Who feels sorry for Gordon???

[MrsForgetful]

I do.

No I dont feel sorry for him because it was just plain stupid to do that. But does make me like him slightly more as it makes him more human (and it is the sort of thing that I would do!)

Dont you think that "you should never have put me out there with that woman" = I have no idea what Im doing and I need someone to direct me at all times.

I felt a bit sorry for him but tbh what does he expect when he goes out speaking to the electorate? The general public are not all yes men or women.

I will vote labour anyway though because labour is more than GB.

But don't you think that what he said was rather mild...I mean, he was merely trying to describe his opinion of her. He didn't say she was awful, or that she was racist...he said she was bigoted. If you listen to her views, they are rather bigoted.

For me, the telling bit was when he said 'who put her in front of me?' Errr...Gord, you're the PM, we are all supposed to be in front of you and YOU and answerable to us.

Poor Sue.

I'm sure that's the way which DC and Clegg operate as well though. Don't think it's right but they all have other people stage managing their appearances. I used to do events in the House of Commons and House of Lords and there were always senior politicians walking along corridors with their 'staff' saying things like "so what is this I'm going to? Why am I going? Who do I need to speak to? etc" Happens where I work now too with the MD's being briefed last minute and shoved into groups of people without really understanding who they are.

That's men for ya, can't organise themselves

Yes I do. She was a bigot and he was perfectly within his rights to say so. The fact that he fucked up because isn't quite as good at spin as he needs to be in our superficial society is a good thing IMO.

Yes, I feel sorry for him. Partly because I've done the same myself and also because it's horrid for her, and dislike the whole media 'let's get him' thing. I think I'd dislike that about anyone tbh

also because if she'd come up and said 'you can't talk about immigration' to me

I'd have thought - but WE DO, we talk about it ALL THE TIME. Where have you got this idea from?

And then moaned about it

Elvis impersonators, Peppa Pig fiasco and now this - obviously can't make sound PR judgements and he comes across as a bully.

BTW my mum is a dear old lady, well she's dear to me, and also in many ways very generous and open, but also in many other ways a bigot.

I feel sorry for him. I'd have just called her a mad old bat and been done with it.

It seems very odd to me that Sky didn't think to retreive their mic before he got into the car though, or at least turned it off once he'd finished. It's almost as though they were trying to get something juicy. And I don't even think this is that juicy TBH. Woman shouts at man. Man is polite to woman. Man gets in car. Man vents about mad woman.

Yes i really felt for him watching the news yesterday i did not know whether to laugh or cry ! He keeps putting his foot in it poor Gordon .
Think sky news were totally out of order broadcasting his private conversation and really resent the media telling us it was a pivotal moment and will decide the election.Yeah because they decided it was .It is up to US.
She was bigoted in her views probably gets her views from the sun newspaper.
The only thing that i found disheartening is the way he doubted how he handled the conversation with Gillian Duffy showed a lack of confidence. She did seem really in his face though.
I have voted by post this morning.

He only went to her house because if he didn't, the press would say he refused to apologise.

Everyone I know vents under times of stress, either in the car, when they put the phone down, when they come in in the evening. Not really a big deal and I'm sure Cameron says much much worse.

What I found more telling was how badly he thought the encounter had gone. Most politicians would have considered it a success but he is obviously so used to being told he is useless with the general public that paranoia has set in (or vice versa).

As much as I have respect for him and think his treatment is unfair at best, it has reached the point where he is unsustainable. As PM you don't necessarily need the press behind you, but you certainly don't need them berating your every action all day every day.

xpost with kerstina

I've noticed in the last few weeks that it's getting more and more acceptable to make racist comments vieled under the cloak of 'condern about immigration'. Maybe it's just because I'm an immigrant and many of them are directed at me.

Anyhoo....In a strange kind of way I'm actually glad he made that remark. He labelled it what it is, bigotry. I don't think he handled the aftermath very well. But he was caught between a rock and a hard place.

"really resent the media telling us it was a pivotal moment and will decide the election.Yeah because they decided it was "

Well exactly.

I feel sorry for him, I quite like his grumpiness and temper. He's not as smooth as Blair or Mandelson or Cameron, so I like him more.

I think it's a symptom of being tired and ratty from being on the road and the stress of the election.

Agree Orm. The media coverage of this election is now really pissing me off.

Christ knows what Cameron would say in private about poor people when he goes on his 'caring' missions around estates.

Probably oh god why do I have to talk to these plebs.

Agree Orm.

Exactly. This is a NON story just exacerbated and built up to a frenzy by the press, and the press alone.

People are going to be convinced that this is a big issue because the media say it is.

Me too! Me too!

I want to join the "This is media bollox! Enough already! Do your job - tell us some news! About things we could do with being told about!" gang.

Yeah, no big deal.
I hate the way the news has become a monster that is hungry 24hrs a day!
They're trying to find ways to make this hugely significant when really it isn't - I think the media are really out of step with what ordinary folk are saying on this one - does anyone really think that Cameron, Clegg, Churchill, Thatcher, Blair... aren't guilty of having muttered something rude about the punters? He got caught in an unguarded moment - big deal.
FWIW my reading of the situation is that he was exaggerating the exchange to try to make his aide feel bad!
But that idle speculation aside, can we get back to policies? I'm not 100% sure who's getting my vote, but this won't have swayed me in the slightest, I'm just annoyed that the airwaves are full of nonsense above substance yet again!

people are saying how he'd prefer a 'staged' discussion...as if there is ever a choice for a 'natural' discussion when these politicians are strolling around (trying to look natural'....being followed by journalists and camera crews....

his 'crew'....his 'staff' are always 'looking out for the perfect media opportunity' ...i doubt he ever gets the chance to have a 'genuine' chat with anyone when he's out and about...its always someone that someone thinks he should talk to.

so that's why he remarked about the 'disaster' of 'that woman' being inflicted on him....it WAS staged....for the media.

There were reports that Mrs. Duffy didn't want to speak to him again. I bet he and his advisers begged her to allow him into the "bigot's" home. If she had refused to have anything more to do with him, it would have spelt the end of the election for him. He counts his blessings that she was gracious enough to put up with him for 40 minutes in her home. That was the only way that he could salvage anything out of his desparate situation. As his entire cavalacade turned around and made a bee-line for the "bigot's" home, his advisers must have been mightily relieved that "some old bigoted woman" would allow him to display his rictus grin and make his most sincere apologies.

As a matter of interest, I am 61. Most of my friends are in their 60's also. We do not consider ourselves old. You wait. You won't think you're old when you reach 60 either!