This wasn't what I expected: a smooth Mitt Romney and a rough Barack Obama.
On election day, I think voters will remember Denver, and it may turn out to be the most important ninety minutes of Mitt Romney's political life.
Romney was ready to rumble right from the start, while the president was relatively passive.
Romney systematically challenged Obama's economic performance in a respectful, but very critical, way…and the president, at times, appeared impatient, and uncertain.
The net result: Romney was the aggressor, while the president spent much more time sounding defensive.
and–often–the president's explanations were not as cogent as we've come to expect: he rambled.
Romney was the obvious winner, and it's an easy call.
His brain was stacked with facts, but he was still conversational, and confident.
If I didn't know better, I might have thought Romney was the incumbent, and Barack Obama was the challenger.
Mitt Romney won something more important tonight than a debate: he won time, which, in politics, is priceless.
My takeaway: Romney will rebound.
Forget the polls: this election isn't over.