Viewers Say Harper Won First Debate

A poll taken just after the English leaders' debate found four out of 10 people thought Stephen Harper won the two-hour standoff.

Take polls for what they're worth, but one from last night found that four out of 10 people who watched the English leaders' debate said Conservative Leader Stephen Harper won the evening. The NDP's Jack Layton and Michael Ignatieff of the Liberals polled at 25 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively, with Gilles Duceppe of the Bloc Québécois trailing well behind, with two per cent of viewers saying he won. Pundits almost all agreed that the sound-byte-heavy but nonetheless engaging debate was basically a scaled-down version of the House of Commons: The three opposition leaders directed the bulk of their bluster toward Harper, who deflected his rivals' concerns with pleas to focus on the economy, while routinely questioning the wisdom behind the “unnecessary election” he finds himself in. We can all agree, though, that Steve Paikin is an excellent moderator. Hopefully, more clarity will emerge in the French debate, scheduled for 8 p.m. ET tonight.