Michael Medved: The end of Obama’s likeability edge

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.