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

[SpeedyGonzalez]

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.

btw, this idea that somehow Nick Clegg's success is all a media conspiracy is extremely bizarre. The right-wing press are in a right old tizz, desperately worried they have backed the wrong horse - or that their odds-on favourite has stumbled. If we get a hung parliament, I really wouldn't want to be James Murdoch having to explain to Daddy that he'd fucked up.

The Lib Dems have been squeezed out of political debate by the media for years (and I'm not a Lib Dem voter, btw). They've been treated as an irrelevance compared to the other two parties. All the tired old jokes about how no-one had a clue what Nick Clegg looks like. The TV debates gave people a chance to see and hear him, and the effect on the election campaign has been dramatic. Will be fascinating to see if that actually translates into votes.

Only 2 of my Yr 11s had heard of Nick Clegg y'day.

I think the Lib Dems should repay stolen money, yes. Surprised you think that is controversial, tbh. Most people agree theft is wrong. It's certainly against the law.

Your analogy is daft because you propose paying the money back to the thief. Which is absurd.

I was surprised when Claig waxed lyrical about Cameron's performance with Paxman, so I took a look. It really is good - Paxman wipes the floor with him!

First off Cameron admits he thinks we are all mugs. Paxman exposes him as a flip-flopper who makes it up as he goes along, and who got most of the big decisions wrong in the past. It seems he will be raising VAT, and will slash government spending in Northern Ireland and the North East and West.
He hasnt worked out the cost of his policies. He hasnt even thought about his first budget, even tho it could be needed in less than 6 weeks. He is just like a shifty schoolboy who hasnt done his homework!

What a twit. But there is a reason he did so badly - his policies are not defendable.

The best thing was that he practically endorsed Nick Clegg!

janeite - you make me laugh with DC is an "arse wearing foundation". He did look like a Madame Tussands doll didn't he.

" 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."

I think this quote is fanciful. Uncle Rupert (Murdoch) gets to decide who will be PM and DC is his man this time. Pure and simple. An ex minister, allegedly, said that TB used to keep an empty chair at cabinet for Uncle Rupert. And he allegedly used to, "Rupert isn't here today but I run that past him"

GB is in my local area and got an invite to go and shake his hand but friends coming over for lunch so can't make it. Feel a bit sorry that I can't go to give him a hug. Must be quite sad to carry his burden.

edam, Lib Dems accepted the money as cash donations, which all the Parties do. How were they to know the money was stolen and not only that but the Lib Dem are the only Party who hav actually put forward plans to reduce and cap the amount of cash people can donate. Funny how both the Labour Party and the Conservatives blocked their plans. If you are voting for Conservatives or Labour, all you will get is more of the same. ib Dems are the only main Party who want the HOuse of Lords to be elected, the only Party who want the power to sack corrupt and dishounest MPs, again both of these ideas have been dismissed by the Tories and the Labour Party. Does not instill me with confidence that they want an honest and fair society.

I don't know where else to post this, and I can't talk about this IRL. Also I want people to agree with me.

Nick Clegg does look very like Colin Firth, doesn't he?

Thanks I feel better now.

lol yes he does a little actually!

imagines Nick Clegg jumping into lake..

I think some posters are underestimating Murdoch and the right-wing press. They believe the stories that Murdoch is panicking at the prospect of Clegg being in power. Clegg will be just as much in Murdoch's pocket as Tony Blair was. Murdoch doesn't lose, he's not frightened. Clegg, with his aristocratic banking family background and his former work for the Tory EU commissioner Leon Brittan, is a Tory. Clegg is part of the elite, he is no threat to Murdoch, just as Tony Blair was no threat to Murdoch. What is published in the newspapers is theatre, what Murdoch really thinks, he keeps to himself.

If you watch Clegg's interview with Paxman, and see how he was stumped by a student recently and how he performed on the Radio 1 interview and the Radio 4 interview eith Eddie Mair, it is obvious that Clegg is insubstantial and out of his depth. The only reason that Clegg has become a phenomenon is because the media have played along and built him up. The public is being bombarded with messages about how Clegg is rocking the boat and the polls, which have so often proven to be wrong in the past, are helping to boost his credibility. I think Clegg is being boosted by the media. I think Clegg is the media's man, even the Guardian has now stabbed Gordon Brown in the back, and wants its voters to bring Clegg in.

Clegg is an EU man through and through. I think Murdoch is an EU man through and through, despite all the seemingly contradictory stories in the Sun, because the EU is for the benefit of big business, with its harmonisation of standards, competition policies, and restriction of state support to national businesses. Murdoch backed Blair, he will now back Cameron, but he will also be behind Clegg. Clegg is the EU's man, and therefore also Murdoch's man. Clegg will act as a restraint on the Tory Euro-sceptics and will help Cameron face down his own Euro-sceptics, so that the Tories can continue the EU policies which big business want.

An interesting article, showing that the Financial Times, which supports the interests of big business, and EU officials are delighted at Clegg's prominence is at this link
synonblog.dailymail.co.uk/2010/04/the-smile-on-the-face-of-the-crocodile.html
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Claig (not to be confused with Clegg ) - I agree that Murdoch decides who wins but I think that you are being unfair about Nick Clegg's background. Half of his family are banking aristos and the other half were poor. SO what does that tell us? My children have diverse backgrounds and I am sending them to private school. My son is about to start at a very good private secondary school. So does that mean that he is disqualified from politics? Or from having an interest in the less well off?

I can't remember the details about Clegg.But isn't it the case that his mother's side is from the Dutch banking elite with connections to the Dutch Queen, and that his father's side is from a line of Russian aristocrats?

No your son is not disqualified from politics or having an interest in the less well off, but people should not be naive, background does matter and Clegg does not really understand how the other half live.

Aesop had a great understanding of human nature, and it is worth reading his fable about the wolf in sheep's clothing. Jesus used Aesop's imagery when he said
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them."

Looks like Claig (not to be confused with Clegg ) has got a bee in her bonnet!

Tell us Claig, do you work for the conservatives?

no I don't work for the Conservatives. But Clegg probably will, when he joins a coalition government

"no I don't work for the Conservatives. But Clegg probably will, when he joins a coalition government"

PMSL.

Nice.

Well thats what the conservatives are desperate for. Just like Brown. Actually in the past its been many ex-conservatives that have jumped ship to join Nick and the Lib Dems.

Especially when the conservatives joined up with the nutty parties of europe, rather than the powerful mainstream parties. The conservatives will take us from being a major force in europe to being sidelined nutties. Dear god please dont let those idiots rule us!

Claig - whilst you may not agree with Clegg's policies I don't think his family background should count against him.

He has had a good education so will hopefully want all schools to be as good as his was.

He can't help how wealthy his parents were. Cameron's family is wealthy too and I don't think that should count against him either.

It is possible to be wealthy and want to do your best for the poorest in society. Eg. Prince Charles has done a lot of good work with the disadvantaged through the princes trust.

The fact that Clegg has some foreign ancestry and speaks several languages surely helps him to have a greater understanding of world affairs. Maybe the Russians will look on us more kindly if he has Russian ancestry!

Tony Blair was also from a wealthy family..no one seemed to have a go at him about it though.

snowlady, I think you are right about Tony Blair. Many Labour supporters think that Blair was a Tory who dismantled many of Labour's traditional policies, and was in fact the heir to Thatcher, whom he greatly admired.

People rightly ask questions about Cameron's background, because people prefer to be represented by people who have some understanding of how they live and what their problems are. When we watch TV programmes where a politician goes to live with council tenants we often see how out of touch they are and we can judge if they are caring and have the concerns of their constituents at heart. Background does not count against anyone, but we as voters do want to know what a politician's background is, because it is one factor in forming a picture of the politician.

CLAIG As a Christian, I recognise the quote from the bible, its well said.

You know what I don't get about Cameron's claims that the Labour party will increase jobs tax, which will hurt the poor, etc etc? What about his proposed VAT rise? That will still hurt the poor, won't it?

Sessy - good point about Cameron wanting to kick us into the disregarded arse end of Europe. I think Clegg was very good on this subject during the last debate - the EU ain't perfect, but life outside it (or on the fringes of it) will be a far worse monster.

Rofl at Clegg as Firth in lake!

agree with herbietea, they will all have to raise VAT

edam Sat 01-May-10 23:34:01

Just re-read your post. So true

herbie - are they now? Well, they kept that one quiet.