Icing the cake with many layers.

I’ve been watching the BBC live coverage of the evening’s G20 dinner. Interesting to watch the BBC modus operandi. It all begins with sweeping positive comments for Gordon- Gordon “couldn’t have wished for better from Obama” blah blah… “could have scripted it himself” blah blah. Typical Gordon-boosting. That basic line is then refined with sometimes contradictory observations. The subtext to this has been unquestioningly about increasing regulation (taken for granted, never scrutinised, awaited with barely contained impatience). I’ve just heard, by the way, Bridget Kendall say that “no-one would say France and Germany are socialist countries”. It all rather depends on your definition. Communist no, socialist- I would say yes. There’s plenty more of stuff like that- I am sure you have noticed more…

I’ll add that I’ve just now heard Nick Robinson say that “not so long ago” Gordon “couldn’t have dreamed of such praise” as he got. What? Nick seems to be on a planet where that hasn’t been a recurring and obvious wet dream of the hapless Brown ever since the One descended to become POTUS- and also an entirely predictable gesture. He also seems to have attended a press conference where Obama wasn’t as routine and laid back as he appeared to me on screen.

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124 Responses to Icing the cake with many layers.

  1. Martin says:

    ITV 6:30 news comment. 12 months ago Brown was a joke.

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  2. Kuffar says:

    Question Time tonight? Can’t see this scheduled anywhere. Perhaps I’m stupid.

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  3. ed says:

    Sorry Kuffar- Question Time is tomorrow, natch. I usually don’t get to watch it so I slipped up thinking it was today. Reference to it has already been deleted but I hope personally that Geoff operates the liveblog thing in the absence of DV. Seemed to work nicely.

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  4. Sam Duncan says:

    “no-one would say France and Germany are socialist countries”

    This perfectly illustrates Jeff Randall’s contention that BBC bias is largely unwitting. Nobody Bridget Kendall knows would say France and Germany are socialist countries.

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  5. North Northwester says:

    “Some commentators have suggested the meeting was a coup for Mr Cameron given the president’s busy schedule and the fact it was not confirmed until late on that it would be scheduled.
    But under diplomatic protocol, foreign leaders often meet the leader of the main opposition party during major overseas trips. ”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7976903.stm

    Phew! For a moment there, I thought the Beeb was about to say something complimentary about Mister Cameron.

    I never do, you understand – but I never attack him from the Left, and the BBC always does.

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  6. ed says:

    Sam- yes, it’s kind of a bedrock observational pov.

    Btw, the Beeb spent time mentioning how Jamie Oliver is in the kitchen and JK Rowling is next to Mrs Obama at dinner. For me, part of the BBC’s problem is its closeness to Labour-led events. It’s having the inside track on details because they are simply close to Labour. It’s also another case where simplistic celebrification and Labour’s message go hand in hand and are spouted unthinkingly by Auntie.

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  7. TPO says:

    You won’t hear it on the BBC, but CNN and Fox are talking about Obama as a one term president.

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  8. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Sam Duncan | 01.04.09 – 9:04 pm

    Nobody Bridget Kendall knows would say France and Germany are socialist countries.

    It’s the same perspective we get from defenders of the indefensible. Anyone not to the Left of Gramsci is a right-winger. But so many of them seem to claim they’re moderates, you know?

    BBC News: Up the creek, but with only the Left oar in the water.

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  9. David Preiser (USA) says:

    ed,

    Perhaps Nick Robinson meant that Mr. Brown was receiving all that praise from the Beeboids in the bubble, and couldn’t dream of getting such praise in the real world?

    He did refer sarcastically to Mr. Brown’s “Save the World” tour, on his blog last week.

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  10. Martin says:

    David Preiser (USA): The BBC have been using the “save the world summit” all day.

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  11. Martin says:

    TPO: I see another Obama cabinet member has had “tax issues” and she’s had to pay some money back or something.

    Is there ANYONE in the Democrat party that isn’t corrupt?

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  12. Llew says:

    Kuffar:
    Question Time tonight? Can’t see this scheduled anywhere. Perhaps I’m stupid.
    Kuffar | 01.04.09 – 8:43 pm |

    Question Time is off now for a couple of weeks. Something to do with a recess.

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  13. Jon says:

    Llew | 01.04.09 – 10:52 pm |

    Its coming up to Easter – thats when the BBc clear their schedules for some anti-christian programming.

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  14. Jon says:

    No doubt the BBCs programmes will be led by the archdruid himself praising the second coming of Obamessiah and Brown as one of his diciples. Of course Herod and Pilate will be played by conservatives.

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  15. David Preiser (USA) says:

    The Beeboids covering the latest battle in the War Against Civilization…um….I mean…the G20 protests, don’t seem to understand what the police are there for:

    1857 A statement from Scotland Yard says that officers in the City “are now working towards a controlled dispersal, where groups of people will be allowed to leave”.

    Then the Robespierre wannabes start in with the ultra-violence at an RBS office. Meanwhile, over at Bishopsgate…

    1915 The BBC’s Robert Hall at Bishopsgate says: There has been no violence here all day, but the trouble at the Bank of England has changed the atmosphere with police in the past 15 minutes. The police seem keen to prevent anyone at the peace camp leaving to join the protests at the Bank of England.

    “To join the protests…”?! As if they’re going to join a peaceful demonstration. And what’s with the term “peace camp”? Since when was this an anti-war protest? I know there’s a war going on, but these people are the perpetrators, not the ones who want peace.

    1922 The BBC’s Mark Georgiou asks: What happens now? The climate camp protestors want to spend the night on Bishopsgate and it looks increasingly like the police are not going to let that happen.

    Note: these Pol Pot wannabes want to stay at Bishopsgate.

    2023 The BBC’s Ben Brown in the City says: There is now a stand-off between protesters and the police. The protesters are penned in – they want to leave, but the police won’t let them.

    They want to leave and do what, exactly, Ben? Why are you frowning at the police wanting to stop violent criminals from leaving the scene and continuing their rampage elsewhere?

    2025 The BBC’s Robert Hall in Bishopsgate says: Riot police have penned in the Climate Camp protesters on three sides. One of the organisers stressed that this is a 24-hour camp and they intend to be here until 1230 tomorrow.

    I thought you said they wanted to stay, but the nasty police wouldn’t let them, Robert. So now they’re “penned in”?

    Tristamsparks tweets: North of the climate camp on Bishopsgate. It’s completely hemmed in by police. Being a camp, they’re prepared for the long haul.

    Once again it’s the fault of the police that the Pol Pot wannabes are “hemmed in”, and bravely prepared for the long haul, yeah.

    Is this Tristam Sparks a reliable, impartial source of information for the official state broadcaster? Judge for yourselves.

    Your license fee hard at work, informing the public. The Charter is burning.

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  16. Grimer says:

    David Preiser:

    I was down there earlier with the Libertarians/Freedom Association/Old Holborn. We were outside the Bank of England, but away from all the scuffles. The Police did shut down the entire area and wouldn’t let anybody in or out. This did lead to some people getting frustrated with the police on the ground, when it was clear they were just following orders. I had a bit of a chat with the coppers and they seemed decent enough. After about an hour, they let people move off. That’s when I headed home.

    I do have a bit of sympathy for any genuinely peaceful protesters that are caught up in the police cordon. They won’t be allowed to leave and nobody would enjoy being penned in with the violent unwashed morons that are starting the trouble.

    It’s a bit of a tricky situation for Police. I imagine they’ll stay there all night if necessary, until all the muppets get bored and cold and start begging to go back home – which could be a long walk, once the tubes stop running ;).

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  17. mamapajamas says:

    Personally, through all this G20 stuff, I’ve been waiting for the announcement that PM Brown gave Obama a complete boxed set of James Bond DVDs– in British format. 😉

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  18. Cassandra says:

    Opperation ‘save McMental’ is well under way,the fawning BBC coverage and Orwellian double speak is sickening, Every word and picture from the BBC is designed to enhance Browns image, no matter the nation is crumbling around our ears, crippling debt and unemployment, its all about how great and loved Brown is isnt it?
    The BBCs coverage is like something from the USSR, a kind of latterday ‘triumph of the will’?
    Funnily enough the BBC tactics do bear a striking resemblance to the tactics of WW2 Nazi propaganda!

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  19. Peter says:

    Opperation ‘save McMental’ is well under way,the fawning BBC coverage and Orwellian double speak is sickening
    Cassandra | 02.04.09 – 6:35 am | #

    Well, as Lord Haw Haw showed, it might work better if they were not so cack-handed.

    I was just watching Breakfast with the blonde and bouffant ‘interviewing’ George Osbourne.

    My favourite was the new frock reading out a list of ‘Obama loves Gordon’ quotes and then saying ‘how about them apples?’. His ‘are you for real?’ expression was a picture.

    ps: As the next bit of gush was issuing forth, I was intrigued by the feed in the background. Who was the hatchet-faced, middle-aged blonde who strode over to tell the PM, and Leader of the Country to get himself in the right place pronto to help the camera angle? Which he meekly, and obligingly did, shuffling over and standing alone like an usher at a wedding. Normal PR I am sure, but interesting to see it on camera.

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  20. NotaSheep says:

    The BBC must save Gordon, they have too much invested in Labour to allow the nasty Tories back in. If the Conservatives manage to win a general election then they must institute a root and branch reform of the BBC; impartial by Charter must become a fact.

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  21. Battersea says:

    How much are we paying Turnbullshit and the other one? Can’t they get one sentence out without stumbling and mispronouncing the words?

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  22. frankos says:

    If the BBC does read this blog be ashamed at your coverage of the London riots –you have stood idealogically shoulder to shoulder with a group of anti democratic violent idiots who vandalised private property, hospitalised police and stopped hardworking people from running their legitimate businesses.
    Tristan Sparks is a particular example of the lefty trash who have infiltrated your corpulent corrupt organisation.
    Shame on you and I hope your demise is nigh!

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  23. Battersea says:

    Operation ‘Saving McFailure: The BBC have just announced with much pomp and ceremony that Lichtenstein will er…’open up’ it’s secretive banking system or allow more tax transparency.

    The way it was announced it sounded like some earth shattering event, not the PR blurb that was fed to the BBC.

    And of course they credit Brown for this.

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  24. Snooze 24 says:

    News 24 were almost salivating over the words of the draft communique earlier; salary caps, global regulation….they were lapping it up without a dissenting voice in sight.

    Funny that when we suggest salary caps for the BBC they start bleating about needing to pay market rates

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  25. Roland Deschain says:

    Last night’s 10 O’Clock News headline:

    “Even the Queen is not immune to the Obama charm” as she puts her royal hand round Michelle Obama’s ample rear.

    Pass the sickbag!

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  26. d says:

    The BBC is not thinking very far ahead. There will be non black presidents in the future. How will they cope when their bubble is burst ?

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  27. JohnA says:

    George Osborne’s interview with John Humphries this morning kicked off with the rottweiler saying that a cynical view would be that the Tories want to do nothing to sort out the economic mess. “I expect you will say that is rubbish”.

    “That is rubbish” says Osborne, curtly. And then points out that much-trumpeted Gov initiatives eg on guaranteeing loans to small businesses are still not operational – months after they were announced.

    So, we still have a severe credit crunch – which is throwing people out of work from otherwise viable firms.

    So – it is actually the Government “doing nothing”. Grandstanding while Rome burns.

    Why did Humphries use that ridiculous opening line – other than getting in the Gov’s talking point before Osborne had uttered a word ?

    I just hope Osborne and Cameron are really taking note of this unctious bias at the BBC. Any political party worth its salt should be planning how to cut the BBC down to size. Really down.

    …………..

    G20 looks like giving us the worst of all worlds. Britain’s image tarnished by the street violence on all the world’s TV screens, Brown and Obama going ahead with their crazy over-borrowing, the French and Germans angling for greater interference with the operation of capitalism – and hundreds of billions more money being thrown down the drain of “international aid”.

    Great.

    ………….

    The interesting readings of John Rae’s book of the week on his time at Westminster school makes me think “Bring back Harold Wilson for at least a touch of sanity, for some limit on splurging our money”. I never thought I would think that.

    …………

    (Just as a footnote – I once argued against the profligate expenditure on the QE2 Conference Centre in Parliament Square. Lancaster House on the Mall was a perfectly good and very imposing venue for Gov conferences. Now we have the absurd idea that G20 has to be held at a crummy events venue, costing more for a few days than building the QE2 Centre cost in the first place.)

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  28. Umbongo says:

    Also on Today, the BBC let’s Scargill rant again (unchallenged, of course). For a change he’s not complaining that “we wuz robbed!” in the great Scargill/Thatcher Final of the Miner’s Strike. This time, he’s demanding the bringing of banks and insurance companies fully and permanently into “public ownership” (ie run by the loonies showing their maturity and financial nous on the streets of London). Since when did escapees from lunatic asylums merit respectful interviews on the BBC?

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  29. NotaSheep says:

    I see that the BBC’s love affair with Gordon Brown is reaching a new peak. Current headline stories include the brown-nosing “Obama praises Brown’s ‘integrity'”, the human interest “Welcoming the world: Busy times at No 10 – Gordon and Sarah Brown had a busy day as G20 leaders descended on London”, more human interest “Michelle & Sarah – Mrs Obama and Mrs Brown draw crowds away from summit”.

    It must be nice to be in as love as the BBC are…

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  30. frankos says:

    Umbongo

    what we do for laughs in these harsh and uncertain times without Scargill, Tony Benn and the other comic turns churned out by the Left wing?.
    In horrible America they would have been destroyed by some nasty ol’ right wing interviewer at Fox or CNN, but here we relish these national insitutions.
    Good old BBC

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  31. Martin says:

    BBC Radio 5 in full Mcsporan arse licking mode.

    Gordon is a genius crows Phiona Philips, Obama is a god weeps a female beeboid. Michelle and Sarah look so good together.

    Gordon has saved the world – again.

    I had to open the car window to vomit.

    So what will the BBC line be when unemployment hits 3 million this summer?

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  32. disillusioned_german says:

    Trust me. Germany is a socialist country. I live here so I can comment.

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  33. david vance says:

    BBC reports Palestinian “attacker” kills 13 year old boy. No. Palestinian terrorist MURDERS 13 year old boy with axe and knife and Hamas scum endorse it.

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  34. Peter says:

    I think there may be a convert to hand…

    My Great British Summit Cock-up Hell

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/newsnight/paulmason/2009/04/my_great_british_summit_cockup.html#commentsanchor

    I am shocked… shocked I tell you, that some of our finest hacks had to get up early to get to work… and it was just an awful, frustrating time.

    Now, who I wonder was in charge of this fine example of organisational skill.

    Would Dear Leader have felt able to leave it, with fullest confidence, in the hands of his loyal Home Secretary? Or maybe all the GOATS nannied in.

    Still, at least the glow from O left all who were bathed in awe and the better for it.

    Not just Aunty. I had to point out to SKY’s acolytes that lobbing up whenever you feel like it to a highly complex, orchestrated security-rich arrival scene was not ‘casual’ and ‘laid-back’ and ‘cool’, and maybe President Bush was not so much ‘obsessive’ as they alluded, but just polite and professional to the guys on the ground when he required things were run punctually. Not too hard, and no excuse not to, when the entire route is cordoned off.

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  35. david vance says:

    BBC reports Palestinian “attacker” kills 13 year old boy. No. Palestinian terrorist MURDERS 13 year old boy with axe and knife and Hamas scum endorse it.

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  36. Cassandra says:

    So there we have it, the ‘G20’ socialism brought to you by the BBC, written and performed by socialists for the sole benefit of newlabour, with the BBC you get newlabours point of view by newlabour with lashings of creepy inhouse fawning.
    Are you in with the in crowd? are your aims and agenda approved by the BBC? then come on in and get all the airtime you need folks!
    See how it works with the BBC? If the coverage had been specifically designed by Gordon Brown and his team of spinners it couldnt have worked out better for newlabour.
    Guests that comply with the narrative, newlabour commissars by the bucket load,campaigners/special interest groups/eurotrash non entities/third rate ex popstars are thought worthy enough but there seems to certain people missing from the Brownfest invitation list. Tories,capitalists,critics,anti EU campaigners,rightwing commentators,critics of Obama(US republicans),anti AGW campaigners…. who are they? says the BBC, indeed it looks like the BBC have forgotten that the Tory party actually exists!
    Its not exactly difficult to seperate the b******t and spin from what the bloated commissars are claiming, moderate effort and dissection would expose the tired cliche ridden hypocrasy spewed out by the fawning BBC, money already availible/planned is repackaged and presented as new stimulus to give the obviously false illusion of consensus.
    Action on protectionism? everyone denies it, the BBC lap it up but its a plain fact that most nations will look after their own workers first.
    In the past our political parties got a few five minute party political broadcasts that nobody watched, now newlabour have designed and created a three day re election campaign called the G20 aired and eagerly promoted by their very own media and propaganda arm the BBC.

    THE BBC: WE TAKE POLITICAL PROPAGANDA TO NEW HIEGHTS, ALL PAID FOR BY THE VERY PEOPLE WE DESPISE AND WISH TO DESTROY, WE PISS OURSELVES LAUGHING AT YOU THICK PROLES EVERYDAY!

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  37. David Preiser (USA) says:

    What is all this nonsense about the G20 success in getting us to cough up yet more cash for “poor countries”. BBC economics editor Stephanie Flanders is more honest about it than BBC business editor and Gordon Brown biographer, Robert Peston.

    Flanders says that Mr. Brown will have to prove to British voters that helping the global economy will benefit them in the end.

    Peston says that if we help the poor countries, we help ourselves.

    Neither of them offer the slightest real explanation of how throwing even more money at dictators and corrupt bureaucracies will benefit anyone back home. It’s just a Known Fact™. No wonder they both love The Obamessiah so much. He wants to spend money on his pet Leftoid projects, none of which actually stimulate anything other than emotions, while Flanders and Peston say how great it is that helping “poor countries” is somehow the same thing as saving the “global economy”. Hello? Is anyone home?

    We need to stabilize our own economies, or we won’t be able to print the money these fools want to throw down developing world toilets. But you won’t hear that from the BBC.

    This is just another chapter in Peston’s next Brown Biography.

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  38. sutekh says:

    Have a large bucket on standby:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7979539.stm

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  39. Martin says:

    McSnot has saved the world!!!!!!

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  40. Jon says:

    Trust me. Germany is a socialist country. I live here so I can comment.
    disillusioned_german | 02.04.09 – 3:26 pm |

    We all are – this is because all the laws are made in the EUSSR capital Brussels – it makes no diference which side ot the political spectrum governments are – they all follow the same rules.

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  41. Jon says:

    Can you imagine this fawning if it had been Mrs Thatcher and Ronald Reagan?

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  42. Jon says:

    So this is what the Canadian Prime Minister looks like – I can’t seem to remember ever seeing him on the BBC.
    http://conservativehome.blogs.com/international/2009/04/stephen-harper-talks-to-sky-news-about-the-g20-summit.html

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  43. Battersea says:

    John Humphries just now on BBC1 with Chiles and the one he’s supposedly not in love with. Anyway, aside from the Obama love-in which is a continuing scandal in itself, Humphries delighted the studio by saying 3 times ‘IF Cameron becomes PM’. The way he said it it appeared ‘not if I have anything to do with it’.

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  44. Battersea says:

    I mean Adrian Chiles not infatuated with Christine.

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  45. John Bosworth says:

    In a gushing piece about Michelle Obama’s day in London on the BBC website the following quote appears

    “Outside the palace, Kevin Egglestone, an American who is studying in London, said Mrs Obama had a unique appeal.
    “I think it’s hard for people to dislike her once they see her. She’s always smiling, has a little bit of glamour and a knowing wink”.
    And Mr Egglestone added that he thought the positive image Michelle Obama was portraying here in London could help America’s standing around the world.
    “Seeing a First Lady that represents a part of America that is engaging and not aloof who you feel you can approach, will also give people the feeling that they can engage with America.”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7978054.stm

    How very nice. Good old BBC. And how convenient, happening upon a passing American student with an unbiased view of the world who says such positive things…but wait!

    Could this gentleman be the same Kevin Eggleston studying politics, radio and television at the College of Arts and Sciences at Sytacuse University? The lad who also says in his bio: “I have several aspirations. I’d love to write in the television industry, work with Aaron Sorkin, and try to break through in LA. I’d also love to work on political campaigns. My future may also involve a law degree. I’m hoping my time here at SU will help me figure that all out.”

    http://thecollege.syr.edu/Coronat%20Profiles/2010/Profile-Kevin.htm

    So the ‘passing American student’ may well be a Democratic activist with a interest in the media…I get it! That’s why he was hanging around the BBC outside broadcast van.

    I could be wrong – on which case I’m sorry. Will the real Kevin Eggleston please stand up

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  46. Martin says:

    I had to laugh. Mrs Dopey said to those kids that “I am a symbol of what is possible”

    What marrying a corrupt spiv Chicago lawyer who associates with terrorists and dodgy land deals?

    If Michelle Obama became President, that might be something to go on about.

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  47. Martin says:

    Wasn’t Humphries the tosser who said when talking about Liebour “when WE win the election?”

    Oh and did anyone hear the mincing Queen of Radio 5 (Nicola Campbell) getting bitch slapped by Mandelson this morning?

    As an example, Campbell trying to be ‘funny and clever’ sneaked in a jibe about Mandelsons’ mortgage, but Mandy just brushed it aside.

    Why not just say “Lord Mandelson why should we trust a man who is a crook and lied about his mortgage application?”

    Then he’d have to answer it.

    Take a listen to the show. I also missed a bit (I might search it out) where Campbell pissed someone off and they put the phone down on him, anyone else hear that? I missed quite a bit of it so I don’t know if it was live or a pre record.

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  48. Martin says:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00jhntf/5_live_Breakfast_02_04_2009/

    Mandy bitch slapping Nicola Campbell. Forward to about 2 hours 45 into the show. Especially the bit about ‘no time for a novice’

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  49. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Gotta love the HYS on the G20.

    The Beeboids helpfully remind everyone that The Obamessiah called it “historic”. What’s the matter, BBC? The Prime Minister of the UK – the host of the summit and the one you’ve been trying to tell us all is leading the solution – isn’t good enough all of a sudden? Need to call on a little extra star power to lead us to the approved thoughts, do we?

    And the actual questions:

    What impact could this deal have on the global economy? Have the G20 leaders done enough? Do you think the deal will affect you personally? What are your thoughts on the summit?

    So far, the most recommended comments aren’t going according to the BBC’s hopes.

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  50. Battersea says:

    Martin, you were spot on in your assessment of Mandy vs NC. Mandy was simply brilliant, regardless what we think of his character. He simply wiped the floor with Nicky. Was Campbell told to act dumb?

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