This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19435100

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
US media reacts to Mitt Romney speech US media reacts to Mitt Romney speech
(about 7 hours later)
The US media has been commenting on presidential nominee Mitt Romney's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, as he vowed to make up for the "disappointments" of Barack Obama's presidency and "restore America's promise".The US media has been commenting on presidential nominee Mitt Romney's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, as he vowed to make up for the "disappointments" of Barack Obama's presidency and "restore America's promise".
In a scathing opinion piece in The Washington Post, Jonathan Bernstein writes of "a generic speech and a generic convention for a generic Republican candidate", adding that "everything in it was perfunctory".In a scathing opinion piece in The Washington Post, Jonathan Bernstein writes of "a generic speech and a generic convention for a generic Republican candidate", adding that "everything in it was perfunctory".
"The whole thing seemed to have a case of attention deficit disorder," he says."The whole thing seemed to have a case of attention deficit disorder," he says.
However, href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80513.html?hp=t1_s" >Politico's Maggie Haberman describes the speech as "well-written and well-delivered". However, href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/08/mitt-romney-capitalist-saint/261823/" >The Atlantic's Molly Ball says "it was almost certainly the best speech Mitt Romney ever gave".
"Romney is not a naturally gifted speaker, and selling himself has remained a struggle. The expectations were low, but he did a commanding job on the convention's final night," she adds. "The whole project was to create, for the first time, a Romney to believe in. To do that, Romney took a risk," she said.
"The program showcased the two most difficult and avoided parts of his biography - his religion and his business career," she wrote, adding that as his speech moved into policy it became "scattered".
Ball 'in Obama's court'
Fred Barnes at the Weekly Standard writes that Mr Romney "passed the convention test impressively".
"He suggested that voters had good reason to be excited by Obama in 2008. But the president had let them down by not following though on his promises of progress on the economy."
The Boston Globe says the speech was "less of an emphatic statement of purpose than a direct challenge to President Obama".The Boston Globe says the speech was "less of an emphatic statement of purpose than a direct challenge to President Obama".
"Romney served the ball cleanly into Obama's court. Next week, Obama will have a chance to return the volley. He would do well to offer a clear, persuasive game plan for the future," the editorial says."Romney served the ball cleanly into Obama's court. Next week, Obama will have a chance to return the volley. He would do well to offer a clear, persuasive game plan for the future," the editorial says.
href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-met-kass-0831-20120831-13,0,5500278.column" >John Kass in the Chicago Tribune reminds readers that Mr Romney was not so much speaking to the convention itself but to swing voters outside it. He was focusing on their disillusion with Mr Obama's dream, rather than their anger. Writing in the href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444914904577617751178547954.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADSecond" >Wall Street Journal's opinion journal from the Republican Convention, James Taranto spotted a possible line of attack for the candidate.
"It was a message that had been polled and focus-grouped and sharpened," he said. "It was whetted, and fletched and notched, and Romney drew back and fired from that television longbow at those targets far away." "Romney is very effective at puncturing Obama's grandiosity. If he does it half as well in person, the debates will be a blast," he writes.
'Giant step forward'
The New York Times' Jim Rutenberg says Mr Romney "worked hard to show he has a heart" but still has to convince many Americans that Mr Obama's presidency did not work, and to let go of him and move on.The New York Times' Jim Rutenberg says Mr Romney "worked hard to show he has a heart" but still has to convince many Americans that Mr Obama's presidency did not work, and to let go of him and move on.
"[Voters] need to be told that it is OK to remain proud of their initial support for Mr Obama, but that they can be equally at peace with a decision to change their minds now," he says."[Voters] need to be told that it is OK to remain proud of their initial support for Mr Obama, but that they can be equally at peace with a decision to change their minds now," he says.
Writing in the href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444914904577617751178547954.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADSecond" > Wall Street Journal's opinion journal from the Republican Convention, James Taranto spotted a possible line of attack for the candidate. But John Cassidy at the href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/johncassidy/2012/08/clint-eastwood-spoils-mitt-romneys-big-night.html" >New Yorker believes that while "Romney did what he had to do", the candidate's night was upstaged by Clint Eastwood.
"Romney is very effective at puncturing Obama's grandiosity. If he does it half as well in person, the debates will be a blast," he writes. "Unfortunately for him, the only thing that most people will remember about it is the jarring picture of a frail-looking American screen legend, his hair askew, standing and talking in a halting voice to an empty chair."
Fox News' Douglas Schoen writes that while Mr Romney's speech did not close the deal, he took a "giant step forward" and his speech began the process of "humanising" him.