It's a pretty safe bet that each campaign is carving out time for last-minute drills to prepare the leaders for the TV leaders' debate next Tuesday evening. But there is nothing like a dress rehearsal and it's even better if the rehearsal is in front of a live audience but away from the glare of live TV cameras.
The two leaders fighting their first provincial campaigns, Progressive Conservative Tim Hudak and New Democrat, Andrea Horwath flew to Thunder Bay for a debate this morning on issues of importance to northern Ontario. The man with experience doing these things, Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty, stayed in southern Ontario hunting for votes and media attention in Toronto, Hamilton and Kitchener.
I checked in with CTV's news director in Sudbury Mark Oldfield. He told me he watched the debate on a live stream internet feed and it was a "pretty tame affair." Turns out the format was a question and answer session with no give and take between Hudak and Horwath. Oldfield says "it was all very polite and orderly and for the most part, a recitation of policies already laid out in the party platforms."
It sounds to me that the format didn't really give the rookie debaters a good opportunity to practice their chops. Next Tuesday will feature toe-to-toe back and forth between leaders. Based on Oldfield's summary, both leaders will need more behind-the-scenes rehearsals to practice that.
The NDP and Tories rushed out news releases declaring victory in the Thunder Bay debate. The PC release was out first and more emphatic than the NDP's declaring "Tim Hudak Wins Northern Ontario Debate."
Here's the quote the Tories picked to demonstrate that their guy won.
Northern Ontario families are calling for change. Only an Ontario PC government can deliver the change they deserve. We are the only ones ready to stand with you to defend the Northern way of life, and bring the jobs and tax relief families need to build strong Northern communities.
The NDP release is, predictably, less strident. "Horwath delivers message at debate ‘show respect for the north.'
The NDP also trot out their favourite quote.
Respect is not just a fine word…it's part of doing politics differently, and as premier, I will make sure that respect is backed up by real change – change that puts people first.
The messaging is true to both campaigns. The Hudak quote reinforces the "change" and "tax relief" themes. The Horwath quote also works in the "change" word and adds the notion of "doing politics differently."
Next Tuesday's TV debate will be all about delivering lines.
Amanda Alvara, Managing Director at Narrative Advocacy Media, reminded me that debate preps started before the election was called. Alvara says this debate will be the "central juncture in the course of the campaign." The campaigns will hone in the lines they want their leaders to use. Alvara predicts more people will watch than anticipated but points out that the "the lines they hear and read in the days after the debate is what will matter."
CP24 will have full coverage of the debate next Tuesday. A special edition of LeDrew Live will start at 6 p.m. a half hour before the debate gets under way. And after the debate ends at 8 p.m., Stephen will have guests to help him pick the "lines of the night."
