Impressions from the debate

Argus · October 3, 2008

Harper looks and sounds like a Prime Minister. He is the only one there who seems to have any dignity and manners. Elizabeth May is shrill, rude and ignorant. She is really irritating. Dion is not a lot better. He is rude and often incoherent. Layton is overbearing, smarmy and accusatory with every word, and Duceppe - who cares.

All four of the opposition seem to believe in the magic of having your cake and eating it too. They all seem to believe that you can hammer business, manufacturing, mining, and the oil industry in order to provide money for tax cuts or huge spending projects - and that this will not cause any kind of economic difficulty even in the current financial mess. Okay, that's probably not true. May and Layton probably say it because they really appear to be economic illiterates. Dion says it because he's so desperate that he long ago abandoned even the pretense of being honest about his policies. As for Duceppe - who cares.

jbg · October 3, 2008

I've been flipping back and forth between the U.S. and the Canadian debates. Dion does come across as incoherent. How often can he say "Harper = Bush"?

kimmy · October 3, 2008

I've been flipping back and forth between the U.S. and the Canadian debates. Dion does come across as incoherent. How often can he say "Harper = Bush"?

How often can he say it? He can't even say it once. He keeps trying, but somehow he can't get the words out. :lol:

My post from another thread:

I think this format kind of sucks. It breaks down into chaos too often, and the moderator is often having a hard time keeping things under control.

I think Harper is doing a fair job in his punching-bag role. He's had a tough time with some issues (environment, manufacturing jobs) where Harper obviously doesn't have a lot of sunshine to blow up peoples' skirts.

Among the opposition, I think Layton is doing the best job. I don't agree with him on much, but he's much better at this than Dion and May. Duceppe is laying back and picking his spots, but has been rather quiet overall. Dion has been pretty dismal IMO.

I think the danger of the format is primarily to the opposition parties, ironically. To me, at least, the jumble of people trying to take on Harper winds up making them blend together. It makes Harper stand out while the rest of them sound like an angry crowd.

:lol: at Duceppe with probably the line of the night in response to the question "what's the first thing you'd do as Prime Minister?" Duceppe replied: "well, I know I am not going to be Prime Minister. 3 of you are not going to be Prime Minister either, but not all of you know it yet."

-k

Smallc · October 3, 2008

at Duceppe with probably the line of the night in response to the question "what's the first thing you'd do as Prime Minister?" Duceppe replied: "well, I know I am not going to be Prime Minister. 3 of you are not going to be Prime Minister either, but not all of you know it yet."

I loled at that too.

jdobbin · October 3, 2008

Another major defeat for Dion. The Liberals are going to nosedive after this. A massive majority for the Tories is pretty much assured as long as the Liberal collapse allows for seat gains in Quebec. The Bloc might still be a thorn in Harper's side.

Dion is done. There isn't anything he can do now. The Liberals are done. It remains to be seen how many of the seats and high profile Liberals go down in flames in the election. It is going to come down to local fights now for those few Liberals who will win.

OddSox · October 3, 2008

I think May has a teleprompter in her glasses. Whenever she is off-script, she starts shouting and pointing. She even called Harper 'stupid' at one point - great debate tactic!

capricorn · October 3, 2008

Another major defeat for Dion. The Liberals are going to nosedive after this. A massive majority for the Tories is pretty much assured as long as the Liberal collapse allows for seat gains in Quebec.

This is how I think Harper may get his majority. Harper's numbers are plummeting in Quebec and the MSM keeps repeating that Harper needs Quebec seats for a majority. This may take the sails out of strategic voting and queasy voters in the ROC may take a leap and vote for the Conservatives specifically to prevent the Liberals from winning a minority. If Harper's numbers in Ontario increase, there's a good chance he'll win a small majority as a result.

Hydraboss · October 3, 2008

I'm sure I'll break out in hives for saying this...

I agree with jdobbin.

Damn that hurt.

capricorn · October 3, 2008

I've been flipping back and forth between the U.S. and the Canadian debates. Dion does come across as incoherent. How often can he say "Harper = Bush"?

I kept count of how many times Bush was raised in those 2 hours: 26 times. Harper said Bush once and the rest is divided among the other 4.

As Kimmy says, Dion has difficulty saying Bush. It comes out as Bouche.

jdobbin · October 3, 2008

This is how I think Harper may get his majority. Harper's numbers are plummeting in Quebec and the MSM keeps repeating that Harper needs Quebec seats for a majority. This may take the sails out of strategic voting and queasy voters in the ROC may take a leap and vote for the Conservatives specifically to prevent the Liberals from winning a minority. If Harper's numbers in Ontario increase, there's a good chance he'll win a small majority as a result.

If the Liberals keep collapsing, they may end up fourth place in seat count. The Tory majority might only be affected the Bloc.

mcrobert · October 3, 2008

Dion clearly won and so did Duceppe and May.. Layton did not shake hands with Dion...SHAME ON HIM!

bush_cheney2004 · October 3, 2008

I kept count of how many times Bush was raised in those 2 hours: 26 times. Harper said Bush once and the rest is divided among the other 4.
As Kimmy says, Dion has difficulty saying Bush. It comes out as Bouche.

Why so many references to 'Bush'? Is he running for office in Canada now? :lol:

August1991 · October 3, 2008

I think this format kind of sucks. It breaks down into chaos too often, and the moderator is often having a hard time keeping things under control.

It's not the format; it's the fact that there are five strong egos around the table. I was desperately waiting for a John Turner to appear and turn to Layton, Duceppe and May to say "You will never be Prime Minister."

I wish we had a debate only between Dion and Harper since only these two can be PM. I certainly would not have Duceppe and May in the English debate.

----

My general impression of the debate was that Layton is a protester - but he's not a leader. Dion did not make this happen for himself. I expected Harper to be bland and so I was surprised to see him feisty. For example, when he called Layton on going to a private medical clinic.

If Layton/Green were serious about being politicians, they would take a leaf from Duceppe. Both Layton/May of course will receive Internet support but this just reflects how marginal their support is.

Of course, this was going to be a "four guy pile" on Harper. I think Harper walked away as the only one who looked like a PM in difficult times.

Of the five people around the table, if I were a federalist, I could only conceivably vote for Harper or Dion.

Smallc · October 3, 2008

Why so many references to 'Bush'? Is he running for office in Canada now?

o, its because he's just as hated in the rest of the world as e is at home (if not more).

Hydraboss · October 3, 2008

Dion is dead politically. His wife said so.

I watched Global the night before last, and when Dion's wife was interviewed, she just came out and said that if he isn't elected PM he will leave politics. Since more people than not believe that Dion will MAYBE be the official opposition, what reason could they possibly have to vote for someone who's wife said they will quit?

Doesn't make any sense, but I'll be glad to see him go.

Vancouver King · October 3, 2008

Let's be clear on how many times Harper said "let's be clear". 36

I think the CPC's cherished majority flew out the window tonight.

Hydraboss · October 3, 2008

Dion clearly won and so did Duceppe and May.. Layton did not shake hands with Dion...SHAME ON HIM!

Are you kidding? Dion got killed in the debate! The man should learn to speak one of Canada's official languages.

He was completely boxed in: Steve had him on one side, and Jack had him on the other. Down in flames.

Harper majority just became more likely.

Moonbox · October 3, 2008

I was impressed with Dion in the French debate. In the English debate I think he did terrible and I truly feel bad for the guy because he's not as bad as he seems.

I think Duceppe did a decent job but he is extremely rude and was a little too aggressive.

I think May spoke decently but I don't think Canadians will have been impressed as she was just too obnoxious for anyone to relate to.

I was dissapointed in Harper. I think he did a relatively decent job but he was far too restrained. There were numerous times where he could have delivered some heavy blows on Dion and Layton particularly but his new sweater vest image stayed his hand.

I was completely disgusted with Layton. Just like last time, he was all hot air and rhetoric. The highlight of the debate for me was when the moderator asked him to explain one of his "Big bad Harper" claims and he just stuttered and bumbled. His response, after trying to avoid the question and after looking embarrassed at being called out, was something along the lines of, "Just LOOK at him!"

Haha Jack. You are such a joke. I respect the intelligence at least of the rest of the leaders. You're a used car salesman.

blueblood · October 3, 2008

I wonder how many in Quebec saw this debate, much better than last night. Harper couldn't help himself but deliver some massive blows.

bush_cheney2004 · October 3, 2008

o, its because he's just as hated in the rest of the world as e is at home (if not more).

But like the rest of the world, nobody else watched the Canadian debate! :lol:

capricorn · October 3, 2008

But like the rest of the world, nobody else watched the Canadian debate!

Of about 20 million Canadian voters the media reported 10% tuned in last night to the French debate. Tonight's debate probably only drew 15%. These debates will fall into obscurity very quickly.

bush_cheney2004 · October 3, 2008

Of about 20 million Canadian voters the media reported 10% tuned in last night to the French debate. Tonight's debate probably only drew 15%. These debates will fall into obscurity very quickly.

Krikey! It's worse than I thought.....no wonder they need to invoke Presdient Bush early and often! :unsure:

August1991 · October 3, 2008

But like the rest of the world, nobody else watched the Canadian debate!

Well, I did.

But Bush-Cheney, I suspect that you don't really understand what it means to be a citizen of a "small, civiliized country". That's your loss, and my gain.

----

Did anyone else notice how often May kept referring variously to the big, bad Americans and how they want to dominate Canada? - And yet May herself was born in the US!

When she talked of surreptitious, sneaky Americans, I thought of her.

Edited October 3, 2008 by August1991

bush_cheney2004 · October 3, 2008

Well, I did.
But Bush-Cheney, I suspect that you don't really understand what it means to be a citizen of a "small, civiliized country". That's your loss, and my gain.

Well, I sure hope so, but you are not the rest of the world. Sad that your gain can only be defined in terms of the American foil (as usual).

Did anyone else notice how often May kept referring variously to the big, bad Americans and how they want to dominate Canada? - And yet May herself was born in the US!
When she talked of surreptitious, sneaky Americans, I thought of her.

It's an American infestation!

kengs333 · October 3, 2008

Of about 20 million Canadian voters the media reported 10% tuned in last night to the French debate. Tonight's debate probably only drew 15%. These debates will fall into obscurity very quickly.

What percentage of the Canadian voters are going to read about it or see the media spin of it in the news tomorrow? There was nothing about it that really was defining, no major blunder or anything, but if there had everybody would know about it tomorrow and it would have an impact.