Blair at Levenson
Discussion
OK, Leveson.
Got to hand it to the bloke, he's a tremendous communicator. Much as I dislike the bloke, even being pleased that he's married to that Cherry woman (proving there is a just a vengeful god), I felt I had to admire his performance in the witness chair today.
He was never going to say anything useful of course, and no one would have thought we were going to find out the truth with regards his affair with Murdoch and NI, but he's a real smoothie, isn't he. You have to give that to him.
The Cameron team must be thinking: If only.
Blair is superb at what he does. If only what he does didn't make me so damned furious.
I used to practise giving evidence in court as no matter how good your case, if you say the wrong thing, or even the right thing badly, then a conviction can go out of the window. I was a little smug when watching Blair. I thought that good as he was, any jury would spit on his evidence.
He's the sort of bloke who would come into your office, move some of your files and sit on the corner of your desk, unasked and all smiles, completely unaware of the reaction just being there caused.
You just have to hate him, don't you. Even after this gap, seeing his smile brought it all back.
Couldn't we keep a Abu Nohands-a and send Balir to the US, or even Syria?
Got to hand it to the bloke, he's a tremendous communicator. Much as I dislike the bloke, even being pleased that he's married to that Cherry woman (proving there is a just a vengeful god), I felt I had to admire his performance in the witness chair today.
He was never going to say anything useful of course, and no one would have thought we were going to find out the truth with regards his affair with Murdoch and NI, but he's a real smoothie, isn't he. You have to give that to him.
The Cameron team must be thinking: If only.
Blair is superb at what he does. If only what he does didn't make me so damned furious.
I used to practise giving evidence in court as no matter how good your case, if you say the wrong thing, or even the right thing badly, then a conviction can go out of the window. I was a little smug when watching Blair. I thought that good as he was, any jury would spit on his evidence.
He's the sort of bloke who would come into your office, move some of your files and sit on the corner of your desk, unasked and all smiles, completely unaware of the reaction just being there caused.
You just have to hate him, don't you. Even after this gap, seeing his smile brought it all back.
Couldn't we keep a Abu Nohands-a and send Balir to the US, or even Syria?
AM04ARO said:
He was very smooth and came across as quite likeable.
Trouble is that is what duped so many into going along with his policies.
He fooled me. I voted for him. If the tories had not turned themselves into an unelectable laughing stock by their internecine battles then I might not have done but I must admit to a certain anticipation when he got voted in. Yet I was impressed by Major. I still don’t know why I voted against him.Trouble is that is what duped so many into going along with his policies.
Even then it took me some time to realise my mistake. Yet knowing what he is like and the knowledge that he took us into two unwinnable wars for no particular reason and, apparently, no exit, yesterday I could still see why he fooled me.
A dangerous man.
Bedazzled said:
Blair is like a modern-day pied piper, people naturally follow but he takes them in completely the wrong direction. The thing is, several years and enquiries later, we still don't know why he really did it; I'd love to know how he was hoodwinked into it. Without that millstone, his legacy could be quite different.
I was dumbfounded when Bush and Blair both won subsequent elections, the public still voted for them despite it being clear the war in Iraq was misguided. Not enough people cared. I completely lost faith in modern democracy at that moment; don't waste your time blaming the politicians, the public are just too dumb to vote.
He did the impossible in one respect: he made the labour party electable. Thatcher's majority for her first term was courtesy of the dreadful infighting the labour party was suffering. For the next it was even worse. With Trotskyite influence changing the face of labour voters were leaving in droves. I thought it was the end for them.I was dumbfounded when Bush and Blair both won subsequent elections, the public still voted for them despite it being clear the war in Iraq was misguided. Not enough people cared. I completely lost faith in modern democracy at that moment; don't waste your time blaming the politicians, the public are just too dumb to vote.
Kinnock must have been a tory plant. He was so ineffectual. The tories were in power for nigh on 20 years. Turning the labour party from very left wing to a middle ground party, and even managing to get the publiuc ownership caluse removed was remarkable. If only he'd left it there.
Go compare:
Hunt with Blair at Leveson. The former came over dreadfully I felt.
Hunt was touted as a replacement for Cameron. Had he taken the bullet rather than Adams he could have come away with a bit of credibility but the longer he stays in post the more damaged he becomes. If I was Cameron I'd be thinking to myself that one challenger is out of the frame.
When you consider the likes of Blunkett resignations and yet he returned, just as awful as before. Hunt could have gone into the hot seat as just another MP. Now the government is being tarred by the same brush.
And now Osborne might be in the frame.
Does anyone else have a nagging little suspicion at the backs of their minds that the press release of yet another U-turn on taxes was made at a 'convenient' time? Perhaps it is just me being cynical.
I've not been that impressed by Jay but he allowed Hunt his head to an extent yesterday and, to mix mataphores, gave him lots of rope. And Hunt exposed himself.
Hunt staying on is giving ammunition to the labour party. If (when?) Hunt goes it will be seen as a confession of fault and a victory for labour.
Hunt with Blair at Leveson. The former came over dreadfully I felt.
Hunt was touted as a replacement for Cameron. Had he taken the bullet rather than Adams he could have come away with a bit of credibility but the longer he stays in post the more damaged he becomes. If I was Cameron I'd be thinking to myself that one challenger is out of the frame.
When you consider the likes of Blunkett resignations and yet he returned, just as awful as before. Hunt could have gone into the hot seat as just another MP. Now the government is being tarred by the same brush.
And now Osborne might be in the frame.
Does anyone else have a nagging little suspicion at the backs of their minds that the press release of yet another U-turn on taxes was made at a 'convenient' time? Perhaps it is just me being cynical.
I've not been that impressed by Jay but he allowed Hunt his head to an extent yesterday and, to mix mataphores, gave him lots of rope. And Hunt exposed himself.
Hunt staying on is giving ammunition to the labour party. If (when?) Hunt goes it will be seen as a confession of fault and a victory for labour.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/jun/01/labour...
Odd tactic I think. Much more mileage if they leave him in post.
Odd tactic I think. Much more mileage if they leave him in post.
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