The second presidential debate: 3 stylistic tics that hurt Mitt Romney

Squabbling about the rules rarely wins points from the punditry

Mitt Romney
(Image credit: John Moore/Getty Images)

The second debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney was not the most civilized affair in American history, with both candidates rhetorically jabbing at each other with unusual ferocity. "At moments their town-hall-style engagement felt more like a shouting match than a presidential debate," say Karen Tumulty and Philip Rucker at The Washington Post. "The two men challenged each other on the facts, talked over each other, and stalked each other across the stage." But while Obama certainly crossed the lines of decorum on occasion, it was Romney who was singled out by conservatives and liberals alike for his less-than-gentlemanly attitude toward Obama and moderator Candy Crowley. Here, three stylistic tics that may have hurt Romney's image:

1. He argued too much about the rules

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us