It was Mitt Romney’s night.
Political analysts from four crucial battleground states said undecided and skeptical voters may give Romney a second look after the Republican candidate bested President Obama in the first presidential debate.
“President Obama left his A game at the White House tonight; Mitt Romney won the debate, and it wasn’t particularly close,” said University of Virginia Professor Larry Sabato.
“Romney was more forceful in his answers, and the president missed several critical opportunities to counterattack. He didn’t even mention Romney’s ‘47 percent’ line,” Sabato said.
“This was Obama’s worst debate performance ever. “
Sabato gave Romney an A grade and Obama a C-minus.
Romney also scored points in Florida.
“Romney did a better job. He helped himself. He brought himself up from all the flak he’s been taking. He appeared to be more caring than he’s been depicted so far,” said University of Florida communications professor Jon Morris. “This definitely could tighten the race.”
Morris said Romney appeared more crisp and forceful with his answers.
“For whatever reason, Obama didn’t take Romney on. It was a little too much of a teacher approach by Obama rather than getting a point across. He gave too much of a lecture,” Morris said.
He did say Obama scored when he blasted Romney for a lack of specifics on tax cuts and regulating Wall Street.
In New Hampshire, St. Anselm College poli-sci Professor Christopher Galdieri also gave the nod to Romney.
Galdieri said Romney “started off the night very strongly,” while Obama seemed “very hesitant and tentative in many of his answers.” He gave Romney a “high B” and Obama a “low B-minus.”
“[Obama] also seemed surprisingly reluctant to challenge directly many of Romney’s statements about issues like Medicare and health care, even though his campaign has been criticizing Romney on these very points for months,” the Granite State analyst said.
Two experts in the swing state of Ohio gave a split verdict.
“I do believe Romney was the better prepared of the two,” said Professor Christopher Kelly of Ohio’s Miami University.
“Romney came into the debate on the attack, and he sustained that attack throughout the debate. He had a few talking points that he got across without any response from Obama.”
But University of Ohio poli-sci Professor Corrine McConnaughy gave Obama the edge. “Romney failed to personalize and detail his plans. . . Obama stayed cooler, calmer, more in charge,” she said.