14-04-2004 17:18									#61
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I was just going to post this in MOBIUS' thread. Re: the question he was asked.

If any British leader couldn't answer that, or at least waffle some kind of vaguely meaningful rubbish in response, they'd be crucified by the press and quite rightly.

It's the press's job to ask politicians difficult questions. Blair regularly has to set himself up for a grilling against opposition politicians (once a week in Prime Minister's Questions) and not quite as regularly but still relatively often in TV apperances where he is quite viciously grilled by journalists or even the general public. It's a vital part of politics.

If it's true that Bush has only had to face questions from the press 3 times in 4 years that's a ludicrous situation and shouldn't be allowed.

	14-04-2004 17:23									#62
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Why Mike? I think it's ludicrous that the media are allowed to set the agenda.

	14-04-2004 17:37									#63
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quote: Originally posted by Sava stupid Bush... I have to wait until next week to see an all new 24 because of his stupid face.

24: Sunday, 9PM Eastern.


And Bush really, really, really sucked. He just does not do well in those sorts of situations... it is almost impossible to believe that his staff did not prepare him for some of those questions, which leads one to the inevitable conclusion that he WAS prepared, but just couldn't remember anything when the heat was on.

	14-04-2004 18:07									#64
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quote: Originally posted by Park Avenue Why Mike? I think it's ludicrous that the media are allowed to set the agenda.

Yes. Of course you do. You basically believe in a police state so you would. I believe in freedom of information and governmental accountability. You can't just have the politicians telling people the things they want to tell them and avoiding any issues they don't like. That's ludicrous.

	14-04-2004 18:16									#65
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Elections with a toothless press= Egypt

Look how well they've turned out.

	14-04-2004 18:19									#66
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"Yes. Of course you do. You basically believe in a police state so you would. I believe in freedom of information and governmental accountability. You can't just have the politicians telling people the things they want to tell them and avoiding any issues they don't like. That's ludicrous."

The media have amazing control over people's lives these days: look at you, you're a child of the BBC. You believe everything they write and follow all of their slants and biases.

Worse, the media aren't elected. The media is not a force for good in the UK right now, yet they are slanting politics.

"Freedom of information" - opinions aren't information, yet that is what we get in every BBC piece.

I don't know what that police state nonsense is about.

	14-04-2004 18:42									#67
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quote: Originally posted by GePap No one wants a straight answer. The press may find them boring to report (what's the angle?)-the Public is uncomfortable with people not playing their role (which is not supposed to be brutally honest), and the politicians have nothing to gain. It is a question of good answers- answres that are a little informative, a little witty if you can but at least from the politician's viewpoint, and after all the president is the one who set this up, one that sells your message subtly-so people think you did answer, and you got the message accross. Bush here was in full "sell message" mode, BUT he tried to do it without really taking into account the questions, whih is why he looked bad.

His general demeanor made him look bad too. Stuttering and stammering...long pauses...

quote: Oh, and I am confident you have made mistakes too

	14-04-2004 18:43									#68
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I don't read the BBC for news anymore, just check it for sport occasionally (and some of their amusing articles) . It's much too lowbrow and simplistic (and not left wing enough for me).The Guardian is much more in depth and makes more distinction between fact and opinion, and has much better arts coverage.

And I'm aware of the slants in what I read, I just enjoy reading stuff with a slant I agree with more than stuff that has a slant I don't agree with. What's wrong with that?

The police state stuff comes from your comments in the BNP thread about removing suspects rights and various other comments. It's basically correct and supportable with comments you've made I think.

	14-04-2004 19:01									#69
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He got off to a good start with "insticate" Instead of "instigate"

	14-04-2004 19:03									#70
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I'm still waiting for a recording of this.

	14-04-2004 19:04									#71
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"The police state stuff comes from your comments in the BNP thread about removing suspects rights and various other comments. It's basically correct and supportable with comments you've made I think."

I said nothing about removing rights! Indeed, the BNP's policy would grant people additional rights to what they already have, i.e. fair treatment no matter what the colour of your skin (as in, abolishing "equal opportunities" rules decreeing that 7% of jobs have to be filled by ethnics even if none live there, and no such similar constraints in areas of 40% whites etc/quitting calling white on black crimes "racist" and Asian on white crimes (more common) as "unknown motives" ).

	14-04-2004 19:06									#72
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What I hear:

blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

	14-04-2004 19:07									#73
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Exactly...a child of the BBC.

	14-04-2004 19:10									#74
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What I can't understand is how you grew up watching Fox News.

	14-04-2004 19:13									#75
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quote: The Guardian is much more in depth and makes more distinction between fact and opinion

I didn't watch, but I've little doubt he sucked. It's been clear from the beginning that Bush is awful at public speech, and things have not been going well for him in general. As far as I'm concerned, the more press conferences & debates he goes in for, the better.

-Arrian

	14-04-2004 19:19									#76
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I'm a liberal, but I'm still willing to give people the benefit of the doubt. I want Iraq to work. I want everything to work.

But that was ABSOLUTELY ****ING TURGID!! This is supposed to be leadership? This guy sends people off to die, and he sure as hell better be able to string two sentences together as to how and why. Absolutely incredible, and I don't mean that nicely.

	14-04-2004 19:19									#77
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See thats why all the liberals who say Bush is like Hitler are totally off-base. Hilter was a much better speaker.

	14-04-2004 19:20									#78
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quote: Originally posted by OzzyKP See thats why all the liberals who say Bush is like Hitler are totally off-base. Hilter was a much better speaker.

-Arrian

	14-04-2004 19:21									#79
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Yes, I had problems with his speech. And I'm a Bushie.

Those questions were easy to anticipate, and I can't believe he wasn't better prepared to answer them more smoothly. (it is tough to follow slick willie he was the king of that kind of thing. )

If those were the answers they wanted him to give, it was a no-win situation and he shouldn't have done it in the first place.

The only plus in my book, was, as stated previoiusly, he did sound sincere and firm in his convictions.
I can only believe that his handlers are shooting for reinforcing that image as he goes up against a perceived flip-flopper.

Overall, I was not impressed.

	14-04-2004 19:25									#80
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quote: Originally posted by MikeH What I can't understand is how you grew up watching Fox News.

I didn't really understand a lot of the US posters here until I saw for myself the poor quality of their media. It's really mostly just infotainment and brainwashing. I channel surfed in vain for something approaching quality independent analysis and differing viewpoints.

Even their PBS network, which does do some quality current affairs, spent a lot of it's time rattling a can because it is funded by public donations.

I formed the impression the United States basically had a small well informed elite and the vast bulk of the population was treated like mushrooms - fed B*llshit and kept in the dark. The media just prays on their emotions and sentiments quite manipulatively.

Your average European or Australian is simply just better informed. Fullstop.

	14-04-2004 19:27									#81
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quote: Originally posted by rah The only plus in my book, was, as stated previoiusly, he did sound sincere and firm in his convictions. I can only believe that his handlers are shooting for reinforcing that image as he goes up against a perceived flip-flopper.

Thats the problem. We all know Fez is firm in his convictions and his rants seem sincere. That is a minimal plus given everything else.

	14-04-2004 19:31									#82
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What I saw of the Bush speech just looked like agony to me - a kind of waterloo of credibility.

It reminded me of Jimmy Carter during the Iran hostage crisis.

	14-04-2004 19:34									#83
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quote: Originally posted by Alexander's Horse Fullstop.

Americans don't know what a fullstop is. They say period.

	14-04-2004 19:36									#84
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"What I can't understand is how you grew up watching Fox News."

Fox news hasn't really been around that long. I don't think anyone has yet grown up watching Fox News. Wait a few years.

	14-04-2004 19:39									#85
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quote: See thats why all the liberals who say Bush is like Hitler are totally off-base. Hilter was a much better speaker.

	14-04-2004 19:44									#86
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quote: What I can't understand is how you grew up watching Fox News.

He couldn't... unless he's like 5 .

	14-04-2004 19:50									#87
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Bush makes me cringe when I see him. You can practically hear his mental processes grinding away, like some sort of Babbage device.

It's truly amazing that he got himself elected.

	14-04-2004 19:55									#88
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quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui quote: What I can't understand is how you grew up watching Fox News. He couldn't... unless he's like 5 .

Already noted.

	14-04-2004 19:58									#89
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The Fox News thing was a joke.

Next time I'll put

THIS IS A JOKE

What I can't understand is how you grew up watching Fox News.

JOKE ENDS

	14-04-2004 20:05									#90
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[/joke]