Debate of Contrasts

Even being a Keiko supporter, I have to say Ollanta brought his best game to the ultimate Peru 2011 Presidential Debate. To be fair… he had to bring his best game, because it is the only game he has. Unfortunately, being Ollanta’s only game, it has been overplayed and is in terrible condition. The one most obvious thing I observed, was that Humala is not a very complex man. Like many people with criminal backgrounds, Humala has the ability to laser focus on that which he desires at the expense of rational thought. This allows him to be unimpeded by related integrity, functionality and morality issues that may contradict or undermine his desired goals. As long as those goals go unchallenged. Humala has never abandon his Marxist socialist tendencies, he just changes the public presentation of his plan. In an attempt to appease those that disagree with his (and Chavez’s) vision of a government owned and controlled society in Perú. I see Humala as Chavez’s, heavily flawed, Trojan Horse gift to Perú.

For fun: Just a personal observation on the body language displayed during the debate. Humala appeared unusually subdued at the beginning of the debate. Like a person who had taken something to calm them self down. By the end of the debate his eyes appeared heavy as would be a person's who had undergone intense scrutiny and whose energy had been sapped by the ordeal. He was ready for it to be over before it was over. I’m just observing parallels, not attesting to the veracity of this. I agree with Bayly that Humala should stick to a script. It is difficult to appear earnest, while being untruthful, on the fly.

Keiko, on the other hand, appeared upbeat, energetic and unfazed from beginning to end and seemed ready to go another hour and a half by the end of the debate. This is normally a sign of confidence, openness and an unshakeable knowledge and belief in what it is you’re doing. After all, as Keiko deftly pointed out, she doesn’t need to change her propuesta ni compromiso (proposal nor commitment) to accommodate the political winds. She performed very well. Keiko had a casual and relaxed air about her. She was able to deliver her message, offhandedly fended off Humala’s constant non-policy related attacks and maintain a sense of humor. She was even able to, vigorously and with poise, remind an apparently forgetful Humala that he was in a debate and presidential race with her… not her father. Then when Humala drifted treacherously into the area of personal and political backgrounds, Keiko promptly jogged Humala’s memory, that it was his personal history that was sullied not hers.

Keiko …… A

Ollanta .... C+  

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