatus]

6. Now that is how you take a sip of water during a debate.

[TrollBuster9090]

9. Hahah! True, but the fact that Obama doesn't have those bulgy, psychopathic eyes that Ryan has

helps!

When Ryan takes a sip (or three hundred sips) of water, he just looks like a teenaged goofball who's trying to build up enough courage to go into a liquor store and ask for booze, knowing he's under age.

[librarylu]

10. See tonight's....

...Jon Stewart show on that one.

One of the high points of the debate.

"Please proceed, Governor."

[Pamelajaynn]

11. Stewart is hilarious tonite!'

Please proceed governor!! Obama roped him in and bam idiot took the bait. Loved it!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

17. He compared it to Wile E. Coyote running into a door painted on a wall.

[JI7]

14. Yes, but it was one of those things that only worked Because Romney pushed it

i'm sure there were many issues where there were plans to go after him in these ways. but it all depended on things like which issues got brought up, what Romney would say etc.

it was a phony undecided who is really a Republican who brought up the question hoping to hurt Obama. the fact that it was Republicans who pushed it makes it all the better.

[MarianJack]

16. Willard doesn't realize...

...that words matter. Just ak the English after his Olympics comments.

Of course, the words that willard most often hears are "yes, sir" from a group of very well paid yes men whose incomes depend on renaining in their good graces.

PEACE!

[TroglodyteScholar]

18. The moment had a clear impact when I was watching live...

But watching it a second time...this was absolutely DEVASTATING for Rmoney. He was shaken...stammering...defeated.

If he got out of bed this morning, I sure as shit don't know how.

[BlueStreak]

19. According to Koz, there was a pre-event transcript that did not include "Acts of terror"

Obama added that on the fly, and it appeared in the real transcript.

So it seems that the lame-ass people on Team Romney built this central plank of their foreign policy based on reading the wrong transcript!?

Or they could simply have taken 5 minutes and watched the damn thing on YouTube

They would have seen at the 4:18 mark that the President referred clearly to "acts of terror".
And if they go back to 3:20, they will hear Obama talk about the anniversary of 9-11
3:48: "... and then last night we learned the news of this attack at Benghazi."
Between 3:48 and 4:18, he discusses no other attacks at all. It is absolutely clear that the plural "acts of terror" refers BOTH to 9-11 and Benghazi. There is no other way to interpret that.

And what of it? it was obviously an act of terror. At that moment, he didn't know how well planned or how connected to organized terror organizations, and how connected to the movie protests. What possible difference could any of that make?

This is really foolish of Romney to even try to make such a flimsy point in the first place, and it just shows how shallow his knowledge is on things outside the little world of vulture capitalism.

[Wellstone ruled]

21. Willard has used

the same format and talking points during his whole campaign. This is a no brainer for the Obama,there is a major difference in these two mens I.Q.s. Willard is not that bright,he has been fooling everyone for years,typical bully,intimidate and conjure his way through life. Everyone seems to have finally started to open their eyes to this despicable individual.

Can you just imagine the stress level Obama was under during the last debate,all the prep would not have helped. You had Libya going down,your in Vegas and you have to fly back to D.C. to take care of your employees affairs in Libya and have meetings with security people at the State Department. Top that with it's your anniversary,and your off to Denver,to debate a psychopathic liar.

Watched the rerun of that debate,if you understand what occurs to a person that has been bullied at sometime in their life,you would have picked up on what really went down. Obama was bullied is his early years,noticed his defense systems kick in and he really did a spectacular job against Willard. Been there done that. Wonder how many others noticed how our President very skillfully maneuvered himself during that lie fest by Willard. I think Obama had a hunch he was would be slammed(Gish Galloped) with out right bullshit and in his mental state,lets get this damn thing over with,we have more important things going on in the world than putting up with this fake and pissant.

[regnaD kciN]

22. Hate to say it, but...

Watched the rerun of that debate,if you understand what occurs to a person that has been bullied at sometime in their life,you would have picked up on what really went down. Obama was bullied is his early years,noticed his defense systems kick in and he really did a spectacular job against Willard. Been there done that. Wonder how many others noticed how our President very skillfully maneuvered himself during that lie fest by Willard. I think Obama had a hunch he was would be slammed(Gish Galloped) with out right bullshit and in his mental state,lets get this damn thing over with,we have more important things going on in the world than putting up with this fake and pissant.

...if that was the President's strategy, it sure was a bad one -- and the polls tell the tale. And I'll continue to hold that opinion unless and until we see Obama's lead after this debate reach the same levels as before the first one.