..."It Just Doesn't Work That Way Charlie"...The following is directly transcribed from Charlie Smith's recent interview with BC Liberal Party Leader Gordon Campbell:
C. Smith: CanWest contributed fifty thousand dollars to the BC Liberal Party in 2005...
Off-Camera Media Minder (Female Voice) cuts in: I'm sorry, but I'm going to interrupt for a sec, because I asked you guys to send some topics....
C. Smith: This is about 'small business'...
Media Minder: Now I know.....I know....But you did say that you were going to concentrate on a number of different areas which...
C. Smith (to Minder): I am.....I am going to get to the Cambie Merchants....
Media Minder: I know....but I do feel.....
C. Smith (to Minder): And I'm going to get to...
Media Monitor: Charlie!....I just wanna say that I feel a little sandbagged here because that's not what we came here to talk to you guys about ....The Premier's happy to answer any questions, but.....
(here Mr. Campbell sits, mostly stonefaced, twiddling thumbs,
apparently unready and/or unable to speak for himself until the minder has reigned the interviewer in).
apparently unready and/or unable to speak for himself until the minder has reigned the interviewer in).
C. Smith (to Minder): I'm asking about big business and small business....If he doesn't want to answer it's his prerogative....
Media Monitor: He will answer any question....I'm....I'm talking to you about what WE agreed to...
C. Smith: OK....My question...Is....CanWest contributed $50,000 to the BC Liberal Party in 2005....What would you say to someone who wonders if the government has directed government advertising to CanWest in return for political contributions?
G. Campbell: Charlie, it just doesn't work that way..... I think that the fact of the matter is that we have two major daily newspapers....we have advertising firms that come and lay out programs for the Public Affairs Bureau, and they actually send those ads....place those ads in the paper...So for people to think that I'm actually placing ads in the newspapers (incredulous tone)...I mean, I've got some actually pretty important stuff to do (derisive tone, shakes head, smirks).... I'm not saying that public affairs isn't important, but that's something that's been under Colin Hansen for a number of years...or....the Minister of Finance for a number of years now....uhh...I'm not aware of any change in policy....
Wow.
That sure is some codswallop Mr. Campbell and his media minding minion are flinging.
And three cheers for Charlie Smith of the Georgia Straight for calling them on it.
______
We very much recommend you watch the entire video of the interview....The image at top of post is a still shot from it of Mr. Campbell twiddling his thumbs during the MediaMinder's interruption of Mr. Smith....
.
No comments:
Post a Comment