Face to face: I am proud of our leaders

It has become an imperative, an imposed one, from which there is no escape.

I’m talking about the debate about the debate: Who “won” and who “lost”?

This is a somewhat futile exercise for three reasons.

Everything is good

First, because everyone judges by their own standards.

Then, each thinks that what he already liked before the discussion is especially good and what he disliked so much before is especially bad.

Finally, you only have to question your initial bias if there is a true knockout, a final knockout.

However, there was no one yesterday.

In terms of knockout, nothing compares to the exchange that took place in an old debate that today is all but forgotten: the 1988 one between the two candidates for Vice President of the United States, Democrat Lloyd Bentsen and Republican Dan Quayle.

To counter criticism that he was too young and too inexperienced, Quayle chose John F. Kennedy said he was equal in age and background.

Bentson looked at him like he would a poodle and sprayed him with, “Senator, I know JFK, JFK is my friend, you’re not JFK.”

Boom! The lights went out and the healers entered the ring. It’s over… It didn’t stop the Bush-Quale duo from winning.

Nothing like last night.

Traditionally, negotiations favor the person who knows the least, the one who starts from the farthest.

Honestly, after Thursday night, who can deny that Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is running an excellent campaign and that this calm and balanced young man is in politics for the right reasons and in the right way?

But the other four are also excellent, each inevitably pulling the pots of his party.

Duhaime marks his theoretical territory by placing the other four in the same left field.

The prime minister has logically played the role of wise, reassuring, moderate and responsible who understands that doing is harder than talking.

Nadeau-Dubois hid the extremism of the QS well and presented a positive image of his party.

Dominic Angled is pugnacious, fired up, combative. His tribute to Pauline Marois for creating CPEs is a rare tribute.

Anywhere

We can talk about the format, the occasional squabbles, the lack of time to develop, the face-to-face between two chefs who feel the same way.

But the perfect formula doesn’t exist and this is the best till date.

I have watched many televised debates in the United States, France, Spain, Great Britain, countries where I follow the political scene with great interest.

It is wrong for us to maintain any sense of inferiority.

Thursday’s debate was on par with the best I’ve seen elsewhere.