We have seen seven incumbent Presidents run for reelection and participate in debates, and in the first debate in all cases but one, the incumbent President lost the debate, but three went on to win the election!
Gerald Ford in 1976; Jimmy Carter in 1980; Ronald Reagan in 1984; George H. W. Bush in 1992; George W. Bush in 2004; and Barack Obama in 2012 lost the first debate, while Bill Clinton won the first debate in 1996.
So far, the record for winning the election that followed is 3 wins, 3 losses—with Reagan, Clinton, and George W. Bush winning, and Ford, Carter and George H. W. Bush losing.
One forgets that Presidents have a lot of things on their minds, while Presidential challengers only are thinking of winning the debate and the election.
So be assured that Barack Obama, still close to having 270 electoral votes, will win the Presidential Election of 2012, and make the Republicans like it!