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 Michael Medved
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Michael Medved argues President Obama's often aggressive and seemingly angry demeanor and consistent attacks on rival Mitt Romney actually hurt him in the third and final presidential debate. (AP image)

Michael Medved: The end of Obama's likeability edge

BY Josh Kerns  on October 23, 2012 @ 7:14 am (Updated: 8:36 am - 10/23/12 )

While many pundits are calling the third and final presidential debate a win for President Obama, nationally syndicated talk show host and author Michael Medved from AM 770 The Truth isn't one of them.

"I think this debate will be remembered historically as the definitive end for President Obama's likeability advantage," said Medved in an interview with Seattle's Morning News.

Medved argues the president's often aggressive and seemingly angry demeanor and consistent attacks on rival Mitt Romney actually hurt Obama by making him seem weak and desperate.

"What you want to communicate on something like this is that I'm the front runner, I'm going to continue in office," Medved says.

The conservative commentator says Obama came off as a challenger trailing in the race by constantly criticizing Romney, while Romney scored big points by staying calm and actually saying occasionally "I agree with the president."

Medved says it was clear one of Obama's main objectives was to convince voters Romney was a danger to the security of the nation, to "convince people Romney is going to blow up the world."

"I think that Mitt Romney comes out of this looking distinctly un-scary," Medved says of Romney's performance in the debate.

In a post-debate analysis in The Daily Beast, Medved wrote "Romney won the debate by offering an image of even-tempered geniality, good-natured self-assurance, and unshakable commitment to cautious, reasonable, and peace-loving leadership."

Medved concedes Obama came out of the debate "looking smart and capable as well." But he says ultimately Romney came across as more likeable and unflappable over the course of all three debates, making him more appealing to the few remaining undecided voters or wavering independents left to woo in the final two weeks before the election.

If he had any advice for Obama, Medved says he would have conveyed a lesson taught by his middle school debate coach.

"The advice always was you'll end up looking like you win every debate if you look like you enjoy it more. Mitt Romney consistently, in all three debates, clearly looked more comfortable, happier with the process," Medved says.

Josh Kerns, MyNorthwest.com Reporter
Josh Kerns is co-host of KIRO Radio's Seattle Sounds (Saturday nights 7-8) and a digital content producer for MyNorthwest.com.
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Comments (45)


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  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    I remember a saying...
    October 23, 2012 7:52 am
    I remember a saying - that if you tell a lie long enough and often enough that people will start to believe it - even when the truth is smacking them in the face. That's what the right wing has been doing against Obama since BEFORE he was elected. The same game they played against Clinton - also starting before he was elected. Yeah, neither man would ever be considered in a list of the top 10 Presidents - but neither was as close to 'evil incarnate' as the right wing wishes to make us believe. Unfortunately, enough of America believes these lies and 'spins' that the race is far closer than it should be. Who will win? It depends on how many beleive the oft repeated lies...
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Jarhead - the saying is true. But it's Obama who's playing it.
    October 23, 2012 10:22 am
    It's the 'big lie' theory. It's what Hitler used in Germany in the 20's & 30's. ...... And one of the larger components is calling everyone else a liar. And being 'offended' at charges.

    If you remember, Oz used that 'offended' thing against Romney last week concerning our murdered ambassador. ... So effectively. apparently, that Benghazi didn't even come up last night.

    And also, last night Oz kept calling anything Romney said a lie - even Romney's dates about his own governorship. .. and then interupting any attempt to correct him. ..... So I'm sure that more than a few will recall this debate as 'Romney lies'.

    The 'big lie' virtually always works from the top down. Rarely, if ever, by the challenger. ... But that's IF it works. ... Worked for LBJ vs Goldwater. But neither Carter nor Bush I were able to pull it off.

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  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    ron....
    October 23, 2012 10:35 am
    Ron, Ron, Ron... You're so convinced that Obama's nothing but a liar that if God himself were to tell you he wasn't - you'd slam God for daring to beleive that Obama didn't lie about EVERYTHING. (If you don't believe in God, then whichever 'closest to a perfectly honest person' can be substituted in God's place for that statement). Romney's lies don't matter at all, the right wing over the top persecution from BEFORE day one doesn't matter... It's all Obama... Yup. Shows which side your bread is buttered on, that's for sure. I don't pretend to beleive that Obama's either perfect or perfectly evil. He's no better or worse than any average President we've had. The problem is that soooo many are hoodwinked by the liars, the spinners and the blindly faithful to what thier right wing masters tell them to think that they can't get past these false extremes to find out the actual truth about him. Obama's not a great President, nor is he the great anti-American evil that your kind makes him out to be.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Riffed Guy - I never said Obama was evil. ... But he is VERY GOOD at playing the Big Lie game.
    October 23, 2012 10:51 am
    Just a LBJ wasn't evil for painting Goldwater as a war monger who would start WWIII (the 'Daisy Spot'). ... Well LBJ may have been evil for other reasons, but........

    And if you read closely, I never called Obama a liar, himself. But he certainly has gone out of his way to brand Romney. ...... You see, that's how the game works. It's less about what you say yourself than how you portray your opponent.

    All said, I'll agree with the last sentence of your first post. ...... 'It depends on how many believe........'

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  • mnpat wrote...
    In my humble opinion......
    October 23, 2012 12:55 pm
    Obama is self indulgent, Narcissistic, and has done everything in his power to create division. He took pains to find reasons to hate Americans whether, wealth, gender, age, ideology…but thats just me.
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  • maplefish wrote...
    Mnpat
    October 23, 2012 3:27 pm
    Perfect! You nailed it. The guy is a fraud and a LIAR!
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  • Forrest wrote...
    Medved doesn't know anything about Obama's likability
    October 23, 2012 8:04 am
    As he has always hated Obama.
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  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Hate?
    October 23, 2012 8:53 am
    Like the hate you left wingers had still have for Bush ?
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  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Poser Sgt.
    October 23, 2012 8:56 am
    Where when have we Americans lied about your beloved Dear Leader?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    What surprises me is
    October 23, 2012 9:04 am
    That anyone actually gives a HOOT what HATE Merchants like Medved say about anything.Are Medved and Malkin the same person? I have NEVER seen them together,so perhaps they are
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    By that illogic, messiah...........
    October 23, 2012 10:24 am
    are you and CH the same person?
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  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    Oh - you so funny It's Me!
    October 23, 2012 10:39 am
    So many others have beat you to the 'Poser Sgt.' personal attack that it's meaningless. AND by using that and using lame tired insulting attacks like 'beloved dear leader', you reveal that you have no actual arguement - that you're merely trolling to anger people and get reactions. too bad that you can't actually have a real arguement.
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  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    ONE MORE TIME POSER:
    October 23, 2012 1:11 pm
    Where when have we Americans lied about your beloved Dear Leader?

    Can you at least answer the question?

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  • maplefish wrote...
    Hey sarg
    October 23, 2012 3:32 pm
    You never did respond to my question of Honor regarding the COVER-UP on the Benghazi Embassy by the dog & pony show Obama administration? Still waiting to hear, as an ex-marine, what you think of our soldiers being dismissed by Obama, as a "Bump in the Road".....?
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  • messiah101 wrote...
    Fish
    October 23, 2012 4:04 pm
    Your honestly upset by Obama using the common term "Bumps in the road"? Your really digging aren't you?Let me ask you this,what was in it for Obama to LIE about the killing of our Ambassador?Think about it,do you really think that the killing was not going to be investigated?Face it the Ambassador was in a dangerous place surrounded by different political factions who are all armed to the teeth with weapons we gave them to bring down the government.
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  • messiah101 wrote...
    HaHa
    October 23, 2012 3:59 pm
    Funny you mentioned GW Bush,his name was brought up and Bush was trashed by who??? Mitt Romney,thats who
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  • Moondoggie wrote...
    Bill Law
    October 23, 2012 11:48 am
    Good call! When someone calls Medved hatefull you know you dealing with an unhinged lefty.
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  • cigarfan wrote...
    @Moondoggie
    October 23, 2012 11:57 am
    If you've ever heard Medved speak hatefull about Muslims, you'd know you're dealing with an unhinged righty.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    cigar - his hatred of Muslims has nothing to do with his AMERICAN politics.
    October 23, 2012 12:19 pm
    But Michael IS a true Zionist.
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  • William Lawn wrote...
    Yeah, ron it sort of does
    October 23, 2012 1:27 pm
    Blanket hatred of anyone based solely on religion kind of disqualifies him as a political commentator.

    In my book anyway.

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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Mr. Lawn. most everybody hates somebody.
    October 23, 2012 2:48 pm
    We can try our best to cleanse our souls, but it seems to be human nature.

    Medved clearly deviates from reality in Near-Eastern history (ancient AND recent) but presents a lot of very good narrations of American History.

    When he's on a bent, I just switch to Dori (and vice versa).

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  • William Lawn wrote...
    So if he deviates from reality on the Near and Mid east
    October 23, 2012 3:14 pm
    That is called not telling the truth.

    If you don't tell the truth.

    You don't.

    End of story, ron.

    He is a liar.

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  • messiah101 wrote...
    ron p
    October 23, 2012 4:10 pm
    I suggest you look back over your shoulder as you just back stepped so quickly you might be near the edge of the cliff
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    messiah, it's not 'jumping back'
    October 23, 2012 5:59 pm
    Everyone has their good points and bad points. .. Even you. .. And even Lawn (though I'm hard pressed to find then most times). ... The observation that Medved is a blinded Zionist regarding Israel does not make all of his other opinions worthless.

    The world does not exist only in black and white as some on this site might think. ......... If you remember, AJ wanted to 'vote YOU off the island' so to speak. And I supported your right to post, regardless of your logic.

    What makes you think I would not likewise support Medved's first amendment rights ?

    .

    Side note to lawnboy: If we ostracized and condemned everyone who lies - even consistently - the world would be a whole heck of a lot less interesting and fun.

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  • maplefish wrote...
    Ohhh, blanket hatred you say?
    October 23, 2012 3:47 pm
    Ummmm, how bout 10% of The 1.8 BILLION Muslims on this planet, that have declared "JIHAD" against the "INFIDELS" and have vowed to exterminate all non- believers? Lets see, that's about 180 MILLION people that are committed to killing we Americans? Now that is some serious HATE!
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  • messiah101 wrote...
    FISH I love it when know nothings use FICTIONAL numbers
    October 23, 2012 4:12 pm
    To prove their case. When did they poll the 1,800,000,000 Muslims to arrive at that 10% figure?Do you have a LINK?
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  • William Lawn wrote...
    You are right. It is some serious hate
    October 24, 2012 7:46 am
    If your percentages can be believed, but I'll accept them.

    How does that alter the discussion.

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  • cigarfan wrote...
    @ron prevost
    October 23, 2012 1:43 pm
    Medved is a supporter of US hegemony in the middle east, which depends on Zionism (and US military assistance) to prevent Muslim/arab/persian control over the region. We aren't there for sand and whether it's propping up dictators or corrupting officials, to Medved -the end justifies the means. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, Medved would welcome the devil himself IF he would help US military control of the Middle east.
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  • HLC wrote...
    fakemarine
    October 23, 2012 12:10 pm
    You have to be in the Hall of Shame.
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  • Gar57 wrote...
    How can you claim an end to anyone's "likeability"...
    October 23, 2012 1:12 pm
    When you've never liked them? Sounds like wishful thinking to me. I've been listening to Medved alot in recent days and he seems to be striving to create a narrative that a Romney win is inevitable, according to the polls he chooses to believe. Thank God this will be over soon!
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  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Poser sgt and the rest of you Left wing Parrots:
    October 23, 2012 1:17 pm
    Medved is one of the few if any Conservative talk show hosts who gives your Dear Leader the benefit of the doubt on a regular basis or sometimes disagrees with fellow talk show hosts in regard to your Dear Leader.

    Listening to Micheal today and he has defiantly had it up to here with your Obama's snarkyness and cheap shot attacks and downright lies. It kind of took me by surprise.

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  • Gar57 wrote...
    Thanks for the disconnect!
    October 23, 2012 1:30 pm
    And this is why we are in deeeeeep caca as a nation....how 2 people can see such different results, dependent on whatever bias they bring to the table. I'm just as guilty as you, Mr. HaHa (strange name, btw). I saw exactly opposite of what you saw. Our differences are mirrored 100 million time over in this nation, and their appears to be no middle ground any longer. So my question to you, Mr. HaHa, is what do you propose to bridge the gap? I've been reading your posts for awhile now, and I'm quite curious how you see this country somehow coming together.
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  • Moondoggie wrote...
    Don'head of PPPt believe Medved? How about the head of PPP?
    October 23, 2012 1:38 pm
    Tom Jensen, director of Public Policy Polling, a Democratic firm, said Mr. Romney’s favorability surge “really has been remarkable.” “It was inevitable that Republicans were going to warm up to him once he became their nominee, but ever since his big victory in the first debate, his numbers with independents have improved a good deal as well,” he said. “We’re actually finding in our national tracking now that Romney’s favorability numbers are better than Obama‘s, which no one could have imagined six months ago.” Read more: Debates deliver favorability edge to Romney; now above 50% in rating - Washington Times http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/oct/23/debates-deliver-favorability-edge-romney/#ixzz2A9zHu9MW Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter
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  • Gar57 wrote...
    Moondoggie....
    October 23, 2012 1:48 pm
    You've got font issues dude
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  • Zagnut wrote...
    The libs, following their dear leader's lead, are getting angrier and angrier.
    October 23, 2012 2:55 pm
    They are like little children who aren't getting their way. They stomp and scream and cry - from the MSNBC lunatics to the libs commenting on the web and all points in between. It's pathetic.
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  • Gar57 wrote...
    And FOX pundits
    October 23, 2012 3:33 pm
    Are the epitome of grace. Enjoy the koolaid, pal. Drink deep and long and maybe someday you'll come a full 360 and realize how silly you sound. The fact is, both MSNBC and FOX pundits are loony. They need to be-that's what sells. And anybody with half a melon knows they are preaching to the choir, so nothing they say MATTERS.
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  • cigarfan wrote...
    @Zagnut
    October 23, 2012 3:39 pm
    "They are like little children who aren't getting their way." Which state are you living in? ;)
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