More evidence of Romney's domination...

... comes in this morning's NY Times. And you don't even need to read the editorial, as their position, and Romney's triumph, is made clear by the title - An Unhelpful Presidential Debate.

The first debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney, so long anticipated, quickly sunk into an unenlightening recitation of tired talking points and mendacity. With few sparks and little clarity on the immense gulf that truly separates the two men and their policies, Wednesday’s encounter provided little guidance for voters still trying to understand the choice in next month’s election...Mr. Obama chose to be polite and professorial, as if hoping that strings of details could hold up against blatant nonsense. Viewers were not helped by a series of pedestrian questions from the moderator, Jim Lehrer of PBS, who never jumped in to challenge either candidate on the facts.

If it were possible to spin last night as a good night for Barack Obama, the Times would not consider the debate to have been "unhelpful."

The amusing thing is that, despite the highlighted contention that the debate "provided little guidance," the contrast between the candidates is both clear and stark, and it showed last night.  One of the memes making the rounds on the left this morning is how ineffective Jim Lehrer was, and in a sense, that's true.  He did not control the debate.  But that actually left us with the two candidates sharing their positions, criticizing and explaining their positions, and enlightening viewers on policy positions, philosophy and communication and leadership style.

Of course the editors of the Times did not like what they saw last night - they are Obama partisans.

Of course they think the debate was "unhelpful" - they are Obama partisans.

Of course they think Romney's was speaking "blatant nonsense" - they are Obama partisans.

Of course they think viewers were not well served by Jim Lehrer - they are Obama partisans.

For those who are not Obama partisans, for those interested in the differences between the two men and their positions, for those seeking to determine which is the better choice to lead the country for the next year, this debate was indeed helpful.  And the Times' petulant reaction is just further confirmation of how helpful it was for the candidacy of Mitt Romney...