António Costa, socialist candidate for PM
1) António Costa,
convinced that victory is already a foregone conclusion,
went on holiday to the Algarve.
Having a dip in the sea, is his maximum and immediate priority -
and after reading the interview António Costa gave to the newspaper "i",
published last week-end, we have to agree that he is absolutely right.
The PS leader really needs a vacation with plenty of rest,
lots of swimming and plenty of sunbathing on the beach.
António Costa has been absolutely disastrous in the past few weeks.
2) We have to confess that the interview that Costa gave to the "i" newspaper,
has been the worst interview António Costa has given in a long time.
Moreover: if we consider that it was an interview of an opposition leader
who aspires to be prime minister in two months' time,
it was so extremely weak, so feeble.
Feeble, in tone, in form and content.
3) His tone:
Costa used a bad tone during the interview,
because for a candidate who aspires to be Prime Minister,
it should have been a serious interview,
with three political journalists
(including a very competent and knowledgeable of the political scene, Ana Sá Lopes),
deserved better answers from Mr. Costa,
seeing it was due as the highlight of the weekend issue of the newspaper -
he could not have been so careless in the language he used.
Sometimes António Costa gave the impression ~
that he was either making fun of the journalists or the Portuguese.
For example, several time during the interview,
Antonio Costa said he would repeat the tape or turning to the journalist,
would answer with a very plain:"you tell me." ~
We know that there has been a qualified simplification
or a "de-complexification" of political discourse.
But there are limits: ~
the opposition leader just can not talk like that.
4) In its form:
Costa adopted a very beating-round-the-bush speech,
very superficial, very little incisive.
There was not a single idea.
As we read the interview, the only thing that we learned from it,
was that he went through some difficulties in Bombay, in his youth.
What became very clear is how António Costa
does not want to commit himself to any solid idea,
as he has no strategy for the future of Portugal,
you could easily use the good Portuguese expression
that everyone has realized, he is just "stuffing sausages".
5) When a political leader,
has no useful speech, or suffers from a deficit of ideas,
he uses two strategies:
he either remains silent, reference is made to silence;
or he speaks too much.
António Costa followed the first strategy in the first months of his leadership;
from April onwards, he strated using the second strategy.
Talking too much without saying anything.
It's like the student who goes to oral examination,
having not studied the matter and then wants to deceive the teacher
in order to obtain a positive mark by begining to talk at length
about issues that have nothing to do with the question asked.
6) As for content,
it is interesting to note that António Costa does not have a strong galvanizing idea,
with which to captivate the voters. Nothing!
We can just imagine the difficulty
the journalists had to choose the newspaper's headline last Saturday.
Because by duely dissecting Costa's statements,
they are just so atrociously empty.
On what he would do differently
from the action of the current Government of Passos Coelho,
Antonio Costa refers to the macroeconomic scenario of his socialists economists.
Which means, he does not answer.
About his plans to increase the competitiveness of our economy?
Antonio Costa only says that he will redefine the IRS levels,
although he admits he does not know how.
Speaking about the Justice system,
Costa just criticizes, criticizes, criticizes ...
but refuses to say what he would do differently.
7) Faced with the decisive question
(which is his greatest electoral asset comparing it to Passos Coelho?),
António Costa has a delightful answer:
"the Portuguese know me for a long time,
(bragging about having been a minister in several socialist governments,
a secratary of state, the major of Lisbon etc)
unlike Passos Coelho that is an unknown to the Portuguese".
That argument is ridiculous:
Passos Coelho has been during the last four years and still is,
the Prime Minister of Portugal!
He is certainly NOT an unknown person to the Portuguese!
8) This argument is precisely the same
as the one used by Jose Socrates in 2011,
against Passos Coelho.
Then it could have made sense since Passos Coelho
had been absent for a period of years from active politics
and had won the leadership of the PSD just relatively few months ago.
Today it is an absurd argument. Period!.
António Costa is disastrously clumsy!
9) We seriously want to compliment António Costa
on an original iniciative or idea.
But we just can not,
for the sake of intellectual rigor and analytical honesty:
António Costa offers nothing!
NOTHING!!
10) Not surprisingly,
the most resonant news about António Costa in recent days
has been the information that Costa will be during the coming days,
in the Algarve disco Bliss, where his son works as public relations officer.
We have learned, through the voice of his son,
that Costa is supporting this new professional challenge of his son -
and that Costa will give few dance steps in the coming days.
This is the least disastrous news that António Costa
has managed in the recent weeks.
Portugal deserves more and requires much more
from someone who wants to be Portugal's Prime Minister.
Oh António Costa, please do something well to dignify the opposition!
Hell, is that asking too much?
Based on article by João Lemos Esteves
Oh António Costa, please do something well to dignify the opposition!
Hell, is that asking too much?
Based on article by João Lemos Esteves
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