"Sanchism? The PP and Vox are the same", repeated Pedro Sánchez over and over during the almost two-hour debate. It was the strong message with which he tried to dynamit the entire speech of Alberto Núñez Feijóo. "I don't govern with Bildu or ERC, and you govern with Vox". He even referred to "SuperVox", as a rubber band of the right and his "que et voti Txapote".
The President of the Central Government promised "an intense debate, but with good manners". His gesture, however, was immediately twisted so the rough duel with Feijóo began, between mutual interruptions. The PP leader's attacks put him on the defensive. "Don't say I'm lying, I'm not lying." "Don't lie, man, I don't lie." "Don't give me lessons".
Sánchez defended himself by accusing Feijóo of lying when he linked ETA to the 11-M attacks. He also alluded to the PP leader's alleged overpayment, warning that he can explain where it comes from "down to the last cent in his checking account". Sánchez even referred, in a veiled way, to the old photo of Feijóo aboard the yacht of the narco Marcial Dorado, and assured that he too is transparent with all his travels, "by land, by air and by sea ". "I am a clean politician", he concluded.
And he was surprised, and "outraged", he admitted, with many of Feijóo's claims. "But in which world do you live?". He even took it as a joke. "I didn't know this sense of humor of yours", he quipped.
An old tactic in the PSOE, in any case, ensures that the electoral debate is won by whoever says they have won it first. And the PSOE, even before its leader's golden minute began, hastened to affirm it: "Pedro Sánchez wins the debate".
