obamaVoters have had an opportunity to digest their reactions to the first presidential debate and the fact that Big Bird may have stolen the show.  

As I watched the debate, I'll admit that by the end of the first round I started watching the clock tick with nervousness and anxiety. Time was running out and Mitt Romney had a clear strategy and plan of attack for the night. To win the debate using the "fake it until you make it" and smoke and mirrors approach to try and fool the American people into believing the falsehoods he was saying were true. Romney had great stage presence; he was confident, comfortable, relaxed, was even joking and laughing at times. For the first time in the last 18 months, I found him almost likable.  

As for President Obama, I'm still trying to figure out what his strategy was. Obama did not challenge Romney enough, he didn't dismiss Romney's false claims and at times the President seemed aloof.   

What happened Mr. President? 

Even though Obama missed a number of opportunities to defend his policies, numerous independent, non-partisan sources have reported that Romney's allegations, although eloquently stated, were false. Not just false, but some of them impossible or highly exaggerated. Think Progress, for example, reported that Romney stated 27 myths within 38 minutes. FactCheck.org called Romney a "serial exaggerator" and pointed out issues with statements from both candidates. 

Will voters see through the smoke? I'm not so sure. I'm afraid that not enough voters have or will fact check the statements. But we owe it to ourselves and to the future of this country to check the facts.  

I also think that Obama will recover in a big way in the next two debates giving Obama just the edge he needs to win this election and  save Big Bird and ultimately, Obamacare.      

Image via Donyrelyea/Flickr