Politics: The Race To Beat Low Expectations

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Politics The Race To Beat Low Expectations There are pitfalls for both candidates. Still, this may be the most stressful thing Mitt Romney has ever done. By John Dickerson Posted Wednesday, Oct 03, 2012, at 12:30 PM ET The arrival of the first debate means one thing: the end of the debate expectations game. It's not a game so much as a chore. When aides to presidential candidates are forced to downplay their boss' debating skills, it's an embarrassment for everyone concerned: the candidate being dressed in short pants and the press corps who has to treat the game like it's news. It's particularly sad for the campaign official who plays this charade knowing that the moment the debate ends he will switch immediately to boasting about his boss' superhuman performance. When the candidates themselves engage in the expectations-management game, as they both have, it does not instill confidence. The expectations game is a sham, which is too bad because the debates are already pretty full of nonsense. The answers are typically thin and after they are traded, aides from both parties engage in a furious round of spinning not connected to reality. Nominally the exercise is related to the debate that just transpired, but the script is already written. After each debate, the campaigns will be making the same arguments that they have been making for months. It's just up to the candidates to produce material during the 90 minutes that helps their handlers make the case. For Mitt Romney, the task is to present his policies in a way that is appealing and specific enough that voters can imagine their lives getting better. President Obama has to reiterate the message that ... To continue reading, click here. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES Also In Slate How Campaigning for President Became a Socially Acceptable Thing to Do Profits of Zion The World's Best Thermostat Just Got Better	Advertisement
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