tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post4671965675971770658..comments2024-03-28T07:16:39.621+00:00Comments on Lallands Peat Worrier: Can Cameron lose a debate against Eck?Lallands Peat Worrierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276270498204697708noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-87436100301295757772014-02-05T16:30:00.172+00:002014-02-05T16:30:00.172+00:00The FM would certainly come armed with plenty of m...The FM would certainly come armed with plenty of material to throw Cameron's way. It would also be outwith the PM's political comfort zone, and would need to be delicately handled from his side. If it happens. Which it probably wont. Alas.Lallands Peat Worrierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18276270498204697708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-47951234482503852942014-02-04T00:30:39.955+00:002014-02-04T00:30:39.955+00:00The idea that Salmond would best Cameron in debate...The idea that Salmond would best Cameron in debate is not without foundation. It is not merely a sentimental thing. We know that Salmond is an accomplished debater. But, perhaps more to the point, we know the quality of the respective cases. Salmond will have more and better ammunition. He is fully on top of the arguments on both sides, while Cameron is detached and remote in a way that is not going to be rectified by any amount of pre-debate briefing. I fully take your point about expectations. But it is difficult to see how Salmond could lose. How it might be represented in the media is, of course, another matter.Peter A Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14204261467942498747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-32655525353766284452014-02-03T23:59:22.054+00:002014-02-03T23:59:22.054+00:00As well as being an opportunity for the respective...As well as being an opportunity for the respective sides to press their own narratives to boot. Concealed in the storm of words, a sort of peaceable, partisan equilibrium.Lallands Peat Worrierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238432265194046726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-13984645730395033512014-02-03T23:57:09.141+00:002014-02-03T23:57:09.141+00:00Peter,
You may be right. I'm mostly just stir...Peter,<br /><br />You may be right. I'm mostly just stirring. But the idea that Cameron's participation in a debate against the FM would be a knock down win for Salmond is sufficiently orthodox that we ought to be suspicious of it. Lallands Peat Worrierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238432265194046726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-45079427249899706092014-02-03T08:49:47.989+00:002014-02-03T08:49:47.989+00:00My feeling is that most people would like an Eckn&...My feeling is that most people would like an Eckn'Dave gig as it may perhaps add to the gaiety of nations - as long as it's not up against Corrie.<br /><br />I also think the current situation suits both camps - Eck can do what he does effectively, shout fearty, while the Nos reflect on the thought that the fearty slingshot tactic doesn't play well with many of the voters the Ayes need, especially women.<br /><br />Edwin Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05317173893948248954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-86814838627045923262014-02-02T17:27:10.890+00:002014-02-02T17:27:10.890+00:00Interesting analysis from LPW. Particularly the po...Interesting analysis from LPW. Particularly the point about expectations. But there is a sense in which the reasoning of reason one applies to reason two in that we know the media will pronounce Cameron the winner - or Salmond the loser - regardless of what actually happens in the debate. Worrying about how the media will portray the contest is pointless.<br /><br />So why is this not a persuasive case for Cameron agreeing to meet Salmond head-to-head? If he knows that he will have the unquestioning support of the media, why doesn't he just go for it?<br /><br />In part this is doubtless because he can only rely on the mainstream media. Increasingly, it is online news, blogs and social media that is dominating the debate. And that arena is massively dominated by pro-independence campaigners. So it's not the easy ride for Cameron that one might suppose.<br /><br />But there is one thing that trumps all other considerations. Plausible deniability. Cameron has judiciously put a British Labour back-bencher and a LibDem lackey between himself and a defeat for the forces of British nationalism. It will be fairly easy for him to claim credit for saving the union should there be a No vote. He can simply say that his tactic of maintaining a certain distance was the smart thing to do. But Cameron's main concern is that he should not go down in history as the Tory Prime Minister who presided over the demise of the British state.<br /><br />Cameron cannot debate with Salmond without becoming more closely and intimately associated with the anti-independence campaign than he dare.Peter A Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14204261467942498747noreply@blogger.com