Why does Obama let Romney get away with his "doubled the deficit" charge?

Obama did a lot of things right in the Hofstra debate. But one core Romney lie he let go unchallenged repeatedly. I go to my tweet tape:

@xpostfactoid1 

nailed him on everything but his own deficits

6:51 PM - 16 Oct 12 ·  Details

3x "he doubled the deficit" - time to pop that lie
6:56 PM - 16 Oct 12 · Details

he has cut the deficit - time to say so

6:57 PM - 16 Oct 12 · Details

unaswered: you doubled the deficit Lie
6:37 PM - 16 Oct 12 · Details

In fact, the deficit in FY 2009, compiled mainly on Bush's watch, was $1.4 trillion; this year it's just shy of $1.1 trillion. The only way Romney can get to Obama "doubling" it is to hold him responsible for 2009 -- as he's held him responsible for job losses that occurred prior to the stimulus taking effect (while holding himself harmless for job losses in the first year of his Massachusetts tenure -- see Romney Rule #2).

It appears that Obama does not want to get into the weeds on this, i.e. give Romney an opportunity to say that he's presided over four consecutive trillion-plus dollar deficits. But I fantasize an exchange such as this:

O: "In fact, governor, we've reduced the federal deficit I inherited by almost 25% while working with Congress to cut over $2 trillion in spending over the next ten years."

R:  Mr. President, you've presided over four consecutive years of trillion-dollar deficits. You're the last person we should expect to balance the budget."

O: The alternative would have been to cut spending in the face of the worst recession in 80 years, as many countries in Europe have done. We know how that story ends: 25% unemployment, a second Great Depression. If your party had it's way, that's where we'd be now."

I'm nothing but an armchair strategist; the Obama team may have good reasons for not wanting to go there. But to free associate a bit, last night I spoke to an undecided voter worried about "the economy, the deficit and everything," which reinforces the notion that the deficit is a proxy in many voters' minds for the economy -- as that tape now kicking around the nets of Bush Sr. groping with a voter question about how "the deficit" affected him personally illustrates. And polls still show that voters rate Romney higher on dealing with the deficit, incredibly, given that he's remained silent on how he would offset his marginal rate cuts or what spending he would cut even if he does achieve "deficit neutral" tax reform.  

 

My anxiety that Obama let the deficit charge stand -- along with Romney's constant claim that there are "23 million" unemployed, as opposed to the 12 million actually unemployed, and that Obama "quadrupled" the rate of new regulation - is heightened by this news from the ad wars:

But another campaign official, granted anonymity to discuss strategy, said their plan to re-litigate the Libya issue was postponed when instant polls and focus groups immediately after the debate showed Romney winning exchanges about the economy, deficit, and gas prices.

Defending his record on spending is related to another building imperative, to which Obama responded yesterday: taking full-throated credit for an economy that is picking up steam. There is a coherent narrative waiting for the taking:  we staved off depression, faced down ruinous spending cuts pushed by the GOP, made a down payment on future deficit reduction, and are now primed for recovery.