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Original poster

Anyone think Gordy's regretting allowing the TV debates to take place?

77 replies

SpeedyGonzalez · 29/04/2010 23:53

He hasn't come off brilliantly, has he?

Why did he keep on smiling? Why? Why? It makes him look like an axe murderer.

And how is it that someone with such massive ears can be such a bad listener? At least twice during tonight's debate he repeatedly misquoted both his opponents after they had made very clear statements about their policies.

OP posts:

Original poster

SpeedyGonzalez · 30/04/2010 22:34

bump. Only me?

OP posts:

Cartoose · 30/04/2010 22:41

He had to agree to them though, or he'd have lots of people saying "why won't you debate? What do you have to hide" etc etc. It would have looked worse if he'd refused to do them.

Molesworth · 30/04/2010 22:42

I think Cameron must be regretting them more tbh. Under normal circs he would be way ahead in the polls right now.

Cartoose · 30/04/2010 22:44

Cameron's still ahead though I think. But time will tell, of course, next Thurs

claig · 30/04/2010 23:03

This was the first time we have had these debates. None of the previous incumbents agreed to any debates, because it is usually disadvantageous to the incumbent. But this time was different, Brown had no choice. He was on such weak ground with Labour so unpopular that he had to have debates to try and strengthen his dire position. In the end he didn't do as badly as I expected, he held his head up, helped by the fact that Cameron failed to attack Brown's record and deliberately missed many open goals. The surprise has been Clegg. I think Clegg has been deliberately hyped by the media, because a coalition government is what they want. There is little Brown could really have done to turn it around, the country has lost faith in Labour and feel that it is time for a change. It is not Brown's fault, it is the record of the 13 years that can't be hidden.

blueshoes · 30/04/2010 23:06

I like Gordon more now. I think he is strongest on the economy.

Gordon's smile does not bother me. David Cameron's face bothers me.

wasabipeanut · 30/04/2010 23:10

Not as much as David Cameron must be regretting agreeing to the Lib Dems getting equal billing.

kalo12 · 30/04/2010 23:11

I think David Cameron was appealing to the idiot masses whereas Gordon was more high brow

I don't get Nick Clegg mania at all! He needs his own website - YAWN.com!

fembear · 30/04/2010 23:15

LOL @ axe murderer. So true.

Was it Sue who suggested that he should smile? He should have stuck to being Grumpy because he is scary when he grimaces smiles.

claig · 30/04/2010 23:19

When Paxman interviewed Clegg, Clegg was embarrassing, Paxman demolished him with ease. It is obvious that Clegg is not up to it, and yet the media have boosted him up. Brown is far more competent than Clegg, and Cameron was also far more competent in his Paxman interview. The media are ignoring the ovious and want the polls to be close and are encouraging people to vote for Clegg in the hope that he will be part of a coalition government.

wasabipeanut · 30/04/2010 23:20

Nick Clegg is starting to piss me off with the holier than thou routine. Last night he made several references to "these two political point scoring." It was a televised debate, WTF did he think he was there to do?

Molesworth · 30/04/2010 23:21

Clegg wasn't THAT bad in the Paxo interview Claig - although he went first and it was before the first debate, so I don't think many will have bothered watching it.

Brown's Paxo interview was by far the strongest of the three, I think.

janeite · 30/04/2010 23:23

I think I must be watching different footage than everybody else as I think brown comes across far better than the other two. Clegg seems simultaneously naive and sanctimonious and Cameron is just ghastly. And WHY did they both have so much makeup on?

claig · 30/04/2010 23:29

I didn't see Brown tonight. But Brown has lots of experience so I would expect him to be able to do well against Paxman. Cameron, with less experience, also held his own against Paxman. But in my opinion Paxman destroyed Clegg. Paxman's first question to Clegg was about how he defined the mandate to rule i.e. was it percentage of the votes or number of seats won, and Clegg was stumped by this and waffled around the subject. That was shocking given that he must have given some thought to being part of a coalition. Paxman then destroyed Clegg's scrapping of the tax for under £10000 earners by pointing out that this policy would also apply to people earning £100,000 and they would gain a far greater monetary advantage than the poor people earning less than £10,000. Clegg was extremely poor and he was lucky that he went first so early on, as not many people paid much attention to it.

Molesworth · 30/04/2010 23:32

Do watch the Brown/Paxo interview (might be repeated or on iplayer?) - I almost didn't bother because he was so appalling at the end of the debate last night (and I'm getting election fatigue), but it was an excellent interview: far more revealing than the debates imho

Smilehighclub · 30/04/2010 23:34

Gordon always seems the most serious and sensible to me. I dunno what people think the other two might have done these difficult few years.

Cameron spends too long polishing his face for the camera imo. And clegg. Much preferred that other one, wotshisname? yknow the one had liked his wine.

blueshoes · 30/04/2010 23:35

Janiete, DH and I agree that Gordon Brown came out the strongest in the last debate - in debate and on substance. But you won't hear that - the newspapers are biased in their coverage and opinion.

paisleyleaf · 30/04/2010 23:36

Why's he put himself on Paxman?!

claig · 30/04/2010 23:37

yes thanks I will watch it. There is no doubt that Brown is a clever man, and has built up lots of experience. It is unfortunate for him that Blair didn't let him lead earlier on. He ended up taking over from an unpopular Blair, and Brown didn't have enough time to turn things around, especially as the financial crisis erupted on his watch.

janeite · 30/04/2010 23:39

That is true, Claig. Saw a picture of Blair today for the first time in ages - can't believe how old he's got. irrelevant and shallow comment there but hey

Molesworth · 30/04/2010 23:41

Big mistake wheeling Blair out - as if things aren't bad enough for labour at the moment!

(also thought he looked freakish janeite - very gaunt and orange)

claig · 30/04/2010 23:41

Brown's advisors have also let him down. His closing speech in the debate was a disaster because it only consisted of scare-mongering, nothing positive. Many of his inner circle have had the knives out for him e.g. Milliband and Harman, if I remember rightly. I'm sure he had to spend a lot of time watching his back.

Molesworth · 30/04/2010 23:43

Agree completely claig. Brown was good in last night's debate, but that final speech was just ... awful. It should have been his opportunity to highlight some of the good things labour has done and say something positive and hopeful for the future.

paisleyleaf · 30/04/2010 23:46

Actually, he's sounding better now than at the start of the program.

janeite · 30/04/2010 23:46

I missed his final speech - what did he say?

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