Things remembered about the debate

Everyone hopes that a presidential debate will be memorable in some way.

The first thing I remember about last night's debate was, if you are assigned to moderate a debate, moderate the debate.

The second thing I remember is the Mitt grin, which said, "Poor Barack doesn't know what he is talking about, but he'll be finished soon and the grown-ups can talk some more." Most Americans can immediately identify an in-law who looks at them in this way.

The third thing I remember is that Mitt and his managers finally found a format in which he can feel comfortable. "Go out there and be the CEO," they said. "Talk about the bottom line." Obama was rattled. He knows a CEO talking about a bottom line when he hears one. He looked at Jim Lehrer like, "This was supposed to be about domestic policy, which is about governance. The bottom line is about money."

The fourth thing I remember is thinking that Mitt was pouring out CEO-speak, which was safe for him, but not easy for the average voter to understand and so decide not to listen, which is not the optimal way to sway an undecided voter.

The fifth thing I remember is being surprised, as everyone seemed to be, to learn that Obama actually talked four minutes longer than Mitt. Many Americans can instantly identify such an experience, when they have dinner guests who can turn an hour into a week.

The sixth thing I remember is that the debate did follow to form, which was that it would be about an America, based on the Nov. 6 election, going in one direction – "you're on your own" – or the other – "we're all in this together." Last night, the distinction was between the bottom line – in CEO world, if you get in the way of the bottom line, you disappear – and domestic policy, which is inclusive.

The last thing I remember was falling asleep wondering why the Oval Office is oval, and board rooms are rectangles.