Romney didn't, and another of obama's ploys fell woefully short.
obama walked into the debate expecting to be coddled, just like he has been for the past four years by the media, only to find out that real life was waiting. When you have a man that cannot defend his policies, his actions or inactions, his record, his philosophy or his agenda there isn't a whole lot left to debate.
I would expect a more feisty obama in the next two debates, but I don't expect any factual information backing his policies. In fact there is little he could say that would justify the inaction of his administration over the past three and a half years.
If you're wondering why obama didn't use any of the bullet points that he has been advertising about Romney, the answer is simple. The false and misleading statements in obama's ads would have been shot down in a Chicago second, and that would have left obama holding the bag for those millions spent on lies and misrepresentations.
Romney has a lot of work to do in order to convince the 'undecided' to swing his way. Two more debates like last nights should do it.
Another observation, and one that is being made by both sides, is how obama is a speech maker, a reader, and as long as he has a tele-prompter he does well to hold the crowd. Take it away and the real obama appears. This explains why when obama holds press briefings he speaks then runs, not sticking around to field any questions.
I hold to my opinion that obama is not as smart as he thinks he is. In fact, he may not have even broken the top fifty in the room last night. When will there be evidence of obama's 'genius'? Call me a skeptic, but I will need to see some proof before I concede.
A final note for my rant. With the new evidence trickling out about the attack on our consulate in Libya and the 'fast and furious' scandal it is imperative that we aren't lulled to sleep. We haven't scratched the surface of obama's back room deals, with Russia, with China, with Mexico. It is only a matter of time before people in obama's administration get tired of being 'thrown under the bus' in order to cover for his seedy deals and misdirected focus.
It's time that we find out if obama's administration is at best, woefully inept, or at worst, criminally negligent.