Springs groups tune in to their candidates
About 30 local Democrats, gathered at the Springs Orleans restaurant in downtown Colorado Springs, watched the presidential debate on MSNBC. Meanwhile, about the same number of local Republicans met at the county party GOP headquarters to watch on Fox News.
But the moods couldn’t have been much different. The Republicans yelled, laughed and scoffed loudly throughout the evening, The Democrats were more reserved, perhaps because they were in public.
Early in the debate, a Republican woman whooped triumphantly when Republican candidate Mitt Romney told President Barack Obama, “Attacking me is not an agenda.”
Democrats had the same reaction to that same line an hour later, when Romney said it again — but they were being sarcastic.
When Obama was criticizing Romney about 10 minutes into the debate, a woman at the Republican party hollered in exasperation, “Can you please tell us about your ideas?” A man across the room shouted back, “He doesn’t have any!”
Democrats, in contrast, clapped loudly when the president tied Romney to President George W. Bush and said, “We can’t go back to the policies that failed us in the first place.”
Personal reactions after the debate were equally opposite from both sides.
“Mitt Romney has a clear understanding of how he wants America to be perceived. The president waffles and has gone in way too many directions,” said small-business owner Sally Mueller, 55.
“If Obama is re-elected, and if it’s more of the same, we’re in trouble. Because the world is on fire.”
George Durdin, another Republican business owner, said Obama “rambles, and never tells us what he’s doing. He’s leading from the rear.”
A trio of senior citizens at the Democratic party were just as staunch.
“You have to have a strong leader, and Obama is one. He’s demonstrated that time and time again,” said 71-year-old attorney Mike Berniger.
Retired couple Gary and Harriet Tuckman, 69 and 71, were much more critical of Romney. When asked what she thought about the debate on Libya, Harriet said the attack was a political boon to Republicans.
“That was a great thing for them, because why talk about Osama bin Laden when you can talk about Libya?” she said.
Gary said he thought Romney just piggybacked on Obama’s ideas.
“It was largely the same thing from him, either ‘I would’ve done it sooner or I would’ve done it better,’” Gary said.
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President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney meet family members after the third presidential debate at Lynn University, Monday, Oct. 22, 2012, in Boca Raton, Fla. (AP Photo/Pool-Michael Reynolds) Photo by POOL
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama shake hands after the third presidential debate at Lynn University, Monday, Oct. 22, 2012, in Boca Raton, Fla. (AP Photo/Pool-Win McNamee) Photo by Pool