Did Obama "Lose" The Debate? Does It Even Matter?

The intelligentsia have decided that Barack Obama "lost" last night's debate.  Yes, Mitt Romney was as energized as he knows how to be -- he was animated (for him), quick-tongued, and determined to control the message.  In that, he succeeded.  Mitt also stood there and lied his ass off.  A sampling:

He said he's never proposed anything like a $5 trillion tax cut.  Well, bullshit!  He said his proposals would not increase the deficit.  Bullshit again!  He said Obamacare cuts $700 billion in Medicare benefits.  More bullshit!  (Cuts are to overpaid Advantage insurers, not beneficiaries.)  He said Obama will make enormous cuts to the military.  Bullshit, Mitt!  (Unless the R's drive us off the end-of-the-year "fiscal cliff", which Paul Ryan thinks is a good idea.)

But Obama was strangely subdued.  He was polite, well-spoken, made no blunders and didn't embarrass himself.  I thought he was OK, but agree he was also kinda "meh."  He did not call out Romney on any of his BS, did not reference the "47%", Bain Capital, Mitt's tax returns, etc.   For some reason, Cousin Barry did not grab any of the low-hanging fruit. 

Maybe he was trying to appear "presidential" and above such unseemly mud-wrestling.  Maybe his debate handlers had prepped him into a state of paralysis.  Maybe it just doesn't matter.

This event wasn't really a debate (remember high school debates?) -- it was a free-for-all, modern gladiators battling over 90  minutes of free advertising time.  And since the vast majority of the voting public has already decided, and some have even voted, how many minds were really changed?  Not that many.

In such a polarized atmosphere, how many "persuadables" are left?  Enough to make a difference?  Doubtful, but I could be wrong.  (Often, I am!)  With just a month to go, the Glove still trails in the swing states, and lags nationally with women, non-whites, college grads and young voters.  And he has a numbers problem in the Electoral College.

So if Obama's plan was simply to not fuck up, he probably succeeded.  And today he spent his time saying all those things he shoulda/coulda/woulda said last night.  ("My opponent's gonna get tough on Big Bird!")  Nice, but where were ya yesterday? 

What if the Prez kicks Romney's ass in the next debate?  How about if Ryan makes Joe Biden look silly?  Either way, I say, "Meh."  Probably won't matter.  But I'll certainly watch the show!