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Dan Schnur: 'Two Good Solid Performances, But Nothing Transformative'

Nandini Ruparel |
October 3, 2012 | 8:41 p.m. PDT

Staff Reporter

 

Dan Schnur evaluating the candidates' performances after the debate. (Wilson Pumpernickel/Neon Tommy)
Dan Schnur evaluating the candidates' performances after the debate. (Wilson Pumpernickel/Neon Tommy)
The first presidential debate between candidate Mitt Romney and president Barack Obama has not changed much for either campaign, according to experts in the political science field.

"There was no extraordinary moment," said Dan Schnur, the director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute Politics at the University of Southern California, at a panel at the USC Annenberg School of Journalism after the debate. "[There were] two good solid performances, but nothing transformative."

The new influx of media and the importance of national spending campaigns has diminished the importance of these types of debates, according to one panelist.

"This is disproportionately unimportant," said Alan Arkatove, the former Senior Advisor to 1992 Bill Clinton for President Campaign Manager Mickey Kantor. "There wasn't any big gaffes."

Another was concerned that Romney continued not to address specifics of his plan. 

"I think Romney will start offering up more specifics as a soon as we start getting closer," said Charles Epting, the Public Relations Director for the USC College Republicans. Romney had attacked Obama for his policies on Obamacare, Social Security, and the economy, but offered up few clear directives or specifics.

"If I had a dollar for every time Romney said 'middle class,' I would be in the middle class," said Aaron Taxy, president for the USC College Democrats. 

 

 

See more of Neon Tommy's coverage of the debate here.

 

Reach Staff Reporter Nandini Ruparel here.



 

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