Reading List
In respect of Aaro's column today (which is worth a read, if only because I am sure one of you guys will spot something I have missed), all I can really do is avoid pleonasm by repeating by citation some previous observations of ours from 2005.
Aaro in the mist, by Rioja Kid, on Dave's seeming inability to get into the mind of the Times reader.
For people who don't like Tony Blair, may I suggest Tony Blair?, by me, on the cult of youth and power in Aaro's aesthetic politics.
Peter Wilby's Evening Standard media column, on the frequent lack of success of high profile columnists who move out of their natural environment.
O tempora, O Aaro, have we really not progressed any more than this? Are we still repeating the battles of last year? Apparently the new identity Dave is creating for himself is that he is the voice of the "Progressives" of both right and left, contra the "Forces Of Conservatism" ([c] Tony Blair, 1999), represented by … The Times newspaper. In other words, he has taken over the Simon Jenkins "mindless contrarianism slot" and is determined to fill it. Can a knighthood be far off?
I notice that Aaro's new progressive alliance of right and left does not seem to require a manifesto.
By the way, if you have a ticket for the Real World Launch of the Euston Manifesto (I have a mental picture of Nick, Alan "Not the Minister" Johnson and Norman Geras being catapaulted out of a Decent cave, out into the real world, blinking and gasping and saying "but this place is fucking horrible!"), and you're in a satirical frame of mind, we would just looove to print any scurrilous gossip or alternative views of the event.
Update Thanks and thanks. We now have two AW "roving reporters". Obviously we are still in the market for more. I will even donate a prize of one copy of Paul Berman's "Terror and Liberalism" to the best writeup.
Aaro in the mist, by Rioja Kid, on Dave's seeming inability to get into the mind of the Times reader.
For people who don't like Tony Blair, may I suggest Tony Blair?, by me, on the cult of youth and power in Aaro's aesthetic politics.
Peter Wilby's Evening Standard media column, on the frequent lack of success of high profile columnists who move out of their natural environment.
O tempora, O Aaro, have we really not progressed any more than this? Are we still repeating the battles of last year? Apparently the new identity Dave is creating for himself is that he is the voice of the "Progressives" of both right and left, contra the "Forces Of Conservatism" ([c] Tony Blair, 1999), represented by … The Times newspaper. In other words, he has taken over the Simon Jenkins "mindless contrarianism slot" and is determined to fill it. Can a knighthood be far off?
I notice that Aaro's new progressive alliance of right and left does not seem to require a manifesto.
By the way, if you have a ticket for the Real World Launch of the Euston Manifesto (I have a mental picture of Nick, Alan "Not the Minister" Johnson and Norman Geras being catapaulted out of a Decent cave, out into the real world, blinking and gasping and saying "but this place is fucking horrible!"), and you're in a satirical frame of mind, we would just looove to print any scurrilous gossip or alternative views of the event.
Update Thanks and thanks. We now have two AW "roving reporters". Obviously we are still in the market for more. I will even donate a prize of one copy of Paul Berman's "Terror and Liberalism" to the best writeup.
posted by The Rioja Kid at 5/23/2006 06:21:00 AM
7 Comments:
I notice the Wikipedia entry for the Euston Declaration, which seems to be Official, labels Alan 'Not the Minister' Johnson as Alan 'editor of Democratiya, not the Labour MP and Cabinet member' Johnson.
Do you think in the interests of politeness and fairness we should adopt this longer and more formal version, or stick to what we have?
Perhaps we should start referring to Alan "Yes, I am the Minister" Johnson as Alan "the cabinet minister, not the editor of Democratiya, not founder of the Unite Against Terror petition, not editor of Bloggers 4 Labour, not (as of time of writing) member of the Henry 'Scoop' Jackson Society" Johnson too. Just to keep things clear.
I like that entry, particularly "In the authors' opinion--and fiercely denied by opponents of the document--some significant elements of the left have at times, and even today, supported anti-democratic elements (their commonly cited example being George Galloway, although they say others exist)." Galloway is obvious. I like the doubt that there are others. Though I rather doubt that the condemnation of the left is historical. There is, IMO, something to be said for Margaret Thatcher's position that the ANC was a terrorist organisation. But I'm sure many of the drafters and the serious signees supported the ANC.
I wrote a paragraph of the Euston Manifesto Wikipedia article, which seems to have survived more or less intact: the very final one on the page, just before 'see also'.
Odd choices of Clare Short and Frank Dobson as examples of Labour MPs he 'could not vote for', given that both were basically on board with the New Labour project and only jumped off when it became clear it wasn't meeting even its most modest 'progressive' ambitions.
And he could apparently happily vote for Vincent Cable and David Laws, two Lib Dems who are arguably to the right of Cameron's Conservatives. 'Progressive' is one way of putting it.
Dobbo has got quite left wing since being knifed over the Mayor of London thing; in particular he is a big local campaigner against the transfer of Camden's housing stock to arms-length management organisations.
This post is pure Euston..(he is a signatory)
Well it nearly 200 words..
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