Eoin Harris on Matt Cooper just now

spurious

pjbrady1 wrote:

Sorry I missed that Harris rant. Tony O'Reillys Herald ran the following story in the days leading up to the election.
"Bertie - I have no girlfriend"
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today reveals to the evening Herald how he has no girlfriend at the moment. In a rare insight into the life of the Taoiseach he says "I have no time to be honest ...." Article delved on into the cuddliness after that.

Freud.:D Perhaps Bertie meant "I have no time, to be honest ...." though you never know...

is_that_so

Just been listening to it and reasonable points on both sides for a while. I reluctantly found myself agreeing with Harris. I for one thought the Bertiegate thing should have been left for Mahon and Harris was right on that point. I also agree that some media sources had it in for Bertie on that score, but Harris really started to lose it with the "loony left" and "Shinners" stuff.
Some wild and entertaining ramblings indeed and he might have maintained credibility had he taken a deep breath. IMO he is right about O'Toole and his view of the world but losing the plot like that convinces no-one and makes you look like a fool.

AidoCQS

is_that_so wrote:

I for one thought the Bertiegate thing should have been left for Mahon and Harris was right on that point. I also agree that some media sources had it in for Bertie on that score,

Would you by extension go so far to say the press has no right to question our leaders, you have that much faith in Mahon, which incidentally is being funded by the government?

If Bertie is suffering from any Media backlash, its the one that was generated when journalists were too afraid to even question CJH, I respect the fact that you are considering both arguments, but if you feel the pendulum has swung too far remember it was Bertie who gave CJH the blank checks, I am nor convinced that this FF government has had any Lazarus change, a lot of this seems to be same circus - different clowns. It’s not the job of the media to win popularity contests; it’s the job of the media to make sure another CJH of CJH era FF is recreated!

The only thing Dubya Bush was successful in was limiting access by the press to himself, look at all the messes and general disconnect from the people they have achieved over there.

is_that_so

AidoCQS wrote:

is_that_so wrote:

I for one thought the Bertiegate thing should have been left for Mahon and Harris was right on that point. I also agree that some media sources had it in for Bertie on that score,

Would you by extension go so far to say the press has no right to question our leaders, you have that much faith in Mahon, which incidentally is being funded by the government?

If Bertie is suffering from any Media backlash, its the one that was generated when journalists were too afraid to even question CJH, I respect the fact that you are considering both arguments, but if you feel the pendulum has swung too far remember it was Bertie who gave CJH the blank checks, I am nor convinced that this FF government has had any Lazarus change, a lot of this seems to be same circus - different clowns. It’s not the job of the media to win popularity contests; it’s the job of the media to make sure another CJH of CJH era FF is recreated!

The only thing Dubya Bush was successful in was limiting access by the press to himself, look at all the messes and general disconnect from the people they have achieved over there.

Not at all, I just found myself agreeing with Eoghan Harris which surprised me. They had every right to challenge him but given that Mahon was only four weeks away it could have been let go after a few days or a week at worst.
Instead it obscured the first few weeks of the campaign but I don't want to bring it up again here as there are plenty of other threads on it.

I don't have blind faith in Mahon but I do expect it to deliver something that will influence our political classes. The recent case of Michael J Collins in Limerick is evidence that the previous culture will not be tolerated any more. If we're lucky it may even throw up the possibility of convictions but I wouldn't hold my breath on that.

As for the question of who funds it, well it had to be the incumbents whoever they happened to be.

Dudess

Had another listen to it. In fairness, Fintan O'Toole was well able. He normally seems so unflappable but in this instance, even he got a bit riled. When Harris marched off, O'Toole said something like, "We'd better call in the men in the white coats too." Missed that the first time. Class!

AidoCQS

AidoCQS wrote:

This is exactly what happened in the US

Reporters stopped reporting or informing and became advocates, and then only the most looney or the ones who shouted the loudest made the news, and that ended all reasoned discussion untill debate of the issues became about two lunatics ranting at each other on TV. :mad:

I made a this point earlier, and not to get too precious about it, Lewis Black, comedian, makes the same point on Youtube (Click) here

The real problem is we don’t get any information, we don’t get the facts, what we get is spin, we get what the republicans have to say, and then what the democrats have to say, but meanwhile there is a group of facts in the middle which we just don’t get - Lewis Black

I don’t want to bang O’Toole’s drum, but it’s so important that our media don’t evolve into the Harris type advocacy that Pat the plank allowed on his show.

I do think the Harris party political broadcast had an undue effect on the outcome of the election, (a point that was raised again last night by Joan Burton on Q&A), Does anybody else feel that this was pivotal? It was the genesis of the 'Media Conspiracy' theory that the FF party line is now spinning, and it even popped up in Mahon yesterday.

Mad Finn

OHMIGOD. The bit where Harris told O'Toole not to get worked up!!!!

To paraphrase the great George Galloway: "Being told not to get worked up by Eoghan Harris is like being told to sit up straight by the hunchback of Notre Dame"

One Nil to the Dublin Man.
--with an assist from the other (sane) Cork man.

irish_bob

Quote:
Originally Posted by AidoCQS
This is exactly what happened in the US

Reporters stopped reporting or informing and became advocates, and then only the most looney or the ones who shouted the loudest made the news, and that ended all reasoned discussion untill debate of the issues became about two lunatics ranting at each other on TV.




I made a this point earlier, and not to get too precious about it, Lewis Black, comedian, makes the same point on Youtube (Click) here



Quote:
The real problem is we don’t get any information, we don’t get the facts, what we get is spin, we get what the republicans have to say, and then what the democrats have to say, but meanwhile there is a group of facts in the middle which we just don’t get - Lewis Black


I don’t want to bang O’Toole’s drum, but it’s so important that our media don’t evolve into the Harris type advocacy that Pat the plank allowed on his show.

I do think the Harris party political broadcast had an undue effect on the outcome of the election, (a point that was raised again last night by Joan Burton on Q&A), Does anybody else feel that this was pivotal? It was the genesis of the 'Media Conspiracy' theory that the FF party line is now spinning, and it even popped up in Mahon yesterda



eoghan harris as joan burton so rightly put it was openly canvassing for the goverment on the late late show 10 days ago , it was extremley distastefull
while i still think new money would have voted back fianna fail as the economy was peoples biggest priority at the end of the day , i still think harris,s performance on the late late could set a dangerous precedent
we dont want this country to become like the uk where in order to get elected you have to book a flight to australia for a private meeting with the great media tyrant that is RUPERT