Leaders' Debate Tonight: The Winners and Losers from 'Democracy's Evening'

There’s something uniquely compelling about a leaders' debate. It’s the moment 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 experience when DR broadcast 'Democracy's Evening' live from the studio. As usual, I was glued to the screen, and even though several political commentators pointed out afterwards that an evening like this rarely shifts a huge number of votes, it moves an enormous amount when it comes to who emerges with their reputation intact.

The moment of reckoning: Who won, and who fell behind?

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 make their point clearly while the cameras were rolling. From where I was sitting, one candidate clearly stood out, while another had a bit of a sluggish start.

It was hard not to notice the audience reactions last night. In fact, there were several moments where the clapping and audible gasps from the crowd were almost as talked about 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 hall suddenly becomes part of the story.

The winner type: The one who came prepared

A leaders' debate tonight guide for 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 land an early attack without seeming too desperate gained ground. It’s classic campaign craft, but it’s rarely been so clear that the lofty talk about "responsibility" and "the future" wasn't just empty words.

• 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.
• Counterplay: It became obvious who had trained 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 how to use the leaders' debate tonight to get a clearer idea of who you might actually vote for, forget the high-minded talk about "fine points." Instead, I suggest you do what we do in the editorial room: 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 very quickly.

I remember one episode during the last half-hour where one of the party leaders tried to steer a discussion about the economy onto something completely different. The moderator was firm, and it was here that some of the smaller 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 really paying attention.

The aftermath that matters

Even though the debate ended late, the real game only started afterwards. The seasoned commentators were quick to name both the surprise of the day and the gaffe of the day. But what I really take note of are the conversations in the corners afterwards. Who was left standing alone, and who sought out the others. That often says more than 90 minutes of live television.

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