May 10, 2010
Stop it
You know the worst thing about this hung Parliament limbo? The idiotic tribalism on all sides is only getting worse.
No doubt the Tories have been at it, though I’ve no particular desire to go looking. Lots of Lib Dems on this thread are crowing and pontificating. And indeed I and others have been wearing the war paint over here at the weekend.
But it’s just getting boring now. And I’m the sort of restless hyperactive temper-control-issues person that really hates boring. Who wants to throttle it, then throw it out of the window onto spikey railings. So the potty, deluded nonsense that has been pouring out of Labour camps about Sky News’ Adam Boulton is almost too much to handle. Not least because it seems to be symptomatic of a growing leftist trend, as evinced on Saturday by this loop-the-loop article at Liberal Conspiracy, my thoughts on which are here (and here).
If you only read blogs and tweets, you’d think Boulton had broken some major regulatory codes over an encounter with New Labour’s former unelected minister for propaganda, Mr Alistair Campbell. (Whom you may remember from his appearances at the Hutton Inquiry, relating to the death of a certain Dr David Kelly).
However if you watch the following video without Rose-tinted Party Spectcles, you may see something different:
From where I’m standing that looks simply like Boulton and Campbell having a rather acrimonious exchange. Neither of them really responds to what the other says, and all that ultimately happens is they talk or shout past each other. As things go on Campbell repeatedly pokes Boulton, who eventually snaps like an angry dog. Except that instead of having a proper fight like dogs would, they just go for handbags at dawn. More than anything, it’s pathetic.
But if you pay attention to many Labour supporters tonight, you’d be fooled into thinking that some sort of major scandal has occurred, specifically about Boulton breaking regulatory codes regarding expressing political views. Except, that’s just not what happened. Campbell (twice) accused Boulton of expressing political views, and Boulton took exception at having words put in his mouth. To be honest, I’d react like that if Campbell was shoving things in my mouth. Furthermore, pointing out that Campbell is unelected – and yet gets to pull the leavers of power – seems like a perfectly legitimate response. Not least because he probably has been stithcing things up because that is exactly what politicians do.
However I apparently live in a parallel world to many other Labour supporters. The normally sensible Dave Semple declares “Adam Boulton really giving Fox News a run for their money with his constant pushing of the Conservatives, regardless of the fact that Labour and the Libs together tot up to about four million votes higher than the Conservatives.”
At The Staggers blog, angry Labour supporters pronounce “Time for Boulton to resign- his bias is no longer tenable for a journalist”, or opine that “This is not journalism. Adam must be sacked! for God sake hes not an MP. This is very personal unprofessional behaviour” – forgetting that Mr Campbell is not elected either, and never has been.
On Twitter, Labour party-drone churn-machine BevaniteEllie intones “Sorry but Boulton should be sacked, this is horrendous”, whilst John Prescott calls for people to write to Ofcom.
I mean seriously. This is absurd. If we must all Twatter away can we at least all gain some perspective and #getagrip?
Dave Semple said,
May 10, 2010 at 9:25 pm
I hardly think I can be deputised into this argument Paul! What you quoted is the extent of my commentary on the matter. I thought Boulton’s points were ridiculous, and unbecoming of a serious presenter interviewing someone. They weren’t even John Humphreys-style amusing, it was just plain nay-saying, and one easily joins the dots to the behaviour of the other Murdoch news groups. No?
Overall, however, I hardly think I can be accused of tribalism. There’s few groups I’m more critical of than Labour.
Paul Sagar said,
May 10, 2010 at 9:29 pm
“I thought Boulton’s points were ridiculous, and unbecoming of a serious presenter interviewing someone. They weren’t even John Humphreys-style amusing, it was just plain nay-saying, and one easily joins the dots to the behaviour of the other Murdoch news groups”
He disagreed with Campbell and then got annoyed when Campbell provoked him.
That’s what news reporters are liable to do. Most of Paxman’s points are ridiculous, and he gets ruder than anyone. There is nothing to see here – indeed this is rather reminiscent of the batty thread from Anthony Barnett at LC on saturday.
Leo said,
May 10, 2010 at 9:30 pm
True indeed. The commentariat, the Twitterati and every other group of people who comment on these things to such an extent that they’ve got an eccentric little thing added on to the end of their name have become ridiculously partisan, while the party leaderships have become less so. Kind of bizarre, but it’s exciting. The guy in the room above me was watching BBC News with his friends like it was a gripping movie earlier. So strange.
Paul Sagar said,
May 10, 2010 at 9:34 pm
It is strange for me, too.
Because I’m just finding this whole “will-they-won’t-they” Cleggstacy love triangle boring beyond belief. Can they please just get on with it?
Leo said,
May 10, 2010 at 11:13 pm
Really? By global standards of coalition making, this hasn’t gone on for that long.
Paul Sagar said,
May 10, 2010 at 11:16 pm
I don’t live in the Global Standard, I live in Britain. And I wasn’t born in 1974.
Nakul said,
May 11, 2010 at 12:42 am
You know you don’t have to read all that stuff, don’t you? [Returns to CiF to feed his pet troll. Dies]
Alex said,
May 11, 2010 at 2:04 am
Presumably it will end with one of them chasing Clegg to the airport.
Anyway, Boulton over the top and unprofessional, but not some huge scandal, nor does it merit having Fox News mentioned in the same breath. Lazy comparison.
Dave Semple said,
May 11, 2010 at 12:52 pm
I don’t think it is a lazy comparison. He uses exactly the same style as Bill O’Reilly, who for the longest time was the archetypal FOX commentator, before other names became especially well known. He’s just done the same thing today with Ben Bradshaw – perhaps it’s meant to be a populist version of Jeremy Paxman or whatever, but the truth is it just comes across as an obnoxious and wilfully ignorant conservative. Bill O’Reilly to a T.
Alex said,
May 11, 2010 at 7:21 pm
Yes, Boulton has exactly the same style as Bill O’Reilly.
When Boulton starts doing things like this, maybe you’ll have a point:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTkFU4MtubU
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,591148,00.html
roym said,
May 12, 2010 at 12:13 pm
one things for sure, boulton needs to get himself a better tailor.
you cant argue about pro troy bias from sky can you?