… The debate is unlikely to solve all of Romney’s problems. … But the debate did two very important things for the challenger. First, it arrested the rush to judgment in much of the political community that Obama had effectively sealed the race. …
Second, the evening delivered a powerful reminder of Obama’s inherent vulnerabilities.
All of Romney’s difficulties in recent weeks have provided ample testimony to his own challenges. But they have obscured the parallel reality that Obama is seeking reelection with elevated unemployment rates, low levels of growth, a massive federal deficit, and an approval rating that, while getting better, rarely peeks above 50 percent. [cont.]
Ron Brownstein, National Journal