Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Boris and the bursting of bubbles

Boris Johnson in full-blown denial mode over Cameron's poor performance in the debate last week -

"Watching that debate, I had the clear impression that Cameron aced every question. His answers were clear, concise and knowledgeable, and in my focus group of 12- to 16-year-olds he was the overwhelming winner. 'David Cameron knows more than the others," said the 12-year-old, "and everything he says is true!'"

Hmmm. I believe that's what's known as the 'interviewer effect', Boris. (Or a socially unrepresentative sample, or a plain old-fashioned porky - take your pick.)

On his broader point that the current Nick Clegg surge is transitory, he may or may not be right, but I'm not sure this particular man - whose superficial popularity brought about solely by acting like a buffoon on a TV comedy quiz show took him all the way to the London mayoralty - is ideally placed to claim that another politician's 'bubble is bound to burst'.

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