Stephen Harper won the debate. Jack Layton, Gilles Duceppe and Harper used Paul Martin as a punching-bag tonight and often times the two on the left did the dirty work for Stephen Harper. The Prime Minister-in-waiting attacked Martin when he needed to and Jack and Gilles backed him up. Stephen Harper won the debate because Paul Martin lost.
Paul Martin looked ill and stumbled around and looked defeated in his post-debate interview. The man looked exhausted.
Harper played the boring and non-threatening man again and Paul Martin’s false attacks on the Conservative leader were effectively rebuffed by Stephen Harper and I believe that the public believed him.
Defining moments of the debate:
Paul Martin was weak when he responded to Layton continuous attacks by saying “Did your advisors tell you to talk all the time?”
Jack Layton kept talking and talking and Paul Martin turned to Harper and asked “Didn’t you have a question for me, Mr. Harper?” Harper ignored Martin’s plea for a lifeline from Jack Layton and let Layton ravage him some more.
Layton accused Paul Martin of arrogance for saying that only two parties can form the government.
Harper slammed Layton for blurring the lines between private delivery and privatization calling them one and same. Maybe he read my post.
Jack Layton co-opted the Green Party policy (taking advantage of the absence of Jim Harris) on investigating the causes of disease instead of just investing more in healthcare.
Stephen Harper said that he and his government will not table legislation that will change a woman’s right to choose.
Martin looked like he desperately wanted to take on Stephen Harper but Jack Layton wouldn’t let him often times in the debate.
Harper to Martin: “our troops had to hitch a ride to Afghanistan, they had to hitch a ride!”