For Immediate Release:
October 23, 2012
Foreign Policy Fight: Boardroom Boss versus World Leader
Richard O’Dor East Carolina University
Romney’s response to the first question reminded me of a novice college debater’s strategy to establish
credibility on a topic. Like a novice, Romney covered a lot of foreign policy territory, dropping names to
convey an understanding of the topic. He mentioned Mali twice within his first two responses. A tiny
West African nation may be wondering today why they were center stage for the final U.S. Presidential
debate.
Romney recovered for the next question. He had checked his tendency to be boardroom boss having
disdain for anyone who interrupted him, or tried to stop him from continuing. Moderator Bob Schieffer
of CBS News controlled the turn taking which helped Romney maintain a foreign policy look. Schieffer
was able to shoot down both Governor Romney and President Obama by point at them with his fingers
and thumbs resembling a five-year olds’ pretend hand gun. His nonverbal gestures forced the kids to
play nice. Playing nice didn’t last.
Humor can be powerful, but Romney’s tilted head and Cheshire cat grin undercut his appearance as a
world leader. It was the first nonverbal sign that the arrogant boardroom boss would be showing up for
the foreign policy debate. Romney reinforces this persona with his interjections of “I’m still talking,”
followed by an unyielding filibuster that didn’t add any new information to his answer, but hushed his
opponent. Romney’s insight into his “straightforward” foreign policy strategy about dealing with bad
guys was “to interrupt them.” This was probably the biggest gaffe, and revealed more about his debate
strategy than his foreign policy insights.
Like Congressman Paul Ryan, Romney was nervous. He didn’t reach for the water as Ryan had in the vice
presidential debate. Romney’s anxiety was shown in his sweating around the upper lip. Richard Nixon is
the most famous debater to sweat, but more than fifty years ago makeup techniques were not as
helpful as disguising a candidate’s shine. In contrast, Obama appeared more like a foreign policy leader
maintaining his cool. This difference became more obvious to viewers once the boardroom boss showed
up.
When directly confronted, Romney quickly shifted to being the boardroom boss. The boardroom boss
became a bully when the topic of Russia became the focus. This was the first instance of many
appearances. Schieffer’s fingers began shooting blanks. The fight between the power of Schieffer’s
fingers and the boss’ right to talk continued throughout the night. Overall, I would give that win to
Schieffer. Even though Romney talked when he wanted, the moderator guided this debate. Romney was
forced to laugh at, and admit to his many interruptions.
Obama had difficulty hiding his contempt for his challenger. While Vice President Joe Bidden laughed
throughout his debate at Congressman Paul Ryan’s responses, Obama’s eyes shot drones at Romney.
This occurred when Romney provided a geographical tour of foreign policy in his response. For the first
response, Romney’s communication reflected a novice’s nervousness on a new topic; the other
responses conveyed a lack of focus. Obama’s penetrating look added to the seriousness of the subject.
Romney’s default grin did not.
In the current economy, details become baggage for an incumbent. An opponent only needs to point
out the problems. Solutions are substance a non-incumbent can side-step. However, for a foreign policy
debate, the burden shifts. A non-incumbent’s lack of foreign policy experience makes details important.
Obama pressed Romney on his details. He cited several instances of Romney shifting his foreign policy
views. Obama claimed that Romney had “proposed wrong and reckless policies” at home and abroad.
He linked Romney to George Bush and Dick Cheney, a linkage that has been missing in Obama’s
campaign. He prefers to use the term “previous administration.” Generic terms like this have less
impact than stating “George Bush.”
Obama attacked; he didn’t fall trap to his tendency to instruct. In response to Romney’s comment that
the “U.S. Navy is smaller now than at any time since 1917," Obama reminded him that the military had
changed, “Well Governor, we also have less horses and bayonets – because the nature of the military
has changed.” Twitter trended at +106,000 tweets per-minute for #horsesandbayonets beating the
record of 58,000 tweets per-minute for their first debate.
Romney’s nervousness may have preempted a cohesive debate strategy, but Obama’s contempt didn’t.
Obama was focused. He argued one theme throughout the evening. Romney was inexperienced,
inconsistent, and incompetent. Unfortunately for Romney, his nervousness and boardroom boss
persona undercut his ability to refute this branding.
Prior to social media, outcomes of foreign policy debates were all about not making a mistake. There
have been many in the past, such as Gerald Ford’s 1976 statement that there was “no Soviet domination
of Eastern Europe.” Romney may have lost the foreign policy debate, but he didn’t make a significant
gaffe to undercut the closeness of the election.