The problem with the Debate seems to be how controlled it is, how sterile it is, how artificial it is, and how little is actually said. This is highlighted by the cries of the LNP 'intelligensia' that Rudd cheated by referring to notes... as if quoting a few facts has no place in a debate.
If you're at all interested in the commentary around performance, and 'who won'.. the best and broadest range of opinions that I came across was at The Conversation... you can access that here.
I didn't go searching for video of what the worm was up to last night, but I'm sure it will start to appear on YouTube in the near future (if it isn't already there).
I look forward to the day when no one talks about the worm as there is too much contrasting policy detail to discuss, but that may be some way off.
It was clear to me from Abbott's answers that he is short on policy detail and plans to maintain the small target approach right up to the last minute. He doesn't have a policy on aged care (he wasn't even sure what the current government policy is), he plans to stick to the slogans and the negativity, and he believes in Joe Hockey's 'magic pudding' economic theories.
Rudd in contrast had a great deal of well developed policy detail and was able to speak about it at great length.. but often came up against the bell. Abbott in contrast wasn't troubled by the bell... repeating slogans, talking very slowly, and staring down the camera was only able to fill so much time for him.
Rudd was however somewhat wooden, and during the debate his dislike for Abbott seemed almost visible.
If only I was watching the debate for the comic relief.
I'd suggest that what the public wants is to see more Q&A style forums. Situations in which the public gets to ask more of the questions which concern them, and circumstances in which politicians can be pushed to answer the questions.
Mr Abbott is badly overdue for a Q&A appearance having avoided regular invitations onto the show since 2010.
If it's going to be more of the same, the voting public are rightly saying 'Don't Bother'.