Paxman and Kissinger
Les Dennis
Jeremy Paxman's extremely prickly interview with Henry
Kissinger this morning.
I imagine it was a novel experience for Henry K to find
himself being interviewed by someone who doesn't give a shit
for reputations and who takes good care to do his homework.
At any event, the one-time Great American Fixer was clearly
rattled and left the studio before the end of the broadcast
(although it wasn't made clear whether this was cause &
effect or whether the man had a busy schedule).
All in all I thought the whole thing was well in line with
JP's philosophy that the correct relationship between a
journalist and a political bigwig is that between a dog and
a lamppost. Quite the best thing I've heard on R4 for a
while, and I shall be surprised if there are no
consequences.
Incidentally how is it that Paxman comes across as incisive
and well-informed, whereas John Humphreys (sp?) always
sounds like an irritable whinger?
Cheers
--
Les Dennis
(No. Not that one)
Nobody learns how to use the possessive apostrophe any more. Its a disgrace.
Barry Young
JP made his book sound like a lot of propoganda - which is I guess all it is
.
Thought JP also handled Robinson well - especially when he tried to make a
few snide remarks at HK 's expense after he had left .
Les Dennis wrote in message <3777c90d...@news.d-n-a.net>...
Dan Scorpio
from a second rate 'nation' to interview a man who once played a real and
significant part in the decision making processes in the real world
(affecting countles numbers of people) in the most powerful 'nation' on
Earth. Life is hard. Wonder how Paxman would have sorted the Arab/Isreali
cvonflict? I personally think Kissinger is possibly a power mad geek: that
doesn't change the position. He was appointed on his merits and did the job
accordingly.
The fart, big mouth, opinionated journos should learn their (mainly
irrelevant) place & report - not take on the mantle of God.
Barry Young wrote in message
<930604924.10240.0...@news.demon.co.uk>...
philip wagstaff
> I'm a bit surprised that nobody has (yet?) remarked on
> Jeremy Paxman's extremely prickly interview with Henry
> Kissinger this morning.
>
I do not know what happened to my mail about exactly the same interview I
thought I sent last night?
Quite the most enjoyable 'interview' or verbal flogging I've heard for some
time, and very well deserved IMHO.
But I would be less inclined to make comparisions with JH than with the feeble
Dim-bleby brothers.
--
Phil
Les Dennis
<zen...@globalnet.co.uk> wrote:
>Well, I suppose it's a big something for a second rate media personality
>from a second rate 'nation' to interview a man who once played a real and
>significant part in the decision making processes in the real world
>(affecting countles numbers of people) in the most powerful 'nation' on
>Earth. Life is hard. Wonder how Paxman would have sorted the Arab/Isreali
>cvonflict? I personally think Kissinger is possibly a power mad geek: that
>doesn't change the position. He was appointed on his merits and did the job
>accordingly.
>The fart, big mouth, opinionated journos should learn their (mainly
>irrelevant) place & report - not take on the mantle of God.
>
Would I be correct in assuming that you are not one of Mr.
Paxman's admirers?
Leaving personalities aside, however, you seem to be
implying that any lesser mortal who presumes, on our behalf,
to question the methods or achievements of the world's
movers and shakers, is guilty of gross impertinence. Would
you not concede that one of the principal functions of any
current-affairs journalist worth his/her salt is to give
politicos a hard time?
If not the journalists, who then? Or should we just accept
that whatever is done by 'power-mad geeks' on behalf of 'the
most powerful nation on earth' (to use your descriptions) is
for our own good, really, and leave them alone to get on
with it?
M.J.Powell
yerspam.dnet.co.uk> writes
The naivity of the first poster is incredible. All that stands between
us and dictatorship are journalists.(unfortunately)
It should not be possible to ask an honest politician an awkward
question.
Mike
--
M.J.Powell.
Dan Scorpio
indeed accept that politicians and the like should be
interviewed/challenged. What I do object to is the downright ruseness
displayed by the likes of Paxo, Hump, Naughtie, McGregor, etc. with their
continual interruptions, statements and assertions posing as questions and
attempts to browbeat elected/duly appointed officials and representatives.
To be quite honest, if someone came on to me in a pub - in the manner that
I've heard all of the aforementioned coming on to an interviewee from time
to time - they would be in serious danger of a punch on the nose for their
ignorant/disrespectful behaviour. Tough questions by all means, but let's
have questions, not policy statements, browbeating, ignorance and sniping.
Whilst I'm on my soap box, there seems to be a little technical device the
Beeb have introduced on current affairs programs - I believe it is called a
compressor(?). When some unfortunate on the end of a telephone/radio link is
being interviewed, you will notice that you can hear them quite well UNTIL
the interviewer speaks (interrupts usually), in which case the volume of the
voice of the person in the remote location is significantly reduced
(compressed). I don't know if they do this manually or by electronic means
(probably, listening to the speed), but it's sure a handy thing for Hump and
his pals to shut people up.
philip wagstaff wrote in message
<37787E2F.MD-1...@free4all.co.uk>...
Gareth Owen
> All that stands between us and dictatorship are journalists.
Sheesh. And I thought journalists had a high opinion of journalists.
--
Gareth Owen
eh?
Charles York
<gowen+...@ma.man.ac.uk> writes
>"M.J.Powell" <mi...@pickmere.demon.co.uk> writes:
>> All that stands between us and dictatorship are journalists.
>
>Sheesh. And I thought journalists had a high opinion of journalists.
Having missed it, I tried to find the Beeb's site where they have audio
recordings etc. I failed. Was I wasting my time or just couldn't
navigate the maze? Anyone know?
--
Cheers Chaz
Paul Shade
i still have it on tape
i could MP3 it and email it to you
top stuff about jackson pollock and the CIA too
also don't miss the poor devil Anne Widicome MP on desert island disks - an
absolute scream
its repeated on friday morning
she's a genuius
paul
Stephen Brooks
M.J.Powell <mi...@pickmere.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:yM7vyGAJ...@pickmere.demon.co.uk...
<snip>
> It should not be possible to ask an honest politician an awkward
> question.
Unfortunately realpolitik - like real life - is loaded with awkward
questions. But, certainly it should not be possible to ask
an honest politician an awkward question about his/her
behaviour.
As for Paxo - I particularly enjoy him on University Challenge
- sneering at the contestants for being unfamiliar with what
he knows one minute, and parading his almost complete
ignorance of all things scientific the next. I remember seeing
an episode where one team was all female and he was so
smitten he was almost nice to them.
SB
Tim Gowen
Young <byo...@byoung.demon.co.uk> writes
>HK seemed to have a lot of difficulty justifying US foreign policy .
>JP made his book sound like a lot of propoganda - which is I guess all it is
Political memoirs normally are, aren't they?
There's an interview with HK in today's Guardian in which HK says that
Paxman didn't do his research. The writer summarises the argument by
listing Kissinger's actions in extending the Vietnam war and destroying
Cambodia - hardly a deserving winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. It
sounded a little bit like the Oliver Stone version of history as seen in
his film "Nixon".
Tim
--
"All those Silicon Valley billionaires aren't even geeks - they're Gap-
heads in rumpled khakis and Lands' End Polos; they're like less
ironic Peanuts characters with portfolios." -- Libby Gelman-Waxner
+ The RATM FAQ: http://www.juglans.demon.co.uk/Tim/Tim.htm
douglas dwyer
pyerspam.dnet.co.uk> writes
>I'm a bit surprised that nobody has (yet?) remarked on
>Jeremy Paxman's extremely prickly interview with Henry
>Kissinger this morning.
I assumed that the hasty exit must have been due to a bladder problem
quite to be expected from someone his age:)
--
douglas dwyer
John Kirkland
played with a computer, producing:
I reckon he must have soiled his underwear, do to his surprise at not
being subject to a twee 'Larry King' style interview. I must say,
though, that I didn't feel that the purpose Paxman's Monday show was
to rip his guests a new a**ehole!
--
# John Kirkland, Derby, England
# "If we get behind schedule, we can add more
# programmers and catch up"
# Domains *plonked*: aol.com, hotmail.com
philip wagstaff
numerous requests, for inclusion in Pick of the Week.
Even better, the clip was Paxman's question: "Did not you feel something of a
fraud taking the Nobel Peace Prize?"
--
Philip Wagstaff
Roger Barnett
and then there was the follow up comment this morning when talking about
the French press...
--
Roger Barnett
David French
>I was most gratified to hear the Kissinger interview was selected, in answer to
>numerous requests, for inclusion in Pick of the Week.
>
>Even better, the clip was Paxman's question: "Did not you feel something of a
>fraud taking the Nobel Peace Prize?"
>
Does anyone know if this interview is available on the web?
Tom Sutton
philip wagstaff <p.wag...@free4all.co.uk> wrote:
> Even better, the clip was Paxman's question: "Did not you feel something of a
> fraud taking the Nobel Peace Prize?"
hehe, I heard that and laughed outloud
Paxman gets a lot of flak but he's brillant, a epitome of what the BBC is!
Regards,
--
Tom Sutton t...@backwater.u-net.com http://www.toth.org.uk/~aslan
Smiling in the footsteps of St. Tony! :-) Union of pivotal thinkers member