Did Obama 'throw in the towel' in first debate?

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Daily Beast blogger and political commentator Andrew Sullivan is raising red flag for President Obama and his reelection hopes.

In -- downbeat piece you might call it earlier this week -- woman called out the president for throwing away a lead in the polls he writes quote.

I've never seen a candidate this late in the game so far ahead.

Just throw in the towel in the way Obama did last week throw away almost every single advantage he had -- voters.

And managed to enable his opponent to seem as if he cares about the middle class as much as Obama does.

So with four weeks still to go to the president really just throw away the election let's get a fair and a balanced fair and balanced debate under -- joining us.

Pete Snyder there on the left of your screen the CEO of disrupt -- capital and chairman of Virginia victory 2012.

Also Fox News computer.

And Chris -- -- joins us former chief of staff to West Virginia democratic senator.

Joseph mansion welcome to both of you thank you so John do you think -- President Obama just throw away the election throw in the towel.

Now and ended it that I you -- love this business.

You know a few weeks ago it was the video the Obama -- the Obama campaign -- Obama was skating to victory there was nothing that was gonna stop on.

And that governor Romney was dead in his political fortunes -- over and now it liquid and in the split hair of a second now it's all the opposite this is the reality it's four weeks ago.

There's still a lot of campaigning to do there's still some critical debates that have to happen the president you know did not have a good debate I think it's pretty self evident.

But moving on you still have I think two key debates and the vice presidential debate they're gonna be really critical how each candidate performs in those debates.

I figured it really had an incredible significance terms of who wins the president.

And to challenge the strategy for the president.

He's he's got to come in especially in his first debate in the town hall and really hold governor -- -- to the fire about his policies about his facts.

And make him explain his contradictions.

And how his policies will not work.

Chris he says that tell you gotta love his business and I guess I'm sorry people and now I want to address this to -- I was thinking about -- quote that you gotta love this business so Pete.

You gotta love this business when your candidate seems to be surgeon.

Well what what what I've I'd be lying idiot thought if I didn't say that we were heartened by.

Governor Romney is debate performance last week.

Yeah of eighty million Americans got to really cut through the clutter of all the TV ads and direct mail pieces and charges back and forth.

And they really got to see an effective leader a CEO.

Give a clear vision of how to move this country in this economy forward.

-- on the flip side they saw President Obama do.

You know I don't think he's trying to tank the selection he firmly believes that his policies which have failed.

Or the path forward.

He firmly believes that it's not his fault -- all and it's all should be blamed on.

George W.

Bush and Americans got to see a leader who didn't have a plan.

Vs a CEO had a clue who had a clear one forward.

I actually agree with currents Chris this question is for you use say that there are more debates to presidential debates and one vice presidential debate but Andrew Sullivan whose column of -- column on.

President Obama's prospects triggered us to hold this debate.

He writes this he says a sitting president does not recover from being obliterated on substance style -- like ability in the first debate.

And get much of a chance to come back.

What do you think about that -- I'm good I'm glad he's not a political operatives because he doesn't always talking about mean that the reality here is this is a volatile race.

-- if you look at you know in terms of where the voters are especially undecideds no one is locked and there's still enormous I would say fluctuations you're gonna see in the coming weeks about between ten to 15%.

Now I think the challenge here king you know and I think that the real it emphasis here for the president needs to go into that next debate.

And give a full throated defense of his presence seeing contrary I think what the Republicans say.

The country is better off it is moving in the right direction the president needs to go out -- say Republicans and governor -- wanna say the country's -- better off we'll tell that to the five many people have a job today.

Tell that to 37 million people are gonna have health -- they didn't before tell that the soldiers that are coming back from Iraq.

In Afghanistan that they're not better off -- so you've got to go out there make a strong case -- your opponent is not gonna do that.

And another side you've got a tear apart your opponent's policies because when you do there is nothing there with respect to governor Romney's policies with all respect.

Well Pete seems to be shaking his head what -- surprising word -- well and unfortunately.

This president has had for years to leave.

For years to turn this economy around.

He took the first two years of his presidency instead of focusing on.

Creating jobs and moving this economy forward he put all this chips down and ram -- an Obama care down the throats of Americans.

And it's really costing our economy jobs right now.

He's been only about excuses.

Has no new plan -- and look at -- gas prices are he complained as a candidate.

In 2008 the gas prices were a buck eighty they're now in California -- six dollars he has no plan for energy.

-- send in -- and it's for America.

And that's a problem and you can't honestly say.

But the unemployment rate hasn't gone down unless you know Republicans don't wanna look at the actual actual -- -- has raised seven million -- he's tremendous point eight yards to the economy is greater and more jobs.

Imagine this I thought -- was a -- -- being careers and jobs.

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Did Obama 'throw in the towel' in first debate?

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