According to the replacement NFL referees, Obama was the clear winner of the debate (Photo credit: jamesomalley)

Before yesterday’s presidential debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, Obama was generally favored to perform better than his challenger.  However, once the debates got under way, it was Barack Obama who appeared unprepared, uninspired, and very unteleprompted, while Mitt Romney seemed more confident, assertive and eloquent, as if his debate performance had been sponsored by Red Bull campaign donation.  So here are 10 reason why Barack Obama did not do as well as expected in the debate.

1)  Obama was demoralized and thrown off-balance when Romney managed not to make a single gaffe in the first 30 seconds of the debate.

2)  Mitt Romney’s masterful strategy of agreeing with Obama on taxes for the rich, regulation and parts of Obamacare, forced Obama to debate his own position.

3)  Many all-night parties dedicated to pre-celebrating the upcoming re-election victory had taken its toll on the president.

4)  That’s what happens when you are texting while debating.

5)  Barack Obama did not feel comfortable taking credit for the Obamacare when the real author of the law was standing right next to him.

6)  Obama’s day job had interfered with his debate preparation.

7)  Obama’s occasional attempts to remember and deliver actual facts had hampered his performance, while Mitt Romney had deftly avoided the fact trap.

8)  Mitt Romney had no choice but to do well, because his church had threatened to excommunicate him if he failed.

9)  Worried that Obama’s flag pin might fall off during the debate, his aides had screwed it on so tight that it slowed the flow of oxygen to the president’s brain.

10)  Obama was counting on having Romney debate an empty chair, but the chair had cancelled at the last moment.