This astonishing video is not a satire. The interview actually took place. It is the most pathetic example I've ever witnessed of a politician staying "on message" by recycling a prepared sound bite. Was he completely unaware that he repeated himself in replying to every question? Edward Miliband is currently Leader of the Labour Party in Britain, and Leader of the Opposition.The issue he's being questioned about is not important; what is notable is his stock response to every question. I realize he's trying to ensure that every potential soundbite has his complete "message," but there's no thinking about the questions being asked. I could hardly stand to listen to the end. Incredible.
Posted by Roger Ebert in his Journal, via The Dish.
Addendum: Here is George Osborne [British conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer] doing the same thing:
Via Liberal Conspiracy (hat tip to Skipweasel).
He has a point, strikes are wrong while negotiations are still going on. Also, the government did act in a reckless and provocative manner and it is time for both sides to get around the negotiating table and work things out to stop this kind of thing from happening again.
ReplyDeleteBut, on the other hand, it is time for both sides to get around the negotiating table because strikes are wrong while negotiations are still going on. The government did act in a reckless and provocative manner, so it's important to stop this kind of thing from happening again.
ReplyDeleteWhy can't you two stop bickering and get round to the table to stop this? Up and down the country readers are suffering...
ReplyDeleteIt ain't just Nanoband (can't get the hang of these new decimal politicians), Osborne has a go here...
http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/10/27/watch-osborne-the-robot-repeats-himself-4-times/
Infuckingcredible. Thanks, Skipweasel (added to the post).
ReplyDeleteWow, you swore!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes. This is ridiculous. There is no way these strikes should be happening while negotiations are going on. This is a reckless and provocative government action - this should not happen again and all parties need to sit down around the table and get it worked out.
(FFS, my my, how far the Labour party has come. This man was elected by the very Unions he is telling not to strike.)
I interviewed congressman Bob Dornan (R-California) over twenty years ago and was struck by the same thing -how he pushed his stock talking points no matter what the question was.
ReplyDeleteA British news guy says this is completely typical:
ReplyDeleteSo here’s the truth about the “Ed Miliband Loop” : there’s nothing new about it, politicians have been doing it for years and it is partly our fault in the media for letting them get away with it for so long.
I ’ve had politicians from every party try a variation of the loop on me. Somebody in political PR training school obviously told them that if you’re doing “a clip” for the news and you want to make sure the media only use what you want them to then only say one thing.
Ed Miliband’s crime was to deploy the technique to such a perfected degree that he looked like a robot. But as every experienced political interviewer and politician knows it is an old trick and it often works.
Article continues: http://blogs.channel4.com/gurublog/changing-the-rules-of-the-tv-interview/1472
Steve, I think you're right. But it's kind of sad, really.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's time to put aside the rhetoric...
ReplyDeleteOh I'm with you Minnesotastan, this kind of PR speech turns my stomach too. I guess that it's a sadly typical tactic though.
ReplyDelete