This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

I sadly admit that Gov. Mitt Romney "won" Wednesday's debate. That is, he was forcefully on the attack, putting President Barack Obama on the defensive.

Also, Romney wonderfully and successfully revealed his long-awaited Etch A Sketch moment, where he abandons the tea party philosophy that got him the nomination for a pro-government, pro-middle class philosophy that will help him with independents in the general election. It was an awesome performance.

However, the debate also persuaded me more than ever to vote for no-drama Obama, who rationally and calmly and constantly addresses our national programs. I prefer a competent president who I know will work to address our big issues over a man who I have to wait for the evening news to discover what he now thinks today, depending on shifts in political winds.

Also, despite Romney's promises, the new and more-attractive moderate Romney will no more be able to work with the ruling ultraconservative, uncompromising Republicans in the House of Representatives than Obama is. They're not anything like the deal-making Democrats he worked with in Massachusetts, when Romney was truly a moderate Republican.

Romney's deluding himself, but hopefully not the America voter.

Bart McGuire

Salt Lake City