Will the Tories be ruing pushing for tv debates?

[Gromit]

The Tories strongly pushed for the TV debates, but Cameron did not exactly shine. Will they be regretting starting this, having got their wish they may have aided the Lib Dems in thwarting their ambitions.

[MarkRae]

I agree. And anything which thwarts the Tories' plans is OK in my book...

[olddutch]

Clegg romped home in the debate according to all the polls already taken - he took 40/50% of the vote in ITV and Sun polls - this may well bring a hung parliament into being - or could it possibly be the start of a bigger roll if Cegg performs equally well in the two further debates and raises his own appealling profile together with that of his party ? No the Tories wont be happy.

[mike11111]

I recorded it, watched half an hour then switched off. I found the whole thing surreal - the audience were not allowed to react so it looked as though it was taking place in a vacuum. I don't think it will have any meaningful effect on the result of the election. I certainly won't be recording the next two instalments, I shall take two Nytol instead. They have the same effect but tend to work more quickly.

[ELVIS68]

Most people know who they will vote for regardless of what is said on these tv debates and party political broadcasts.

How Brown can stand up and say "We will do this and do that" if he wins the election is is laughable, why hasn`t he done it already?

This country has been on the decline for years with immigration, crime and anti social behaviour spiralling out of control and none of those three have the balls to sort it out

[MarkRae]

> This country has been on the decline for years with immigration, crime and anti social
> behaviour spiralling out of control and none of thGeose three have the balls to sort it out.

Genius! So, what do you propose...?

[ELVIS68]

What do I propose?...Don`t vote Labour

[IggyB]

I think the debate was good for politics in general as it must be good for the main parties leaders to do a bit of "show and tell" with their policies but I'm not sure it was a good idea for the tories. They had good polling positions already by being very canny and keeping what they say quite restricted to key issues - by opening up a debate I think cameron came across quite weak.

[Kromovaracun]

" the audience were not allowed to react so it looked as though it was taking place in a vacuum."

Really? I thought that improved it. Pretty much all the British politics shows you see always descend (or ascend, if you like) into more 'exciting' political brawls but this was far more distinctive and I thought more compelling to watch for it.

[AB Editor]

I Hope you've all seen this!

Personally I thought Clegg was a little bit lightweight, but this morning he has been reported as if he were a Titan. I say this as someone most likely to be voting Lib Dem this time!

Everyone liked the debate then?

Spare

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbfAZ-ahqrU

[factor-fiction]

Sorry AB ed but I don't see what the point of the attached youtube clip is. I don't see it as gaffe by Cameron. Am I missing something?

[R1Geezer]

Olddutch, it's a TV debate, not the actual election!

Let's not get excited, most agree Clegg did the business and in this debate he got the man of the match for me but I won't be voting libdem. I don't know why you think the Tories will be ruing this Gromit, did you see the "Approvalometer" when Brown was speaking? Libdems will no doubt pick up votes from this but I reckon a lot of them will be those that are mightily ruffled around the boa with Noo Labour but cannot bring themselves to vote Tory. Some of the Tory middle England may well see voting libdem as a half way house to comming back to the Tories but generally it is still a matter of tactics whether to vote libdem or not. For example in my constituency it would be a wasted vote.

[AB Editor]

Not a Cameron Gaffe, more of a Clegg Gaffe really.

This was put up by Prezza by the way - I should have cited that at the time!

Spare Ed

[weecalf]

Whole thing ment nothing .Staged managed .Bown was the only one who had the power to do anything over this last few years .The other are saying what they think they might do.When in power its a different thing .Brown did okay in defending what has happened to the country under the Labour party .The other two had nothing to defend so it was easier for them .Promises promies what else could they say ...Did you notice how the they were on first name terms with the people who were used to ask the same old tired questions .

[Gromit]

R1Geezer

Last December:
// Mr Cameron said: “I think it is a thoroughly good thing that these debates are going to take place. I've been pushing for two years for this to happen, I've always believed in live television debates. //

Cameron is very at ease with the TV studio and with the public and Brown is not. Cameron is perceived as young and exuberant and Brown as old and dowdy. Cameron has been pushing for these debates because he should win them. The fact that he came a poor second (or even third according to SKY) means after the first debate, the strategy has backfired on the Tories.

However, expect both main Parties not to make the mistake of ignoring the Lib Dem threat in the next two debates.

[R1Geezer]

fair enough Gromit, I thought you were saying that the success of Clegg meant that he would take votes from the Tories.

[jno]

considering Cameron's only real-world job was in PR, this was not a good result for him; he had to persuade the public of something and he didn't. Still, he gets another couple of chances. Brown isn't much good on camera, and I'm not sure that bothers people: I suspect many vote for him precisely because he doesn't do PR well; they see that as a sign of seriousness.

Seriousness isn't the same as ability, of course.

[Gromit]

Cameron is the king of the soundbite, but that was not much use when he had 4 minutes airtime to fill. He is very light on the detail (I have just read the Tory manifesto, and it is all very vague) so he resembled a children's entertainer who had turned up but didn't know any conjuring tricks.

He was very underwhelming, but that could have been nerves, and fear of making a gaffe.

[jake-the-peg]

Clegg will take votes from the Tories and Labour especially in marginal constituancies where they are already second because there the "Wasted vote" argument will not hold water there.

Remember Clegg does not have to win a majority - he just needs enough seats to ensure that he holds the balance of power and then play a good game of poker

[Quinlad]

Did no one else fnd last night weirdly poor?

These debates have been eagerly anticipated for months. All three of them have had strategists working out what will play best to the Nth degree. At least two of them have been coached by Obama's communications advisers. They've rehearsed and rehearsed and reheasred. They're experienced political operators with loads of TV experience.

Given all that, the standard of debate and presentation was really, really poor. Clegg came out best but even he was only adequate. Cameron was flustered and really easily outflanked. Brown simply can't engage with an audience on any level. It was rubbish.

Or am I being harsh?

[razza]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz