Who won the news cycle? A draw as the leaders debate to debate

If there is anything that most of the public find less interesting than a debate between political leaders I am sure it is a debate about whether they should have a debate. That’s what yesterday largely degenerated into.

When it came to television coverage it largely overshadowed Tony Abbott’s performance at the National Press Club which was a pity because we saw a polished and confident performance from the Opposition Leader.

I’ll call it a draw and hope for better things from today but the concentration on tonight’s “town hall meeting” in a Brisbane pokies palace will probably overshadow everything.

And as we are now getting down to the final stages where even the least interested citizens start thinking about the political process the debate or the non-debate, which ever it turns out to be, will be of greater significance than normal. The academic research I have mentioned previously in Crikey points to events like this being of greater significance the closer to election day that they are held.

A risky business then for both Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard. That alone will make the appearances well worth watching.