It’s impossible for me to overcome my bias in judging whether John Key of Phil Goff did better in last night’s leaders’ debate on TV1.
The text poll – which is not scientific and easily influenced – gave Key the win by 61% – 39%.
Key managed to be positive when he was campaigning from opposition before the last election, Goff sounded negative most of the time.
A draw would have been a win for Key because Goff has to do far better than him to register, and he didn’t.
But, as with the campaign openings, I wonder if any but a relatively few political tragics would sit through the whole hour and a half?
Homepaddock 
Tragically, I did.
Goff biffed key with his parting shot and that’s what stays with the viewer.
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The anger and negativity of Phil Goff was apparent. Referring to Key as a “liar” did nothing for Goff. Key was vulnerable to that charge but Goiff undid all his efforts by going down negative street while ignoring his possible main road strategies.
Goff was very unsure of himself early on.
Have read the ODT coverage by Dene McKenzie in the ODT which is completely different to the Stuff synicated coverage of Tracy Watkins and Vernon Small.
Interesting the Fairfax coverage was pretty vague about style of debating which in many cases is more important than the content.
Clear victory by Key.(I’m not at all biased !!!!!)
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I thought Phil Goff just wasn’t in the game – at times he was almost apoplectic, tried to shout John Key down so as to not let John Key have his say.
John Key for all his faults does give the appearance of listening to others and in the Prime Ministerial stakes it is a no contest despite media postulations that Phil Goff held his own, I don’t think he did.
But I’m still not going to tick Nationals box
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Seems that anyone who watched it (which I didn’t) had their opinions of both protagonists confirmed – hard to see how that’s going to help Goff.
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I read several/lots of political blogs each day from both the left and right but just cannot be bothered watching TV coverage
James May on the other channel got my attention
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