Monday, March 15, 2010

How Cameron Deals With Hecklers



This is David Cameron engaging with some students at Lewisham College today. he's heckled, but deals with it very well, and ends up with getting a great round of applause at the end. If you don't want to watch all 11 minutes, start at about 8 mins in.

I'm not sure I can imagine Gordon Brown in a similar situation. Well, I can, but I don't think he would quite have the ability to do what Cameron did.

The Guardian's Nick Watt was impressed.

Hattip: ConservativeHome.

23 comments:

DOGEND said...

Actually he sounds flustered and is talking too quickly.

LibDem Nazi said...

I think this is great - it is what politics has been missing for a long time. Cameron has done himself a lot of good by doing this IMO.

It takes bottle to do something like this as well as anything unexpected might happen issue wise. Obviously Gordon brown has no bottle as he never goes before the people.

Cameron is by far the best candidate to be PM in this election.

miko said...

Iain

Gordon Brown would crap his trousers if he ever found himself in this situation - he could never ever deal with this and his minders know it.

As the lifelong labour supporter in the W Midlands told him yesterday;

“Events are going to overwhelm you and you’re going to be swept away.”

I think that once the GE is called,Cameron will be doing this every day and Brown will be literally "swept away".

Anonymous said...

Some fire in his belly... At last!

Benji B said...

I think this week although it has only just begun, Cameron is really truly finally showing signs of getting fire in his belly, sounding less smarmy poshy and more like a conviction politician ! maybe my opinions of him are finally changing so i can finally be positive about my party!

Unknown said...

Holy cow! That was incredible. I am now convinced that Cameron is the real deal. I might not agree with every one of his policies but this has convinced me to where my tick needs to go come election day.

Would Gordon Brown ever have the nerve to do something like this? Not in a million years.

Count me impressed.

Paul C said...

Cam may not be perfect but he's extremely impressive whenever he's put in front of a live crowd of real people. This is what a leader should be like.

DespairingLiberal said...

He doesn't exactly get heckled, they are just the sort of unscripted, fairly tough questions that the public asks when not coralled and controlled by meejah jerks or party nobs. He did do well at it and this is just what we need from all our politicians. I suppose he is borrowing a bit from John Major's soapbox, but it's good politics. Hopefully the others will follow suit, although I can't see Brown going anywhere near.

Bond007 said...

Can't see Brownpants speaking so freely, no lecturn, no notes, in front of a mixed audience.

Cameron's gonna trounce Brown as the campaign hots up.

dazmando said...

Cameron is very good in the flesh as I saw in reading Cameron Direct.

Jimmy said...

He just needs to remember to stop talking like that to adults.

All that was missing was the soap box.

Unknown said...

I see Toenails was doing his usual job of cleaning Brown's backside on the BBC tonight. The slaphead has no shame.

Titchmike3 said...

Yet another display of 'spontaneity' from Cameron similar, and probably just as much rehearsed, to his 'ILY' message to his wife with mikes acccidentally left on !!

cassandra said...

Meanwhile Mr Browns election campaign diary is already full, he will be visiting a very diverse set of locations to promote his vision and they include primary schools,infants schools,pre schools,creches and in staunch labour held areas he will even allow party workers to act as props who will then be prompted to clap and cheer at every word with oodles of close up shots of Mr Brown lecturing infants.

Anonymous said...

"DOGEND said...
Actually he sounds flustered and is talking too quickly."

Hahahahahaha - you, sir/madam, are a plonker in Labour tinted glasses

Not a sheep said...

That was actually impressive. David Cameron needs to do more of this sort of thing instead of softsoap interviews with Trevor McDonald.

Londonerr said...

He's a natural on the hustings, just like John Major who relished getting out amongst the people.

@DOGEND you should try standing in front of a crowd and try to sound calm. I'd imagine had he slowed down you'd be criticising his deliberate, patronising style.

I think the applause at the end said it all.

Null said...

Watching that clip has just sealed the deal for your Fat Councillor. I will be voting Tory.

Any before anyone scream "he's changed sides", I am not actually a real councillor. I am a man on a mission to highlight the hypocrisy and nepotism in local politics.

Paul C said...

"That was actually impressive. David Cameron needs to do more of this sort of thing instead of softsoap interviews with Trevor McDonald."

http://www.conservatives.com/CameronDirect/

Paddy said...

I've been sceptical about Cameron in the past - and no doubt will be again - but this video has gone a long way to persuading me that he should be PM. He comes across as eloquent without being polished, unpatronising, at ease with his audience (without the need to lapse into the ghastly demotic estuary tones that Blair did) and, perhaps most importantly, in command of a wide range of issues. I learnt more about Tory policy from that video than I have from elsewhere. If Cameron can get out a-soapboxing throughout the campaign and meet as many people as he can this way, rather than through stage-managed hero parades, then he will sway the swing voters.

DespairingLiberal said...

I've watched it carefully again with the sound up and I can't identify anything that an average person would class as "heckling". Which bit did you regard as a heckle Iain?

Martin S said...

GB: "I... errr... (JAW CLUNK)... It all... started in (JAW CLUNK) America! If you think we are bad (JAW CLUNK) just see what would happen when ehhh... IF... (JAW CLUNK) the Tories win!

"(JAW CLUNK) That Margaret Thatcher, (JAW CLUNK) She started it all! "JAW CLUNK) Though when I invited her to Number Ten (JAW CLUNK) for dinner she was very charming and... oh... Hell!"

spencer said...

I watched the whole thing. The change from the group of restless teenagers expecting nothing of interest from a politician was impressive. Half-way through the session the group had quietened and had become more involved. By the end they were clapping and clearly liking Cameron. What an amazing turn around.

Just as there's a vast difference between a good, strong teacher and a teacher who can't hold the attention of the class, so with a politician.