Obama vs. Romney First Debate and Lessons Learned

Event Reflection

The American presidential race is one of the most admired and democratic elections globally. An African American, Barrack Obama made history by becoming the 44th president of the U.S. What stands out about Obama is his intersectionality and how the American education system made the best out of him. In 2012, President Obama and Mitt Romney unleashed local and global issues of concern among Americans (PBS NewsHour, 2020). Obama emphasized the American education system, tax issues, and U.S. relationships with other international communities as an incumbent president. Meanwhile, Mitt Romney attacked President Obama’s leadership system, especially on the tax gap for private companies (PBS NewsHour, 2020). The first American presidential debate was marred with insults between President Obama and Governor Mitt Romney. However, the presidential candidates promised to shove the pertinent issues affecting Americans.

Lessons Learned

Although the debate was politically incited, the Americans learned several lessons about the U.S. presidency. First, the American presidency is about solving the Americans’ issues and not individual interests. Governor Romney and President Obama focused on education, the tax system, and the country’s international relationships. For instance, Mitt Romney objected to President Obama’s tax gap systems (PBS NewsHour, 2020). Mitt believed that the system would favor a specific American social class and discriminate against the middle class. Secondly, education is the most discussed social institution among those aspiring for the top office in the U.S. President Obama and Mitt Romney focused on improving the American education system. Finally, the presidency in the U.S. is all about inclusivity, freedom, and economic growth. Although the two candidates disagreed on several issues, they agreed on enhancing inclusivity and freedom among Americans for consistent economic growth.

Topics Of Interest

During the debate, various topics of interest were evident: terrorism, international diplomacy, politics and economic growth, and inclusivity in American governance. During the debate, President Obama rebuked the attack on the U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, as ‘an act of terror. The attacks led to the death of four Americans, including the then-U.S. ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens. When Mitt Romney attacked President Obama’s relationship with Chinese firms, international diplomatic issues were raised (PBS NewsHour, 2020). Although the case was brought as a personal attack on President Obama, it exhibited an interest in how public officers deal with global companies. Moreover, politics is a crucial economic growth driver, and public officers are involved in formulating policies that regulate business growth in America. President Obama and Mitt Romney promised the Americans economic policies that are inclusive and dynamic.

Social Dynamics of the Event

The first 2012 presidential debate allowed the candidates to expose their political opinions and public policy proposals to potential voters. The discussion brought together all Americans regardless of their political affiliations, social class, race, and religion. The debate was inclusive, and all the issues discussed were in the interest of all American tribes (PBS NewsHour, 2020). Moreover, President Obama and Governor Romney represented all the races in the U.S. While Obama was a representative of African Americans and the Asians in America owing to his familial background, Governor Mitt Romney represented the Whites. Therefore, the debate promoted social cohesion among Americans.

Personal Perspectives

Presidential debates are influential among the voters and should be regulated so that the politicians do not use them to give unrealistic goals. The Obama-Romney debate was marred with personal attacks eliminating the political feel of the debate. Therefore, the organizers should develop debate rules that prohibit the contestants from attacking the personality of each other rather than focusing on leadership and political aspects. Moreover, the presidential debates should be citizen-oriented by allowing more voters to engage with the candidates. Although the first 2012 American presidential debate was a success, the organizers could make it more effective by involving more citizens.

References

PBS NewsHour. (2020). Obama vs. Romney: The first 2012 presidential debate [Video]. YouTube. Web.