They just can’t help themselves.
The BBC love-in with Obama continues despite Guantanamo, drones, failed foreign policy, massive, inappropriate surveillance and lies about, well lots and lots of stuff.
Naughtie on Today (08:25 ish) was going over the Gettysburgh Address by Lincoln.
For some unknown reason we were suddenly treated to the comparison of Lincoln to another ‘gangling lawyer’….and a soundbite of the sainted Obama.
The ‘Legacy’ is safe in BBC hands…they’ve just got to keep polishing it.
Naughtie is typically given to extended bouts of self-indulgence in his ‘reporting’. He seems to consider himself a fine example of all that is ‘best’ in radio journalism – and he really, really wants us all to know that. Too often his rambling, often tedious essays masquerading as reportage stray into simple expressions of his own personal political prejudices.
It’s when he is in full self-congratulatory flow that Naughtie is often at his most unintentionally funny. He becomes a rich parody of the very virtues of ‘broadcasting’ he so clearly admires and extolls. All a bit embarrassing, really.
God, he’s so, so boring and in your face. Is there no escape from Naughtie? Ah, ye, Classic FM…
…my daily retreat from the insanity of the BBC.
Classic FM…
…my daily retreat from the insanity of the BBC.
Other than the ‘news’ breaks, yes.
Good to know that Jim’s talent for vacuous, indulgent pontification flickers brightly in the ramblings of his son:
http://www.gnomeonline.tumblr.com/post/379766366/not-being-personal-or-anything-by-andrew-naughtie
Howard Kirk, ‘The History Man’, ‘a theoretician of sociability’, would have given this masterpiece A+++. Mos def.
Today was on form this morning. On announcing the Word of the Year, which is “selfie”, we were told some others that were in the running.
They just had to include “bedroom tax” in the list. [Isn’t that two words? – Ed] And mention “omnishambles” from a previous year.
Didn’t Obama refuse to go to Gettysburg – had to play golf or something?
Did Naughtie mention that Obama was invited to the 150th anniversary event at Gettysburg – but has declined ? Even after Obama tried time after time to portray himself as a latter-day Lincoln. Obama will be playing golf, I expect.
Oh – I don’t expect Naughtie mentioned that Lincoln was a Republican ?
1893? Naughtie makes a silly error in his opening sentence. I think I heard a groan from one of his colleagues in the background. First of all, there’s no point in complaining any longer that the BBC is so wasteful as to send Naughtie over here for a “unique” take on some US story, as we know the BBC’s excuse is that each programme and channel needs to have its own talent do reports for their audience in a fashion appropriate for that show and channel. So Naughtie can fly over here for a little jaunt to make his own personal imprint on the story.
Why is it all necessary, I’d like to ask for the BBC to give you a British perspective on the story? If they want to inform you properly, there are any number of US voices they could get to do a special report, or write one of those “Viewpoint” pieces for the online Magazine. It would be a Left-wing viewpoint anyway, like nearly all the rest, so why is Naughtie’s personal take necessary? What’s the point of this, really?
I didn’t learn anything, but then I’ve read a history book or two. Although, I understand that this was just excerpts from the full documentary (how much did it cost, I wonder?) and they’re just giving us a few highlights to give us a sense of the overall atmosphere and color of the event.
I admit it was refreshing to hear a BBC journalist admit that the Civil War was about States rights in general, with slavery as the “flashpoint”, rather than the biased, myopic view of Daniel Nasaw.
I get that this was meant to be some grandiose contemplation of the big picture, what the Civil War means to us today. The battle against racism – Naughtie made that clear when he said that the promise of the Address wasn’t able to be fulfilled for 100 years, meaning the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – and I’m not entirely sure what else (Naughtie and at least the Poet Laureate woman he was talking to implied that there was more) is still going on today. “We are still met on a great battlefield.” I think there are other issues, but I bet not from the same side the BBC is on. I often say that for the BBC journalists, it’s always 1963, this suggests I’m not far off.
The only real, disgustingly biased moment, though, came at the end where Naughtie played the speech where his beloved Obamessiah announced His candidacy for President. He did not mention that the President blew off the anniversary about which Naughtie was reporting. I don’t care what side of any issue one is on, or about criticizing the President or worshiping Him or anything else. There’s no excuse to censor the fact. I know it’s all pre-recorded, but Naughtie is there at the microphone today and he could very easily have mentioned it after chuckling, “A familiar voice there”. They decided not to because it distracts from the Narrative.
Perhaps he’ll mention it in the full version of the documentary – made at your expense for no reason other than the BBC believes it has a manifest destiny to do and say whatever it likes, wherever it likes, on whatever topic it likes.
Get bent, BBC, you biased, dishonest bunch of hacks.
Wonder if Naughtie could be persuaded to give us a tour around the Somali shore using his mates boat…David Dimbleby has a boat you know…which I believe is elitist.
Pack `em off with some rum(Al Shabab love a tipple), and I for one would LOVE Jim to lovingly describe all he sees and what it means….one long mellifluous shipping forecast please Jim.
I myself think he`s the new Richard Dimbleby with a touch of Ed Morrow-but I don`t know if the Mogadishu disabled ramps cater to the casual windsurfer like myself.
only Jim would know…might be a BAFTA in it Jim!
Forgot to add that Naughtie included that announcement speech from the junior Senator from Illiniois not “for some unknown reason” but because He was yet another politician who exploited Gettysburg for political gain. Well, Naughtie didn’t quite spell it out like that, but one could infer it from the fact that he said politicians liked to associate themselves with it and then played the speech.
This highlights even more the bias of not admitting that He’s skipping the anniversary of what even the BBC admits was an important event. It’s much more important to make an appeal to His brownshirts (OFA).
I expect Naughtie was too busy updating himself with the worsening crisis on ObamaCare, so that he can report fully to us on Wednesday morning ?
The BBC doesn’t seem to trust it’s local reporters to be on message for the big themes. It could all just be the office politics of a Byzantine organisation, but they seem to like to fly in the celebrity radio personality rather than listen to our own correspondent.
I don’t think it’s even that valid a reason, John. I think it’s because they’re aware that the Gettysburg speech is important for racial justice reasons, which fits their agenda perfectly considering the close personal connection to their beloved President. So they seize on this one for all it’s worth. It’s not every day there’s a US story worthy of special treatment by the upper caste. It’s usually reserved for election time. For example, in 2010 in addition to Naughtie’s jaunt, Andrew Neil got to spend time and your money telling you how awful the Tea Party movement was, even though they had at least half a dozen perfectly useful Beeboids living and working here already who had spent the better part of 18 months telling you how dangerous and racist the Tea Party movement was. Any or all of them could have filmed the same segments and scowled at people expressing their Christianity.
Since Naughtie always gets to come over to give his own unique take on US national elections, he gets to come over and do a whole documentary on the Gettysburg story. None of the higher-ranks or lower caste working in the US are worthy.