Alex Salmond says there are no NO voters, just deferred YES ones
You’ve got to be careful making presumptions about voters
Given the polls there are three things that YES/Salmond have to do: Ensure there’s a maximum turnout amongst those currently saying YES; try to win over some switchers, and endeavour to ensure lower turnout levels amongst those inclined to NO.
It is that last category, I’d suggest, that are most important which is why YES/Salmond have to ensure that what they do doesn’t galvanise those who are against change.
I’m far from sure that his approach on this morning’s TV show has got this right. Making the presumptions he did and expressing them in such a dismissive manner could be impeding his overall objective.
His hubris reminds me of claims ahead of the 2012 Scottish local elections. They’d swept to power at Holyrood with an overall majority the year before and Salmond and team repeatedly trumpeted that they were about to win full control of Glasgow. What happened? Labour returned to power with an overall majority and a night that should have been seen as an SNP success looked like failure.