Seán H ([info]ohnefuehlen) wrote,
@ 2005-06-16 16:40:00
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Oh, for Heaven's sake

Not exactly shocking news, is it? I wonder if they'll actually nail Griffin this time. I don't know how many bloody times they've tried before. Griffin's time as leader of his filthy party has mostly been spent attempting to give it an air of respectability and legitimacy, putting a sheen over the skin-headed thug that is the reality of their organisation. His being jailed would be a pretty major setback for that little effort, though it would probably just give the thick-browed, knuckle-dragging Neanderthals that form his support base an added sense of victimhood.

As an aside, something I wondered: since becoming President, has Bush ever had an interview? At all? I've only ever heard of him speaking from his podium, carefully not answering questions (tip: when asked a tough question about some failure of your administration, respond with a) "The world is better with Saddam Hussein out of power"; b) any combination of the Republican Party's Approved Abstract Nouns [truth/freedom/liberty/peace/security]; c) something incoherent mumbled about September 11th, regardless of what the actual question was).

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[info]xorphus
2005-06-16 04:31 pm UTC (link)
He and Laura were interviewed by Barbara Walters. (I realize this is not what normal humans consider an "interview" by any stretch.)

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[info]ohnefuehlen
2005-06-16 04:54 pm UTC (link)
Yeah, I think we usually call it a "handjob".

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[info]holyoffice
2005-06-16 06:12 pm UTC (link)
He's sat down for a few interviews with the likes of Walters and ideological comrades like Neal Cavuto. But no actual interviews with real reporters - also, he's had fewer press conferences than any president in the last 50 years (his father had them almost weekly). When you see him speak off the cuff, though, you realize his handlers are probably wise to keep him away from such situations.

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[info]ohnefuehlen
2005-06-16 08:27 pm UTC (link)
Here in the UK (as in Canada, Australia and New Zealand) the Prime Minister must spend half an hour every week answering questions from members of the House of Commons. I wonder how well Bush would fare in a similar situation?

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[info]holyoffice
2005-06-16 09:11 pm UTC (link)
I enjoy watching prime minister's questions on the C-SPAN network here. It's a sobering contrast to see Tony Blair, who I don't think particularly fondly of, handle himself well in Parliament, when, as you point out, Bush would be utterly hopeless.

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[info]ohnefuehlen
2005-06-16 09:26 pm UTC (link)
This comes, I think, from the bonding of the executive and legislative inherent to our constitution. A party leader must, by convention, be a member of the House of Commons. If he wants to rise in the party, then he has to be able to at least hold his own in the Commons, and he has to have been doing it for many years. There's no other path to 10 Downing Street than through Parliament.

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[info]ohnefuehlen
2005-06-16 08:28 pm UTC (link)
And, well, certainly it's wise on behalf of the administration, from the point of view of political expediency, but it's undemocratic. The press is vital to a democracy, and it's harmful to society as a whole when they're shut out.

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[info]holyoffice
2005-06-16 09:13 pm UTC (link)
Absolutely. This administration has shut out the press to an unprecedented degree; not only that, it has made direct cash payments to reporters to secure favorable coverage. It's a horrible scandal, made worse by the fact that most Americans don't seem to care.

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[info]anorexicbrownie
2005-06-16 09:15 pm UTC (link)
Or even know about it, in some cases. heh.

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[info]miss_spunk
2005-06-17 10:01 am UTC (link)
Oh, I've seen him in press conferences but he's at his best with a speech in front of him. When he's answering questions on the spot things get scary (and funny).

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