Chance for Goff to show media training and leadership skills

Monday night's TV debate is an opportunity for Labour Leader Phil Goff to put his media training skills and leadership credentials to the test. Part of his failure to connect with voters is that he gets few opportunities to show people how he ticks. An 8 second sound bite on TV is all he usually gets, and he comes across as angry when delivering those most of the time. John Key on the other hand does look like a leader and has far more opportunities to show this as Prime Minister. It's good timing for Goff as Key has made some mistakes lately. The worst of these was not fronting up on the beach in Tauranga the day the Rena hit rocks. People like to see their leaders at the coal face of disasters as Key was for both Pike River and the Christchurch earthquake. Even though he could do little, his presence and expressions of concern and support give people reassurance. Voters want to be led, and they see Key as a leader. However, his failure in Tauranga will do his party no favours this close to an election. Goff has few opportunities to show his media training and leadership skills, but the TV debates give him a last chance. Remember his face will not even be on Labour billboards, so that will do nothing to project him as a future Prime Minister.