Bitter. I can't help but thinking that the psychological dynamic here is a bit like a customer sleeping with a crack prostitute and then whinging when she steals his wallet. We all know that Mr. Blair has a history of (almost compulsively) using the media to very good effect indeed whenever it suits him. And interestingly, the least 'feral' of all media, the BBC, lost their director general basically for just publishing the truth about WMD in Iraq. But I guess a prostitute is supposed to fluff up the ego of her customer, not comment on his shortcomings. Just quit your whining, Tony, and leave your money on the dresser on the way out.
It's been a long time since the politicians in this country have taken "the right decisions for the country". As I've said before, we don't live in a democracy, we live in an oligarchy. Blair's just upset because the press have seen his spin for what it really is: smoke & mirrors.
Despite Mr Blairs consistant abuse of the media and his love of spin i think he does have a point about the media, they seem to want to blow things out of proportion and often the things they cover are things which have very little impact on most people, seems like the news is trying to be more like soaps and gossip magazines. The sad thing is that nothing will ever be done to improve the overall standards of journalism in the mainstream media and the ignorant will feel that they are right in the facts which they base their opinions on. I would love heavy fines to be dished out to organisations who have been proved to have printed or filmed wrong or deceitful stories.
No supply without demand. We have a sensation-hungry, voyeuristic/exhibitionistic self/celebrity-obsessed society and we have publicity-hungry, self-important politicians pandering to that. Of course the media is only to happy to play the go-between. There's good money in it, after all. Sorry, but just like we get the politicians we vote for, we get the media we pay for. Accept responsibility. It'll model some appropriate behaviour for Blair.
but the populous can only vote for the people that stand in an election. If all the parties are attention seeking muppets, and we don't have a none of the above choice, are options are severly limited. and our responsibility reduces to "well at least we dont vote the other idiot in". Politics in the uk is like being at a barbecue only offering 4 types of burger and really wanting chicken.
Politicians may prefer the cosy chat to being quizzed on their policies, but they do need reminding that they've been elected to serve us, not rule us.
Well he's right, but as said he shouldn't be whining when he had Alistair Campbell for all those years. I'm not sure who I hate more, the mass media, or blair. Probably the former though, at least the latter had good intentions(even if he is a lying scumbag)
I don't really think politicians have good intentions (for a given value of "good"). They are basically narcissists. Politicians all think that they have some sort of special insight into the human condition or into how society should be governed, and that this is why they pursue a career in politics. Of course they are self-deluded on both counts. The truth is, the most successful politicians are self-important borderline sociopaths who just love the power and status associated with being a politician.
One does not exclude the possibility of the other. I'm a narcissist, but I have great intentions sometimes. Just because they get something out of the power doesn't mean they don't want to help people. As cynical as I am, I can't believe that any highly educated intelligent people like the majority of our high class politicians are would be in politics (as opposed to private business where they could all be earning 6 or 7 figure salaries) unless they genuinely wanted to improve the country. Sociopaths is what we need in charge dude, you should see that. If we have a government full of emopaths we'd still be in the period of Bring Maddie Home silence. Being in charge of a country requires a rational, logical, and unemotional point of view. If politicians were emotionally affected by everything they dealt with every day the country would go to **** in no time.