The visual and verbal cues of a debate

If I had to sum up the debate between Muscat and Busuttil in one sentence it would be that one needs a hefty dose of humility while the other needs to be much more convincing in his delivery.

I distinctly remember the Gonzi vs Muscat debate when the latter was the new kid on the block who looked impossibly young to be contesting the leadership race. Gonzi, that day, was almost visibly trying to contain his amusement at having to seriously debate against this wet-behind-the-ears puppy, so very eager to become PM.

It didn’t reflect well on Gonzi that we could all see what he was thinking, because it came across as very condescending, which is never a good idea. It’s always unwise to laugh at, or underestimate your opponent, because it is very likely that the last laugh will be on you. By the time March 2013 rolled around, Gonzi had stopped laughing as the Labour party registered the greatest electoral victory Malta had seen in a long time.

And yet here we are, two years down the line, and the irony is that, this time, it’s Muscat who was smiling and smirking as he faced an opponent whom he clearly thinks very little of.  While it is true that he is still riding high on a wave of popular support, Muscat has to be careful not to get too carried out by his own hype. Public opinion is fickle and he could easily be dropped like yesterday’s news if his behaviour towards his political adversaries starts verging towards the obnoxious. No one likes a show-off, but more importantly when one is so obviously at the top of the heap, that is the time when one needs to practice graciousness and good manners.

While it is true that he is still riding high on a wave of popular support, Muscat has to be careful not to get too carried out by his own hype.

There were certain mannerisms and hand gestures directed towards Busuttil which were effectively dismissing him or swiping him away like one would a bothersome mosquito. At times Muscat was slouching in a way as if to give Busuttil his shoulder and at other times he spoke to him without so much at a glance at his direction. “You can be my spokesperson if you like,” he told him at one point. In Maltese we say, lanqas biss ikkalkulah (not worth his attention). Not nice.

Yes, a confident, decisive leader is what the country needs, and it is one of the things which people positively attribute to the PM, but that has to be adjusted carefully when he is up against the press and under public scrutiny on TV. Respect towards his adversary in that debate would have helped to defuse the growing perception that Muscat has already become too arrogant.

Muscat was at his best, in fact, when he replied to the criticism by Michael Briguglio and Martin Scicluna, as his replies were well-measured without that air of superiority.

Unfortunately, the Opposition leader has one of those droning, monotone voices which I always associate with soft-spoken priests who can go on and on and on with a Sunday sermon

On the other hand, it seems pretty clear from various reactions I’ve read that Simon Busuttil did not come across well. Now that I’ve watched the debate, I think it all comes down to his voice. Unfortunately, the Opposition leader has one of those droning, monotone voices which I always associate with soft-spoken priests who can go on and on and on with a Sunday sermon, lulling everyone to sleep. It was not so much what he said (because he brought up several issues which the PN is rightfully pursuing as evidence of a lack of transparency), but in his delivery. We are thankfully being spared the type of shouting matches which used to be associated with political debates in the past which (while appealing to some), just used to give me a horrible migraine. However, Simon’s lack of oomph has taken things to the other extreme especially when compared to Muscat’s very strong speaking voice.

A forceful voice, which is still pleasant to listen to, is essential for a politician to capture people’s attention on complicated subjects.  It is not easy to be a good orator or to come up with clever, quotable phrases, and yet these are the kind of things which the public remembers. There were instances when Simon simply sounded like a whining little boy who wants to be included in the conversation, and then when he was given a chance to speak, the monotone would start again, and I had to force myself not to nod off.

It’s not just the voice, however. Something about Simon Busuttil’s performance during that debate tells me that he knows his days are numbered and this was indicated every time he resorted to snide sarcasm as a retort: “int biss il-bravu Prim Ministru” (you’re the only clever one, PM). His posture also seems to indicate that he is already weary and defeated and that the upcoming local council elections will be yet another blow to his position. Despite valiant attempts by the PN grassroots to whip up enthusiasm for their man, I can already sense a sentiment among PN voters that they know all this is a lost cause and the party has yet to find the right kind of leader to pull them out of their slump.

Having said that, Muscat should not have been the one to voice this sentiment: “I feel sorry for Nationalists who were lumped with you as their leader” he told Busuttil. Again, not nice. And it does not bode well for the country to have a PM who feels he can get away with saying something like that.