Both parties are running essentially negative campaigns but they're framing them in the most positive way imaginable
Those focus groups must really be telling the political strategists that voters are sick to death of political negativity.
Both Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott positively lathered on the positive in the debate on Sunday night.
You could almost hear the swelling orchestral strains as the prime minister began his set-piece introduction, talking straight into all the lounge rooms contemplating whether they should switch channels to Australia's Got Talent.
"This country of ours, Australia, is one of the best countries in the world ... We believe passionately in a fair go, and a fair go for all. We're also by instinct a positive people and we prefer to work together rather than tear each other apart.
"That's who we are as Australians. And the Australia we all know and love has been built by you, the Australian people. Built by you, our businesses both big and small, built by you, our seniors, who've worked so hard in the past and built by you, young people out there who are our dynamos of the future.
"Most importantly, it's built by you, the families of Australia, saving and providing for your kids' future."
The Coalition leader saved his most rousing appeal to the positivity beating in every true-blue fair-dinkum bonza Aussie heart for his concluding speech.
"This is our positive plan for a better future. I believe in this plan. We've had the same clear plans for three years now. I believe in my team. We've had the same strong and united team for three years now.
"Most of all, I believe in our people. I believe in you. Australians, in Menzies' phrase, are a nation of lifters not leaners. I believe that our best years are ahead of us but not if we have another three years like the last six."
Right, so they both think we're all great. Even those of us who might at times seem like miserable, lazy sods who do a lot more leaning than lifting.
But the bit in between the opening and closing speeches was mostly about what they think, or allege, about each other.
Besides Rudd putting a time frame on trying to implement his change of heart on gay marriage, there wasn't much new or even explicit in the "positive plans" they each apparently have for the nation.
It was all about how Kevin thinks Tony has a secret plan to slash spending, raise the GST, and make life harder for every wonderful hard-working family. And how Tony thinks Kevin and his Labor mates have been an unmitigated disaster, with the Australians he "believes in" being immediately better off if they just got rid of the ALP.
All expressed politely and with as much positivity as negative message can be, of course.
It's the great contradiction of this election. Of course politicians always have attack points. But in this campaign neither side has a fully formed and enunciated election manifesto or a true, detailed, costed positive plan. Both are running essentially negative campaigns.
But the focus groups are telling them they must be pitched as positive.
