The leaders are preparing deeply for the first TV debate. So I think an American should give a view of how the American debates operate. First all three debates are televised on every channel that will cover it. They pool into one video feed so no matter where you tune in you are watching the same thing. This enables three different debate formats. The first is usually a stand-up debate about domestic issues. The second is a sit-down about foreign and defense (defence) policy. The third is a town hall where the candidates are asked questions by 'real people' on a mish-mash of subjects. They are hyped by the media and can have defining moments. But for the most part they are incredibly dull and change the views of very few people. In the American system they are essential because the people of America go into the polling booth and choose between the two people on that stage. I personally believe in the British system with the short election span and the fact you vote for an individual MP and not the leader there only needs to be one debate. This first debate will be exciting and informing for the British people. The other two will be uninteresting and a waste of time.
P.S. I think Brown will do better than people think. Remember he is the only one who has had to answer tough questions weekly for nearly three years.
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Yes, Brown is the one who has faced tough questions weekly for nearly three years. The only problem is that he has never answered any of them.
ReplyDeleteI believe Gordon Brown will try to extend his answers to look more "presidential". I also think as in parliament he will get very angry and finish by storming off the stage. The British people will be amazed and the dark Lord (Mandelson) will be furious and blame everyone else. Nick Clegg and David Cameron will both do very well by answering in a calm and efficient manner.
ReplyDeleteDavid Cameron regularly gets the better of Gordon Brown at Prime ministers questions and should give a deft and agile performance. I'm worried that Brown and Clegg will "gang-up" on Cameron in the hope of making the Conservatives look marginalised. It should be a debate between the two main parties only in my opinion. Hopefully the class war won't break out either- but with Scandelsons comments this morning about Cameron looking down his "long toffee nose at the regions" and Browns bizarre personal declaration that he is from an ordinary family, this doesn't look likely.
ReplyDeleteDC hounds and rattles in PMQ. This is different. GB will tell GB public the right things
ReplyDelete"It should be a debate between the two main parties only in my opinion"
ReplyDeleteI think this is the problem. I'm sick of labservative. This isn't democracy; the two parties are not enough, the two parties do not represent the people and the two parties are simply too ideologically similar. No real change can come about in a two party system, especially when those parties are so similar when it really comes down to it. We do make incremental improvements, but the real changes, at least historically, have been through radical reform. And I don't believe that we can achieve that democratically, unless we open up politics to parties with new ideas. The 'first past the post' system has made sure this is not the case.