Follow the leader
In Manchester there are three of them, probably sweating, certainly rehearsing, hoping they're word perfect. I'm talking leaders, of course.
In Wales we seem either to be overrun with them or on the hunt for them - not sure which. Elfyn Llwyd, the party's parliamentary leader has been at Plaid Cymru's official launches, usually sitting just behind party leader Ieuan Wyn Jones or standing at a podium ... just off centre.
There was no sign at all of the man described by the Liberal Democrats as the party's Shadow Secretary of State for Wales at their manifesto launch this morning. Where was Roger Williams? Not there this morning, not a single photograph of him in the manifesto despite it being longer than anyone else's.
"I can't help it if I'm more photogenic than poor old Roger" said the other Williams, Kirsty the boss, who you'll spot in there six times.
Down the road, at Welsh Labour's launch, standing side by side, Peter Hain and Carwyn Jones. Same size lectern, equal positions, a double act that either managed to niftily weave devolved with non-devolved issues or muddied the waters so much you'll never work out which of their promises a UK government could ever deliver.
Peter Hain goes by this principle: say it often enough and some of the people are bound to believe you. Vote Tory and they'll get rid of free breakfasts and free bus passes.
We cry foul.
It's up to the Assembly Government to protect - or 'savagely cut - breakfasts and free bus travel. If electing a Conservative Prime Minister leads inevitably to a Labour First Minister cutting them, they must be pretty high on Carwyn Jones' hit list.
Not at all. They're amongst his top priorities, apparently. Even so vote for David Cameron's party and wave goodbye to them. Work that one out.
I turned to the other leader. Would losing some six seats on the night of May 6th be quite a good night for Labour in Wales, or quite a bad one?
Peter Hain liked the question so much he very kindly took quite a long time not to answer it.
What about that other leader though, Gordon Brown? Any chance we'll see him in Wales? The answer is yes, just not yet.
I'm Betsan Powys, BBC Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on 
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~50~RS~)
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Although I’ll be watching these debates, I’m not really a fan of the concept at all. First of all there will be no input from the audience apart from the questions which all the candidates will have been briefed on beforehand. Secondly, I think it’s going to be a slanging match all about discrediting the other parties rather than giving us a clear idea of how they’re going to govern themselves and thirdly, it’s going to be on for 90 minutes!! I think I’ll be ready to slash my wrists by the end of it. However, the main problem I have with this kind of debate and style of politics is the fact that it doesn’t represent the type of political system that the UK follows. I can’t vote for any of the politicians that will be appearing tonight and even if I do agree with one more than the others (e.g. Cameron more than Brown), should I vote for them even though I don’t know who the Tories’ candidate is in my area nor have I received any literature from him/her at all? Or do I vote for someone who is local to the area, who has made the effort to knock doors and to do the rounds and who you’ll know will represent your areas needs? I know which way I’m going
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I'm watching the debate right now, 21.19 pm, doesn't Gordon realise just how crazy he looks?
This Scot, is banging on and on, about education in England, health spending in England, law and order in England, blah blah blah.
English folk are not best pleased with Scots and Welsh politicians deciding their fate, and they having no say in the devolved, laughing called by Llafur and Plaid types......Celtic nations!!
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Again at 21.54pm, Gordon Brown is still banging on about supposed NHS successes in .....ing England!!
The NHS in Wales, like education in Wales, has been going backwards compared to England since devolution, Neil Kinnock, did warn Gordon that devolution would be a disaster!!
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As I see it - the problem is, if we will accept someone like Peter Hain then what can we expect except to be treated with disdain by anyone who remembers anything about this man's 'previous'?
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Re 3
So in your first sentence, with your use of the word 'supposed', you're saying that the NHS is in a mess in England because of your beloved Westminster. In the second, you imply that the NHS in Wales is 'going backwards' because of devolution. All very clear then! As always.
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... that means Jack, in Wales our NHS is in a mess going backwards, and it only happened following devolution, "Black Dog" days ahead ...
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Jack, I have just received the Tory manifesto pledges for Wales it includes a commitment that health spending would be increased every year, protecting funding for Wales, and working to ensure the Welsh NHS has the resources it needs...
... unfortunately for Wales it will be Jones and Jones getting their hands on the gold .... who knows how it will be used !
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Re 5
Missing the point again foo? The point I'm making, is the outlandishly stupid situation where a Scottish bloke who's the Prime Minister of Great Britain, can only talk about the English NHS in his TV debates.
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Re 8
And the answer is simple, Jac - independence for England, Scotland and Wales; three proud nations.
But if that really was the point you were trying to make in no.3, then you must try harder to make your point clearly. A bilingual education, which so many of our young people are getting today, would have helped, I'm sure!
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Re 9 - Sorry FoDafydd but a bi-lingual education would not help any more than the present system - unless it also taught and allowed youngsters to think things out for themselves! This once happened, unhappily there is hardly any freedom to do so now, let alone speak what you think out loud - talk about having to 'look over your shoulder'! You'ld find a camera watching you if you did.
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Re 10
What paranoia! Probably right wing.
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