Sorry Mr President, but the troops DO need horses and bayonets!

[bijou]

• Obama mocked Romney's complaint about size of Navy fleet by comparing ship numbers to 'horses and bayonets'
• But bayonets are still standard issue for Marines and used by some soldiers
• First U.S. troops in Afghanistan entered on horseback in 2001
  

By Hugo Gye
PUBLISHED:13:34, 23 October 2012| UPDATED:15:15, 23 October 2012

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One of the most memorable moments of last night's final presidential debate was Barack Obama's mocking comparison of Mitt Romney's foreign policy to the era of 'horses and bayonets'.

The barb, which rapidly became popular on social networks, was intended to paint the Republican challenger as inexperienced and out of touch with the realities of modern military conduct.

But the President's mocking comment threw the spotlight on the fighting techniques - because both bayonets and horses have remained important parts of the U.S. military right up to the present day.
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Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz2A8HyAmVY

[m00]

I actually thought Obama came across as slightly stronger (more sensible) on the military in the debate, and foreign policy in general. Romney came off stronger on economic/domestic issues. Neither of these are really surprising. I do think the economy will decide the election though.

[Arroyo_Doble]

[Elspeth]

I told you guys as the debate happened that this horses & bayonets thing was going to be THE liberal takeaway from the debate. It was the only part of the debate that didn't bore the average person to tears.

[txradioguy]

Ummm...Mr. President...yeah about that horses comment...



Might not be as clever or as funny as you thought.

[Elspeth]

The Telegraph points this out as they give the win to Romney last night:

Romney won the third presidential debate – and how he did it was encapsulated in a single exchange. The candidates were discussing military spending and Romney had just accused Obama of making harmful cutbacks. The President wheeled out what must have seemed like a great, pre-planned zinger: “I think Governor Romney maybe hasn't spent enough time looking at how our military works. You mentioned the navy, for example, and that we have fewer ships than we did in 1916. Well, governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets because the nature of our military's changed.” The audience laughed, Obama laughed, I laughed. It was funny.

But here’s why it was also a vote loser. For a start, Twitter immediately lit up with examples of how the US Army does still use horses and bayonets (horses were used during the invasion of Afghanistan). More importantly, this was one example of many in which the President insulted, patronised and mocked his opponent rather than put across a constructive argument. His performance was rude and unpresidential. Obama seemed to have a touch of the Bidens, wriggling about in his chair, waving his hands dismissively and always – always – smirking in Romney’s direction. By contrast, Romney sucked up the abuse and retained a rigid poker face all night. He looked like a Commander in Chief; Obama looked like a lawyer. Who would you rather vote for?

[TVDOC]

Errrr.

http://video.foxnews.com/v/191213872...t-ground-zero/

doc

[Zeus]

Although the Presidents little Horses & bayonets zinger is getting a lot of attention I think Romney's remarks regarding Obama's Apology tour hit home the hardest.

[Starbuck]

Real Presidents don't use zingers.