Mandelson Masterclass

[santa claus]

If you missed Andrew Marr's show this morning, you missed a brilliant Lord Mandelson putting his host well and truly in his place and exposing the tired old interview technique of a man who is capable of much better. Don't get me wrong, I like Andrew Marr but it was literally a lamb to the slaughter as the wily, composed and precise Lord, well, lorded it for the whole interview.

Andrew was trying to focus on comments made by Lord M several years ago; the comments were purportedly critical of Gordon Brown but had been taken out of context. The attempted embarrassment was easily averted by Lord M and his subsequent performance simply got better and better. Andrew must have wished he'd stayed in bed this morning (or driven off in that little car that isn't actually his in the programme's opening credits).

To be honest, on this performance alone it would be a travesty if the likes of Lord M were not in Government. We need his acumen and we need that incisive brain especially in the current economic climate.

Lord Mandelson supported our PM and Chancellor as the people to be at the helm whilst we sail through choppy waters. Labour is not finished yet.

And Andrew, go home please and think about the risk of taking on political heavyweights in the 'it's good for the telly' style. You're a better man than the brief being fed you by your producer. Revert to asking the questions of substance that you used to and listen to the answer. Lord M might have patted you on the head as he left.

Having realised this all sounds a bit stuffy, I'll finish with a comment to re-assert my street cred:

Lord Mandelson, you rock.

[Andy3536]

If you missed Andrew Marr's show this morning, you missed a brilliant Lord Mandelson putting his host well and truly in his place and exposing the tired old interview technique of a man who is capable of much better. Don't get me wrong, I like Andrew Marr but it was literally a lamb to the slaughter as the wily, composed and precise Lord, well, lorded it for the whole interview.

Andrew was trying to focus on comments made by Lord M several years ago; the comments were purportedly critical of Gordon Brown but had been taken out of context. The attempted embarrassment was easily averted by Lord M and his subsequent performance simply got better and better. Andrew must have wished he'd stayed in bed this morning (or driven off in that little car that isn't actually his in the programme's opening credits).

To be honest, on this performance alone it would be a travesty if the likes of Lord M were not in Government. We need his acumen and we need that incisive brain especially in the current economic climate.

Lord Mandelson supported our PM and Chancellor as the people to be at the helm whilst we sail through choppy waters. Labour is not finished yet.

And Andrew, go home please and think about the risk of taking on political heavyweights in the 'it's good for the telly' style. You're a better man than the brief being fed you by your producer. Revert to asking the questions of substance that you used to and listen to the answer. Lord M might have patted you on the head as he left.

Having realised this all sounds a bit stuffy, I'll finish with a comment to re-assert my street cred:

Lord Mandelson, you rock.

As much as i would have liked to see Andrew Marr being put in his place, the idea of having someone in government who's already had to resign a number of times through incompetence isn't something i feel comfortable with.

[Saracen]

As much as i would have liked to see Andrew Marr being put in his place, the idea of having someone in government who's already had to resign a number of times through incompetence isn't something i feel comfortable with.

Absolutely. It's one thing a peer being in the Government because their role as a peer is a traditional part of the Goivernment, such as the Leader of the Lords, and the Lord Chancellor. It's entirely another when the PM (whoever he is) bumps someone into the Lords precisely to get them into government without them having to go through the petty inconvenience of actually getting elected.

I'm sure this isn't what Labour meant when they said they were going to reform the Lords.

....

Lord Mandelson, you crock.

Corrected for you .

[santa claus]

Our lives are a learning process. Nobody can, or ever will, get everything right first time; it's how you come out of your mistakes that makes or breaks you.

Let's not make the mistake again of thinking that anyone in politics has a magic wand to make everything better and let's not have an electorate lurching around like some drunk. Drunks eventually fall over.

Labour were elected in happier times. The going is now a bit rougher but the principles of the majority don't need to change at the first hurdle.

[Clunk]

Lord Mandelson, you Cock.

Corrected further.

[Andy3536]

Our lives are a learning process. Nobody can, or ever will, get everything right first time; it's how you come out of your mistakes that makes or breaks you.

Let's not make the mistake again of thinking that anyone in politics has a magic wand to make everything better and let's not have an electorate lurching around like some drunk. Drunks eventually fall over.

Labour were elected in happier times. The going is now a bit rougher but the principles of the majority don't need to change at the first hurdle.

I don't necessarily expect him to get everything right, just that when a government minister gets the sack or resigns through gross incompetence that they put to practice what they've learnt in another job. Not be hired again for another position in government only to mess it up again. And then get hired again..........
If he'd got the sack for putting the wrong amount of sugars in Tonys tea i could understand but they were not small mistakes.
No other job could you get the sack in such a way only to be rehired again and again.
How many times does a minister have to prove his incompetence before he shouldn't get another chance?

[JPreston]

What is the show called, and roughly how far into it is the Mandelson segment?

I'll watch it with interest on iplayer. The continued dumbing down of current affairs coverage is one of the reasons I don't miss TV at all, and is the main reason that political discussion in the UK is generally no more sophisticated than chimpanzees in an enclosure throwing poo at each other.

[MaddAussie]

People seem to have very short memories these days

[noTHINGface]

Madeleson is nothing short of an arrogant crook. His personal shiftiness in the Marr interview was wrung out time and time again and only served to make him (Madeleson) as unlikeable as possible.

[cptwhite_uk]

If anyone is interested:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...ow_07_06_2009/

39 minutes in.

[Clunk]

Madeleson is nothing short of an arrogant cock.

Fixed.

[santa claus]

Oooo, I'm on to a winner here, ol' Clunk has posted twice (so far) and he likes to nail his contribution in one .

And it looks like we're playing one of those letter change games - so far, Lord M has been call Cock, Crock and Crook. I've finished the progression below:

Cock
Crock
Crook
Cook
Cool

Seriously though, aren't you just fed up of the media sniping relentlessly at whomever they feel like? You do realise that they think that they run the Country don't you? And, y'know, if we keep letting 'em...

[MaddAussie]

Seriously though, aren't you just fed up of the media sniping relentlessly at whomever they feel like? You do realise that they think that they run the Country don't you? And, y'know, if we keep letting 'em...

As opposed to the current incumbents of the government who have so badly mismanaged the country that we are in a very precarious state. An economy that's down the drain, a armed forces that's fighting in two theatres (while grossly underfunded!) and a populace that doesn't (with good reason) trust Westminster. Yes the media snipe but in most cases it justified

[smargh]

Most politicians, including this one, are giving off vibes as though they are only saying what will sound good. Like when he was asked about the Caroline Flint - I doubt everything she has said in private is positive, yet he ignored what she's said in public and just states things which were allegedly said in private.

None of them are giving the impression that I should trust what they are saying, or that they aren't hiding things. Business as usual.

[noTHINGface]

In the Marr interview Mandelson was evasive and as political as ever. He avoided answering every question with diversion and gesturing. Indeed, an excellent speaker, he manipulated the interview extremely well and this is why I dislike the man more than ever. It's time for answers, not posturing and self affirmation. This government is a loss, Mandelson is a loss... I've voted Labour all my life (I'm 36 this month). I didn't vote labour in the recent local and EU elections.

[santa claus]

As opposed to the current incumbents of the government who have so badly mismanaged the country that we are in a very precarious state. An economy that's down the drain, a armed forces that's fighting in two theatres (while grossly underfunded!) and a populace that doesn't (with good reason) trust Westminster. Yes the media snipe but in most cases it justified

Well, the economic crisis is wider that just the UK and we have to (learn to) trust our leaders (with good reason) I'm afraid.

Most politicians, including this one, are giving off vibes as though they are only saying what will sound good. Like when he was asked about the Caroline Flint - I doubt everything she has said in private is positive, yet he ignored what she's said in public and just states things which were allegedly said in private.

None of them are giving the impression that I should trust what they are saying, or that they aren't hiding things. Business as usual.

Sunday morning TV isn't structured for in depth discussion; again, that's media control for you.

In the Marr interview Mandelson was evasive and as political as ever. He avoided answering every question with diversion and gesturing. Indeed, an excellent speaker, he manipulated the interview extremely well and this is why I dislike the man more than ever. It's time for answers, not posturing and self affirmation. This government is a loss, Mandelson is a loss... I've voted Labour all my life (I'm 36 this month). I didn't vote labour in the recent local and EU elections.

You've voted with your conscience all your life and now you think there's a better option?