I am not a Tory, but I do read and enjoy Iain Dales blog. I read the transcript of John Sopel’s interview with David Cameron on The Politics today. (See my weekly Postcard below) I was surprised at how poorly Cameron performed and was very surprised by some of the answers Cameron gave to Sopel’s very well structured and focused questions. I do appreciate that politicians work long hours and have many pressures and cannot always deliver killer speeches during interviews. Cameron, however, is putting himself forward as a prime minister in waiting and this interview with a well known interviewer on a well known politics show, in my view, does not show him at his best.
Tweetminster noted earlier this evening that ‘sentiment’ about Cameron had fallen following the Cameron / Sopel interview.I asked Iain Dale a number of questions this evening on twitter.
I have put them in chronological order…in terms of my typing. Time lags for responses do occur and I sent Iain more tweets than he responded to – inevitably this can happen on twitter. I have set the tweets out in the chronological order of the way Iain responded which, apart from the Chilcot question (which was not addressed to Iain dale specifically, was as near as dammit chronological in time as well. Please remember this was a casual twitter exchange and not an ‘interview’ – that is why twitter is both interesting and not always to be relied on as a public debate / analysis forum. Iain was responding, as he often does, to a fellow tweeter on a Sunday evening and not being questioned formally for a more mainstream public medium. This is not to say that his responses would have been any different.
The first tweet was my response to reading Cameron/Sopel interview
Truly dreadful performance by Cameron when torn apart by Sopel on The Politics – astonishing https://charonqc.wordpress.com waffle waffle…
***
Exchange between myself and Iain Dale
@iaindale What is your take on Cameron’s performance on the Politics / Sopel
-
iaindale @Charonqc You are confusing Cameron’s interview with Mandelson’s. 20 minutes ago from TweetDeck in reply to Charonqc
- Charonqc
@iaindale No.. this one… http://page.politicshome.com/uk/article/5215/burglars_leave_their_human_rights_at_the_door_says_cameron.html 16 minutes ago from web in reply to iaindale
Charonqc
-
@iaindale Not poking… genuinely interested because you are an objective Tory…. a bit worrying in parts? 15 minutes ago from web in reply to iaindale
- iaindale
@Charonqc Not at all. I assume u r talking about his burglar comments. Totally agree with him. 14 minutes ago from TweetDeck in reply to Charonq
- Charonqc
@iaindale No… his failure to give cut figures and his view of Chilcot et al? Again… not poking… but interested. 4 minutes ago from web in reply to iaindale
- iaindale
@Charonqc I dont expect him to give figures until nearer election. He needs to give general direction not minute details. 3 minutes ago from TweetDeck in reply to Charonq
- Charonqc
Does David cameron have any understand of the Chilcot Inquiry/International law? Doesn’t seem so https://charonqc.wordpress.com Worrying 18 minutes ago from we
- Charonqc
@iaindale Would you say that this interview does credit to Cameron as a prime minister in waiting? 2 minutes ago from web in reply to iaindale
- Charonqc
@iaindale Yes.. I accept that…My last tweet is perhaps the one I should have started with.. Thanks for responding.. less than a minute ago from web in reply to iaindale
- iaindale
@Charonqc I saw nothing in it which would indicate otherwise. half a minute ago from TweetDeck in reply to Charon
@iaindale Thank you.. 12 minutes ago from web in reply to iaindale
Fascinating!
i don’t understand twitter.
forgive me but is this not a series of questions from you saying ‘do you think cameron was good?’ and iain saying ‘yes’.
and isn’t he about as objective and balanced as errr me, for instance?
I watched the interview between Sopel and Cameron and didn’t get the same impression. Sopel (who looked as if he had just got out of the bar after a long night drinking – 5 o’clock shadow, unkempt hair, no tie) was rude and aggressive throughout. This was in stark contrast to his later interview with Mandelson who was treated with deference.
Charon
So Dale thinks you can’t tell Cameron from Mandelson. What an extraordinary comment.
I was interested in a view about Cameron’s performance which seemed (out of character) waffly. Sopel was aggressive – but there is no harm in that…
I shall see if I can find the Sopel / Mandelson interview
Perception is quite important in analysing words used by politicians… and what looks good in a filmed interview does not always read as well..
I sduspect that a majority in this country agree with the Kill a burglar stance taken by the Tories – but I also suspect that a minority of that majority will bother to look at the existing law before making up their minds on that one. It was ever thus… both right and left take stances without looking at the benefits or merits of each other’s position or, indeed, existing law.
At the end of the day… it matters not one iota what any political commentator, blogger or journalist thinks – the media is too diverse for individuals to influence many – The Sun and TV channels, on the other hand?
I do find there is far too mcuh absurd tribalism in British politics… that those with vested interests, MPs, political bloggers etc, have to take positions and, perhaps, hold positions which are not always credible because of loyalty to one part or the other..
Thankfully, I don’t. I may well vote Labour but I owe absolutely no allegiance to the party! I seek no preferment’ or reward!
Matelot makes a good point about bias – if Sopel’s interview with Mandelson was fawning.
Are political bloggers biased through conviction or through a desire to be rewarded in some way? I suspect there may be an element of that…Is there any difficulty with that? No… they can hold whatever beliefs they wish to….
The difficulty comes only when they start to believe in their own infallibility – then it becomes amusing… always is with papal bull.