Leaders' debate tonight: The winners and losers from 'Democracy's Evening'

There's something uniquely compelling about a leaders' debate. It's where the polished campaign style gives way to sharp rhetoric, and where individual leaders are truly tested under pressure. And last night, we got the full treatment when the ABC aired 'Democracy's Evening' live from the studio. As usual, I was glued to the screen, and while several political commentators pointed out afterwards that such an evening rarely shifts a massive number of votes, it makes a huge difference to who comes out looking like they've still got their backbone intact.

Time to call it: Who won, and who stumbled?

When you're putting together a leaders' debate tonight review, it's not just about who had the best one-liners. It's about who managed to land their point clearly while the cameras were rolling. To me, one person stood out clearly, while another had a start that was a bit too sluggish.

It was hard not to notice the audience's reactions last night. In fact, there were several moments where the crowd's clapping and groaning got almost as much attention as the debate itself. It raised a few eyebrows in the corners, especially when the reactions seemed a bit too predictable. But that's all part of the game in a live broadcast – you never quite know when the sound from the room suddenly becomes part of the story.

The winner type: The one who came prepared

A leaders' debate tonight guide for those viewers who might have missed the live broadcast should start by zooming in on the first 20 minutes. That's where the tone was set. Those who managed to launch an attack early without seeming too desperate gained ground. It's classic election campaign craft, but it's rarely been so clear that the big words about "responsibility" and "the future" weren't just empty rhetoric.

• Sharpness: The winners were those who could answer a direct question without talking in circles for ten minutes.
• Body language: The losers were those who fell into the classic trap of looking down at their notes just as the camera zoomed in.
• Playing the game: It became clear who had been training for the contest, and who relied on "just being themselves." In a live leaders' debate tonight, that's rarely enough.

How to get the most out of the debate

If you want to use the leaders' debate tonight to get a better idea of who you'll actually vote for, forget the lofty talk about "fine points." Instead, I suggest you do what we do in the newsroom: Pay attention to who answers the question, and who just keeps talking from their own script. Last night, there were several examples of the latter, and the audience picked up on it quickly.

I recall an episode in the final half-hour where one party leader tried to steer a discussion about the economy onto something completely different. The moderator was tough, and that's when some of the minor party leaders got a chance to shine, because they had actually done their homework on the day's agenda. That's how you earn respect from those who are actually paying attention.

The aftermath that matters

Even though the debate finished late, the real game started afterwards. The seasoned commentators were quick to name both the surprise of the day and the gaffe of the day. But what I'm most focused on are the conversations in the corners afterwards. Who stood alone, and who sought out the others. That often says more than 90 minutes of live TV.

For those of us who are into it, a leaders' debate tonight is never just a debate. It's a mirror of how the balance of power actually looks right now. And if you ask me, last night's edition shook things up a bit more than most expected. Now it'll be interesting to see how that lands with the voters in the coming days.