Jeffrey Feldman's Frameshop "The Breakout Performance"

http://jeffreyfeldman1.wordpress.com/2012/10/10/bring-it-mr-president-the-breakout-performance/

Unless you are living under a rock, you have noticed that the polls jumped for Mitt Romney after the first debate. Who cares if he “won” or not–the polls now show a leap. He’s ahead in some, tied in others, close in still others. There has been a change in the race. Democrats are running around in circle, knocking into each other, and falling down like extras in a Bugs Bunny cartoon. What’s happening?

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What happened after Romney’s performance in the in the first debate reminds me of the dynamic that unfolded in the GOP primary. In fact, without statistics or data to cloud my certainty, I will just come out and say that it is the same dynamic: the polls are not reflecting the state of the race, but are merely rewarding a single breakout performance by a candidate perceived as challenging the front-runner.

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Most of these breakout performances happened in the debates, which were less forums for voters to understand the candidates positions than arenas for candidates to step up and steal the show.

(Read it all the way through. Excellent analysis, realistic - and positive - conclusion.)