Guido Regrets...
Well the live interview was definitely a mistake and against my better judgement, as was the in-the-shadows idea of the Newsnight editor, but nice to have Sir Michael White go to full-frontal-abuse.His denial of knowing his friend Prescott was even 68 is contradicted here
Interviewing Prezza for the Guardian on the 10.05 out of King's Cross yesterday I was startled, not for the first time, by his resillient energy. It was his 68th birthday, which makes him eight years older than me and a good deal more energetic. Why hasn't he got any white hair, I found myself wondering? What's his secret? Pauline's cooking? Grecian 2000? Tracey? Croquet? A zeal for the public good?Incidentally - want to clarify something immediately re Nick Robinson - that last line about Nick being the source, did not mean he was the source for the original much contested Guido "email" second system story. Nick has never been a source. We had a discussion re the Ruth Turner document after doing his interview. That was what the reference was to, pretty sure that came over all wrong, and genuinely apologise for any embarrassment caused to Nick. Good night.
148 comments:
Well, good on yer for admitting defeat. It was a car crash... sorry!
And yes, whatever the intricacies, it looked like you really stitched up Nick Robinson.
Good work, my friend. You made them look compromised, desperate and redundant.
Never mind mate. Just keep bring us the facts, we'll make up our own minds who we believe.
Sir Michael's interview on P's 68th b-day does not mean he knows him.
Big mistake Guido - Please stay anonymous - don't let your ego get in the way of some awesome work. You are the 5th Estate on your own and don't forget it. You are not practiced in media - your voice sucks, you lose a lot. That is not meant to be offensive - it is just a fact. I love what you do. The fact that you can't pronounce news properly is a complete red herring. I think you know that anyway.
Stay on the blog, that is your medium and you will continue to provide us with a great service if you do but please stay anonymous. Fuck Paul - Long Live Guido
I will continue to post 'comments' on sites such as this, as it stops me shouting at the telly at smug establishment journos like Mr. White.
Good filtering work.
One cannot deny that the fact that you were not undone by conspiracy abuse the abuse of others. Your were undone by you inability to respond the point that journalism on the whole ain't that bad. And what you put together certainly no more trustworthy.
Also, Popper's open society pretty ropey with the truth too. The Hegel chapter for example.
A bit of a cringe worthy performance on your behalf gudio... whoops!
What we learned seems to be:
White is threatened by bloggers who are not sychophants of New Labour.
White's head is up the rear end of Prescott.
Now if that is not because Prezzers is matey with Whitey, then why?
Is it because White is just an extension of the New Labour propaganda unit?
White is a nasty piece of work, who tried to out Guildo but got the name wrong anyway.
Im not suck holing or *coughs* looking for an even better advertising rate but it takes some balls to go on television and face down that load of self satisfied smug twats.
So The Hitch Applauds you for having a go Guido.
I doubt if any of those posting sneering comments would have done anything other than sit there shitting their pants and drooling.
*claps* your balls (+:
Having only heard about your site through the newsnight piece, I thought I'd have a look. I thought paxman fought your corner better than you did. and yes, being in the dark made you look even more paranoid than paxman tried to suggest.
Well, well we live and learn. You're right - the interview was a mistake! A tremblingly angry Michael White, not at his most articulate, still managed to get the better of you, and Paxman was able, rather smugly, to masquerade as an independent ref. Not that White came across at all well either, and his desperate desire to shout out your name was rather childish. However, it added to the gaiety of political news if nothing else!
Michael White was pretty terrible, it's obvious you rile them.
Guido
You had the balls to do it
but like a shag
you are best coming from behind
and sticking it up them
but who mentioned Browns nose picking?
and would you guess, he was not there at P.M. Question Time
Your mistake was in letting them drag you from turf on which you were relatively strong (your central point - cosyness and soft complicity of the lobby media) and on to turf on which your position was weak (the investigatory potency of the blogosphere etc. - which is generally irrelevant to your main point).
As soon as White tried to get into the pissing contest over your rugby shirt (which is what initiated the cockfight over blogosphere commentators' legitimacy), a mild, if pointed, response along the lines of apologising for not wearing club uniform then returning to the point would have been better. When they tried to corner you on the largely commentary nature of blogs, you should have conceded with mild caveats and moved back to the issue, rather than trying to fight them directly. They killed you with rhetoric rather than reason.
Having said that, they didn't come over that well themselves, and it might be a minor backfire to the extent that White appeared to be petty, overly defensive and protesting too much (adding unintentional and implicit weight to the idea that you might actually have a point).
You should have gone-in "open", though; the anonymity and blacking played into their implicit assertion that you (and by extension bloggers) were largely conspiratorial and exaggerating free-wheelers with no accountability and dubious credibility.
wekk done Guido, but I had a thought when I saw the smug White,
and thought of the Nulab elite
and came up with this conundrum
'What is hairy on the outside, wet on the inside, and starts with a C, ends with a T, and has UN in the middle?'
I found two answers
one was
'Coconut'
the other was a generic term for our NuLab leaders!
White acted predictably like the sycophant he is.
Paxo acted like the slick watchman he is.
Guido acted like the piss-taking subversive that he is.
Let White and his friends wank over how he 'defeated' you.
You could see it in his eyes. Fear.
Keep at it Guido. You make politics so much more interesting than these sycophants and dullards.
Sorry I put this post in the wrong place, should be here I think. I am new to this.
Michael White lied.
"I didn't even know he was 68"
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/michael_white/2006/06/post_122.html
This illustrates very neatly what you are all about, showing up the barefaced self-interested liars we have in the media today. You so rattled Michael White that he himself lied on BBC TV. That you were able to do this says it all about your skills and value. He came over to me as a mean, nasty cunning man. I don't read the guardian and have never heard of him before, so this was my first impression of him. Same about knowing your blog, never read it before. Difference is you came across as inexperienced at being interviewed so simply felt sorry for you. Compare that to what I just said I think about him.
Your current role in life is to do what you do best, your blog. You looking foolish tonight is of no importance at all, you have gained more free publicity that any money could buy. Your real task (and don't lose sight of it) is to do exactly what you are doing with your blog. The publicity you have had is a tremendous coup. Congratulations.
Ps. They know how dangerous you are to their corrupt ways so be very careful, they are going to try and trap you.
Adam B disagreed with you
Robinson got riled by you
Jezza said "Bollox" to you
Michael White hated you
Bloody well done to you
It wasn't perhaps your best evening, but actually I thought you came across OK; Michael White was much as expected anbd his attempts at patronising dismissal sounded pretty lame. Paxo, for whatever reason, decided to go easy on you I feel, though; perhaps he secretly agrees with your basic premise that MSM journalists have to compromise themselves to retain access. On balance I think it was worth doing once, but probably not worth (or wise) repeating if asked back. Keep up the good work of exposing the machinations of our politicians and various hangers-on, whether journalists, 'special advisers' or other similar forms of low-life.
Look on the bright side, Mr Fawkes. If you achieved nothing else, you succeeded in exposing White as an arrogant, childish, Labour toady.
Amazingly, not all the Newsnight audience would have known that. They do now!
Three cheers for the MSM!!!!
Perhaps you can try and get another interview with Nick :-) but DON'T GET TOO COSY!!!!
Was obvious that they decided to attack the man rather than the issue.
Good first try at TV, but perhaps for the near future you need to get yourself a GFOS (Guido Fawkes Official Spokesperson) who can do the TV soundbites for you.
You still managed to back foot White twice, who could only respond with more stupid insults. I think in the end you showed him up for what he is.
When the NuLab house comes crumbling down, the arrogance shown by White tonight will soon disappear.
Guido, I agree with your regrets and am sorry I voted for you to do it.
I thought you should have done more to keep your cool, and also should have thought about some of the angles Michael White would come from. Golly gosh it it so easy to give advice from the back seat after the event!
Still, you had the balls to do it, well done, now I am off the headline with "Michael White is a Liar" and let me see if the prat sues!
I wonder why White was 'chosen' as your adversary,or did he perhaps volunteer? Someone at Newsnight knew of his animosity and tipped him off I suspect.Or am I just one of those conspiracy theorists?
What shit some people are talking, you fucked up, you shouldn't have gone on the programme. end of. get over it. White didn't come across that badly, and it is obvious that he is more TV-wise than yourself. Think of it as a lesson learnt instead of some people trying to attack paxo and white for your failures!!!
By the way, Guido, the granny murderer has libelled you on Newsnight's comments page.....
Guido, you are still the underdog and we all support underdogs.
Michael White was a prat.
I rest my case
stick with Plan A, it's a bloody good plan
you know it makes sense
Well done Guido.
You did very well for an 'amateur' and you were up against long-time pros.
Don't listen to these know-it-all critics round here who haven't the guts to do what you did.
As for Michael White - what a nasty, spiteful, deceitful little man - in my view.
Excellent work Guido.
The MSM journalists are losing their power and their smugness. They are gradually being exposed for the politically-corrected emptyheaded toadies that they are.
That's what really annoys them and why they were so keen to put you down.
And they failed miserably.
They are desperate to paint bloggers badly in order to maintain their ever-crumbling positions and their high salaries.
I will laugh as they gradually disappear into the black abyss from where they will no longer be heard.
As for Michael White. YUK!
You were crap. It was the hubris what done it. Its got fuckall to do with balls etc. Judgement lacking. Thats it.
anonymous 12:56 AM, March 29, 2007
This post sums it all up for me.
White came across as a slimy, cunning, and nasty individual who should not be allowed to get away with his arrogant lie about Prescotts, birthday. The tone was set with his cheap rugby shirt jibe. This was the first time I have seen the man live and I would not trust him to clean my shoes. Keep doing what you do and expose the bastards for what they are.
Look on the bright side - it is now open season on the White Supreme-ass-cyst....
Marquee Mark (XXL)
*A cyst is a closed sac having a distinct membrane and developing abnormally in a cavity or structure. Cysts may occur as a result of a developmental error in the embryo or they may be caused by infections. However, sometimes they arise spontaneously with no apparent cause. They may contain air, fluids, or semi-solid material. NOTE: A collection of pus is called an abscess, not a cyst.
A cyst may also be a sack that encloses an organism during a dormant period, such as in the case of certain parasites. This type of cyst may, for instance, protect a parasite from the churning acid of the stomach so it may pass through to the intestines unharmed where it can then break out.
Cysts are often dangerous as they may have negative effects on the nearby tissue.
[Consider the cyst as journalist, the parasite New Labour, the tissue The Body Politic. Discuss. Use both sides of the paper.]
You win some, you lose some. This blog is still the best there is.
Don’t give up the day job! You were never going to be allowed to excel, and I’m afraid you didn’t.
Your job is to blog…..to identify and expose all those examples of power corrupting……..however insignificant, and to ensure that we get to hear about it. We do not necessarily have the means to quickly distinguish between truth and half-truth and half-truth and downright lies, only a growing certainty that everything said by this government is Nuspeak and to some degree covers yet another failure.
Keep away from the establishment’s media, keep doing what you have been doing, and we will spread the message as far and as wide as we can.
But never lie to us !
No point in regrets Guido, now you've taken the BBC's 30 pieces of silver you have to continue, if they invite you back, to put your case. You didn't really expect an easy time from Paxo, you are attacking reporters, it it little appreciated just how clannish this group is, they're like NATO an attack on one is an attack on them all.
(Drop the shadows bit, it didn't help your case)
Only know of you through your interview on Newsnight, but just wanted to say as a 'pleb' knowing nothing of this site or the bloke from the guardian, I want to tell you from our point of view he came across as a bitter twisted little man, full of jealousy and vengence towards your freedom of speech. It was obvious he has someone pulling his strings and he resents it. More 'plebs' like me need to know you exist as believe it or not, we are not all as stupid as those in power would like to believe. We to need an outlet for free speech, we are sick of being socially controlled to keep us from any notion of an uprising, but my friend it takes people like you to show it can be done. Never mind Blair retiring, why not get all us 'plebs' together for a revolution and get rid of the whole damn lot!
Dear Guido,
Well done mate. I would not have known about your site if you hadn't been on newsnight.
You did alright so don't feel bad about yourself. You came over as someone who is sincere and one of us (ie the vast majority of the ignored people on this Island who pay the bills of well, just about everyone and do not have much left over for ourselves, their families and their old age).
I thought Paxo showed he was a decent fellow who believes in democracy, whereas White showed what a little prat he is. Oh doesn't he love his position of power and doesn't he hate that power eroding because of the internet. I thought the wonderful left believed in democracy? Obviously not.
In fact if you want to find out how much they don't believe in Democracy read Nick Cohen's book 'What's Left' which shows them up for the nasty little sheep many of them are.
White showed himself in his true colours and it is his performance which is the worst by a long shot. He showed that he doesn't just believe in the power of low lifes like Prescott being in positions which are far out of his capability zone. Whose tenure of the railways for instance resulted in a lot of dead people. No White believes He is Part of the Power Pact running this country. It was his power you and your blog so annoyed. He believes he runs the country which his anti English rag.
He is so typical of the type of English person I despise. The Quislings I call them. The ones that don't mind about the destruction of their own country, as long as they can feel smugly superior. Who don't mind about new residents not integrating and causing vile problems for indigenous people who have been here 12,000 years since the last ice age. Completely ignore the contribution to the peace we have enjoyed for the last 50 years by our elders. Completely ignore the way they are so badly treated. Call English people whites (lower case w. Happy with the EU's intention of breaking up England. The Quislings they are and White is a lead Quisling.
Long Live Guido.
I voted No twice but I guess there are a lot of fuckwits reading nowadays.
Even without looking like a half baked buffoon TV is not easy.
Stick to what you do best - Run This Blog.
Let's hope the damage isn't permanent. Shades of Redwood.
Guido, dfidn't see it so can't comment. However, would be interesting to check the server rolls for the Robinson peice - was every beeboid with access to a computer told to post as anon ? !!!!
Not to worry, you added more to the ongoing discussion about the 'cosiness' of many (but not all) political journalists.
Very dissapointed in Whites comments, a bit petty I thought. Paxman though, did help you out.
Move on, it's only TV!
Just about everybody is being asked to contribute to stories about some person my solicitor tells me I've never heard of.
Guido,
You certainly got their backs up, journalists don't like being the story. Especially that little Gardian Gnome siting next to Paxo.
Saw you on Newsnight -- never heard of before (shame!) but heard now.
Great web-site -- Up-and-At'em!
(Politian's Creed: Let Evil be my good and Good my evil! (Milton's Satan)).
it reflected poorly on Michael White, too aggressive.
I wouldn't want to invite MW to a party, you put a few drinks inside him and he could go off at any moment.
How about dishing the dirt on a few "Journalists"?
You did the right thing. You can't learn to box without getting into the ring. And, don't be shy of revealing your face. A certain duality won't do you any harm.
Just watched the live Newsnight piece Guido and I think you did fine under the circumstances, I also agree that Paxman was fair, and that that White bollweevil came out worst. Avail yourself more fully of the green room single malt next time, you know it makes sense.
I found it thoroughly entertaining. Please book yourself in for a rematch next week.
Going on Newsnight did you no harm, look at how many people who had never heard of you, now want to applaud and support you.
Well done!
This is not a world shattering event, I'm afraid. Who will remember this little spat next week? Only Guido and (maybe) White - who often seems to have a very 'convenient' memory.
White continues to be what he always was, a pompous self-serving snivelling little git. He's not going to turn into anything else unless he goes for the full frontal lobotomy. Then again, maybe he's already had one. That might account for a few things.
In the meantime the serious work goes on.
Just get on with it Guido. There's lots more to be done - in fact it's never ending.
Move on.
The Hitch, Benedict White, Anon 12.56 & 58am - well said sirs.
The Guido "production" was excellent and the interview reflected, very clearly - balls, lies & a rugby shirt!
And when Levy gets charged.....
Newsnight
Not the most exciting episode of Talking Heads, but this clip omitted Michael White
Not your greatest hour but at least you exposed White for the nasty,
smug gardianista he is. Perhaps you
should investigate how much money
his rag receives in advertising highly paid Nulab public service non jobs. That might explain why he and his cohorts are stuck up Prescot's
backside.
Your a braver soul than most Guido. Michael White was a total c*** and made it plain for everyone to see - he's not such a gentile old man after all. Keep on blogging old bean!
I'm with the hitch - I applaud your cojones. Bloody well done against those two as well.
But I was biting my hand throughout it, I'm afraid. Oh well.
What a thoroughly nasty little piece of work Michael White is. Just exploding with sneering preening arrogant self-importance. Asshole. But he's an old hand at TV and you aren't. Hoever there is no such thing as bad publicity. Ancient cliche but still true, as perhaps you are now realising.
It was evidence of 2 worlds colliding.
Lord White of Bogey and Arselikin has had 100's of hours of media training and experience and knows how the sound bite statement world of TV interviews work. You have had none of it and were crap on live TV.
Not surprisingly then, and given the PCP he appeared to have been given before he went on air - where did the Michael White who smells of slippers and pipe smoking disappear to, you were set up to take a battering.
Far worse would have been if they had empty chaired you
So in future leave TV face time to Iain, withdraw your application to replace Crick on Newsnight, and for christ sake find out what Lord White was on, so we can ship it over to all the England sports teams, so they they might actually show some aggression
Bit of a silly thing to put on Newsnight. Not entirely sure why they had the discussion, unless they wanted to get man in the bad black shirt/white tie combo to just shout at you. Very infantile - his argument seemed to consist of 'I don't like you very much, Guido'. It wasn't a debate about the lobby, it was some muppet trying to have a go. Stitch up.
Hope you nutted that creep white after the show. What a plastered Saint and pompous wallyhead he is.
Ah, you will be alright Guido. Good of you to admit it was unwise but shit happens eh? Don't worry about it and keep up the good work.
I rather think you were stitched up a bit by the Old Boys network. Did you really think that they invited you on to give you more publicity.
No!
Those buggers know where the juggler is and White was prepared to lie through his back teeth to see you topple. I'll give Paxo some credit though he did attempt to even things up a bit.
Never mind it does seem that you have recruited a few more readers.
Keep it up Guido they were obviously worried enough to want you on the programme.
further to last, even though the 'in the shadows' bit was excrutiatingly embarassing, at least you just looked a bit of a tit. Michael White looked - to borrow from TTOI - 'like a disgraced geography teacher'
Well done Guido....
That odorous little, old, bitter, establishment man White, rattled as hell, was'nt he.
Guido's blog traffic numbers increasing for sure, we all hate establishment media propaganda, this can only take the blogsphere up to the next level....Keep up the good work
Just a supporting well done - it's not easy for an amateur in a professional's world - their bullying was an absolute disgrace.
The BBC (and MSM) is shit scared of people like you, they perceive their power is running out like a bag of busted sugar, they have discovered that they cannot fool all of the people all of the time -the little boy is shouting -"Look! the king is naked."
For the BBC, they are on a slippery slope, their time is up, all thanks to the likes of you - keep up the good work, more power to your elbow.
Guido
Wel;l Done,
You finally exposed what an utter shit the arse licking Guardanista have produced
Little Whits was a horrible sneering lying count
Keep up the good work
you have got them scared shitless
As a blogger and a proper journalist, I found last night's performance highly entertaining on all counts. They were right - you can't report as accurately as they can at some times - and you were right for the same reason, in reverse.
The idea that bloggers and journalists are enemies is ridiculous. You wouldn't be able to do much of your work if it weren't for proper journalists doing theirs first. Conversely, journalists increasingly use bloggers as a source, and people like you are sometimes in a position to bust something wide open because journos find it inexpedient to do so.
Everybody wins.
just poor guido
It's rare that I'm jealous. Well done Guido - sounds like I missed a real treat.
How did you get the gig?
JJ
Michael White is very wrong about Lotus Notes not being an email system. That is one of its primary functions - I use it for all my personal emails as it is more secure than Outlook.
Saw your silhouette on newsnight...the decision to appear like that was amateurish(hope it wasnt yours). a read of art of war will tell you never fight a battle YOU KNOW you cant win. But then again not having seen the interview i would probably not be responding now. dont be put off and keep up the good work.
Posted this on my own blog which you can see at www.tonbridgeblog.com
I watched the live interview with political blogger "Guido Fawkes" on last night's Newsnight with great interest. Despite the pantomime of the shadowy, unidentified mystical figure sitting in the studio and Paxman's usual put-them-on-the-back-foot open gambit of "Why do you insist on this proposterous sharade of sitting in a darkened studio?..." or words to that effect, the central question being raised by Paxman and Michael White, of the Guardian, was a crucial one. That Guido as a blogger can say pretty much whatever he likes and that newspapers, TV and more traditional media have all kinds of pressures and restrictions on them which prevent them from being so loose tongued. Tonbridge blog felt that Guido tried to wriggle out of this one, and went on the defensive instead of just hitting it head on and agreeing with that statement. In my view that is what makes blogging so unique; there is no need to pander to bosses, interested parties or very many legal constraints. That, in a nut shell, is the beauty of the blogosphere. We can say pretty much what we like, and it's almost instantly available for anyone with a computer to read. So long as not all news and comment is available in this way and that blogging actually compliments traditional news sources, then where is the harm in that? Tonbridge blog suggests that blogging is very much in the public interest....
Whitey is a smug git, playing very childish games, and getting close to an apoplexy on the telly. The Pax did not support you enough in my opinion, possibly because he doesn't want to be empty-chaired by Whitey or his mates in future. Coward Pax!
Rise above it, learn from the experience, but above all else, don't stop blogging.
Just sent this to Newsnight . . .
< What appalled me was the terrier-like,vindictive,bare-knuckles, conceited, somewhat foppish, persona of Mr White. Morally he felt challenged . Why? Because he was mouthing Blair's Nu-Labor cant. Mr White was the re-incarnation of Dr Goebells ( Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda ). A very useful man for President BLiar! Mr White's tailor seems no longer able to clothe this popinjay in teflon suiting. Suits you, sir! Well done to man in black. >
Keep up the good work, Guido
Can someone stick the bbc bit on guy news / you tube please. Bloody firewall here blocks all bbc stuff.
The true beauty of what you do, not to mention the style in which you do it, is that you operate guerilla fashion, outside "the system". As soon as you engaged on their terms, it is only going to end in tears - especially with the two state sponsored (vestigial) organs most likely to propogate the lies and spin.
Having said that, I agree completely with Shrike (10.01 AM) - which must impy that it is not the issue of Bloogers v. journos, but that of truth v. spin, nuLab, lying bastards, police state, big brother........call it what you will.
We have always been at war with Eurasia.
I don't think it went too badly actually.
"Sir" Michael white just came across as a pompous clown.
Well done Guido for facing up to that lot. What a horrid, grizzly man White is!
Keep up the good work.
If that were the first leg of two, you go into the second match a goal down. Not unrescueable, but not favourite. And you will be better next time.
A curiosity of the programme---it showed Paxman in a reasonably good light. How often does that happen?
Many have access some of the time - it's blogs like this that give the chance to use it.
We still love you Guido :)
You have many conspiracy theorist friends Guido.
Unfortunately, your central premise about the relationship between the media and "the establishment" is false. I hate to utter this truth, but I think many of the people who flatter you so dearly are sub-Noam Chomskyist conspiracy nuts, all of whom are more worried about "American Imperialist" than the decline in trust in the political establishment.
Remember Guido, the "Cash for Honours" scandal was uncovered by the Public Administration Select Committee, a committee of MPs headed by a Labour MP, Dr. Tony Wright.
Your contempt for politicians is dangerous, it doesn't distinguish between the genuinely corrupt and venal, and those who are decent and honest. Such mud-slinging only benefits those who despise democracy (and there are many).
Whilst you do good by exposing the follies of our elected politicians, don't decieve yourself that you hold a truer truth.
Sorry to say mate but the whole 'discussion' on Newsnight had a strong whiff of farce about it. How do you expect anyone to take seriously some bloke who skulks in the shadows like some cyber terrorist accusing everyone else of being spineless! Although to be fair you did come off slightly better than that twat from The Guardian whos powers of debate would seem more at home on Jerry Springer, The Opera.
No wonder Paxman was looking even more smug than usual. You and T.G.T. made most TV journos look effortlessly professional.
Very poor performance. You are increasingly given to irrational incoherent ranting and your blog's comments are over-run by right-wing nutjobs. No problem - it's YOUR blog.
You'd do a very good job of destroying david cameron's increasingly effective efforts to get the conservative party elected again. If, that is, the public ever bothered to read your egotistical nonsense.
But I suspect your readership is falling fast.
Last night's Newsnight was the first I ever heard of you and it was a poor first impression. After reading a few posts in your blog I understand that this is clearly your medium and I agree that you made a mistake by appearing live. Regardless of your ability to entertain facts and politics in writing, they were near-destined to come out on top in their experienced medium of live television.
The one thing that struck me the most was actually how compromised they made you look rather than what most of the reassuring comments here say. But that's ironic and I am most surprised that you never called them on it. It is ironic that they grilled you the way they would never have grilled a politician -- unfortunately, you took the bait of pettier, seemingly personal arguments rather than stick to the debate and point out how viciously interrogative they were towards you as opposed to their usual.
They had you and you are better than that and anybody watching with a rational mind will hopefully see the irony too.
Protection of 'access' by an individual journalist - the cossetting of their stock in trade - leads to obscuration of fact and interpretation of fact.
Accessing an entire population of contributors to lay bare a political act, or policy, in all its aspects and consequences, both intended and unintended, is immensely threatening to both the individual journalist's worth and to the current establishment's control freakery.
I thought the most depressing thing was when the credit rolled.
paxman and White clearly didn't want to look like mates so didn't speak for a long time. When he thought it safe paxman then pointed at the screen where you had been and said something to White which looked like "what a tosser".
That smug arrogant moment between the two of them summed the whole thing up.
PRESCOTT'S SECRETS FOR LOOKING SO YOUNG?
MMMMMMM.....
SHAGGING IN THE OFFICE.
ROSIES KIPPERS?
MRS PRESCOTT'S FRIED EGGS>
MRS MITCHELL'S LINCOLNSHIRE SAUSAGES?
TRACEY TEMPLE'S G STRINGS?
THE SECRET TO LOOKING SO YOUNG BY JOHN PRESCOTT.
ROSIE WINTERTON'S KIPPERS?
MRS PRESCOTT'S FRIED EGGS?
MRS MITCHELL'S LINCOLNSHIRE SAUSAGES?
TRACEY TEMPLE'S G STRINGS?
I added this site to my favourites thanks to the article in Newsnight, so it's not a total loss ;-). I thought Paxman and White came across as morons pushing a line to continue to get politicians in the studios. But if politicians cut the press off, they will soon clamor for their oxygen of publicity they rely on and beg the press to return. The reporting of politics in the UK is so screwed it's beyond sickening.
The interview on Newsnight just proved the point that the established press are scared of upsetting politicians.
we live and learn. i didn't like that weirdo with the tash.
I think that they were nasty to guido because he is black
Well well well Guido. Well done for confounding my Fawkes-esque kite of a story that you had recorded the interview BEFORE running the poll on whether to take part. I have posted a grovelling apology as well near the top of the blog.
Meanwhile I have changed the question slightly on my earlier poll HERE and also given a NO option which replaces yet another YES option.
Unfortunately I don't know how to correct the pollster's result site to the new text so you'll need to crunch up your eyes and use your imagination.
Saving Guido from re-execution has become the same answer as allowing him execution by drinking himself to death.
Well done but you need soe media training. Answer a question then bridge to the key messages you want to make. Write these down beofrehand, memorise them and make sure you get them across.
I thought the Guardian editor and Paxman came across as smug elitists who hate the idea of new media and so try to denigrate it by applying their "rules" to it.
It was good even if it could have been better. If you'd paused 2 seconds before speaking you would have had 10 x the impact.
I think you could have made more of Michael White's memory failings re Prezza's 68th. White was beginning to come across like a forgetful fool. You could have skewered him.
You were amateurish, but that was the whole point so it didn't matter. White unmistakably oozed superciliousness; I nearly said he was patronizing, but that might have suggested that he was not wholly hostile, which he clearly was. No great harm done, in my opinion, and a bit of good. My word, don't these people hate you! And with good reason, we hope.
good try guido
like a bunch of schoolboys they just want to fart on the face of truth
we all know they're trying to cover up the big one...
'I think you got that wrong"
"Well Nick Robinson was the source"
--
You didn't mean to suggest that Nick Robinson was the source?
How very odd.
Can you imagine what the bloggers would say if a political correspondent for the MSM said on Newsnight that someone was a source and then started denying it later?
Christ.
I thought White's best point was that you don't really do facts. You do, however, highlight a lot of contradictions and just because you make them too it doesn't mean that you shouldn't keep going.
I think it is a great shame that you have shot bloggers in the foot. This was the MSM's opportunity to make us all look amateur and you played into their hands. Damn you.
Possibly the best publicity for your blog that you could have hoped for. Was it worth the confrontation? Absolutely! Well done Sir!
But as others have pointed out, best not do it again ;) Why not add some videocasts to your site and invite people to be interviewed on *your* show?
bowandagree:"A truer truth"
Pardon? What a ghastly phrase. You seem to live on Guido's blog, rather fixated aren't you?
hatfield girl said
"Accessing an entire population of contributors to lay bare a political act, or policy, in all its aspects and consequences, both intended and unintended, is immensely threatening to both the individual journalist's worth and to the current establishment's control freakery."
Yes, isn't it great :-) Keep on Guido.
Michael White is a twat.
Now I've got that out of my system, I can continue.
Seriously though.. utter twat.
The denials about his relationship with Prescott were annoying enough (twat), but then to just up-front bullshit regarding the labour party's use of a "second system" was really irritating (total twat).
Paxman gave the twat too much open air time, and repeatedly talked over you, which will make anyone look bad. Not very balanced of paxman, and I thought it reflected poorly on his professionalism.
White was probably after you for calling his boss (the editor of the guardian) "obscenely hypocritical" a few days ago. If that's the level arguement you get nowadays at the Guardian, I'm pleased to see I'm not missing anything by not buying the rag. I mean seriously "because you haven't got any money"?? that's a bit schoolyard isn't it? What's next for the shithead, "nurr nurr, your smell of wee!!". Twat.
Saying that, at the end of the day, everyone seemed to confirm the central point, which was that the lobby protect their contacts ahead of breaking a story.
how did "Sir" michael white get that title? by getting so far up politicians arses that he smells like their shit? or by services to journalism?
I just wanted to sympathise with you. On the bright side, nowadays when I contrive to embarrass myself it takes only about a day to get over it so your suffering may not last too much longer.
If I may make a suggestion: I think your mistake wasn't so much the interview as the original item. Once you'd made the point about "empty chairs", had you not agreed to the studio discussion you'd have seemed as compromised as those politicians you criticised for not facing the music.
The ambush was in getting you to agree to do the original piece after which you were damned whether or not you took part in the discussion.
Made an arse of yourself? Don't worry,it's something that Nu Lab politicians and their media lackeys do everyday.
You sucked. You came across as hesitant and amatuerish, with more feeling than polish and far less control of what you say than them.
In short, you came across exactly how any one of us ordinary people would when thrown on the screen for the first time.
Few thoughts, though... you should probably have had a reason ready for why you were in the dark, as any hostile interviewer would have attacked it and even Paxman (who came off relatively sympathetic) started out with a jibe about it. Whether an amused comment like "You'd be amazed what people will tell me as a random member of the public that they wont tell Guido Fawkes" or the more serious "because I'm not a celebrity and do not aspire to be one".
White came across as hostile and outright contradicted some thin