BoJo torn apart in BBC morning programme

[Sheilbh]

As I kinda said earlier, Eddie Mair seems despicable. Here in a sensible country, he'd find his list of potential interviewees drying up.

How is that sensible? That gives all the power to politicians.

Edit: Also to give an idea of why I love Eddie Mair, these are some clips of him hosting Newsnight after a scandal about Newsnight failing to report the Jimmy Savile story - I think 10-15 seconds is probably one of my favourite moments in news reporting :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zImwBY_Vio

[garbon]

As I kinda said earlier, Eddie Mair seems despicable. Here in a sensible country, he'd find his list of potential interviewees drying up.

How is that sensible? That gives all the power to politicians.

I think it just adds more subtlety to the interactions. Besides it isn't as if a journalist pointedly beating up a politician teaches us much other than that a journalist can uncover the inconsistencies that are part of political life. On the flipside when you have a Couric who shreds a Palin, that shows something as the questions are set up to be answerable.

[Sheilbh]

I think it just adds more subtlety to the interactions.

The subtle tang of fear, if a journalist goes in too hard then their sources freeze up and they're fucked. I mean I don't think this sort of thing is good for journalism:
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/06/opinion/fleischer-quote-approval
The NYT article he links to is also a disgrace.

Besides it isn't as if a journalist pointedly beating up a politician teaches us much other than that a journalist can uncover the inconsistencies that are part of political life.

Mair didn't uncover them. They're featured in the documentary about Boris that Boris is on the show trying to plug. It's a bit like a celebrity reporter chatting with Robert Downey Jr about his autobiography, but not mentioning the drugs.

And as I say I think Mair did expose something which is that Boris doesn't answer questions. He plays an anti-politician who's rather bluff and up-front, but really he's just a witty one with a good education. He's as evasive as Hazel Blears, with Latin.

[Admiral Yi]

Have you watched it? He seems fair enough in his questioning and polite throughout.

"Your a nasty piece of business, aren't you?" Is that a good example of fair questioning and being polite throughout?

You think politicians should put up with douchebag interviewers because if they're serious politicians they'll have to deal with douchebag interviewers.  It's a circular argument.

[Sheilbh]

"Your a nasty piece of business, aren't you?" Is that a good example of fair questioning and being polite throughout?

That's the one line I think he crosses. But even then he's very polite.

You think politicians should put up with douchebag interviewers because if they're serious politicians they'll have to deal with douchebag interviewers.  It's a circular argument.

Where do I make that argument?

[jimmy olsen]

"Your a nasty piece of business, aren't you?" Is that a good example of fair questioning and being polite throughout?

That's the one line I think he crosses. But even then he's very polite.

Words and tone have to match to be polite, it isn't an either/or proposition.

[Sheilbh]

Words and tone have to match to be polite, it isn't an either/or proposition.

Nonsense. You can very politely tell someone to fuck off

Actually I thought Mair was more effective because he was so polite rather than going for the sort of selfish aggression of Paxman.

[garbon]

Nonsense. You can very politely tell someone to fuck off

No as then unfortunately it isn't really polite.

[garbon]

I mean there are polite ways to do so, but nothing with the apparent showy gaudiness that you like.

[Sheilbh]

I mean there are polite ways to do so, but nothing with the apparent showy gaudiness that you like.

Perhaps.

But then Mair isn't showy - Paxman and Humphreys are showy. As I say he's a bit more smiling assassin in his style, which I like.

[katmai]

I mean there are polite ways to do so, but nothing with the apparent showy gaudiness that you like.

He's homosexual, isn't that gaudiness mandatory?

[garbon]

I mean there are polite ways to do so, but nothing with the apparent showy gaudiness that you like.

He's homosexual, isn't that gaudiness mandatory?

Then what am I?

[katmai]

A unique snowflake?

[Syt]

The subtle tang of fear, if a journalist goes in too hard then their sources freeze up and they're fucked. I mean I don't think this sort of thing is good for journalism:
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/06/opinion/fleischer-quote-approval
The NYT article he links to is also a disgrace.

It's unfortunately widespread among German politicians that they won't authorize a written interview without reading/editing it before publication. Other areas (business, celebrities) try to do the same. It's a shame that so many journalists play along.

[The Minsky Moment]

He "misquoted him in a way that had jeopardised his academic reputation." I'd say that was pretty defamatory.

It's odd that despite having so much else in common there is such a vast gulf in the way that British and American people see libel and defamation.

As I see it there is absoltuely nothing defamatory about the statement, execept as to Edward II, who has rather more serious issues to complaint about.