Thursday, July 12, 2007

News - it just keeps on coming

Watching the Alistair Campbell Diaries on BBC2 the thing that struck me most (aside from the incessant 'epic' sounding violin music), was just how much goes on in the world. This does sound a tad ridiculous from a journalism student, but when you look again at everything that happens you wonder how the world is still going: Foot and Mouth, the fuel crisis, Ron Davies and a mad moment, The NI peace process, Bill Clinton's affair, Kosovo bombing by NATO, Cherie giving birth to Leo, John Prescott punching a member of the electorate...and this was just in one of three shows covering the Blair tenure.

Apparently John Prescott (or" JP" as Campbell referred to him - which I kept thinking was Jacket Potato...join the dots) - said it was ridiculous he should have to apologise for retaliating after being hit in the face with an egg from one yard. I think he is right. Just because you are a politician doesn't mean you are not a human being - and it doesn't give people the right to attack you, physically, without fear of reprisal.

I am aware of the irony of this given what newspapers inflict upon politicians on a daily (mail) basis. A point nicely illustrated in tonight's show when Campbell highlighted that TB (Tony Blair) went out with a mug in his hand after the birth of Leo, still not understanding just how the media would jump on any little thing he did - and then turn it into a "PR" decision by Campbell.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dan, The People are Prescott's boss.

You can't twat your boss in the face and keep your job, even if he does throw an egg at you. Well, you can in this country...

Dan W said...

He wasn't my boss - I didn't vote for him, and to be honest I think anyone who throws an egg at someone from point blank range doesn't really deserve much better.

Anonymous said...

No, of course, the bloke deserved a slap round the chops but that's not the point.

And you're still Prescott's boss whether you voted for him or not. In theory. Practice is rather different.

(I sound like I know what I'm talking about. I don't. Hence I failed PA2.)

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