So, David Cameron won't take on Alex Salmond in a live TV debate.
Cameron doesn't do spontaneity. He can't think on his feet. Everything is based on key points. Whether it's hospitals, schools, Syria or the X Factor, he can't work off the cuff. He works from a hastily prepared bite-sized version of everything, learns five key points and sticks to them. That's because he's from the power-point presentation generation.
Salmond is from a different era. A time when you had to go out and speak to the public, you had to have some level of intellect to be able to converse in a broad range of issues. Cameron must also be wary of Salmond whipping out a Saltire when he's speaking to camera. Cameron struggles when he goes off topic. Salmond can stay on point, meander off topic and bring it back to the message, all in a natural, unaffected way. I think George Galloway, who can also converse on just about everything, would be a better opponent. Imagine Galloway and Salmond slugging it out in a live debate? People would stay in for that. Cue Rocky music…
The funniest story of the week occurred while former Labour spin doctor Damian McBride launched his book. As he recorded an interview, his publisher Iain Dale was in the background having a square-go scuffle with Stuart Holmes, an anti-nuclear campaigner, and his dog. Holmes decided to use the camera to get his point across and wave his placard during the McBride interview. Iain Dale, who is also a political blogger and knows how to get his message across in a nuanced way, started roiling about the Brighton seafront. It was like watching The Thick of It but only funnier and with less swearing.
Dale admitted - once he had been huckled and cautioned by the polis - that it was out of character. Now we're all talking about it. Honestly, you'd have thought it was all planned. I was considering asking them if they fancied doing the PR for my book, Nirvana: A Tour Diary, which isn't political but is available in the only high street bookseller that sells books and the usual online places, one that sounds like a huge rainforest. Who got the last laugh? We're all talking about the book. Job done. Have we been played again? I can't wait for the Tory conference in Manchester to see what happens. Carry on Cameron…
It was quite a good week for the Yes Campaign. Small victories - Miliband looking useless, being upstaged with a dog and his former spin doctor, Cameron refusing to debate with Salmond and then John Barrowman came along and threw his panto hat into the ring. Not sure if he said it in Scoddish or American but if ever someone could cause a Yes stampede it would be John Barrowman. He's starring in Dick McWhittington... wonder what part he's playing?
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