General BBC-related comment thread!

Please use this thread for comments about the BBC’s current programming and activities. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog – scroll down for new topic-specific posts. N.B. This is not an invitation for general off-topic comments, rants or chit-chat. Thoughtful comments are encouraged. Comments may also be moderated. Any suggestions for stories that you might like covered would be appreciated! It’s your space, use it wisely.

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159 Responses to General BBC-related comment thread!

  1. Martin says:

    McNulty is a cunt.

       0 likes

  2. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Snooze 24 | 02.10.08 – 8:33 pm |

    Are you sure you have the right day? Or was the coverage of Cameron’s speech in the “Sports News with Arlo White” segment?

    Where’s the defender of the indefensible to explain how the BBC has been doing just as much coverage for the Conservatives?

       0 likes

  3. deegee says:

    I googled “Yasmin Alibhai-Brown” site:www.bbc.co.uk and found 98 hits. I guess after her London Evening Standard piece it will be a long time before she breaks her ton.

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  4. The Bias Must End says:


    Anyone see the One Show last night?
    mailman | 02.10.08 – 9:29 am | #

    I had the misfortune of turning on BBC1 when The One Show was yesterday. It was a Beeboid getting all exited about a man in the 1800’s who built a mosque in Liverpool and did the “wonderful” act of converting 150 Christians to Islam. But those horrible evil British locals were “unfreindly” to him and so he went off to Turkey. So what an awful tradgey this was, that Islam didn’t manage to get a foothold into Britain in the 1800’s. Then back to the studio, where Stephen Fry condemns modern Britain as being intolerant and tribal – “if only we modern Britons could be as multi-tolerant as they were back then”, Fry sighs.

    I turned it off after that. It’s about 16mins in on the iplayer:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00drp4l/b00drp39/

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  5. Anonymous says:

    “The caption for the photo of Gwyneth Paltrow is either a lie or a gross misrepresentation (I’ll leave that for others to decide). While the caption accurately states the title of her video, it does not tell you that it’s a partisan broadcast disguised as a non-partisan “get out and vote” piece (a typical Dem strategy).”

    FFS, you illiterate twat. Here is the text next to the picture:

    Democrats Abroad, a group which campaigns on behalf of the party, is in a buoyant mood after a celebrity-driven assault on the UK in the past week included visits from former presidential candidate and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore, and actresses Kate Hudson and Gwyneth Paltrow.

    Paltrow is the figurehead for Democrats living abroad and is casting her vote in London. An advert featuring her has had 85,000 hits on YouTube.

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  6. TPO says:

    Ive just picked up on this from the BBC:

    Reaction: Met chief’s resignation

    http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7648986.stm

    Just scrolling down you come to this
    the communist Livingstone:
    ‘I don’t think it should be a political appointment. You want a good copper who can actually bring crime down not someone you feel politically is more closer to your viewpoint.’

    The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has always been a political appointment.
    Up to WWII the Commissioner was a non-police appointee invariably from the Military. Joseph Simpson was the first police officer to become Commissioner of the Met and that was in 1958.
    The Commissioner is appointed by the Home Secretary. In the climate of the previous years it would not rest with the Home Secretary alone. The PM and members of the cabinet would be consulted.
    By its very nature the job is political.
    For Livingstone to start whining now is disengenuous.

    Then we have Numpy McNulty as he is referred to in Police circles.
    The failed immigration minister who had to be moved has this to say:

    Responding to Conservative criticisms: “I’m afraid that shows the profound ignorance of Dominic Grieve when it comes to policing in London and the complexities of policing in London.
    “For any shadow home secretary to speak in such bilious terms really, I think, shows him to be unfit for that shadow position.”

    That would be the same Numpty McNulty who stood up in Parliament to rubbish a book written by a serving police officer which pointed out the true state of policing, the rise of crime and the fiddling of crime statistics to favour the labour government.
    The pen name of the policeman was David Copperfield. Numpty branded the book a work of fiction like Charles Dickens.
    And wasn’t Numpty McNulty forced into a grovelling and humiliating apology two days later when he was exposed as dishing out fiction.

    The we have poofter Paddick:

    “I think some rank and file officers – those who felt that Ian Blair was a reformer, someone who was very pro-diversity – will be very disappointed to see him go.”

    No – exactly the opposite, every rank and file heterosexual white officer will be delighted.
    From people who had to work with him I heard that Paddick was a bully.

    The previous Commissioner, Lord Stevens gets it exactly right:

    “It is a sad day for the office of the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service.”

    A sad day for the office not the man.

    BBC up to your usual shite.

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  7. fewqwer says:

    Quick summary of the links provided by Snooze 24:

    Toady Show Wednesday 24th September 2008 (the day after Brown’s speech):

    0709 – 0713
    Gordon Brown’s keynote speech at the Labour Party conference was notable for the way in which he emphasised the role of the state in creating what he called “the fair society”. The trade unions heralded this speech as a success. Tony Woodley, of the largest union Unite, discusses whether Brown has persuaded the unions to stay onside.

    0810 – 0826
    The Prime Minister’s highly personal speech has been seen as a success by the Labour ranks. Gordon Brown discusses whether the good mood will last and if the idea of “a fair society” will win Labour a fourth term.

    0848 – 0854
    Gordon Brown has staked his claim to be the only man to steer Britain through tough economic times saying: “This is no time for a novice.” Political editor Nick Robinson discusses the reaction to Brown’s speech.

    ——–

    Toady Show Thursday 2nd October 2008 (the day after Cameron’s speech):

    LITERALLY NOTHING ABOUT CAMERON’S SPEECH

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  8. GCooper says:

    So let me make sure I have this right.

    According to the BBC, it’s perfectly right and proper for ZaNuLabour to appoint a political supporter to run the Met, but wrong for the Mayor to get rid of him for similar reasons (let alone his monumental arrogance and incompetence)?

    Are these people incapable of logical thought?

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  9. David says:

    Have you noticed how the BBC is really egging the ‘Boris made me go’ angle from Blair? Even putting their two pictures side by side on the front page. They have also included statements of resignation inplicating Boris. The only trouble is, one look at the HYS, and it’s 99% pro-Boris:

    http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?sortBy=2&forumID=5437&edition=1&ttl=20081002220456&#paginator

       0 likes

  10. ady says:

    omg
    A politically incorrect BBC article!!!

    Why Andorrans live longer
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7649339.stm

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  11. betyangelo says:

    What is politically incorrect in it?

       0 likes

  12. archduke says:

    ian blair is gone .. thank god.

    here’s hoping to seeing actual real police officers on the streets of london again.

    swear to god – spent about 4 months during the summer working in London, and i saw a real police officer about once. and that was when a pedestrian as knocked down.

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  13. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Anonymous | 02.10.08 – 9:51 pm |


    FFS, you illiterate twat. Here is the text next to the picture:

    “Democrats Abroad, a group which campaigns on behalf of the party, is in a buoyant mood after a celebrity-driven assault on the UK in the past week included visits from former presidential candidate and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore, and actresses Kate Hudson and Gwyneth Paltrow.

    Ah, I stand corrected. Thank you. It seems that the BBC pro-Democrat bias is 100%, then.

    I’m happy to be wrong. Any other corrections which prove even more BBC bias than I thought?

       0 likes

  14. archduke says:

    newsnight on the firing of blair..

    first we have a labour minister.
    and now red ken.

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  15. Martin says:

    archduke: Yes I’m going to put an official complaint in. Why does the BBC feel the need to have TWO members of Nu Liebour in the studio?

    If they had Livingdead there, why McNulty?

    It’s just gone beyond a joke.

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  16. Umbongo says:

    On local London news after News at Ten on BB1 we have a reprise of Riz Lateef having a go at Boris re Blair earlier this year, an interview with Livingstone, a clip (from tonight’s QT) of Jacqui Smith attacking Boris (“it’s all political!!”) and the LibDem failed mayoral candidate half-heartedly semi-defending Boris: no Conservative to be seen. The BBC is truly desperate.

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  17. David says:

    Question Time swimming with the usual suspects in the audience. Of course they have it in Birmingham where Labour have just finished their conference and where the Tories don’t have a single seat. Then they get Hesseltine, no doubt so they can bring up the issue of Europe – again. I like the guy, but it seems the Conservatives haven’t clicked there’s a reason why the BBC keep having him on – to make them look split.

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  18. Martin says:

    Dimblewankstain has a go at Hesseltine about his money. “There wouldn’t be enough banks for you to deposit 50 thousand in each one” wanks on Dimblebore (cheap shot from leftie twat)

    Well actually, I reckon Dimblebore has a lot more money than Hesseltine, after all Dimblebore works for the BBC.

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  19. Martin says:

    This bunch of corrupt left twats called Nu Liebour are the ones that have politicised the civil service, the Police and the armed forces.

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  20. George R says:

    And now ‘Newsnight’ full throttle in its anti- PALIN rant.

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  21. David says:

    Martin, to be fair, Hesseltine is worth £250 million or so; so I doubt it. But yeah, a fucking cheap shot. Why don’t think ring up Paul Myners and ask him where all his money is going?

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  22. Jonathan Boyd Hunt says:

    TPO | 02.10.08 – 3:55 pm:

    Sir Ian Blair to quit Scotland Yard

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/3122796/Sir-Ian-Blair-to-quit-Scotland-Yard.html

    This excellent news. Like Jonathan Boyd Hunt I’m going to name-drop.

    I guess I deserved that…

    Martin | 02.10.08 – 8:54 pm:
    McNulty is a cunt.

    You’re right. He is.

       0 likes

  23. Anonymous says:

    Martin:
    Dimblewankstain has a go at Hesseltine about his money. “There wouldn’t be enough banks for you to deposit 50 thousand in each one” wanks on Dimblebore (cheap shot from leftie twat)

    Well actually, I reckon Dimblebore has a lot more money than Hesseltine, after all Dimblebore works for the BBC.

    “David Dimbleby was a director of the Dimbleby Newspaper Group, former publishers of the Richmond and Twickenham Times, acquired by the Newsquest Media Group in 2001 for a reported £12 million.”

       0 likes

  24. Jason says:

    Martin | 02.10.08 – 11:16 pm | #

    I notice Sheinwald held back in mentioning his extreme-left socialist roots, his work for leftist agitators (and sub-prime meltdown causing) ACORN, his friendship with an America-hating terrorist, and his 20 year friendship with a whitey-hating, America-hating, blame-9/11-on-the-US pastor.

    Just like the liberal Obama-loving American media.

       0 likes

  25. Millie Tant says:

    On nane dropping, Jonathan, I would just add that the name Evans-Pritchard caught my attention because of the distinguished and influential social anthropologist E E Evans-Pritchard. (So many Es!) Anyway, he is the son of E E E-P.

    And on distinguished parents, I see that someone has posted above about Sarah Smith being the daughter of John Smith. I hadn’t recognised the C4 reporter as his daughter, although I remember seeing the family quite a bit in the media around the time he died.

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  26. Jeff says:

    Spotted several far-left NUS activists in the audience of QT tonight – AGAIN!

    Of course, it’s just a coincidence, and obviously no connection, no connection between the Beeboids and the NUS at all!

       0 likes

  27. Anonymous says:

    Was listening to five live today. Some idiot American woman came on to talk about Biden and repeated his lie that his wife/child had been killed by a drink driver.

    I suppose you can’t really blame the bbc, but would be nice if they could correct such obviously false statements.

       0 likes

  28. Millie Tant says:

    The posts above about Dimbleby’s wealth from the BBC reminded me of a hilarious article I saw last night in Property Weekly about Jonathan Ross allegedly having paid £40,000 for a new marble bath, hewn from a single hunk of marble and tailor-made for the 6’2 incher! It’s always good to know your and my licence tax money is being put to good use.

    And in a property article in last week’s Standard, another tall bloke with his career at the BBC, one Paul Merton, was reported to have sold his 3-bed penthouse in Covent Garden for £2.2m to buy a bigger, more expensive pad in Bloomsbury. It helpfully added that he visits his six-bedroom house near Hastings at weekends. Isn’t life grand?

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  29. TPO says:

    Martin, to be fair, Hesseltine is worth £250 million or so…….
    David | 02.10.08 – 11:16 pm |

    Alan Clark got it right when referring to Heseltine, “Good Lord, the man buys his own furniture”
    Even better than Soames shouting out to Prescott, “Gin and tonic steward”

       0 likes

  30. TPO says:

    Jeff | 03.10.08 – 12:04 am |

    You’ve posted here before about this.
    Can you identify any of them and the frequency of their appearances, because this is serious ammunition concerning a breach of their charter.

    JBH – you name dropper you, sorry it was meant tongue in cheek – and to deflect from my own name dropping, for which I have previous.

       0 likes

  31. Jon says:

    “When I interviewed Nigel Farage this morning he was not a happy ukipper. he had just been bumped from Question Time because they wanted an economist on the panel. So we have just been treated to an hour of Richard Lambert of the CBI – possibly the most boring man in Britain. He has come out with so many statements of the bleedin’ obvious that I have lost count. So why don’t you bump Janet Street Porter instead, pleaded Nigel, pointing out that he has many years experience of in the City of London. No, we can’t do that, said the person from Question Time. “We need to keep our gender balance”.
    http://www.iaindale.blogspot.com/
    Ah so they have a @gender@ balance but not a political one

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  32. Martin says:

    Anon: Radio 5 is full of this sort of thing. They continually allow callers to peddle lies about Sarah Palin and the book banning, that she wanted creationism taught in schools etc

    Oh and that Fox News is right wing (sneer sneer)

    I remember emailing tossports like Simon Mayo for weeks when the BBC were allowing Nu Liebour to peddle the lie that the National Insurance rebate we have just had was a “tax cut”. Of course for the 5 million people who lost out because of the fat one eyed jocks incompetence it wasn’t. It was just giving them back “some” of what they lost when he did away with the 10p tax rate.

    Eventually even Mayo had to admit that was a load of nonsense from Nu Liebour.

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  33. Martin says:

    Jon: Gender balance? So how do they work out what that twat is they keep having on who dresses up like Bo Peep?

       0 likes

  34. Jon says:

    Martin | 03.10.08 – 12:41 am |

    Yes I saw “it” once – what qualified “it” to have a seat on the panel?

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  35. NeoMancunian says:

    re: political masquerading.

    Above, Jeff says he recognized Far Left NUS activists in QT audience.
    Others, perhaps in other threads, have commented on people claiming to be members/supporters of the Cons. Party phoning in to ‘support’ Gordon Brown.

    So, in that vein, I recount this.
    A few years ago, I can’t recall the exact year, the Conservative Party conference was being held in Blackpool. The local TV news, reporting on the conference, showed a demonstration being held opposite the conference venue by about half a dozen “junior doctors” wearing white lab coats protesting about something or other. I recogized one of the “junior doctors” as none other that Keith Bradley (now Baron Bradley), my Labour MP for the Manchester Withington constituency (1987-2005), who was never a junior doctor. I didn’t recognize any of the other protesters, but I have no way of knowing if they were “junior doctors”/Labour party activists or what.

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  36. thud says:

    I am watching Palin debate on bbc…justin webbs comments are simply demented…is he watching the same debate?

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  37. nelson says:

    Anybody watching the VP debates?

    Our friend Justin Webb is about to have a heart attack i think…

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7649760.stm

    Bless him.

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  38. TPO says:

    Melanie Phillips, not the BBC, perfectly articulates exactly what went wrong with the Metropolitan Police Force (but they like to call it a ‘Service’ – No it ain’t it’s meant to be a FORCE)

    I’ve met the man (Blair) on several occasions and had a number of conversations with him. Believe me he is a self-serving totally self-aggrandising look at the pension I’m going to get Nu/Labour, stuff the proles socialist pig in the trough individual who I despise.

    Believe me you ain’t going to see it on the BBC.

    Shed no tears for this Labour stooge who forgot how to police

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1067136/MELANIE-PHILLIPS-Shed-tears-Labour-stooge-forgot-police.html

    Melanie Phillips has got it spot on.
    As we get closer to May 2010 we need to drive more of these socialist-placemen snout-in-the-trough pigs out.
    Lets start with the socialist pigs in the BBC – They’ve had it so good for so long. For starters go after their pensions. That’ll make the pips squeak.

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  39. nelson says:

    Thing is Justin Webb KNOWS she’s inexperienced with politics on Capitol hill, so why does he keep on ranting about her NOT answering questions? Aside from the fact, she’s coming across on TV quite well.

    Justin, on the other hand, is coming across as a smart ass.

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  40. TPO says:

    Anybody watching the VP debates?
    nelson | 03.10.08 – 3:36 am |

    Yes – in Canada on CNN the Republican leaning observers are saying “You’re watching Main Street not Wall Street.”
    The Democrat leaning observers are just sniping.
    In North America the BBC in general and Justin Webb in particular are busted flush non-entities.

    I mean, when the world needs saving, who are you going to call on, the BBC.
    Please I’m already rolling around on the floor, might as well call in Bill Murray and ghostbusters.

    Roll on 7th May 2010.

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  41. nelson says:

    I’ve never seen so much sneering in a running commentary from the BBC before.

    Justin and the Beeboids HATE this non-confrontational, non-cynical style of debating, giving the candidates time to answer the questions in their own way.

    Like many things in America, they just don’t get it.

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  42. TPO says:

    Going back to the Met Commissioner debacle, there is a tosser who chooses a non-de-plume of ‘whitewhineliberal’ and who claimed that The Daily Mail was little better than excrement.
    Well it’s not the far-left BBC but the ‘execrable’ Mail who have lifted the stones about the activities of Ian Bair, which at this stage border on the criminal.
    Amazing if a Commissioner of the Met appeared in court on corruption charges whilst all the time the BBC was back-pedalling because Blair was Nu-Labour’s annointed one.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1067132/Victory-Mayor-Boris-Johnson-PM-tells-Sir-Ian-Blair-Dont-go.html

    But then gain the BBC will go to any lengths to shield criminal activity when it’s in their own interests.
    Times are changing, challenge them at every twist and turn.
    The days of ‘talk to the hand’ are over.
    Every time one of these tossers says ‘racism’ go for them. Rip the arseholes to shreds, threaten them, drive them out of the forum. They have no platform. Take back what belongs to you.

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  43. TPO says:

    David Preiser (USA) | Homepage | 02.10.08 – 7:47 pm |

    This will fill in some of the gaps about the Met Commissioner and his downfall, and how Labour stooges connived to keep him i n power.

    Sir Ian Blair resigns: Downfall of the PC Pc

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/ianblair/3124392/Sir-Ian-Blair-resigns-Downfall-of-the-PC-Pc.html

    Personally I’m delighted. The damage that this man has caused will take many a day to correct. Good riddance blair now fuck off into well deserved obscurity and please take that communist Livingstone with you.

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  44. Jason says:

    I think Palin was fantastic tonight. She really looked like the brand new face of American politics. Biden did OK, but told far too many lies to get away with and looked tired and dog-eared. I also thought his little tear-jerk moment was an act – call me a cynic, but the man’s been a phony so many times in the past.

    However, I cannot believe how lame the McCain campaign is being in not hammering the whole Fannie/Freddie point home – that McCain tried to get them regulated and that leading Dems did their best to oppose it, despite warnings. Palin should have been all over this tonight like a pit bull on a poodle!

    You cannot deny that Palin gave a stunning performance tonight – she was warm, friendly, articulate, factual, stern and full of authority. If it’s true that Webb is foaming at the mouth tonight, then it just goes to show how politically blind the man is.

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  45. Jason says:

    Did anyone notice this line in an earlier Beeb article, which is now being used again in their report of the debate?

    “Mrs Palin, whose fiery speech at last month’s Republican convention inspired Christian conservatives…”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7647986.stm

    Her speech inspired a lot more than just Christian conservatives – it energized the whole Republican base and a whole bunch of independents as well. I even heard Democrats say they were impressed. But of course the ultra-biased Obama-worshiping BBC can’t help but insinuate that she only appeals to the religious-right they despise so much.

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  46. Jason says:

    Comment from Justin Webb:

    “but what is going on with her voice? It cuts glass.”

    So…is Webb a “serious BBC journalist,” or an 18 year old fun-blogger? I hear nothing wrong with her voice at all.

    Say Webb. You forgot to tell us how much you hate her hair. Or maybe you’re onto that now on your MySpace page.

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  47. David Preiser (USA) says:

    I have to laugh. Matt Frei did a segment of viewer emails about the VP debate (from what I saw the ones he read were evenly split, so no problem). The penultimate one was criticizing Gov. Palin, taking issue with her presenting herself as a regular person, or “Washington outsider”. The email ended by saying, of course she can present herself as a Washington outsider, because for the last few years “she’s been living under a melting glacier.”

    Frei Boy: “What an extraordinary thing to say!” (emphasis most definitely his, not inferred by me)

    The BBC will find any excuse to push the AGW narrative.

    Other than that, I didn’t go anywhere near a BBC outlet until it was all over, so I missed any manifestation of Justin Webb. Matty and Katty were mostly fair, I have to say. Mostly. From what I could tell, they had no choice as it was more or less a tie (which, in baseball, goes to the runner, in this case Sarah Palin). But not enough to really complain about, given a couple of honest positive statements Katty somehow felt like saying about Gov. Palin.

    They’ll regret it in the morning, I’m sure. Their executive producer (who was in charge of CBS News when Dan Rather soiled himself over the phony Bush Nat’l Guard memos), can’t be too pleased. Then it will be back to Bush-bashing business as usual.

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  48. henryflower says:

    Message to Justin Webb: your running commentary on the VP debates would be the first thing I pulled out if someone asked me to demonstrate that the BBC are now typified by sneering, superior, patronising, biased, smug little prigs who are now so unaccountable that they have long abandoned even the pretence of impartiality. Palin’s voice irritates you? – your face has the same effect on me, Justin – the absolute archetype of BBC smugness and vacuous self-satisfaction.

    Mr Webb, I hope that one day soon we’ll have a government with the courage and sense to pull the wreck of the BBC to pieces and leave sanctimonious, self-important nobodies like you looking for work that more properly reflects your actual abilities.

    As things stand now, however, thank you for continuing to supply us with all the evidence we could hope for in our quest to see your organisation recognised as being unfit for purpose, and in constant breach of its own charter obligations.

    I fully expect Obama to win the presidency, due to the weak campaign McCain has run, and due also to the fact that fools like you have evidently decided that a world in crisis should turn for leadership to a man who has no political CV, no achievements, no record on which to base a judgement, and no policies except hope and change. Why? – because left always equals better in your eyes, because black always trumps white, because urban trumps folksy, because holding office in Alaska is somehow a disqualification for a Vice Presidential candidate whereas a President from Arkansas was fine, because you think it is worse to go to a church that believes in Creationism than it is to attend for years a church that loathes America and demonises white Americans.

    You smug, patronising, muddled, vindictive little fool.

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  49. Oscar says:

    Jason – I noticed the ‘Christian conservative’ line – in fact of course Palin made no mention whatsoever of christianity in her “fiery speech”.

    The BBC is now resolutely pushing the line that Boris’s intervention in the departure of Ian Blair was “politically motivated”! If you wanted an example of Orwellian inversion it is this. Ian Blair has been the most politicised Met Commissioner ever. He was made and kept in post by New Labour. Anyone who knows anything knows this. Despite Blair’s absolutely dismal record Labour doggedly kept him in his job through thick and thin – the BBC even suppressed the accusations of racial discrimination to that end. How this can be turned on its head to accuse Boris of politicising the role just reveals yet again the complete and utter depths of BBC/New Labour lies. It’s laughable as well that every report solemnly tells us the violent crime in London has gone down. Does anyone really believe that?

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