Comments on: Four more years

By: European Loser

European Loser — Mon, 14 Feb 2005 09:20:00 +0000

He needs to practice his drinking-and-not-fucking-up skills, then.

If only he'd just stuck with calling the Mail fellow a cunt, instead of trying to be all clever...

By: Chris Lightfoot

Chris Lightfoot — Mon, 14 Feb 2005 07:20:00 +0000

He needs to practice his drinking-and-not-fucking-up skills, then.

By: john b

john b — Mon, 14 Feb 2005 06:25:00 +0000

Extremely, I believe.

By: Chris Lightfoot

Chris Lightfoot — Mon, 14 Feb 2005 06:02:00 +0000

Kaufman has always been a crank about the BBC, hasn't he? (In any case I'd recommend reading his How to be a Minister, though it'd probably only really be useful as a practical guide if your main ambition was to nationalise the shipbuilding industry.)

TBH, it's a bit hard to defend Ken here, much as he usually amuses me. Was he drunk when he made his comment?

By: Eric

Eric — Sun, 13 Feb 2005 08:41:00 +0000

Yes, but in John's world view anti-semitism is fine, as long as it is being used to fight The Daily Mail. In fact, what clearer evidence could there be that you are anti-facist, than calling a Jew who works for Evening Standard a concentration camp guard.

Clear cut isn't it.

By: Watching Them, Watching Us

Watching Them, Watching Us — Sun, 13 Feb 2005 08:35:00 +0000

I seem to remember various columns and articles penned by Ken Livingstone appearing in the Evening Standard over the years, he seemed happy enough with them when he was campaigning for votes.

The Guardian printed a transcript of the tape:

"The Standard yesterday published a transcript of taped exchanges between the mayor and its reporter:

Oliver Finegold Mr Livingstone, Evening Standard. How did tonight go?

Ken Livingstone How awful for you. Have you thought of having treatment?

OF How did tonight go?

KL Have you thought of having treatment?

OF Was it a good party? What does it mean for you?

KL What did you do before? Were you a German war criminal?

OF No, I'm Jewish, I wasn't a German war criminal and I'm actually quite offended by that. So, how did tonight go?

KL Arr right, well you might be [Jewish], but actually you are just like a concentration camp guard, you are just doing it because you are paid to, aren't you?

OF Great, I have you on record for that. So, how was tonight?

KL It's nothing to do with you because your paper is a load of scumbags and reactionary bigots.

OF I'm a journalist and I'm doing my job. I'm only asking for a comment.

KL Well, work for a paper that doesn't have a record of supporting fascism."

By: Eric

Eric — Sun, 13 Feb 2005 07:14:00 +0000

Look I'm no fan of the Daily Mail, but practicing a tactic of holocaust deniers, like diminishing the Holocaust by calling Jews Nazi's for working for a newspaper, is far worse than much of the crap printed in the Mail.

AND you, a liberal, are defending this?

The sad thing is, you din't even have any insight in how dangerous the ground is you have set foot on.

By: john b

john b — Sun, 13 Feb 2005 06:58:00 +0000

Yes, the fact that I think Kaufman is being silly and that anyone who works for the Mail is furthering horrible reactionary views makes me an antisemite.

And thus, juvenile name-calling increased its gradual acceptance into the so-called pro-war-left mind.

By: Eric

Eric — Sun, 13 Feb 2005 06:10:00 +0000

And thus anti-semitism increased its gradual acceptance into the so-called liberal mind…