Just watch. All of it.
Like the Bartlet/Richie debate, there’s no need for further commentary. It wouldn’t be tasteful.
Oh, okay, one comment. When I say we need Prime Minister’s Questions in this country — this is why. A true statesman will stand out for his ability to punch through the politics of distraction, as Obama did yesterday.
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PMQs may be something that looks nicer the further away it is. In the UK it’s usually seen as nothing more than an opportunity to generate soundbites for the evening news. The number of occasions on which something genuinely useful has happened is frighteningly small.
I’m sure you’ve seen it, but just Google “youtube prime minister’s questions” and watch some more. It’s not pretty.
Posted by Suspected Replicant | January 30, 2010, 9:37 amTrue, but in this instance there were only questions from the opposition. Parliament has all sides screaming for sound-bites. Besides, after Obama’s fantastic performance, I think republicans will be a little reticent to try this again.
Posted by kip | January 30, 2010, 11:27 amOh absolutely – this is how it *should* work, and Obama did brilliantly. I just think it would degenerate pretty quickly if it were to become a standard event.
Posted by Suspected Replicant | January 30, 2010, 11:29 amAgreed.
Posted by kip | January 30, 2010, 11:47 amI’ve seen PMQs more than a few times, and I’m sure it is just generating sound bytes sometimes, but if you’re accustomed to seeing politicians square off against each other, publicly and frequently, you may take that for granted. We don’t have that here, ever, except for Presidential debates, which are just disasters. Maybe routine would kill the uniqueness, but it’s preferable to the alternative, where politicians scream at each other only through proxies.
Posted by ACG | January 30, 2010, 12:32 pm“Sound Bytes” would be a good name for an online backup company ;-)
Posted by Suspected Replicant | January 30, 2010, 1:49 pm