has anyone else seen the car crash of an interview with Sarah Olney?

[Lucydogz]

here
I must admit I enjoyed this - a clueless interviewee with an aggressive interviewer. But, reflecting on it afterwards, felt rather ashamed of myself and worried for the future of politics.
This clip will be on the internet forever. Even when Ms Olney matures as an MP, whenever someone googles her, this will pop up. 10 years ago, very few people would have heard it, and there wasn't the possibility of tweeting or FBing it.
Regardless of the issues in this particular interview, I feel pessimistic about the future of responsible democracy in the West. The Internet (including me) has created an echo chamber for any view that someone might wish to follow, and these echo chambers aren't necessarily well informed or responsible.
Sorry, this is a bit rambling, but I'd be interested to hear what others thought.

[MaggieMcVitie]

It actually made me feel really uncomfortable, especially towards the end.The interviewer was hectoring and aggressive. She'd clearly exposed the MP's ill informed double standards but kept on going at her until I felt really sorry for the poor woman. Horrid to listen too.

[MaryTheCanary]

The interviewer sounded incredibly snarky, but maybe I'm a bit of a softy.

[GetOutMyCar]

It wasn't an interview at all. It was a Hartley-Brewer rant under the guise of interview. Vile woman from the same mold as Hopkins.

[RortyCrankle]

I don't blame the internet for someone being inept which Olney was in that interview. It has been covered by most newspapers (excluding the Guardian, predictably) and more people read newspapers ten years ago compared to now, so pretty much everyone would have known about it back then.

There's no way to put the internet back in the box which is a good thing IMO although I don't like FB and wouldn't use it - I wonder if some people will come to regret laying their lives bare on it in the future.

[claig]

Thanks for posting the link. I thought JHB did a good interview, there was no GBH in it. JHB is prepared and understands politics and asks tough questions of elected politicians to see if they are up to it and capable of representing the people. She does a good job in holding the political class to account for the sake of the people. JHB is better informed than most of the public so she is in a better position to ask questions of an MP than we are.

This wasn't a "what's your favourite biscuit?" interview, this was a grilling, and I don't think I have ever seen a case where a spin doctor type figure steps in and takes over the interview for an MP apart from when that UKIP twit Patrick O'Flynn tried to say Farage has to go now when he was not ready to go amd was wiping the floor with James O'Brien, now on the BBC Newsnight team, or possibly when a spin doctor tried to step in (I can't remember if they did or not) when the legendary Gillian Duffy of Rochdale was giving Gordon Brown a pasting like he never received at the despatch box throughout his entire PMQs period.

Well done JHB, good interview.

[reallybadidea]

excluding the Guardian, predictably

I read about it in the guardian this morning.

[claig]

'I read about it in the guardian this morning.'

Has it subsequently been removed from their website?

[Thecontentedcat]

A grilling is fine, but this was very snarky, the bitchy condescending 'ohs' from were unnecessary and took away from what were some good points raised by JHB, who was clearly pissed off at having been kept waiting.

[claig]

Thecontentedcat, JHB can sometimes be snarky because she doesn't suffer fools, which is why her interviews with much of the political class can appear snarky.

Katie Hopkins even more so, if a fool walks through the door for an interview with Katie, they can expect to have their head handed to them on a plate, which is why so many of the political class are seen carrying their heads on a plate after leaving an interview room with Katie.

Good honest journalism.

[claig]

'I must admit I enjoyed this - a clueless interviewee with an aggressive interviewer. But, reflecting on it afterwards, felt rather ashamed of myself and worried for the future of politics.'

You shouldn't feel ashamed of yourself. You are paying for the political class through your taxes. I can see why you are worried about the "future of politics" if the LibDems ever get into power again, but I doubt they will.

'The Internet (including me) has created an echo chamber for any view that someone might wish to follow, and these echo chambers aren't necessarily well informed or responsible.'

But that is a free press and free speech. The internet has liberated the people and given them access to a myriad of information sources they never had before when they only had the Blair Broadcasting Corporation to listen to or as in America, its sister organisation, the Clinton News Network. My guess is that most every "echo chamber" on the internet is probably more informed than LibDem MP Sarah Olney.

[Thecontentedcat]

JHB is clearly bright enough to make her point without being snarky and unpleasant. Not good journalism.

[WhisperingLoudly]

It was on the snarky side but it was hardly a grilling. Sarah Olney wasn't asked anything even vaguely resembling a tricky question.

JHB was right if SO can't answer some straight forward questions on what her party campaigned for then she's really got no business being an MP

[claig]

True, it wasn't even a grilling really

[WouldHave]

I don't think JHB is very bright, really. She regularly demonstrates an incredibly narrow-minded and superficial understanding of the issues concerned, and indeed that is the case with this interview. Equally regularly she demonstrates that she has no interest in answers that don't suit her agenda. Olney's primary mistake was agreeing to waste her time being interviewed by HB.

[RortyCrankle]

reallybadidea
I read about it in the guardian this morning.

Apologies then, I don't read the Guardian and it wasn't online when I looked.

[PostTruthBreakdown]

A baptism of fire in dealing with a hostile media, which itself has no interest in trying to build anything or deal with problems.

It did expose the weakness of the lib dem position, but was there any need for such bitchiness? The referendum is a shit situation that is bringing out the worst in everyone.

[Tropezienne]

I dont think JHB was out of order actiually. It isn't her job to be nice and sensitive, especially as she represents many people who feel that the nations democratic will is being overlooked and that the nation is fragmenting by people who can't except it.

MP's have to able to handle this sort of questioning. I thought it was very embarrassing for Olney and the LIb Dems.

[Memoires]

I just missed it and have been waiting for it to be available on catch-up. Hadn't thought of youtube, but I did want to see the whole programme.

[Suppermummy02]

Excellent interview. If Sarah Olney cant handle questions about the very issue she campaigned on then she should not have entered politics. Remember she wasn't an independent she joined a professional political party. The interviewer is well flagged for her views so Sarah folded, has been shown to be a hypocrite and possibly isn't suited for her new job.

[JustAnotherPoster00]

Good honest journalism

Bit early to be drinking?

[claig]

'Good honest journalism

Bit early to be drinking?

Never too early, JustAnotherPoster00, never too early

[Itisnoteasybeingdifferent]

Interesting that no one is commenting on the actual question that was asked. by the interviewer.

[Thecontentedcat]

Embarrassing for JHB more like.

[Itisnoteasybeingdifferent]

Cat,
How so is it embarasing for JHB? She asked a simple question that goes to the root of the EU debate.
The fact that people who don't like the result want to run the referrendum again to get a different result. By comparison last night Mr Hoffer, the defeated right wing candidate for the Austrian presidency put it very well..

"in a democracy the people are always right"..

[Tropezienne]

I think we ought to demand a second vote. Because how do we know that the people of Richmond actually knew what they were voting for? I believe they have been brainwashed by the Guardian/BBC and I also think they regret it now!