Should we feel sorry for Brown?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....ef-baby-Jennifer.html

Does one feel sorry for this hypocrite who shed crocodile tears over the death of his baby daughter.

Normally I would say yes for a person in these circumstances, but in his case, not one bit.

This is the man who sends young men & women to their deaths almost on a daily basis, without showing the same emotion.

[smudge]

I also reported it OEV - I thought it was in rather bad taste too!

[rov1200]

Before any politician is interviewed they have the option of not discussing certain subjects. The fact that Brown was content to discuss the subject shows he wants the public to feel his remorse. We all have personal tragedies, some of us would rather they remained in house.

[LoftyLottie]

Smudge, I don't think for one minute he wants to do popularity and would rather not but all he, like all the others, has to go through due process of all and the spin associated with their positions. He does it badly! I personally think if it were up to him he would rather stay behind closed doors and just do his job, but he can't.

Some of them, i.e. Cameron, Blair, to name but a few just thrive on it all.

At least Brown isn't a slimy toad!!

As I said, he can't win.

As for the timing, well we all know that is what the interview was all about and why, but is he any different from any of the others?

[smudge]

No Lottie - that's why I posted over-page:

'BTW - timing - this would apply to any politician, not just Brown....'

I agree with you rov1200...

[anotheoldgit]

/// I personally think if it were up to him he would rather stay behind closed doors and just do his job, but he can't. ///

He did have the choice, not to be the PM, in fact he could have hidden away on the "back benches".

[LoftyLottie]

Brown is only doing what he is advised to do to make himself popular. He probably doesn't want to be popular, but he has to tow the line. I doubt whether he wanted to talk about his little daughter, but would have been advised it was a good ploy. A lot of people will have softened towards him because of that interview, which portrays him as a human being. He probably just loves being a dour Scot and would like to rule from behind the closed doors of No. 10. He seems quite a private man.

Years ago, politicians were up on a pedestal, nowadays they have to be seen to be 'one of us'.

Like I said he can't win.

[Quinlad]

Works both ways.

Some argue that it's a cynical attempt to currry favour.

On the other hand, as this thread shows, it also gives his opponents the chance to indulge in incredibly cheap point-scoring.

[LoftyLottie]

AOG. In the past PM's, as you know, didn't share their personal life with the world. We weren't informed of what was really going on. Probably this applies to some of the PM's you remember and admired. Times have changed - we now expect to know everything about them, including the colour of their underpants! (and whether they go to lap dancing clubs :o) )

[smudge]

'Opponents' Quinlad? - what, when one writes:

'This would apply to any politician, not just Brown'.....

[LoftyLottie]

I have to say again, I don't support Brown or New Labour, but I feel quite sorry for the guy and probably would quite like him in real life.

[smudge]

Yep - as I say, I think most of us feel sorry for him & his wife going through the heartache of losing a baby - but it stops there with me.

Mind you, I do like Sarah & admire them both, for not going in for umpteen photo shoots with their children outside No. 10 - unlike the 'awful' Bliar & his loud mouthed missus!.....

[jno]

Our leaders used to hide their private lives, which is why the public didn't realise that the country was being run by a man with bipolar disorder who'd recently had a stroke (Churchill), or that their king had been murdered (George V). Now, perhaps in response to that sort of thing, they feel justified in wanting to know everything, as if there was no distinction between Brown and Jordan; so a politician is barely allowed a private life (though the press has sensibly refused to publish one significant event in Blair's life). I shouldn't imagine Brown wants to talk about his family at all; but he knows that if he doesn't, Cameron will talk about his, and the public will lap it up.

[LoftyLottie]

Exactly jno!

[smudge]

Well it's a shame Blair & his wife put on such a show whilst in office, because it certainly didn't do them any favours!

I think the majority of people (Labour luvvies or otherwise) were glad to see the back of their constant 'grinning' faces!

[LoftyLottie]

What's a 'Labour Luvvie' Smudge?

[madmaggot]

A person's feelings when they have 'lost' a child are no-one's business except for them and their family. No-one knows how they would react in this situation and it is a personal thing whether they are able to show feelings in public or appear composed in front of others feeling more able to break down in tears when alone.
This whole discussion is wrong and immoral. It's none of your business old git!

[smudge]

There's a few here Lottie:

http://www.theinternetforum.co.uk/node/3673

http://www.independen...r-luvvies-707317.html

;o}

[smudge]

Exactly madmaggot!

[LoftyLottie]

Hmmm I think I'm more of a lefty than a righty but I am definitely not a luvvy!! ;o)

[ludwig]

In answer to the question, yes we should feel sorry for him. He's a human being and one of his children died. He's not personally reponsible for the war or 'sending people to their deaths'.

I think one of his mistakes is to listen to the people around him who want to manipulate his image and make him smilier, softer and more voter friendly, instead of the grumpy nerd he obviously is. He should just be himself and steer clear of these kinds of interviews. He should stop trying to smile just because the focus groups report that he's got a dour image, it results in strange gurning efforts like the famous youtube one - but to say that he's crying crocodile tears over the death of his child for political gain - no, that's just wrong oldgit.