Posted on 08/19/2004 7:21:31 PM PDT by Pikamax
'When ya gettin' rid of him?' Tony Blair has become an embarrassment to Labour's natural allies across the Atlantic - the Democrats
Mark Seddon Friday August 20, 2004
The Guardian
Out on the stump in Brooklyn with Democrat Congressional hopeful Frank Barbero came a chance to talk to the footsoldiers in an election that all agree is the most important in decades. America is polarised between red and blue - or, as some Democrats whisper, between progressive America and a revived Confederacy. With George, the Vietnam vet turned transit worker, and Jeff Gold, the eternally optimistic full-time organiser, we leafleted passersby outside Tiffany's Diner, a hangout for hangover recoverers on any Sunday lunchtime. "The response is good this time," said Jeff. "It's close, it's important and everyone knows it. It's also beginning to turn dirty." But Barbero, who helped drive the Mob out of the docks as a union man, had one question for me: "Tony Blair! When ya gettin' rid of him?"
If it is holiday time for Blair, it must be Silvio Berlusconi's brash Sardinian villa, or an occasion for Downing Street staffers to mull over the fun idea of inviting the Iraqi placeman and former Ba'athist Ayad Allawi to visit Labour's conference - and then mercifully thinking better of it.
But, sadly, there appears to be little such enthusiasm or public support for the Democrat hopeful, John Kerry. Sophisticated commentators and campaigners are aware of the distinction between government and party. They understand that, as prime minister, Blair cannot weigh in personally behind Kerry. But many of those I spoke to in New York last week wondered about Blair's choice of friends and how he became trapped into supporting Bush and the neocons on Iraq.
Last week, the former Sunday Times editor, Sir Harold Evans, and his wife, Tina Brown, threw a party for the leader of the House, Peter Hain, and Democrat supporters in their Manhattan penthouse. Once upon a time, Blair courted Bill Clinton and his New Democrats, declaring: "Britain needs a Bill Clinton!" Now, in this crucial US election year, the once heavy flow of transatlantic traffic has dribbled into a handful of "private visits".
Hain bravely - if privately - carried the flag, though diplomatic niceties ensured that his observations on the Kerry campaign were suitably bland. His reference to "the historical relationship between the Labour party and the Democrats" and the party's "energetic campaign", couldn't even have offended Donald Rumsfeld.
But Evans's choice of guests certainly would have. Sixties folk singer Judy Collins held court and was feted for her anti-Vietnam war songs. Her friends recalled how the Clintons had named their daughter after her version of "Chelsea Morning". Britain's ambassador to the UN, Emyr Parry Jones, bantered with New York Labour party stalwart Ian Williams.
Williams had come brandishing his new tome, Deserter, a book that claims Dubya went Awol and avoided military service in Vietnam. Peggy Kerry stood in for Brother John. Joe Trippi, Howard Dean's former strategist was on hand. As was the wunderkind from MoveOn.org, the anti-Bush web campaign that has signed up 2.6 million members.
Downing Street is desperate not to offend the Bush administration, to tiptoe down the middle hoping no one will notice. At the party there was no mention of Iraq, no mention of Blair and Bush - nothing to disturb the happy conviviality. No one could publicly speak of the anguish of another, older, special relationship gone sour.
Buttonholing Peggy Kerry, I explained that while Hain had to be diplomatic, she should know that last month, Labour's national executive committee had made it clear that it wanted a Kerry win in November - and had asked John Prescott to take that message to Blair. Privately, it was very different. There was anger at Blair's missed opportunity to influence rather than to follow. "You want to know if anyone talks about Britain in the administration now?" a Democrat academic said. "Of course not. You are taken for granted. But I can tell you they do talk about France and Germany one hell of a lot."
At Harry and Tina's Manhattan thrash, Hain didn't embarrass Blair. But Blair has embarrassed his natural allies across the Atlantic. Some far outside the Democratic party fold aren't waiting for Blair or anyone else for that matter - take Nancy Reagan, for instance. As Harry and Tina's party was getting into the swing, elsewhere the former first lady let it be known that she would not be campaigning for the re-election of George Bush - nor would she be attending the Republican national convention in New York in a week or so. For good measure, Nancy won't allow the use of any of her late husband's words or images in election campaigning. Daughter Patty and son Ron, who recently spoke at the Democratic convention in Boston, share Nancy's fulsome stand. Ron says that Bush has destroyed the Republican party. "My father's Republican party seems a far cry from the current model, with its cringing obeisance to the religious right," he writes in Esquire magazine.
Maybe Harry Evans and Tina Brown could think of having the Reagans round for cocktails next time?
· Mark Seddon was recently re-elected to Labour's national executive committee
ping!
This entire piece makes me want to vomit. Lots of hate in there as well as a few outright lies. (Nancy Reagan may not be CAMPAIGNING for President Bush, but she is supporting him.) Manhattan elite cocktail parties: blech, blech and more blech!
2nd article today about democrats wanting Tony out.
CLINTON IN FURY OVER BLAIR IRAQ 'BETRAYAL'
Blair might want to take Clinton for a walk and chat a bit.
I know Tony Blair and let me tell you one thing Mr. Clinton, you Sir, are no Tony Blair!
Yep. I like your tag It really is a grown up thing. Clinton couldn't even begin to dream of the possibilities he had as POTUS.
Apparently his biggest dream was free sex. LOL
... But many of those I spoke to in New York last week wondered about Blair's choice of friends and how he became trapped into supporting Bush and the neocons on Iraq.Last week, the former Sunday Times editor, Sir Harold Evans, and his wife, Tina Brown, threw a party for the leader of the House, Peter Hain, and Democrat supporters in their Manhattan penthouse. Once upon a time, Blair courted Bill Clinton and his New Democrats, declaring: "Britain needs a Bill Clinton!" Now, in this crucial US election year, the once heavy flow of transatlantic traffic has dribbled into a handful of "private visits".
Hain bravely - if privately - carried the flag, though diplomatic niceties ensured that his observations on the Kerry campaign were suitably bland. His reference to "the historical relationship between the Labour party and the Democrats" and the party's "energetic campaign", couldn't even have offended Donald Rumsfeld.
But Evans's choice of guests certainly would have. Sixties folk singer Judy Collins held court and was feted for her anti-Vietnam war songs. Her friends recalled how the Clintons had named their daughter after her version of "Chelsea Morning". Britain's ambassador to the UN, Emyr Parry Jones, bantered with New York Labour party stalwart Ian Williams.
Williams had come brandishing his new tome, Deserter, a book that claims Dubya went Awol and avoided military service in Vietnam. Peggy Kerry stood in for Brother John. Joe Trippi, Howard Dean's former strategist was on hand. As was the wunderkind from MoveOn.org, the anti-Bush web campaign that has signed up 2.6 million members.
Book deal alert...
I think this is a fantasy piece. See the term "natural allies"? garbage.
Tina Brown, there's a piece of work. Peter Hain reached his level of incompetence demonstrating against apartheid and spoiling cricket matches in the 60s. The only problem is there's not really a viable alternative to Labour any more.
"But Barbero, who helped drive the Mob out of the docks as a union man"
What, did he help the Genoveses drive out the Gambinos or something? :) Democrat union guy who's anti-mob--riiight. . .
It had been anti-Republican for a long time (at least since the Nixon years) but that used to show up just in "The Talk of the Town"...but during the Clinton era they had Sidney Blumenthal and Jane Mayer (hit piece on Linda Tripp using leaked information about her not reporting the time she was arrested because of someone's prank)...also the 1999 article with GWB's college transcripts (how did they get hold of those?). I'm not sure all of that was during the Tina Brown years but it may have been. Of course they are just as bad now.
This reminds me of Kerry's boasting about "foreign leaders" supporting him against Bush.
Meanwhile this SOB is running interference as a PAID analyst for MSNBC, scribbling tripe about Penna being solid Kerry.
The sooner NBC and MS write off MSNBC, the better.
Thanks for the ping!
That's some body language.
I think he meant the UN security Council or at least certain members of it, though, if his later comments have any truth to them. Or maybe he does think Adams is a world leader. Who knows...
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