Thursday 15 April 2010

The Debate: First Thoughts

And so the leaders faced off. Some partisan first thoughts.

> very advantageous to Cameron that it was a 3-way affair. Single combat with Brown wouldn't have been nearly as effective as being the unruffled one between two sometimes-gibbering opponents.

> Brown just can't help himself, and I assume it comes across this way to most viewers:

- "I don't like these words" (FFS !)
- pre-prepared smart-alek lines
- agenda-laden answers, disingenuous segues
- tractor-stat lists & jargon
- defensive laughter when over-ruled by moderator
- blame the Taliban for helicopter-shortage
- snapping-back and (like Clegg) talking beyond his time
- forgetting the questioners' names

> pretty good moderation by Stewart: I'm guessing the other channels' moderators will adopt a similarly abrupt line (which favours Cameron - he reads the mood & the timing better and has less sophistry to ram into his responses)

> Clegg as keen to distance himself from Brown, as Brown was to bind himself to Clegg:
- "Nick agrees with me ..." "No I don't !" Clegg also keen to advocate a tri-partisan approach on a couiple of issues - why? I've missed the tactical point here. But GB is obviously rattled enough to be reaching for the tactical voting levers.

> Cameron wins on the NI policy tussle: Brown feels compelled to fight it, but he hasn't found the words, whereas Dave had a couple of simple & telling lines.

What do you reckon ?

ND

9 comments:

Bill Quango MP said...

Watched it all. Felt sick before, but worse now!
Clegg - 7
Cameron - 6.5
Brown - 5

Boost for the Lib Dems I think. Maybe a few points from the undecided.

Eckersalld said...

I'll be interested in seeing how these debates translate into votes.

Clegg came off very well - the Lib Dems have perpetually failed to find a platform, in these debates they may have been handed one on a plate.

They're not going to have a massive impact on this election, but Clegg plays well on the TV and in the case of a hung parliament it may launch them into a good position for the next election.

Of course the Lib Dems are quite capable of hobbling themselves, especially if some of their claims and statements come under greater scrutiny.

Philipa said...

All reports I've seen saying Clegg exceeded expectations. Not so good for Cam.

Anon@9.30 said...

Tripartite politics here we come.

The only winner from all of this will be clegg.

If you are nice to him, you are taking him seriously and he gains

If you are attacking him, you are taking him seriously and he gains

If you ignore him, he still gets a third of the screen time.

The only downside for clegg will be if he says something dumb.

All the participants will be rehearsed into the ground and so this is v.v. unlikely.

The only loser will be gord. Communications is not his strong point, and defending a record is always much harder.

The question is what lines will they take next time?

I expect gord and clegg will stay on the same course.

the secret is to speak the the country rather than the opponents in the room

I hope dave will lay out a couple of simple lines again.
Mine would be

"Well, after 13 years, how come the UK is less equal than it was in 97?"
"Are things really better - do you really feel better off?"

Electro-Kevin said...

Clegg got away with murder.

Posing as the clean party over the expenses scandals. Tosh.

Brown fibbed his way through ... but didn't get away with it. (ha ha !) The instant viewer poll shows they have him down as the cavaderous, life-sucking chump that he is.

Cameron cocked up in saying that China (one of our biggest financial backers) could have Trident missiles pointed at her. He also decieves us in saying that he will cap immigration when he knows full well that he won't. "...I will cap immigration from outside the EU."

Cameron's word is worthless.

We no longer have a country of our own. This is not a general election but an appointment of a Regional Executive within the EU.

To vote for any one of the three is to endorse further loss of democracy.

Electro-Kevin said...

Alan Shaw (train driver/questioner) is a personal friend of mine. Great guy. Ex Royal Navy.

Electro-Kevin said...

Britain to China "Can we borrow some money ?"

China "What for ?"

Britain "To buy missiles to fire at you."

WTF ????

Cameron = Blair only not so clever.

Steven_L said...

EK - that's the funniest thing I've read all day.

Thing is, they probably would lend us the money for them. That's how mad a world we live in.

Budgie said...

We (RBS) lent money to the Americans to buy Cadbury.