The BBC Nails its colours to the mast

[non sociopath skin]

I know that many of you guys have faith in the BBC and I concede that it's better than most. However, I wouldn't be holding your breath and expecting fairness in the upcoming Presidential.

This morning, covering Super Tuesday on its Breakfast show, the Beeb nailed its colours firmly to the mast. Kerry had won the nomination, fine, but (ho,ho) he was likely to become a "figure of fun" during the campaign - liberal, patrician (since when was that a sin to conservatives?), and - because of his "antics" after his Nam service, obviously unpatriotic. This would not "play well" in the South and especially the Mid-West - i.e. Americans are more at home with someone stupid and conservative.The term was umistakably sneering, partisan and patronising.

I know that the Beeb is running scared in case Blair breaks it up and/or takes its money away, but I was expecting a little more than that.

The Skin

[emanymton]

1. To Many USA People This Is How He Looks.

shrub will play to the audience.

[AngryYoungMan]

2. Yeah, to 28 percent.

He can play to his audience all he wants. It's a shrinking audience.

[emanymton]

4. shrub's Base Is Solid And Fixed ...

The Democratic Nominee (DN) does not have a solid or fixed base. The 28% (your number) will be te deciding factor in November!

Many USA people do not know who is running for President. Once the commericals begin to run, shrub will look like he walks on water. Every vote will be important (I was going to say "count" but they probably will not.).


Bush Lied, People Died, Media Cheered

[aquart]

5. No, the 28% will NOT be the deciding factor.

That Bush's base. They vote for him if he cuts up babies in public.
They voted for him last time. They will vote for him this time.

Name one person who did NOT vote for Bush last time who IS voting for him THIS time. One new vote for Bush. Know any?

Now think of how many you know who voted for Bush last time who would gnaw off an arm rather than vote for him again: hunters; fiscal conservatives; military families; National Guard families; factory workers; American Muslims..... George alienates another voter every minute.

Bush is the deciding factor. People have decided he lies and stinks.

[emanymton]

7. Honestly Hope You Are Correct.

The challenge is for too many USA people, the boob tube is god and god (money) is on the side of the GOP.

The money starts to flow into the media. Media follows shrub. People go ???



Bush Lied, People Died, Media Cheered

[izzie]

3. It should be interesting. BBC or some news group will start all.

Can they keep Bush looking like a President or just the greedy little man he is. I do think that this group is going to break open as the most greedy group since Teapot Dome, but how long they can keep it down is beyond me. It seems that each time one party gets all the control this happens. To hard to keep your hands out of the money from the Dem to GOP. The more they steal the less people seem to vote it seems. I frankly do not think Bush cares so it will blow up on the rest soon and take him down. Now? That is the question.Kerry may go with them. After all he is in congress with so many who are stealing us blind. It seems to have always happened in our history so it is sure to go that way once more. Will we be run from the top down or bottom up. Just wait. The old ship can only be patched so long before it must come in for an overhaul. Will some thing like a report in the BBC do it? Some thing has to control the news for a while for all this to keep going.Who do you guess will start the ball rolling or has it started?

[Spentastic]

6. Was this BBC America?

I was watching BBC in the U.K this morning and it seemed to me that there's a overwhelming desire to see Bush gone. An advocate for Kerry got a few minutes to build Kerry up.

The BBC has been unflinching in its portrayal of Bush. They hate him.

[non sociopath skin]

8. I hope you're right ...

.. but that certainly wasn't the case this morning.

Sorry, but I see no sign of hatred. For example, I found coverage of Bush's recent state visit fawning and "apolitical." The protestors were made to look like untypical eccentrics at least and potential anarchists at worst. There was much talk of Bush's decency, moderation, "common touch" and oratorial skills.

Make no mistake. Albeit subtly, they will be part of the Re-elect the Chimp campaign.

The Skin

[Spentastic]

9. Nahhhhhhh!

You're reasonably paranoid.

The BBC cannot afford to be see to be openly mocking the President of the U.S, but watch closely there are barbs, veiled digs, superb picture choices.

My favourite involved a recent Bushism when a BBC reporter said "well when the President has been told what he was supposed to think I'm sure he'll tell us".

The BBC has been seriously wounded by the actions of the Bush /Blair alliance. Unless you believe that this was deliberately self inflicted, why would the BBC now start supporting them?

Furthermore, I don't agree about the portrayal of protestors. I was one and felt that the coverage (especially of the main march) was pretty decent. The fact is that there are anarchists and eccentrics in the ranks of the protestors, they look odd and shout loudly and consequently get coverage. However, the overriding images of that day was 2 million ordinary people marching past parliament.

[non sociopath skin]

14. Spentastic...

OK, so I'm MILDLY Sociopathic. I really do hope you're right. However, both my wife and I were thunderstruck by the blatant negativity on the Breakfast show.

I'll watch for the subtleties. I'd rather we won this one than I was proved right!

The Skin

[BiggJawn]

12. It's subtle, but it's there.

Bush is a joke to the presenters on the World Service.
Now, I can't speak for BBC America, since I don't have cable, precisely because they do not offer BBC-A OR C-Span after 5 PM (they switch to "Bravo")

But on Shortwave, the Shrub does NOT get a pass when it comes to commentary. Listen to Shortwave. it's the ONLY news pipeline that can't be dicked with by the BFEE. Networks are GOP controlled, your internet mey be getting spoofed by Admiral Poindexter, and the newspapers are all GOP, too. The only way they can mess with shortwave is to have the VOA start jamming.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. The coverage on the radio Today programme seemed balanced

it's online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/ (and the Today programme is more influential than the TV Breakfast news). My main concern at the moment is that the BBC is constantly using David Frum as a Republican point of view, without saying that he regards France as an enemy, and that he wants to invade most of the Middle East.

[non sociopath skin]

15. Maybe it's time ...

.. to going back to listening to the Today programme, Dame Muriel. :-)

The Skin

[T_i_B]

11. From the BBC website

I did a search on John Kerry and got this. I've found the BBC coverage of the primaries to be very balanced personally.

http://newssearch.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?scope=newsukfs&tab=news&q=John+Kerry

[AmericanErrorist]

13. There is a difference between Domestic and Foreign

BBC, I guess.