The Manchester Debate

[poliphilo]

Clegg won.

Or- to put it more accurately- he made an impression. He was voluble, petulant, at times almost natural. Before last night we had only a vague idea of who or what he was. Now we know. He's Jimmy Dean left out in the sun and faded to a pleasing shade of yellow.

The other two did what was expected of them. Cameron warbled pinkly. Brown was stiff and worked his jaw like an old person with badly fitting teeth. He seems a little mad, but who wouldn't be after thirteen years at the top?

Brown was courting Clegg- as he will have to do for real if there's a hung parliament- but Clegg- lip curled and fist in pocket-  had no time for either of the two grown-ups. If last night meant anything, we'll have a Lib Dem government after May 6- but we won't, will we? Tain't fair!

Comments

[mamadar.livejournal.com]

I saw a snippet of the debate on BBC World News and wanted to weep for my country. All three of your candidates can use complete sentences, with subordinate and relative clauses, and make their subjects and verbs agree! After putting up with Sarah Palin as an actual vice-presidential candidate, three reasonably articulate politicians on one stage seemed like a miracle to me.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Speaking from an English perspective, I'd have liked a little less formality, a little more down home folksiness, more evidence that they're capable of thinking on their feet. Clegg came the closest to behaving naturally- which is why all the commentators perceive him as having "won".