To this day, Romney’s aides wonder how it all went so wrong...
It isn't even rocket science. The end started when Obama yelled out, "Get the transcript, Candy."
From that point in the debate onward, Romney cowered.
In the 3rd debate, the one on foreign policy, Romney basically phoned it in. He never once mentioned Benghazi and the 4 Americans who where killed there.
Romney's decline continued. If he didn't have backbone in the debates, it likely wouldn't have backbone if he were in the Oval Office.
Good assessment. If you’re in the ring and don’t put away your opponent when you have the chance, you don’t deserve to win. Romney backed off when he should have gone in for the knock out. That’s not what a winner does.