By Larry Kudlow
Thursday, October 04, 2012
Mitt Romney politely cleaned Barack Obama’s clock
tonight. A lethargic and at times tired looking President Obama was
out-hustled, out-facted, out-energized, and out-informed by Former Governor
Mitt Romney. Completely unlike Romney’s convention speech, tonight he focused
on strong economic issues, developed his philosophy of limited government, and
convinced me beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is in fact a pro-growth tax
reformer who wants to lower the rate, and broaden the base in a revenue-neutral
fashion that will actually create jobs and spur the economy.
This is the first time I have been totally convinced of
his tax reform bonifide and principles. Elsewhere in the debate, Romney had to
correct President Obama on a number of issues, including oil tax breaks,
healthcare issues, job training programs in the federal government and even how
Obamacare works. Romney’s knowledge base was broad and deep, much broader and
deeper than President Obama showed tonight.
At times, Obama looked petulant because he knew he was
beat and he knew he was outhustled and not in command of the facts. What’s more
is that Romney’s demeanor was calm but insistent. You could see a man who is
for limited government and private enterprise, who wants to make sure that
people understood his commitment to those key principles, and he never wavered.
On the other side, you could see Barack Obama committed to big government all
the way. Also, we have no new knowledge of what President Obama would do if
elected to a second term. We know he opposes everything Romney supports, but we
have very little idea about what President Obama himself actually believes in.
That is because his not-so-hidden agenda is to spend more
on government programs, keep pouring money into the losing ventures of green
energy, and raise taxes in order to do so. For almost every question, President
Obama had a government solution. For almost every question, Mitt Romney had a
private-sector solution. My hunch is, though he won’t say, is that a re-elected
Obama will not only run the table on more big government spending, not only try
to raise taxes on upper-end successful earners, but will move towards a
value-added tax. An across-the-board, European style tax would be the only way to
finance President Obama’s government spending dreams.
Finally, Romney went toe-to-toe with President Obama and
looked presidential every step of the way. Romney kept an even demeanor, and
showed himself as a man who was in control. It was a different Romney than I
saw at the convention. It was much more of the Mitt Romney that I have come to
know through many interviews and personal conversations throughout the years.
He is indeed the leader of the Republican Party, and he
will in fact, with his performance tonight, attract many independent voters. My
hunch is that some Democrats who yearn for solutions to our nation’s problems
to keep us out of bankruptcy and grow the economy will move into Romney’s camp.
And, by the way, time and again, Romney indicated his
willingness for bipartisan solutions, particularly on tax reform, but also
rewriting healthcare laws. At one point Romney said there were multiple ways he
wanted to achieve tax reform, and he would be happy to take suggestions from
the other side of the aisle. Whereas, Obama’s healthcare was all Democratic and
sought no Republican suggestions.
In sum, a huge victory for Former Massachusetts Governor
Mitt Romney tonight.
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