Republican on the defensive as roles turn on their heads

The debate provided an odd role reversal that made Romney seem on the defensive,particularly because he at times stuttered and sputtered in his haste to make his points. He pronounced foreign names and countries correctly,but also carefully,worried perhaps that a mispronunciation would sink his credibility. Usually,it is Obama who seems professorial and long-winded. There were moments when Romney made the President sound succinct and sharp-edged.

Perhaps trying to demonstrate the breadth of his knowledge,Romney careened from Iran to Poland to China to Latin America to Greece to balanced budgets. He delivered a long lecture on the strategic importance of Pakistan that was the same as Obamas position.

What happened wasnt particularly funny,but it was startling. Romney kept talking about American strength and the need to be tougher, but he seemed at times unnerved by the President,a man he accused of being too weak.

Romney didnt really elaborate on Obamas mistakes and say what he would have done differently. Instead,he often highlighted where he agreed with the President. When asked by Schieffer if he regretted,in retrospect,calling for the fall of President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt,Obama said no. So,too,did his opponent.