–8 minutes. The first 2012 presidential debate is minutes away, so the threats have begun. The head of the debate commission, Frank Fahrenkopf, tells audience members that if they violate the no-clapping, no-applause rules, …
Debates
Obama, Romney Twist Two Crucial Issues in First Debate
Near the end of his forceful performance in Wednesday presidential debate, Mitt Romney borrowed a memorable one-liner from Daniel Patrick Moynihan. “As President,” he told Barack Obama, “you’re entitled to your airplane and your …
Obama’s Debate Strategy: Unilateral Disarmament?
Well, I’m with all the other talking heads: Mitt Romney won this debate. Barack Obama lost it. I mean, he got his butt kicked. It was, in fact, one of the most inept performances I’ve ever seen by a sitting President. Romney — …
Liveblogging the First Presidential Debate
TIME’s politics team brings you up-to-the-minute Twitter commentary and coverage throughout the Denver debate.
Blue Truth, Red Truth
Both candidates say White House hopefuls should talk straight with voters. Here’s why neither man is ready to take his own advice
The First Presidential Debate: A Test of Character, Not Necessarily Substance
When Barack Obama met John McCain in their first debate, on Sept. 26, 2008, Obama promised to free the U.S. from dependence on Middle East oil within a decade. He said he would “deal with” Pakistan to force more action against …
As Debates Approach, Obama and Romney Praise Each Other
Let us pause to praise this brief political moment of mutual admiration. Mitt Romney’s campaign staff stands in awe of Barack Obama’s political talents. “President Obama is a uniquely gifted speaker, and is widely regarded …
Obama Comes to New York for Barbara Walters and, sorta, the United Nations
Though Gotham is full of visiting heads of government and state, the President is meeting no one this time around. Is it insurance against possible gaffes? Or just a broader excuse not to meet the Prime Minister of Israel?
What You Missed While Not Watching the Arizona GOP Debate
0 minutes. Dry your eyes. It’s hard on all of us. But if you keep crying like this you won’t be able to see the 20th debate, perhaps the last of the primaries. We can do this together, learn to let go. But the sobbing must …
Arizona GOP Debate: Santorum Finds Himself in the Spotlight and On the Defensive
Rick Santorum found himself in unfamiliar territory on Wednesday night: at the center of attention in a Republican primary debate. The CNN forum in Arizona was the first in almost a month, and the only debate held since upsets in …
The Once and Future Front Runner: Why Romney Is Winning in Florida and What Comes Next
In a Republican-primary season marked by political chaos, here’s something that finally seems settled: Mitt Romney will win the Tuesday, Jan. 31, Florida primary. So say the latest public polls, several of which suggest Romney …
Armageddon for Newt
One of the wonderful things about our bloated, endless, tedious, miraculous presidential campaigns is that sooner or later you find out just exactly who these pretenders are. Thursday night in Jacksonville, after 18 debates in which his bluster camouflaged a myriad of flaws, Newt Gingrich’s deficits–the sloppiness, the hyperbole, the …
What You Missed While Not Watching the Last Florida GOP Debate
0 minutes. “Only one thing is certain,” CNN’s opening montage declares. “Expect the unexpected.” That hits the spot. We need false hope at a time like this. It’s the 19th Republican debate. Everything that can happen …
