Media Witch-Hunt

[princerupe74]

i've always cringed at the way certain sections of the media - most noticeably for me The Daily Mail and ITV News - take such obvious pleasure in witch-hunts against public figures, particularly politicians, they deem to be in the wrong. i dont like politicians any more than most, but the way they are hounded and hounded by the media until they resign is for me worse than many of the so-called crimes they're accused of. Nick Clegg is the latest target but, while i have no political leaning, I don't care what he did and didn't know years ago... Yet I find watching the likes of smug Nick Robinson, Tom Bradby and Mark Austin virtually salivating on screen - and the Mail acting like a pack of beagles hovering for a kill - over the latest damning evidence they've unearthed is embarrassing in the extreme. Anyone else agree?

[emmie]

if he has does nothing wrong then there is nothing to worry about. Do you say the same about the expenses scandal, where many politicians were involved, or the bankers who to a man or woman have come in for a kicking, whether guilty of any so called crime or not.

[anotheoldgit]

Would you rather the media not inform us of others misdoings, the politician's expense scandal for instance?

It is called "chasing a scoop", that is what the media does, that is what sells their newspapers or attracts one to watch their news coverage, which not only keeps the public 'in the know', but also provides employment for their employees.

[Gromit]

Obviously the story is good for the Mail so they will persue it doggedly.

The story is very bad for Clegg and shows possibly poor judgement if he did indeed know the sex pest allegations and turned a blind eye.

It probably isn't a resigning matter as he himself didn't do anything. Clegg is electorially dead man walking anyway. It might hasten the LibDems dumping him in the future, but I don't think he will go just yet.

[dollie65]

witch hunts sell newspapers and thats all the media are interested in...they arent bothered wether its the truth or not....

[youngmafbog]

I happen to agree on the 'trial by media' However it is not the reserve of the right wing press, unless the guardian has changed sides

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/feb/24/nick-clegg-admits-rennard-concerns

[LazyGun]

Not a fan of media witchhunts myself, although I can understand the media types salivating over the prospect of a headline-grabbing story.

This issue speaks to a lot of things, but mostly to character and hypocrisy. It would appear on the face of it that senior LibDems were well aware of Rennards behaviour, but were willing to laugh it off, minimise it or straighforwardly ignore it because of their perception that he was a brilliant strategist and political operator.

And then we get the weasel words from Clegg - my office knew about it, but not me. Then that story is changed to my office knew about it, and I knew about some unspecified allegations, but not official complaint and I did not know the specifics until just the other day.

Yeah, rite!

I suppose it is inevitable that all politicians will dissemble and spin stuff, so when they are exposed for what they are, especially over such a fundamental issue - after all, for years the LibDems have been portraying themselves as the equaility and fairness party - then thats a good thing.

I think Clegg has had his day....

[Duncer]

"and the Mail acting like a pack of beagles hovering for a kill - over the latest damning evidence they've unearthed is embarrassing in the extreme."

If, as you say above, the evidence is damning, then hell mend them.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// Obviously the story is good for the Mail so they will pursue it doggedly. ///

Not only the Mail this story is covered in most if not all of the nation's press.

Not forgetting the Labour party, and the Tories are also pursuing it for their own political gains, in light of the forthcoming by-election in Eastleigh.

[Gromit]

AOG

I was not singling out the Mail. Just in this instance it is good for them politically to go after Clegg. If it had been a Conservative who had turn a blind eye to a sex pest, then I have no doubt the Mirror and Guardian would make a great deal out of it.