Election debates? Who needs the X factor!

Well, what a disappointing result for the Liberal party! How did it go so badly wrong? For me it was all about celebrity and the power of surface over content. The discrepancy between the public’s response to the Party leaders after the debates and the Election result really exposes how influenced we can be by ambiguous marketing. The slickness of a presentation, the colour of a tie, the sharp way a question is responded to and charisma; abundance or lack of. How impressed we all were to see Nick Clegg, previously seeming a bit of a lightweight actually standing up to the 'Big Boys'. The fact that these debates were in fact set pieces, planned by marketeers (as I still insist on calling them- spin doctor is meaningless) taught us very little. Our choices? Nick Clegg the best looking and most sincere- the sort of chap you'd like to teach your children? David Cameron trying really hard to appear statesman-like and failing? Or Gordon Brown still in ill fitting collars wearing his badly manufactured smile; albeit strangely being the only one who looked and sounded like a politician. Still the vibrant young bloods came out on top, how they handled themselves being more important than what they said. Interesting how the panel on the BBC News responded with their push buttons as debates ran their course- the single most pronounced dip in ratings for all three leaders being the point when running opponents down became more important than passing on an informative message.

I am no political guru; I barely understand the electoral process and know of Proportional representation as much as the 'Off side' rule. However it seems to me that watching a Political debate on channels that offer X factor-has talent-on Ice-In the kitchen-Over the Rainbow could not be more derisory. Unreality TV is the popular choice for the Great British Public so why would politicians be judged any differently to contestants on a talent show? Viewers vote for the would be Star they like best- often because of where they come from and who can make the most emotional appeals about how badly they want to win.
When it came to walking in to the polling station, standing at the booth with pen in hand did you vote for the men in smart suits, those more familiar you can identify with or to whom you will deliver the tactical blow? Maybe it's encouraging to know that when it actually comes to the real voting the electorate vote for politics, even if in a barely concealed state of confusion?
I will really be worried if Simon Cowell decides to make a talent show out of Politics!