Will Romney -- outside of hitting hard again on Libya -- try to turn the debate into one about jobs?

[napkinz]

I have a feeling Romney is going to try to hit hard again on Libya, not on whether the president called it an "act of terror" but what transpired over the two weeks following the attack.

Then he will basically disregard the foreign policy format by discarding every question and turning it into one about the economy, by quickly pivoting from whatever the foreign policy subject is to one about jobs, poverty, food stamps, etc.

I really think Romney is just going to basically say, in a sense, "F*ck the question, I'm going to attack the president on the economy" and do so with his usual distortions and lies. That is, Romney -- who doesn't believe in rules -- will metaphorically give the finger to the moderator Bob Schieffer -- and make believe every question is one about the economy.

I hope the president is prepared for this strategy I've suggested Romney may undertake, these two key points about what Romney will do in the final debate, which is supposed to be about foreign policy:

(1) Romney returning to the attack in Benghazi, again, NOT focussing on whether it was called an "act of terror," but rather the confusion that ensued over the two weeks following the attack and

(2) Romney making every question an economics question, and just rattling off his usual talking points about 23 million unemployed, the promise to get unemployment down to 5.4, increased poverty, food stamps, etc.


----

And with regards to the second half of Romney's strategy, I hope the president will be prepared to rattle off and hammer home these strong counterpoints:

(a) that when he took office we were losing 850,000 jobs a month and on the brink of another depression
(b) that today we've had 31 straight months of private-sector job growth, creating 5.2 million jobs
(c) that the stock market has more than doubled from 6000 when he took office during the crash to over 13,000 today
(d) that Romney was a failed governor, his state ranking 47th in the nation in job creation
(e) that Romney will abolish women's reproductive rights
(f) that Romney will voucherize Medicare
(g) that Romney will privatize Social Security
(h) that Romney will give the top 1% huge tax cuts, but hit the Middle Class with a $2000 tax hike


So does anyone else think this is a possible scenario next Monday, this Two-Pronged Strategy of (1) hit hard on the Benghazi aftermath and (2) treat every question as an economics question and attack the president (with lies and distortions) about unemployment, poverty, food stamps, etc.

And if so, how would you suggest the president deal with it?

[WinkyDink]

1. One word will stop Romney cold: Sensata. His "pension" wisecrack won't fly.

[napkinz]

2. but do you think Romney, being weak on foreign policy, will ...

... basically ignore each foreign policy question, and pivot to the economy, with his laundry list of lies and distortions (that again, the public will buy into if the president doesn't counter them).

I really believe Romney is going to DISREGARD the questions and pivot to the economy. Each reply will be a non sequitur, but he won't give a sh*t. He'll ride roughshod over the moderator and make the debate about the economy.

[WinkyDink]

5. Well, I did say he was the Honey Badger candidate!

[DavidDvorkin]

3. It will be up to the moderator to control him

Which isn't very encouraging.

[napkinz]

6. that's my point

Romney the bully will try to take over the debate. He's brazen enough to ignore the questions and discuss whatever subject he deems important.

The president was thrown off guard by Romney in the first debate.

I hope he's ready for Romney's antics in this third and last debate. The president is preparing to discuss foreign policy. He should be ready for "something else."

[bigtree]

4. the Libya attacks on Obama are baffling

I don't see where he has any potential with that line, but he just keeps shooting himself in the foot. Romney's one weird dude.