Mitt Romney was on offense. President Obama was on defense. And when you’re on offense in a presidential debate—and aren’t mean-spirited or harsh—you prevail. Which Romney did in a 90-minute performance that I suspect even some of his advisers didn’t know he was capable of.

He was so brimming with numbers, details, and facts on issue after issue that he blew away the president’s biggest talking point: that Romney was ominously keeping the components of his tax, health care, and budget plans from the American people. This was a pretty weak theme to begin with, but that didn’t stop Obama was emphasizing it with little effect.