The French presidential debate

The three-hour debate was a burdensome marathon and a disappointment across the board. The two moderators where totally useless and impotent. Sarkozy could have dominated the debate and gained enough momentum to push him over the top, next Sunday, but somehow, shoot himself in the foot.

François Hollande followed his script, was boring, tensed at times, getting red in the face often and Nicolas Sarkozy in spite of a more attractive elocution, failed to gain much traction and reverted to his natural instinct of calling his opponent names (“you're lying”) and could never get a comfortable upper hand.

 The discussion dealing with immigration was his only favorable moment and when all was said and done I would call the joust pretty much even. While he tried to zero-in on the center and far right electors, Sarkozy's strategy was too aggressive, didn't show as much self-confidence as it should have and rolled down into the gutter when he brought Dominique Strauss-Kahn's name into the debate.

I still think that of the two, “Sarko” will be a better president, but I'm now afraid that barring some divine intervention, Hollande as the most chances of becoming France's next president...