Sunday, July 01, 2007
The Unreal Cherie Blair
On Wednesday, BBC1 is showing an hour long "documentary" on the Real Cherie Blair. I had thought this might be a dispassionate analysis of the former Prime Minister's wife's role over the last ten years, but having read Fiona Bruce's gushing article in the Sunday Times today I don't think I will bother. Or if I do, I will have a sickbag beside me. If you read the article it's quite clear that Fiona Bruce wants to be Cherie's best friend and has contracted Stockholm syndrome. That is not the role of a documentary maker. Maybe I shouldn;t rush to judgement without having seen the film, but I really do question whether this is what I want my license fee payer's money to be spent on.
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70 comments:
No doubt all part of the resignation deal.
She's a newsworthy figure so I don't see why she doesn't merit a programme.
I wouldn't worry about it though. It is hardly likely to do her many favours.
Iain
I gave up paying a TV license 2 years ago - and did away with the TV I might add
I sggest you do the same.
Are you having a mid-life crisis old chap? 45 this month, Home and Foreign Secretaries both younger than you, no sign of a winnable seat for 2009 and you'll be over 50 by the election after that. Is that why you're becoming so embittered?
I'm sure there will be equally obsequious documentaries in future about David Cameron's very charming lady wife.
Have to agree with Iain on this one.
Hughes Views - The mid-life crisis along with mid-life starts at 57.
Cherie Blair / Booth has for the past ten years provisded us with an unbeatable argument against having a 'first lady / spouse' -type figure. She has been a complete monster - ungracious,grasping, greedy, celebrity-struck, shallow,feeding frantically off her position as Tony's wife. AShe has single-handedly done more damage to the office of PM - other than any of the incumbents - than anyone else.
So why this harridan merits a 'gushing' documentary on television is totally beyond me. Only because I suppose she is now totally unable to earn a crust as a lawyer - who on earth would be her client now?
the only thing she ever did right was to finger Gordon with her candid 'that's a lie' comment about 'Gordon' at the 2006 conference - then promptly spolit the effect by denying it (except it was on film, love, so you're bang to rights!)
She is destroyed: she is the product of her own actions - and yet she will probably end up richer than most of us. Now that's new labour justice for you!
Colin, if Cherie Blair is a 'complete monster' in your vocabulary, what terms do you have left to describe, say, Saddam Hussein or Ian Huntley?
Do try to keep a sense of proportion - after all, it's only a TV programme.
Who's Cherie Blair ,didn't we once have a PM who's surname was Blair.
She's from Liverpool - what do you expect?
And as further evidence - as if it is needed - of the delusional Ms Booth's state of mind take a look at this: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article2007573.ece. Published in The Times on Saturday. Is this part of a 'charm offensive'? I certainly find her extremely offensive.
In fact I simply can not find the words to express my views of how appallingly awful this woman is.
There I was trying to forget completely about the Blairs and now you've gone and reminded me.
Incidentally did you see that Blair's grand Middle East peacemaking initiative is actually nothing of the kind - the US State Department has made it clear he won't be doing any negotiating, which will remain strictly Condo's remit. Typical of the Bliars - vastly inflated ideas of their own importance.
Yes and for further confirmation of the seriously delusional state of Ms Booth's 'mind' take a look at Saturday's Times article where she talks to Frances Gibb, the legal editor about her husband's new role.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news
/politics/article2007573.ece
This woman by her very existence induces visceral rage. She is utterly self-centred - and thick with it. How Blair managed to put up with her all these years is beyond comprehension.
Mind you, how we managed to put up with Blair all these years is equally beyond comprehension.
Yes and she was reviewing the Papers this morning. She is nice to look at and thats all.
Dull and pintless and it was obvious that this hagiography was going to be a fawning waste of time .
Oh well at least we had Andrew Marr the Scots Socialist and BBC mouth piece to give Brown a free ride AGAIN this AM
Fiona Bruce is such a throw-up number.
Typical BBC: Oxford, hundred grand wardrobe and bland, bland, bland.
Bring back the News Bunny, all is forgiven.
Ah, it's always good to check out this blog now and again to remind myself how hate-filled and odious Tories can be. Glad to see your party coping so well with the Gordo! Good luck with replacing Cameron ASAP
July 01, 2007 12:44 PM
If you check Wiki Cherie Blair was born in Bury ,not Liverpool.
Colin said...So why this harridan merits a 'gushing' documentary on television is totally beyond me.
Seen it then have you ?
Anonymous said...
Who's Cherie Blair ,didn't we once have a PM who's surname was Blair.
I laughed so,you are such a funny poster,oh my sides are aching still.
Chuck Unsworth said
Mind you, how we managed to put up with Blair all these years is equally beyond comprehension.
That would be down to the British Electorate I fancy and not you !
Anonymous said...
Ah, it's always good to check out this blog now and again to remind myself how hate-filled and odious Tories can be. Glad to see your party coping so well with the Gordo! Good luck with replacing Cameron ASAP
It's always a laugh,I understand Boris is being tipped as the next leader of the Tory party.I think he will do well for them.
I wouldn't worry. I've never come across anyone who can stand her and I doubt if things will change now.
The assembled press and media pack missed an absolute golden tv moment that would have been replayed over and over again - when the "wicked witch" gracelessly said "I don't think we'll miss you !" In unison they should all of bellowed back at full volume -
" And we sure as hell won't miss YOU either !"
Jeremy Jacobs: in the UK male life expectancy is 76, adulthood begins at 18. 76-18=58, 58/2=29, 18+29=47. Therefore mid mid life is at 47 and old age must start at 61½ ; QED! 45 is an excellent age at which to be in the midst of a mid life crisis; we can't fault Iain on that ground.
I know that we post-war baby boomers hate to admit it, but we're growing old if not always up. Time marches on...
Iain, have you seen this in today's Telegraph?
Same old Brown, same old spin.
".....Mr Brown has instructed his MPs to tell voters how "inspiring" and "exciting" they find him and what a "pleasure" it is to work with him.
A slick campaign pack sent out last week instructs Labour MPs and candidates to mail thousands of voters to boast how happy they are with the change of prime minister.
Entitled "Introducing Gordon Brown as Prime Minister to your constituents", the book contains 25 pages of instructions on how MPs are to talk about Mr Brown. It says that a general election strategy called "Keep it Labour" is already in full swing and, in a call to arms, states: "The next general election starts NOW."
...The plan reveals Labour anxiety that, in its "battleground seats" in the South-East, David Cameron is a real threat. It includes instructions on how to carry out a recruitment drive and direct-mail campaign to reach disaffected voters and prevent them from switching to the Tories.
....Just to make sure everyone is completely on-message, the pack includes a template letter for MPs to tell voters: "I wanted to get in touch with you to tell you a little more about Gordon Brown, our new Prime Minister, and what this change of leadership will mean for our community here in (insert constituency)."
Although it is unlikely that all Labour MPs are on friendly terms with Mr Brown, the letter goes on: "I've known Gordon well for many years and it has been a pleasure working with him down at Westminster.
"He asked me to get in touch with you to see what you think needs to be done. I hope you will take a few minutes to get in touch so that I can tell our Prime Minister what your priorities are for (insert area)."
While Mr Brown has made much of a claimed move away from spin and control, MPs are nevertheless instructed to say: "Last weekend I watched Gordon Brown become the new Labour leader and on Wednesday I watched him enter Downing Street.
"It has been a really exciting and inspiring week. There is no doubt that Gordon has been a brilliant Chancellor, delivering economic stability, more jobs, a fairer deal for pensioners plus extra money for our local schools and hospitals.......cont"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=K3ZDZJQEQMW1RQFIQMFCFF4AVCBQYIV0?xml=/news/2007/07/01/nelec201.xml
Meanwhile Brownite trolls plague Tory blogs like this one and Guido's while over in Government Brown is already out of his depth and struggling. Ah well.
I assume the documentary is in widescreen so that they can fit her mouth on.
Knock knock
whos there?
cherie!
cherie who?
shit that didnt last long!
Reading this two adages spring to mind.
1. The unacceptable face of............
2. Tis better to keep your mouth shut and have people think your an idiot, rather than open it and remove any doubt. Lots to be said fo r this sentiment in her position I would say. But she never has!!!
The lady in question was looking at more property last week , to the tune of £5 million , they must have won the lottery.
Fiona Bruce is a NEWS READER not a journalist or a documentary maker.
And Cherie would never agree to a proper documentary.
There are three things to bear in mind when discussing Cherie Blair - they're too often forgotten so here they are again:
1) She was caught without a ticket on a train to Luton and fined £10. No big deal but not conduct becoming someone who wants to be a judge
2) She sympathised with Palestinian homicide bombers. Downing St had to apologise
3) She charged an Australian children's cancer charity about £100,000 for a speaking tour - which involved her reading from her boring book about Number 10. Would you do the same?
she is undoubtedly a rather disagreeable person, and I would rather share an eternity with a flatulent Ian Paisley than a minute in an elevator with her, but she is an interesting person and fills an intrestering role.
But the subject deserves proper rigerous dissection!
Micheal Crick should have done the programme!
sorry - should have read 'was' and interesting person and 'FILLED' and interesting role.
I would like to see a warts and all docu that shows the following:
1. what political influence she had
2. how much she costed us
3. how often she used her name to get things for free (or if it was ust rumour)
4. how she made lots of money by working for litigants against her own husband's government
5. How much she will now make
6. what really happened with the flats in Bristol
7. who does her teeth?
Angry for Some Time Yet - I stand second to no one in my loathing for Cherie Blair and everything she stands for, but she wasn't "caught" travelling without a ticket.
She hadn't had time to buy a ticket before the train departed, but when she arrived at her destination - where she could have simply exited the station along with everyone else, she went to the ticket window and asked to pay for her ticket.
It was some little jobsworth who made a big national deal out of it. It doesn't lessen my loathing for her, but this charge is unjust.
GET REAL.
Cherie Blair will not co-operate with anyone who wants editorial independence.
All the warts are out there, it's just a matter of collecting them together :-)
One thing in her favour, she hates Brown even more than we do!
Radio 5 summed this up this morning;
Top article about the Glasgow Airport incident.
Followed by; "Cherie Blair has revealed that Tony proposed to her when she was cleaning the toilet" ..
As if this was ;
a) anything newsworthy (whatever happened to family privacy anyway photos of Leo with Uncle Bill in all the papers but you still can't know if he had MMR jab)
b) something to be proud of
I admire her. She was raised in humble circumstances and because of her high intelligence has carved a successful career at the Bar. Those who know her say she is a warm and kind person. The issue raised is whether the BBC should make the programme and much of the comment on this thread has failed to address this issue and has been extremely personal. I treat with contempt all the derogatory remarks about her appearance and features - it is like reading the Mail who have had a concerted campaign over many years to diminish this woman. She must be an awful threat to those of you who resort to personal attacks.
It is time that we looked at what we expect from PM's partners. They are expected to travel, host events, lead charities, deal with huge mailbags, be wonderful mothers, supportive partners, fit in a career or put it on hold and put up with rotten comments about dress, weight, features etc from the gentlemen of the press and rude bloggers. Interesting - we do not provide dress allowances, office support etc etc for the partner of the PM. We do for other dignitaries. I know that I would accept lecture fees to cover the high expenses associated with the role. Why not - most other professionals charge a fee?
Fiona Bruce is OK. Again she is an able woman - look at her background. Have some of you got a thing about able women?
Bet you watch it.
Jane - She wasn't "raised in humble circumstances" and I wonder just how this idea got currency. Her father was a famous TV sit-com star.
You write: "She must be an awful threat to those of you who resort to personal attacks."
I'm fascinated by what kind of "awful threat" she poses to me, given that I am too far away for her to sit on. Please let us know what kind of "threat" this individual poses to the mental wellbeing of people who have rightly developed a strong distaste for her.
Please enumerate these "threats" you refer to. We will be very interested to read them.
Or was it just a lazy shot in the dark, hoping it sounded profound and knowing?
What a silly post.
Jane - She wasn't "raised in humble circumstances" and I wonder just how this idea got currency. Her father was a famous TV sit-com star.
Verity you are wrong. Her father was a womaniser and just as Alf Garnett always said you randy Scouse git he abandoned his women and children sequentially...so CHerie Booth did grow up in straitened circumstances with a single parent at her grandparents home in Liverpool
Fiona Bruce and Natasha Kaplinsky are responsible for this ridiculous news reader obsession with sexing-up the details [manhunt instead of search] and breathless enthusiasm and grins instead of a more formal and slightly independent, dispassionate approach.
Some of the guys, like George Alagiah are guilty to some extent, but these two are horrendous with their cheesy Cheshire cat grins and fake sincerity when switching to a story about the latest deaths in Iraq. Just sickeningly awful - as for getting pally with Cherie - well, 'birds of a feather'...
Mr Douche Bag - never mind the News Bunny, I'd settle for Angela Rippon or Anna Ford - at least they had a sense of decorum about reading the news.
Her father left the family home when she was two and she was brought up in a very poor area by her mother. This is well documented.
The "threat" is that one cannot compete by offering a reasoned and different view and results in personal attack.
I will not be watching the programme although I have no problem with the BBC producing it. The only channel I watch relating to any "politics" is the Parliament Channel.
Apologies if this appears twice There appears to be a glitch in posting.
Jane - Then why was her mother so gormless she didn't sue for child support?
The "threat" is that one cannot compete by offering a reasoned and different view and results in personal attack.
I am not trying to compete with Cherie Blair. I am not in her line of work. The revolting facts about her have been so well-rehearsed that I am surprised you would want to see them all restated.
But, OK, just a couple of reminders: On return from NY, she walked through the Green Channel carrying $15,000 of free gifts in jewellery and clothes from DKNY. She also stated that she had nothing to declare. She did this on one subsequent occasion as well.
She charged a children's leukemia charity in Oz $100,000 of their takings for her appearance, as her fee. She wasn't doing it for charity or children; she was doing it for Cherie.
On the same trip to Oz, a department store which invited her to choose herself a gift as a reward for patronising their establishment and causing publicityi for them, ran around the store like a contestant of Supermarket Sweep and grabbed clothes in many different sizes - so not even just for herself, but friends and family, as well as other items. Much to the store's astonishment. This was such a scandal in Britain and Australia that Blair finally sent the store a check for what she owed.
I'm not going to grind on because everyone knows all these and many more outrageous episodes. Loathing for Cherie Blair does not indicate some character defect in the loather.
Maybe the BBC should have asked Kitty Kelly to make the programme.
Still, as we correspond there will be several biographers out there working on the real story. Oh please let it be so. I can't stand any more of this crap from Ms Booth (or Mrs Blair, whichever she's choosing to be these days).
The fact that she has dragged herself up by tooth and claw from 'humble origins' doesn't mean that she's a decent human being - probably quite the reverse. No one has ever got to the top of anything by being honourable.
Jane - Then why was her mother so gormless she didn't sue for child support?
Verity why don't you drop this canard ?
a) he was a jobbing actor with uncertain earnings probably filling out a UB40 for much of the year
b) he had several pregnant ex-wives - ask Lauren Booth about her mother
c) he was an alcoholic
d) how would a poor woman in Liverpool pay a solicitor's fees and enforce any court order ?
e) he has been married 4 times and has 8 daughters
The Hitch said...
The lady in question was looking at more property last week , to the tune of £5 million , they must have won the lottery.
Get back to Guidos' where you belong.Not many of you there I noticed today.You however managed three very unpleasant posts.You are a really nasty piece of work,yuk.
It's not a canard. Cherie Blair, a QC, broke the law by twice walking through the Green Channel at Heathrow and stating she had nothing to declare.
You write: "d) how would a poor woman in Liverpool pay a solicitor's fees and enforce any court order ?"
Why does the fact that she was in Liverpool imply that she was less able?
How would she have paid solicitors' fees? The same way Tony Blair made his entire living until he got onto another branch of the taxpayer teat, government. Legal aid.
verity said...
Apologies if this appears twice There appears to be a glitch in posting.
Yes I noticed that,it's called Verity.
Jane said...
I admire her.
Jane this is a Tory blog,they don't like anything Labour.Labour is in power and they thankfully are not.I would suggest you ignore Verity, most folk do.
Iain:
I so wish that someone in NuLab could put together a half-decent blog that all these trolls could hang around.
It would probably be (secretly) funded by the taxpayer, as most Labour propaganda is, but it would be a small price to pay if it meant we wouldn't have these cretins sharing their opinions with us here.
If they promised to take Chris Paul with them, I'd even send a donation via Paypal!
If they don't like what Verity and The Hitch have to say, they can always go elsewhere. I don't always agree with everything these two bloggers say, but appreciate their views all the same.
Fiona "Chameleon" Bruce will change her colors to suit her own purposes. You would have thought Cherie would be wise to self serving pretties by now.
verity, do you have a blog?
Greg - No. You're not the first to ask. But no.
HughesViews:
"old age must start at 61½ .... we're growing old if not always up."
I appear to be growing old and out and about to be old age by your definition.
Oh dear said Pooh.
Anonymous said...
Iain:
I so wish that someone in NuLab could put together a half-decent blog that all these trolls could hang around.
We used to hang out at Guidos' but he has stopped us posting.Don't know why we were the best bit of his blog.
So Cherie Booth was brought up by a single parent in poverty was she?
Big deal, so was I. I bet I could easily compete with her for the bleeding heart vote!
But, despite my upbringing, unlike Ms. Booth/Bliar, I didn't turn into a greedy, money grabbing, celebrity obsessed malcontent, racing around a supermarket hoovering up freebies like a dyson, or milk charities for thousands in 'appreence fees'. She is someone who, despite her obvious intelect has never usefully done anything of merit that I can identify. She is milking her name for all it is worth, and I can only express amazmenet that people would bother to pay good money to dear her dreary voice banging on!
I can only wish that this programme had been done in a way which exposes her for all she is. overpaid, overrated and somewhat up her own bottom!
Adrian Yalland said...
So Cherie Booth was brought up by a single parent in poverty was she?
Big deal, so was I. I bet I could easily compete with her for the bleeding heart vote!
You really have become a bit of bore.Keep your comments brief, and in your case perhaps not quite so many of them.I personally give not a fig about your upbringing.I have also noticed your postings have become vindictive of late,not called for.
I won't miss you Iain!
Mike - really? Am I bovvered what you think? Er...no!
You think my comments have become 'vindictive of late' - well, I didn't know I was so avidly read!
If you don't like my postings, don't read them quite so avidly. Freedom of speech and all that!
And vindictive. No, just telling it like it is! I leave vindictive for the left!
I think Tony must have got a pager message out 'get on Dale's site and say something nice about Cherie'.
Sadly, all they can do is sling mud at those who make perfectly valid criticisms of Mrs. Blairs rather unpleasent past actions, rather than point to anything good she has dne over the past decade.
Perfectly valid criticism in my eyes. she is a feathernester of the worst kind.
What exactly has Mrs. Blair done - except feather her own nest by using her non-position to netweork herself and her family?
Adrian Yalland said...
Mike - really? Am I bovvered what you think? Er...no!
Your still a bore,think far too much of yourself.Are you "bovvered" what I think,yes that is why you responded.
No.10: Mike's pager is working overtime!
Mike, sorry to dissapoint, but I genuinely don't care what you think - I responded because I felt sorry for you. No-one else is talking to you, so as an act of charity......
Quick - is that your pager again?
Verity you are off the wall....It's not a canard. Cherie Blair, a QC, broke the law by twice walking through the Green Channel at Heathrow and stating she had nothing to declare.
That is wrong in law and morality - but you distorted facts.
Facts are that she grew up with an abandoned parent in Liverpool and succeeded through Grammar School and free university tuition at the LSE.....an educational route now blocked by all major political parties......
You don't like her; I don't like her; but you distort facts.
How would she have paid solicitors' fees? The same way Tony Blair made his entire living until he got onto another branch of the taxpayer teat, government. Legal aid.
If you knew anything at all you would know
a) that Court Orders need to be enforced by the plaintiff
b) Enforcement against a defendant with no funds is pointless
c) a man with with four marriages and eight daughters is beyond even the CSA - it is impossible to punish anyone but the middle class for child support
You lack real world experience Verity - have you ever lived outside the hospital ?
Mindless sexist bigot said...
"Fiona Bruce is a NEWS READER not a journalist or a documentary maker."
no no no. She's a presenter, so obviously a deeply serious person.
ho ho ho
she went to a GRAMMAR School!!!!!
Ha ha!
Lucky Cherie. Wish I had gone to a Grammar (wish I had got a free university education too). But her husband's mentor Shirley, decided to close as many of them as she could in a fit of pique and class hatred!
verity, then hurry up and start one. I like reading your rants. ;oD
Observer - My God the British are vindictive and petty. I did not "distort facts". I had read somewhere that Cherie's (trailer trash name, by the way) father was a regular in a TV sitcom. That is all - the sum total - 100% - that I had ever read about this woman's background. I don't know where she went to university; I don't know whether she was smart or stupid at uni. I am not interested in her.
I did NOT DISTORT FACTS BECAUSE I KNOW NO FACTS - other than that one little factoid, which is apparently inaccurate - ABOUT THIS CREATURE'S CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH. Geddit? I know of no facts to distort. And I am not going to learn any now.
One fact about her performance as an adult that I do know is this:
Verity you are off the wall....It's not a canard. Cherie Blair, a QC, broke the law by twice walking through the Green Channel at Heathrow and stating she had nothing to declare.
That is wrong in law and morality Thanks, but I already knew that. See, that's why I mentioned it. Because it is outrageous and a measure of this slapper's character.
Guido's Doppelganger: If you knew anything at all you would know ... I know many things. However, how to pursue someone for child support is something that has never touched my life nor the lives of anyone I know.
May I just note that posing at Guido's Doppelganger demonstrates a paucity of ambition?
Greg - If I wanted a blog, I'd have one. Thanks anyway.
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