The first debate’s over. Obama had his hat handed to him by Mitt.

James Taranto, in an excellent piece in the WSJ, suggests that Obama’s failure was inevitable, because he’s been coddled, pampered, by the MSM, and thus the first time he faced off with an articulate, prepared, challenger, Obama wasn’t ready.

The problem with the normally estimable Mr. Taranto’s thesis is that it suggests that Obama will be much better prepared, ( and thus better) the next time out.

What if he’s wrong? What if what we saw last night is the best that Obama has to offer?

Consider: The path has been pretty much greased for him since day one. Admitted to Occidental, then Columbia, then Harvard Law, and the Law Review. No college transcripts surface, no scholarship from the Law Review. Handed a teaching position…he did not publish anything.

Then “community organizing.”..Who grades his performance? There must be, by logic, both GOOD and BAD community organizers. Which was Barack? How successful was he?

Then politics. He started in the Illinois State Senate..handed a sure-thing district. He ducked most of the tough votes.

Then he tried to make the big leagues. Challenged Rep. Bobby Rush, and got his ass handed to him, losing by a 2:1 margin. Thus, the first time he faced a serious opponent, he lost, big time.

He ran for an open Senate seat in 2004, and his GOP opponent was destroyed by the MSM when salacious details of Ryan’s sealed divorce records were somehow leaked all over the place. Obama coasted.

He gave the one BIG speech at the 2004 Dem convention, and beat Hillary for the nomination. She went easy on him, fearful of antagonizing the black vote. And he beat an old, inept McCain in 2008, when the country was just tired of eight years of Bush, especially after the Dems and the MSM had spent the last five of those years attacking and villifying Bush at every chance.

It got so bad that an alien visitor to earth in 2008 would have thought that W.’s full name was Geroge Miserable Failure Bush.

In summary, we may well have seen the best that Barack has to offer. Remember, the only other time that Obama faced a tough, determined opponent..Bobby Rush..he well, failed miserably.

Affirmative action doesn’t work when choosing a debate team, or a president.