Zhang Jun | MCT

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, left, and U.S. President Barack Obama shake hands before the first presidential debate at Denver University on Wednesday, October 3, 2012, in Denver, Colorado.

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FRANK LEWIS

PDT Staff Writer

Reaction to Wednesday’s presidential debate between President Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate and Republican candidate Mitt Romney in Denver, Colorado, was as expected in the party camps.

“Wow. That’s the word I’m using,” Scioto County Republican Party spokesman Bryan Davis said. “I don’t know if Romney could have done better. I believe he explained our current financial crisis. I believe he explained how we can get out of it; How he’s going to get all these people back to work. He explained the hole we’re in and exactly how we got there, and how we’re going to get out of it. I believe he was composed. He was presidential, knowledgeable, my goodness was he knowledgeable. You can tell he has really been thinking about it.”

For once, there was bipartisan agreement.

“It looks like Obama gave him a pass last night,” Scioto County Democratic Party Chairman Randy Basham said. “I think he was too kind and too gentle with him (Romney). He laid out too many olive branches for him like he did for the House (of Representatives) in trying to get legislation passed, and they bit him. After last night’s debate you would never know that Romney ran Bain Capital and that he made billions of dollars in closing plants down sending jobs to China. Obama gave Romney a pass on his 47 percent comment at a million dollar fundraiser where he said those 47 percenters who don’t pay federal income tax, which include retired military and senior citizens, were a bunch of bums.”

On Thursday the Portsmouth Daily Times set out to find what the people think, and posted a request for reaction to the debate on our Facebook page, and reaction was received. All comments sic.

Georgia Cassidy Mckenzie: Proud to be republican and I’m convinced that Romney is a good choice for president this debate helped secure my vote

Barbara Scaff: I thought the moderator lost complete control and I am curious on the fact checking. I am so disappointed Obama didn’t go harder on Romney about the 47% comments…. I hope the next moderator is someone who is sterner and keeps them on task.

Marilyn Ison: Romney did NOT win the debate , all he did was disrupt & speak louder & rudely in the debate. & staying with our president to finish the job. we ARE the people for the people.

Sean King: As is usually the case in debates, both candidates had their flubs. Romney, by all accounts, seemed to hit it out of the park. Obama will need to step it up in the following debates if he wants to distance himself from Romney…

Steven Hunter: Mitt Romney is wrong on absolutely every relevant point of public policy, but he was the only candidate who showed up last night and put in a performance. The President, whom I support enthusiastically, simply tried to “get through” the debate and refused to call Romney out on all of the absolute nonsense he spewed. Last night, Romney essentially disavowed every policy position he’s taken during the course of this campaign — on health care, taxes, regulation, education, and so on. He simply lied about his position, yet the President didn’t call him on it. Romney is the most vacuous, dishonest, and cynical politician I’ve ever seen, but he now has a real chance of becoming president. And that’s a thought that should frighten anyone who loves this country.

Susan R Smith: Mitt Romney was the clear winner and all snap polls say so overwhelmingly (CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox). The President does not have a record he can defend. It doesn’t seem to matter what subject is brought up—-Obama and his team just want to talk about their view of Romney’s “character”, not the real facts. The growth of our economy has slowed every year since this President has taken office and people are poorer than they were 4 years ago. This President has increased our debt by more than all the Presidents that came before him COMBINED. How could the middle class be hurt any more? They can’t—-they need dug out now before it’s too late!

Paul Riesenbeck: Romney won on style. Obama won on substance, which as a voter I am more concerned with. Did not change my opinion on who to vote for. Still undecided.

Frank Lewis may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 232, or at flewis@heartlandpublications.com