(Week of 10/20/2012) Debate viewers say President Barack Obama won the third and final Presidential debate. In a flash poll of 968 debate viewers completed in the hour after the third and final 2012 Presidential debates, Obama comes out as the clear victor with 49% of Americans viewing him as the winner, 36% Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Prior to the debate, only 42% of these debate viewers told YouGov that Obama would win, 39% Romney , so if their final the judgment favored Obama 49%-36%, then Obama “won” the debate by moving a few viewers in his direction.
Among those who said they expected a tie, in answers prior to the start of the debate, Obama won 41%-25%.
But what a loser of a victory. Obama came across as more aggressive, hostile, defensive, immature and negative than Romney. Clearly, one of these candidates was concerned that the election in two weeks was slipping away in the opponents favor and was snapping, snarling and barking to get it back. That sounds like the incumbent, these debate viewers felt, and not the challenger.
Romney came across as more right, friendly and strong. A few more victories like this one and Obama would be out of a job, but there are no more like this ahead: This was the last debate in what is likely the last campaign Obama will run.
Economist/YouGov poll archives can be found here
Photo source: Press Association
