Cameron wants us to think that the torch has passed to a new generation
James Forsyth 6:58pm
One of, if not, the key theme of David Cameron’s leadership has been generational change. Back in his 2005 conference speech Cameron told the hall “We can be that new generation”, in his first PMQs he told Tony Blair that he "was the future once” and responding to the Budget in 2006 he derided Gordon Brown as an “analogue politician in a digital age.”
It was, though, far harder to wield this weapon against Tony Blair than it is with Gordon Brown. (Sometimes the execution was also too self-satisfied, NB Cameron’s reference to being “bunched” at PMQs). Blair always seemed to have a sure touch for the zeitgeist, I can’t think of any other British politician of recent times who could have pulled off that Comic Relief sketch with Catherine Tate. But Brown’s demeanour and belief system make him extremely vulnerable to this line of attack.
This is why today’s photo-opportunity with Barack Obama was so important to Cameron. Obama is seen—rightly or wrongly—as the future, as the leader of a new generation; linking ‘Brand Cameron’ with Obama helps the Tories in their mission to establish themselves as the modern party. Cameron even went as far as to say that Obama would beat him in a British election.
It is hard not to see Cameron’s gift to Obama of a selection of his favourite music as an attempt to draw a cool contrast with Brown. While the web video of Cameron and Obama together that the Tories have rushed out shows just how much importance they attach to the association.
By the time of the next election, Brown could look like a holdover from a previous generation. He’ll be up against two far younger politicians at home and on the world stage Obama and Sarkozy could make him appear a tired figure.
If the Tories can foster a mood in the country that not only is Brown past it but that this is Cameron’s time, then a landslide beckons.
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mark
July 26th, 2008 8:44pm Report this commenthaving just read this and the preceding handful of posts all in one go, one cant help but wonder is there any topic or setting upon which our great leader and his hapless team wouldnt look like complete numpties compared to any one of our other world leaders, sweet shop supervisors or coffe morning organisors ? the barrel is indeed deep but at the moment they cant hold a candle to any of the scrapes at the bottom
J H Holloway
July 26th, 2008 9:16pm Report this commentThat Video is quite odd. You see the two of them sitting in the green chairs and think - bizarre, these two will both be in charge within 24 months.
Verity
July 26th, 2008 10:03pm Report this commentI think Cameron's the one who looks old fashioned. Brown looks like a horrible, 20th Century socialist,it is true, but Cameron comes across as a patronising old style patrician. Cracking his little jokes with the peasantry.
I can't stand him.
And Obama's an old-style charlatan, like Blair. The three of them will get on together like a little gang of thieves.
Tiberius
July 26th, 2008 10:38pm Report this commentJames, don't write off McCain!
TGF UKIP
July 26th, 2008 10:49pm Report this commentGush, gush, gush!
London Calling
July 26th, 2008 10:51pm Report this commentA David Cameron and Catherine Tate Sketch...
Catherine
Are you calling me fat though?
David
No, I just think you need to take responsibility for being
obese.
Catherine
Are you calling me a beast now as well as fat?
David
No, Obese is the correct term for being physically overweight.
Catherine
David your really starting to piss me off right now, piss me off being the correct term for losing my vote? … How very dare you...
David
A Mars Bar in batter anyone?
James Forsyth
July 27th, 2008 11:09am Report this commentToberius, I'm not writing off McCain. The Spec endorsed him months ago and I still think he would be a better president than Obama. All best, James
Steven W
July 27th, 2008 1:47pm Report this commentIf this is not an orchestrated dig at Brown I will eat my hat:
Obama, speaking with Tory leader David Cameron, stresses the — almost unknown to presidential campaigns and the White House — need for time to recharge, and says he plans a week off in August.
Most interesting is the exchange at the end of the need to avoid micromanaging.
Transcript from ABC's Sunlen Miller:
DC: You should be on the beach. (Inaud) you need a break. Well, you need to be able to keep your head together.
BO: You've got to refresh yourself.
DC: Do you have a break at all?
BO: I have not. I am going to take a week in August. But I agree with you that somebody, somebody who had worked in the White House who — not Clinton himself but somebody who had been close to the process — said that should we be successful, that actually the most important thing you need to do is to have big chunks of time during the day when all you're doing is thinking and the biggest mistake that a lot of these folks make is just feeling as if you have to be —
DC: — these guys just chalk your diary up
BO: Right.
(Crosstalk)
BO: In 15 minute increments and —
DC: We call it the dentist waiting room (sic) you have to scrap that because you've got to have time.
BO: And, well, and you start making mistakes or you lose the big picture. Or you lose a sense of, I think you lose a feel —
DC: Your feeling. And that is exactly what politics is all about. The judgement you bring to make decisions.
BO: That's exactly right. And the truth is that we've got a bunch of smart people, I think, who know ten times more than we do about the specifics of the topic and so if what you're trying to do is micromanage and solve everything then you end up being a dilettante, but you have to have enough knowledge to make good judgements about the choices that are presented to you.
Also, Cameron was asked if Obama could win an election in the U.K.
"Oh, I think he would probably beat me," Cameron replied.
Verity
July 27th, 2008 2:08pm Report this commentWell, Talleyrand's reputation is safe.
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