Bigotgate!
**FULL VERSION**Gordon Brown Caught Calling Grandmother ‘Bigoted’ 28/04/2010
I’ve seen somebody say that this (that is, the bit after the Prime Minister got in the car and left his mic on, proceeding to insult a sweet little old grandmother and Labour voter) was “leaked” by a journalist for Sky, insinuating he’s just a toll for News Corp and its sinister boss, Rupert “Bladdy” Murdoch. Which is just so stupid.
April 28th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
Putting aside policy differences, I thought he was doing quite well with her. Interesting to me that he didn’t think so –which is what incensed him.
April 28th, 2010 at 9:22 pm
I know! I was watching and thought, “Oh he’s quite sweet with her!” And I’m so unused to seeing him on the campaign trail (COUGH), shaking hands and schmoozing, I was quite pleased at how natural he looks and sounds, asking after her grandchildren and actually listening to her answers (rather than the usual glazed-over “Oh how lovely for them” answer to everything because they didn’t hear and don’t care). And yet, as you say, he thought it was a total disaster.
April 29th, 2010 at 12:15 am
He was doing well. To confirm, watch the reaction of grandma when the reporter plays back Brown’s comments: First, keen interest to hear what transpired, then Total Shock at being called the B-word, then she sort of collapses in on herself and turns away as the tears start coming. Poor thing!
April 29th, 2010 at 12:24 am
This only confirms the stories about Brown’s behaviour. On a scale of 1 to 10 it rates as about a 3 – he didn’t swear and he only punched the back of the seat in front of him a couple of times (you can hear it on the recording). Blaming staff is of course his standard procedure.
I felt really sorry for Mrs Duffy, she’s from the Labour Party that no longer exists. That moment when her jaw drops when she hears what he said is in miniature how the old Labour Party feels about New Labour.
Was at a hustings last night. My patch has a lot of retired university lecturers who loathe America with a passion. Die, Boomers, die!
April 29th, 2010 at 12:25 am
Apart from all that. Bigotgate!
You know of course that the other two – Cameron and whats-his-face – are out buying lottery tickets right this very minute.
Perhaps they’ll follow the Rahm Emanuel Protocol for Off-the-Record Meetings, in future.
April 29th, 2010 at 12:33 am
You’ve got the absolute hold-outs, Red. Bastion of free inquiry, my arse. I hope you don’t mutter the B-word as you turn away from the door?
April 29th, 2010 at 1:19 am
I’ve just had a look at Brown’s reaction. I think we have a new winner for the Facepalm poster!
April 29th, 2010 at 2:32 am
Somebody’s observed that the encounter with Mrs Duffy was probably the first time Brown had met an ordinary member of the public in nearly 20 years. Seems difficult to believe, but these guys really do live in the bubble.
Everyone except the Tory last night wanted to scrap Trident and conduct an anti-American foreign policy. I wonder how many of them can spell “Ahmedinejad”. They all said that the weapons could never be used, ignoring the fact that we used nuclear weapons as a much cheaper deterrent than conventional forces could ever have been. We spent the saving on the health service.
European countries didn’t even bother funding nuclear weapons – the contracted out their defence to the USA. Not that they feel grateful.
April 29th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
Oh man, her reaction is just (to be cynical for a moment) PERFECT. All across the WORLD people saw that face and instantly thought “OH NO, I’ve DISAPPOINTED Gran!” And then had to fight an impulse to enroll in law school or be thinner and better at golf.
And to Red’s point, it is amazing how it absolutely validates EVERY little rumor/theory/whatever about his character. He doesn’t swear, he’s angry enough to hit the back of the seat, and he blames staff. But again, as RC2 says, he was doing so well! If he’d kept his mouth shut or, better, said something sweet about her in the car (I don’t allow for the possibility of remembering to turn off his mic cuz that’s no fun), then someone would have figured out that this is the first time he’s met a member of the public in 20 years and aww, what a nice young man he is.
I haven’t seen Brown’s reaction yet.