Boris 4 Mare TBH

[Stewart]

Better than snide Ken. He's such a leftie he will probably join the FARC once Boris takes his job.

[iranu]

You, your Mr Blue. Mr Green. Mr Yellow. Mr Pink. Why do I gotta be Mr Pink?

[charleski]

He's such a leftie he will probably join the FARC once Boris takes his job.

Actually Ken's complaint on C4 last night was that Boris is becoming a leftie too.

[Stewart]

I had C4 news on last night - did he actually say he was becoming a leftie? I heard him saying something about Boris slagging him off then championing the same policies, or something.

Has Boris ever discovered a new type of newt though? No. So in that regard, Ken is a much better Mayor.

[BEANFro Elite]

I like his hair, I think he is unpopular obviously because he doesn't appear to take anything seriously, however, thats exactly what I'm like; get past the silly bufoonery and you'll find an incredibly articulate and brilliant mind just itching to be interacted with.

I DO believe we should give him a chance, as hes very quirky and has been mentioned before, a breath of fresh air when compared with the other politicians.

[charleski]

Yes, Ken was talking about Kyoto and the Congestion Charge. Since Boris hasn't demanded equal rights for disabled lesbian hamsters yet I suppose that proves he's just a loony right winger in disguise.

We're still at the media-fluff stage of the campaign. It'll only really get interesting once the candidates state their policies and generate a proper debate.

[No.72]

TORY FTW!

[M0nkeyb0Y]

... yet I suppose that proves he's just a loony right winger in disguise.

We compared the quotes in the dossier with the articles and statements from which they are drawn. The report, while purporting to present "the truth about Boris Johnson through his own words" in fact uses them selectively to, in many cases, diametrically misrepresent what he has said.

SHOCK HORROR!
It comes to something when the Standard (i.e. Tomorrow's "Daily Mail") complains about selective quoting and misrepresenting people! lol

[pollaxe]

You see, I rather like Anne Widdicombe - she says what she thinks and doesn't play the PR game at all. This is why I distrust old mop-top BJ.

I have no political affiliations and regard the vast majority of them as self-serving plonkers (and I've met a few through my work so it's not just the healthy British distrust of politicians coming through.) So whoever wins, as a friend used to say: same sh*t, different shovel.

[iranu]

You see, I rather like Anne Widdicombe - she says what she thinks and doesn't play the PR game at all. This is why I distrust old mop-top BJ.

I think the people of Portsmouth and Liverpool might just disagree with you there. Boris very rarely if ever holds back in his newspaper columns, whats more he always has a valid point. See his scrapes here.

I dislike Ann Widecombe because she's a ridiculous authoritarian and that's coming from someone alot would label as rightwing.

I have relatives that live in Boris' constituency and he has done more for that community in his first 6 months than Heseltine did in 10 years. He is regarded fondly because he stands up for the people he represents. His bumbling persona is more of a media image gained from HIGNFY than anything else.

[Funkstar]

His bumbling persona is more of a media image gained from HIGNFY than anything else.

A persona that has served him well, because people know who he is. Otherwise he would be just another politician.

[kalniel]

It'd be like have the terminator run for governer of California.. oh wait..

Seriously, he does have some decent thought processes.. but IMO he has far more non-decent ones. Not even thinking about the bumbling image. It would be an embarassment for the people of london if he was elected. But then, power to the mobs I guess..

[Fabula]

The buffoon is simply a carefully contrived image. I have no doubt that under that tousled mop lies a brain as sharp as a balloon.

Very true. One of his strengths is that unlike most other politicians he is almost immune to insults, and not easy to catch out either.

A made up example:

Protester to Boris: "You're a stupid buffoon! Are you going to sort out immigration/taxes/etc?"
Boris to protester: "Yes. I know. I'll sort out immigration/taxes/etc soon"

Rather deflates the protest. Whereas with others:

Protester to Blair: "You're a stupid buffoon! Are you going to sort out immigration/taxes/etc?"
Blair to protester: "I have done lots to help this community, and thefts of garden gnomes have fallen sharply in the past three years."
Protester: "Yeeargh! Answer the question!"

Protester to Bush: "You're a stupid buffoon! Are you going to sort out immigration/taxes/etc?"
Bush to protester: "Am not! What does buffoon mean?"
(Shortly afterwards a secret service agent takes the protester in for questioning. Protester is flown out of the country and subjected to enhanced interrogation methods for three months, and put on a no-fly list entitling them to intimate searches for the rest of their life)
Bush: "I'm not stupid"