Clarence Mitchell on The Late Late

stepbar

If I get flamed so be it but anyhow.....

TBH I find it sickening and disrepectful to the thousands of parents who have kids missing all around the world. Yes it's very sad that a 5 year old is missing but at the end of the day life must go on. The media campaign that is being orchestrated by the McCann's is beyond belief. Clarence Mitchell must be on some retainer to be continuing to act at the PR face for this campaign. And the fact that one year on we are still hearing about it is sickening and sad. What next a film? How long will this farce last? For the next 10 years? 20? It's time to call a halt.

flanum

yeah, shes dead... obviously. we should forget about it.

Clare Bear

Well hopefully you will never be in a situation where you lose a child like that. Believe me you'd do everything in your power just like they are. I don't care if I see them in the paper every day for the next 10 years, I'd do the same. They're hardly going to sit back and do nothing are they? I know kids go missing every day. I know they don't get the coverage that this gets but at the same time I understand everyone that is pushing to keep it in the spotlight. At the end of the day (whatever we think has happened to her) they are two parents who just want to find their child.

Sir Molle

I'd do exactly as the McCanns did if I lost a child. They've made a bloody fortune off the whole Maddy thing. Who wouldn't?!

Dudess

OP, are you suggesting that her parents shouldn't use all the resources they have access to to find their daughter? That they should decide "actually yeah, this is going on to long. Time to call a halt"?

But is it right to make a profit on your child's disappearance though?

Clare Bear

Deleted User wrote: »

But is it right to make a profit on your child's disappearance though?

That money is going back in to funds to keep the search going for her.

Yet another Madeline McCann debate that will no doubt go on for pages.

stepbar

Dudess wrote: »

OP, are you suggesting that her parents shouldn't use all the resources they have access to to find their daughter? That they should decide "actually yeah, this is going on to long. Time to call a halt"?

Ok, let them set up a foundation to help those not so fortunate find their kids that are missing. The McCanns have taken in Millions, Millions as a result of their daughter going missing. They can afford to employ a PR person FFS. Clarence Mitchell, once PR person to the Queen. Who else can do that? They could do so much good with the extra resources that they have but they haven't. It's ridiculus, absolutly ridiculus.

stepbar

Clare Bear wrote: »

Well hopefully you will never be in a situation where you lose a child like that. Believe me you'd do everything in your power just like they are. I don't care if I see them in the paper every day for the next 10 years, I'd do the same. They're hardly going to sit back and do nothing are they? I know kids go missing every day. I know they don't get the coverage that this gets but at the same time I understand everyone that is pushing to keep it in the spotlight. At the end of the day (whatever we think has happened to her) they are two parents who just want to find their child.

Well hopefully I have the cop on not to leave my kids unattended. But that seems to have been lost in the argument..... Leave your kids on your own to fend for themselves and I'm afraid you have no sympathy from me. BTW I hope you are not suggesting that Madaline McCann is any more deserving than any other children that go missing every day because it seems that you are.

leninbenjamin

people still watch Pat Kenny? jaysus...

JavaBear

So what?

It brings awareness to the fact that people including young children go missing quite often. It may be a deterrent for future kidnappers, that it might not go unnoticed.

kowloon

JavaBear wrote: »

So what?

It brings awareness to the fact that people including young children go missing quite often. It may be a deterrent for future kidnappers, that it might not go unnoticed.

Or,..Bring attention to the fact that even with the massive coverage the abductor (killer?) has gotten away.
Someone, somewhere may be thinking: If I go for a poor immigrant kid and plan properly I can't possibly get caught!
The above scenario may not be very likely, but I don't think the idea of deterence is either.

Sherifu

leninbenjamin wrote: »

people still watch Pat Kenny? jaysus...

The weekly threads on him say yes.


It's easier to turn off the tv than start a thread on boards I would have thought.

Clare Bear

stepbar wrote: »

Well hopefully I have the cop on not to leave my kids unattended. But that seems to have been lost in the argument..... Leave your kids on your own to fend for themselves and I'm afraid you have no sympathy from me. BTW I hope you are not suggesting that Madaline McCann is any more deserving than any other children that go missing every day because it seems that you are.

Yes of course, I only care about her, not the thousands of other kids that go missing, I mean why should I give a crap about them! :rolleyes:

Keano

Kids go missing everyday

Maddie was one of them.

Her parent's have enough dosh to higher the resources to try fnd her.

They wont just give up.

Dudess

stepbar wrote: »

Well hopefully I have the cop on not to leave my kids unattended. But that seems to have been lost in the argument

Of course it hasn't got lost. It's constantly, constantly brought up. And I agree, it was irresponsible of them. But what exactly is the point in dwelling on that now? And also, is that a reason why things should be called to a halt? Her parents left her unattended so they don't deserve the publicity, thus jeopardising the chances of their daughter being found?

BTW I hope you are not suggesting that Madaline McCann is any more deserving than any other children that go missing every day because it seems that you are.

Where on earth did you spot that in Clare's post?

AARRRGH

I can't blame the parents for doing what they're doing. They're not focing the media to run their story.

And you know what? The media only care about stories which sell papers, etc., so the public must be interested in the case...

I still think the parents are well dodgy though.

SprostonGreen

stepbar wrote: »

What next a film? How long will this farce last? For the next 10 years? 20? It's time to call a halt.

I'm a Celebrity and Celebrity Big Brother is being mooted in the McCann.





Probably.

robby^5

Really it's time they moved on, it'd be a healthier approach to come to terms with what is more than likely, Maddie has been dead for the past year and she's not coming back.

In the end, its not the parents or their PR managers fault the campaign is so popular, its missing white woman syndrome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_white_woman) the media has decided to keep this story going by throwing it in our faces to up ratings and sell more papers.

stepbar

robby^5 wrote: »

Really it's time they moved on, it'd be a healthier approach to come to terms with what is more than likely, Maddie has been dead for the past year and she's not coming back.

In the end, its not the parents or their PR managers fault the campaign is so popular, its missing white woman syndrome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_white_woman) the media has decided to keep this story going by throwing it in our faces to up ratings and sell more papers.

More fool to the people who buy the papers with crap and speculation about the disappearence of Maddie. The McCann's haven't exactly forced the media away. Clarence Mitchell.... FFS. Maybe it's time the conducted their business away from the media spotlight. It can be done. And instead of hoarding all those millions to search for 1 kid maybe give some of it away to help search for others. Just a thought.

Dudess

robby^5 wrote: »

Really it's time they moved on, it'd be a healthier approach to come to terms with what is more than likely, Maddie has been dead for the past year and she's not coming back.

More than likely but not definite. How can you actually expect people to move on when their child is missing and they have the resources to look for her/her body/the person who kidnapped her?

In the end, its not the parents or their PR managers fault the campaign is so popular, its missing white woman syndrome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_white_woman) the media has decided to keep this story going by throwing it in our faces to up ratings and sell more papers.

Yes, exactly. If the tabloid media is vulgar about it, that's the tabloid media, not the McCanns. The tabloid media is using the McCanns for increased circulation and advertising revenue. But the McCanns are using the tabloid media to keep up awareness - makes sense.

stepbar wrote: »

The McCann's haven't exactly forced the media away. Clarence Mitchell.... FFS. Maybe it's time the conducted their business away from the media spotlight. It can be done.

No it can't. There needs to be awareness amongst the wider public. The most powerful tool for this is the media. If the McCanns have the wherewithal to access this tool, then why on earth shouldn't they use it? My god, you seem to be forgetting that this is their daughter who's missing. There is stuff she could be going through now (if she's alive) that's so horrific it doesn't bear thinking about for me, a childless woman, so imagine what it's doing to her parents... I think it's phenomenal that people think her parents should tone things down - while their daughter's missing? For fukk's sake...

And instead of hoarding all those millions to search for 1 kid maybe give some of it away to help search for others. Just a thought.

They have been campaigning for change in EU legislation to protect children. And of course they're going to give priority to this "1 kid" when said "kid" is their child. You can't begrudge them that.

stepbar

Dudess wrote: »

No it can't. There needs to be awareness amongst the wider public. The most powerful tool for this is the media. If the McCanns have the wherewithal to access this tool, then why on earth shouldn't they use it? My god, you seem to be forgetting that this is their daughter who's missing. There is stuff she could be going through now (if she's alive) that's so horrific it doesn't bear thinking about for me, a childless woman, so imagine what it's doing to her parents... I think it's phenomenal that people think her parents should tone things down - while their daughter's missing? For fukk's sake...

They have been campaigning for change in EU legislation to protect children. And of course they're going to give priority to this "1 kid" when said "kid" is their child. You can't begrudge them that.

She's not the only daughter or son missing. There are millions of families torn apart because of missing children. Why is the McCann's case any more special? And in light of what happened on the night in question it's even more sickening that a year on we are still hearing about Maddie. The McCann's have zero shame. The best thing the McCann's could do now is commit to helping others find their missing children by donating money for same. They've now got the profile and they could do a little more good with it. By all means keep searching for Maddie and drop the PR / Clarence Mitchell / The Search for Maddie bull****e. Because that's all it is bullsh1te and it doesn't remove the fact that the McCann's were negligant in the first place. Setup a foundation to search for missing kids, whatever. TBH at this stage it's getting like all the Elvis sightings around the world. Every other nutjob will be claiming to have seen Maddie on their street.

Dudess

stepbar wrote: »

She's not the only daughter or son missing. There are millions of families torn apart because of missing children. Why is the McCann's case any more special?

Because unfortunately the McCanns have the money and resources which other parents don't have. What are they supposed to do - not use these facilities to find their missing daughter in case it's seen as distasteful or offensive to other parents whose children are missing? My god, what a joke. It's unfair that other families don't have the same access to what the McCanns have, but unfortunately, that's life, capitalism etc.

And in light of what happened on the night in question it's even more sickening that a year on we are still hearing about Maddie. The McCann's have zero shame.

Meh, if someone didn't do everything in their power to find their missing child, then I'd be wondering about them. Right now they're just doing what anyone else would. I don't see exactly what's shameful about it. Sure it's tacky - that's Sky News and certain vulgar newspapers for you.

The best thing the McCann's could do now is commit to helping others find their missing children by donating money for same.

No, the best thing they can do is not give up on finding their little girl. I wouldn't blame them for one second for concentrating all their time, energy and resources into that. It does not mean they don't care about other missing children, it means they are putting their own child first. They have to, that's a parent's job.

They've now got the profile and they could do a little more good with it. By all means keep searching for Maddie and drop the PR / Clarence Mitchell / The Search for Maddie bull****e. Because that's all it is bullsh1te

How is it bullsh1te? It seems pretty legitimate and real to me. A lot of the publicity is naff as hell, but sometimes the lowest common denominator has to be appealed to.

and it doesn't remove the fact that the McCann's were negligant in the first place.

Oh please, that is no longer relevant. The point is, she's missing - going over and over their mistake is of no use now.

MissHoneyBun

Is it just me or did anyone else find the last guy in the audience who commented seriously...... odd?

Creeped the bejesus outta me.

kowloon

MissHoneyBun wrote: »

Is it just me or did anyone else find the last guy in the audience who commented seriously...... odd?

Creeped the bejesus outta me.

Elaborate please

KnifeWRENCH

I don't blame the McCann's for not giving up the search. They will probably never give up the search, no parent would.
I do, however, find it dispicable that they are benefitting financially from their daughters disappearance, which THEY were hugely responsible for.

Dudess wrote:

Oh please, that is no longer relevant. The point is, she's missing - going over and over their mistake is of no use now.

I still think it's relevant: we mustn't forget that their negligence caused her disappearence.Obviously they were devestated, but they didn't appear remorseful about their actions, nor would they admit that her disappearance was their fault. Rather, they went: "Help us find her! Give us money!"
So while I understand why they feel that they must keep going, that doesn't mean I like constantly seeing them on TV or newspapers.It is a bit sickening the amount of coverage the McCanns are getting, but it doesn't look like they're gonna stop any time soon.

Oilrig

"people still watch Pat Kenny? jaysus..."

+1

850K a year and then a squatter by his own admission?

Despicable IMHO.

Was behind another high profile RTE presenter this evening at a service station when he tore a strip of the poor girl at the till for checking his notes - policy she said - his tirade left me angry for hours.

Is arrogance a pre-requisite in Montrose?

Where have common decency & manners gone?

MissHoneyBun

Ah jeebus.
Ok well it's probably just my suspicious mind in action here buutttttt:

1. He looked very shifty. (not in an "im nervous cos im on TV way")
2. His question struck me as a tad strange: "How do Kate and Gerry feel about lookin bad in the press?" Huh? Wonderful I'm sure....
3.He kept averting his eyes away from the camera, casting them downwards (and if he was shy he wouldnt have volunteered a question in the first place)
4. Dodgy British accent (sorry boardsie brits)(if there are any)
5. Just had a goddamn bad feelin about the guy! -Reminiscent of when Joe O'Reilly was being interviewed :eek:

Guy:Incognito

robby^5 wrote: »

not their PR managers fault the campaign is so popular, .

So why have a PR manager if he's not doing anything?

Oilrig wrote: »

"
Was behind another high profile RTE presenter this evening at a service station when he tore a strip of the poor girl at the till for checking his notes - policy she said - his tirade left me angry for hours.

(assuming it wasnt him) ring Joe Duffy about him.:D

Dudess wrote: »

They have been campaigning for change in EU legislation to protect children. .

Does any of it involve a change in the law to make it illegal to leve kids home alone?

mikemac

stepbar wrote: »

She's not the only daughter or son missing. There are millions of families torn apart because of missing children. Why is the McCann's case any more special? And in light of what happened on the night in question it's even more sickening that a year on we are still hearing about Maddie.

She is white, pretty, photogenic and girl that most European people can relate to.
Oh you bet if her parents were skangers/chavs from some council estate and who went on some lager binge leaving their child in her room without supervision, the media would have crucified them

Double standards without a doubt!

stepbar

Dudess wrote: »

Because unfortunately the McCanns have the money and resources which other parents don't have. What are they supposed to do - not use these facilities to find their missing daughter in case it's seen as distasteful or offensive to other parents whose children are missing? My god, what a joke. It's unfair that other families don't have the same access to what the McCanns have, but unfortunately, that's life, capitalism etc.

They're so many other things they could do. So much good that could do with the resources they have available. Instead they waste money on the likes of Clarence Mitchell etc. Compare the suitation the parents of Amy Fitzpatrick face. Their daughter is missing as well. I haven't heard anything about this case in months but I'm sure there doesn't go an hour when someone is out there trying to find out what happened to her. And they don't have a media circus following the case either.

Dudess wrote: »

Meh, if someone didn't do everything in their power to find their missing child, then I'd be wondering about them. Right now they're just doing what anyone else would. I don't see exactly what's shameful about it. Sure it's tacky - that's Sky News and certain vulgar newspapers for you.

Anybody else wouldn't do it. It's shameful what they are doing considering that they were at fault in the first place. They placed their daugher in this suitation. They did, no one else.

Dudess wrote: »

No, the best thing they can do is not give up on finding their little girl. I wouldn't blame them for one second for concentrating all their time, energy and resources into that. It does not mean they don't care about other missing children, it means they are putting their own child first. They have to, that's a parent's job.

Yep. That's correct but I think I've made my opinions fairly clear on this point.

Dudess wrote: »

How is it bullsh1te? It seems pretty legitimate and real to me. A lot of the publicity is naff as hell, but sometimes the lowest common denominator has to be appealed to.

It's not logical to have a media circus all killing each other to sell papers. I wish some paper would take a stand and say no more. There is something unethical about it.

Dudess wrote: »

Oh please, that is no longer relevant. The point is, she's missing - going over and over their mistake is of no use now.

It's very relivant and it will always be relivant.

Estella

micmclo wrote: »

She is white, pretty, photogenic and girl that most European people can relate to.
Oh you bet if her parents were skangers/chavs from some council estate and who went on some lager binge leaving their child in her room without supervision, the media would have crucified them

Double standards without a doubt!

Very true.

As for Clarence Mitchell, I never rated him as a journalist even with his time at the BBC, am not surprised this is where he ended up.

Dudess

square_igloo wrote: »

I do, however, find it dispicable that they are benefitting financially from their daughters disappearance, which THEY were hugely responsible for.

But she's missing. The fact that they hold some accountability shouldn't make a difference to the scale of the search. It's almost as if some of you are saying it should be a case of: "Mr and Mrs McCann, we're only going to do X when we could do Y because it's YOUR fault she's missing." The only person who matters now is Madeleine.

Obviously they were devestated,but they didn't appear remorseful about their actions

How do you know remorse wasn't contained in that devastation?

nor would they admit that her disappearance was their fault.

They admitted to leaving her alone, what more is there to say? Her disappearance isn't entirely their fault. Sure, they were partly - in a big way - responsible, but they aren't the abductor.

Rather, they went: "Help us find her!

Of course they did! Wouldn't you?

Give us money!"

That I don't like. But if people are willing to donate to this cause, let them.

So while I understand why they feel that they must keep going, that doesn't mean I like constantly seeing them on TV or newspapers.It is a bit sickening the amount of coverage the McCanns are getting, but it doesn't look like they're gonna stop any time soon.

Again, they have access to the media. By god are they gonna use it. Again, wouldn't we all if we could?

micmclo wrote: »

She is white, pretty, photogenic and girl that most European people can relate to.

And a highly valued commodity in the world of child prostitution. Can you imagine the horror that's making her parents feel?

Oh you bet if her parents were skangers/chavs from some council estate and who went on some lager binge leaving their child in her room without supervision, the media would have crucified them

Double standards without a doubt!

Absolutely. The gutter press is disgusting, but the tabloid media is not the McCanns.

stepbar wrote: »

They're so many other things they could do. So much good that could do with the resources they have available.

As I said, they are putting everything they have into the search for their daughter because right now, she is all that matters to them.

Instead they waste money on the likes of Clarence Mitchell etc.

How is it a waste to hire a person who's a professional publicity guru when they want to keep up the awareness? If it wasn't for this relentless campaign, she'd be forgotten about. You might argue there's no way we could forget about her - bingo! That's the publicity campaign doing its job.

Compare the suitation the parents of Amy Fitzpatrick face. Their daughter is missing as well. I haven't heard anything about this case in months but I'm sure there doesn't go an hour when someone is out there trying to find out what happened to her. And they don't have a media circus following the case either.

If they, like the McCanns, had access to one they would grab it by the throat.

Anybody else wouldn't do it.

Are you for real? Of course they would! Your child goes missing, you do everything in your power to find them/create awareness.

It's shameful what they are doing considering that they were at fault in the first place. They placed their daugher in this suitation. They did, no one else.

So then they don't do it because "ah well, it's our fault. We don't really have a right to do whatever we possibly can to find our daughter"? If anything the guilt would give them even more of an incentive. God, if Madeleine was old enough to understand and knew about these conversations that her parents shouldn't be given as much support to find her because it's their fault she's missing...

It's not logical to have a media circus all killing each other to sell papers. I wish some paper would take a stand and say no more. There is something unethical about it.

Fine. If you think the papers should tone it down, fair enough. But it's quite sickening of you to insist the McCanns should call a halt to the search for their daughter.

And an awful lot of the press coverage has been the villification of the McCanns - not just the "Help find Madeleine" stuff.

St Bill

stepbar wrote: »

Compare the suitation the parents of Amy Fitzpatrick face. Their daughter is missing as well.

It's interesting you cite the Amy Fitzpatrick case. You didn't cite the Michael Doyle, Jennifer Anne Bena Princess, Joshua Lee O'Sullivan, John Ogbeide, Joey Ray Diedrich cases.....list goes on and on. I'm assuming you know about the Amy Fitzpatrick case because of the media 'hype' that surrounded it in the beginning. I wonder do the parents of the missing children above complain about Amy Fitzpatrick getting all the 'hype', or are they more concerned about looking for their lost children by using any and every means available to them?

ronbyrne2005

I don't think the parents are profiting from this. I agree though that it's too late now to be still getting this much attention. There are no real leads in the case,no significant evidence and now that it's a year later I think the chances of finding her alive are close to zero. People are saying they would use all their time and resources to find their lost child but Gerry McCann is back working as a surgeon! How could you go back to work and concentrate when your young daughter is still missing (and potentially in hands of paedos) unless deep down you know she ain't coming back? If it was my child I'd be personally searching mainland Europe for her. All this media attention now is doing nothing as you would have to have been living in a cave for past year not to know about the case and the girl. If she is alive im sure the captors have altered her appearance anyway.
I think the McCanns deep down know she ain't coming home but don't want to be seen to have given up in case increased suspicion falls on them.

Dudess

One parent had to go back to work at some stage.

BETTYCO

FYI he is not a surgeon he is a consultant.

stepbar

Dudess wrote: »

Fine. If you think the papers should tone it down, fair enough. But it's quite sickening of you to insist the McCanns should call a halt to the search for their daughter.

And an awful lot of the press coverage has been the villification of the McCanns - not just the "Help find Madeleine" stuff.

I've never said they should stop searching, but I think the media search should stop.