Mr Brown said his strengths were “that I make big decisions and I’m not afraid of breaking new ground”.
But he said: “I could present our message a lot better. I’m actually shy by nature rather than extrovert, someone who feels that your actions should speak for themselves, but that’s not the way politics works these days.” (via ‘Shy’ PM sees charitable future)
No, the way it works is you run your election platform for as long as you can. Inevitably the wheels fall off because nothing really changes fast enough for anyone to notice, and if it does (i.e. “events dear boy”) you’re doomed.
It’s somewhat amusing that labour is suffering from a New Labour PR hangover. And without good reason:
On the recent controversy over Andrew Marr asking him if he was taking medication he said he was not bothered by it but added: “I’ve been honest about it. I really dislike the trivialisation of politics.”
On his opposite number, Tory leader David Cameron, he said he was a “very good politician” but added he would never “hang out” with him. “I have my own friends,” he added.
He described Mayor of London Boris Johnson as a “subset of the entertainment business”.
BBC WS: Witness — The last Shah
In the late Sixties, the last Shah of Iran was crowned in a ceremony which marked the height of his power and influence. Witness hears from people who were there.
Well he did manage one thing, redirect America’s vitriol upon itself rather than another third world nation.
Not that Israel doesn’t need it. What, not third world? They sure get funded like they are. Regardless of what you think of that line of thought, isn’t that peace project getting nobbled somewhat antithetical to a Nobel peace prize?
Damn, we knew not being Bush was going to have major benefits, but this is just silly.
Italy’s highest court has overturned a law granting Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi immunity from prosecution while in office.
The Constitutional Court annulled the law, which had let him withdraw from several cases. In one he was facing corruption charges.
Opponents say immunity violates the principle that all citizens are equal.
A spokesman for Mr Berlusconi said the verdict was “politically motivated” and insisted he would not resign.
There has been speculation in Italy that at least two court cases against the prime minister could resume if the law was annulled.
The BBC’s Duncan Kennedy, in Rome, says the news has stunned Italy.
Silvio Berlusconi has insisted he should not be ‘distracted’ from ruling
This makes me happy.
That Gore Vidal interview reminded me of Harold Pinter, who was somewhat more cogent or less rabid, though equally disapproving of American foreign policy, as you can hear in his Nobel acceptance speech.
Whether that sounds interesting or not, you really should see this.
