'Horses and bayonets' shows Obama's debate strategy

Discussion in 'Political Opinions & Beliefs' started by Blackrook, Oct 23, 2012.

  1. Blackrook

    Blackrook Banned

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    This point in the debate really stood out for me. Obama was being unnecessarily nasty to Romney, ridiculing him for wanting to keep the Navy strong with a ridiculous comment about "bayonets and horses" and then his gratuitously insulting explanation that we have air craft carriers and nuclear submarines.

    If liberals were cheering Obama on at this point, well maybe they like nasty.

    But I think people in the middle would be turned off by the nastiness and pettiness of Obama's attack. He acted very disrespectfully toward Romney, and very un-Presidential.

    And well, he was wrong, because the Marines still use bayonets.

    Romney on the other hand, was very respectful toward Obama even while disagreeing with his policies. Romney did not interrupt Obama, even though Obama interrupted him many times. Romney showed class and good breeding, something Obama seriously lacks.
     
  2. Max Frost

    Max Frost New Member

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    The quote was less horses and bayonets, not none and thats true. Still probably couple horses lol.
     
  3. TheTaoOfBill

    TheTaoOfBill Well-Known Member

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    I think Romney NEEDED to be meaner. He's not the front runner. He can't just coast this thing out. He needed to get Obama's numbers down. And I think he failed to do that.
     
  4. Blackrook

    Blackrook Banned

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    No, all Romney had to do is look Presidential and show the American people he isn't the warmonger Democrats have been trying to portray him as.
     
  5. TheTaoOfBill

    TheTaoOfBill Well-Known Member

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    The only thing I got out of Romney's foreign policy from that debate is that he wants to do what Obama did only "tougher"
     
  6. Montoya

    Montoya Banned

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    Too bad his entire campaign says otherwise.
     
  7. Marine1

    Marine1 Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Trouble is Obama, Romney wasn't talking about horses and bayonets. He was talking about ships and planes and we still use plenty of both. As a matter of fact, in a European, Asian or Middle Eastern war or conflict, both are invaluable. How else do we get troops and supplies over there? We lost over 1,800 ships in WWII.
     
  8. TheTaoOfBill

    TheTaoOfBill Well-Known Member

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    He was talking about raw ship numbers. Which is just a dumb figure to measure our military by. Our enemies are smaller, and more nimble. And wars today are fought with technology not raw numbers.
     
  9. Max Frost

    Max Frost New Member

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    This isn't the 1940s. We are never going to be in a big conventional war again, All we can do is go round and get ourselves into quagmires like Vietnam or Iraq. Better off if we don't.
     
  10. Mitt Ryan

    Mitt Ryan Well-Known Member

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    Well to be fair to obama he did not say we don't use horses and bayonets anymore but rather he said we don't use them as much.

    But I agree with you that Romney showed class and obama was disrespectful and un presidential.

    I just hope Romney wins the election because we just can't afford another 4 more years with obama!...aint dat da truth!
     
  11. Marine1

    Marine1 Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    He used those numbers to show how much our Navy has declined. Didn't he say the Secetery of Defence was alarmed at the big reduction of ships? Subs took a big toll of our ships during WWII.
     
  12. SFJEFF

    SFJEFF New Member

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    I actually thought it was a good line- and one Obama was obviously waiting to use.

    Romney was the one who implied that our Navy is too weak because we have fewer ships than we had in 1916- it was a meaningless claim that pandered to those who think mindlessly that we need an endlessly bigger military.

    It doesn't matter if we have fewer ships than we had in 1916- what matters is defining our mission, deciding what we need to accomplish that mission and making sure we have enough for it.

    Exactly what is the threat right now in the world that requires that we have more ships than we had in 1916 anyway? Do we need more monitors? Torpedo Destroyer boats? Coal tenders?
     
  13. Daggdag

    Daggdag Well-Known Member

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  14. HeNeverLies4

    HeNeverLies4 New Member

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    Nasty? Obama is fighting for his job against a guy who seems to have no grasp on reality.

    Yes, It is nice to want to keep the navy 'strong' but we have the strongest navy on the planet BY FAR, and its not even close.

    Adding more ships adds NO TACTICAL ADVANTAGE. That is the point Obama was getting at. The IDEA of adding more ships is asinine within itself.

    You can't make Obama for making a stupid statement look... well... stupid.
     
  15. Daggdag

    Daggdag Well-Known Member

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    Obama has some stupid ideas of his own, such as adding money to NASA to push for missions to mars while we can barely pay for things down here.
     
  16. HeNeverLies4

    HeNeverLies4 New Member

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    True. But if your not winning your losing -__-
     
  17. Leffe

    Leffe New Member

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    In the primaries debate, Romney stated clearly his foreign policy would be to build a military soooo powerful that no one would dare attack.

    But on 9/11 minus 1 day, the US already had by far, the most powerful military on the planet, which is why the 9/11 attackers didn't attempt an all out assault on the US.

    So how much is Romney-military going to cost the taxs payer? Did he factor this into his calculations for reducing the national debt?

    Incidentally, in the same debate, the Libertarian chap said that the US should consider pissing less nations off, therefore reducing their hatred of the US and the likelihood of attack. This ludicrous notion, this cloud cookoo idea was quite rightly booed and jeers by the sensible GOP crowd (baying for blood and chest thumping).
     
  18. Leffe

    Leffe New Member

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    Was GWB being "presidential" when he gave the bird to a camera that he thought was switched off, but wasn't?

    Was GWB being "presidential" when he refered to the PM of GB and his greatest ally following the 9/11 attacks as "Blair" - "hey Blair"???

    Was GWB being "presidential" when he on camera entered a summit and grabbed the German leader to physically shock her?

    What is "being presidential"? What does this look like?
     
  19. TheTaoOfBill

    TheTaoOfBill Well-Known Member

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    That's not a dumb idea that's a brilliant one. NASA is one of the most economically beneficial investments. Because the technologies NASA creates for it's high tech missions often find themselves in the private sector and create brand new industries and a lot of new high skill jobs. They also inspire generations of kids to go into math and science. If you ask me, being scientifically advanced enough to send a man to Mars or establish a base on the moon should be a top priority of this country.
     
  20. Leffe

    Leffe New Member

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    I presume this means that Romney want to continue the US policy of policing the world. I mean, what does he want all these ships and planes for, if not to station them abroad and pay for the security of Europe, the ME and Asia...

    GO ROMNEY!!! Seriously, I've changed sides! (Sorry Dems). I give my full support to the Romney campaign and it's commitment to keep European taxes invested in public education, public transport, UHC and generous welfare systems.
     
  21. Margot

    Margot Account closed, not banned

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    Idiocy.. We didn't have these in 1916 or during WW2.

    [​IMG]
     
  22. AmericanExceptionalism

    AmericanExceptionalism New Member

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    In an issue election- the Economy, Romney's decisive victory in the first debate changed the Election. President Obama, lacking an economic plan, focused on creating a narrative about Romney since last year. The out of touch rich guy. Romney offered an Economic Plan, a way forward and his opponent offered more, "Investment, Teachers, & More Taxes." Given the dilemmas our economy faces, subtle changes will not fix the issues.

    Obama got petulant and did not appear Presidential. He continued to shape this narrative about Romney but he never offered any vision for a way forward. The Election is Over, Romney will be the 45th President.
     
  23. TheTaoOfBill

    TheTaoOfBill Well-Known Member

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    That's not the reason Obama lost the first debate. Obama lost it because he didn't challenge Romney's lies anywhere. And that's why he won the following two debates. Romney is unlikely to win now. Obama is slightly ahead in the math. He just needs to coast to victory now.
     
  24. Phil

    Phil Well-Known Member

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    The Coast Guard can use those ships to intercept drug traffic. Dopehead Obama still has fond memories of using those items and has done nothing to make life more unpleasant for drug suppliers worldwide or nationwide. Those ships will be available for war if needed and will be put to good use in between.
    Obama's next ad should show films of our cavalry from 1950s westerns and remind us that lifelong civilian Romney still thinks this is how we win wars.
     
  25. Irishman

    Irishman Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Obama did nothing different, he simply continued to follow the timeline for leaving Iraq that was set by the Bush Administration.
     

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