after last night's disappointingly dull Republican debate (McCain tired, Romney mildly peevish) let's hope that the Democrats make up for it this evening.
it's the first debate with only two candidates on stage, mano-a-womano. It's the last chance before Super Tuesday for one candidate to score a decisive win in face-to-face combat on live TV. What should their respective strategies be going into this debate? What should they focus on communicating, about themselves and their opponent?
both candidates called me this morning for advice on how to play it. Here's the gist of what I said:
Hillary, you need to play nice, and demonstrate the depth of your policy knowledge at every opportunity. You will no doubt come pre-prepared with a load of ammunition on Obama's record, gathered by your formidable team of researchers. But use it sparingly. You went tough and mean before South Carolina and the voters recoiled a little. They like you most when you're showing a human, warmer, even slightly vulnerable side - tearing up in a diner, reaching out a hand to Teddy Kennedy. When Obama attacks, stay unruffled. Voters know you're tough as nails already - you don't have to prove that anymore. So kill Obama with kindness, without patronizing him. And be a geek - debates aren't about uplift. They play to your natural strength - demonstrable authority and knowledge.
Barack, I think you have license to be tougher than ever on HRC. Voters know you're a nice guy (snubs notwithstanding), and they know you stand for big themes like Hope and Change. But they need to be convinced that there are real, good, substantive reasons for waving goodbye to the family that they have put their faith for the last fifteen years. You've already begun to sharpen and hone your critique of the Clintons. Now, here's the thing: you need to do this whilst still coming off as the nice guy. You need to do it with good humour and wit. You need to do it more in sorrow than in anger. If you come off as disrespecting Hillary then you'll lose. It's a horrendously difficult balancing act to pull off. But you're a gifted candidate - and the stakes could not be higher.
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