You began it, by describing Gilligan as an "Embittered caught-out hack".
IMO he is, you don't have to like it. Your response, again, IMO, sounds rather like 'I was only getting my own back'
I haven't met you, but even being as generous as possible, on the basis of what you've posted, Gilligan (who I have met) is worth at least ten of you. He's probably worth ten of me, too, come to that!
That's your opinion, didn’t his own boss at Today have severe doubts about his methodology, style and sources? And have you read the transcript of his notes of the key interview? Would YOU use notes like that? What was the stuff about the date stamp on his PDA?
I don't feel the need to justify my characterisation of Tony and his gang. That opinion seems to be shared by the bulk of the population, though you clearly know better (who's arrogant again?).
The journos last time I looked
I'm desperately impressed that you 'inhabit the Int community' (can I hold your gun sometime?)
And your sarcasm adds to the debate how?
You might like to consider that YOU mentioned how the Int world in the first place, I suppose that was designed to add legitimacy to your argument, claiming it followed your views, I suggest on the whole it dosn't, but I’m just a low level guy.
You are an unaccountable journo - perhaps you have the bigger weapon?
I haven't seen any intelligent, open minded people (from left or right, political, media or Forces) express anything other than disquiet over the one-sidedness and lack of balance in Hutton's report. Only unthinking doctrinaire New Labour acolytes, the terminally reactionary, and those with silly prejudices about the Press seem to have greeted the report with much enthusiasm.
Then perhaps you hear only what you want, like Mr Gilligan. I like the bit about 'silly prejudices against the press' BTW smacks of GWB's 'you're either for us or against us'
I'm quite happy to acknowledge that the BBC (and other sections of the media) frequently make mistakes, and seldom operate with the degree of accuracy and precision that I would like.
When a politician screws up the media bays for his/her blood, when a journo screws up it’s totally understandable……And why not examine the ‘unbiased’ BBC coverage
Of wars involving the UK since 1982 – all mistakes and inaccuracies, or attempts to mould public opinion?
The fact that Hutton criticised the BBC doesn't bother me at all. The fact that he did so while letting shabby, dodgy operators like Blair, Hoon, and Campbell off the hook entirely does upset and shock me, however.
He also made the allegation that the Government directed the Int boys to harden up the dossier to give it more impact. That has been confirmed to the satisfaction of more qualified observers than I.
Again 'I don't like the outcome so I'm going to cry 'foul'
He reported that Kelly had suggested that Campbell was the man responsible. Hutton may prefer to believe Campbell than Gilligan, others may not. The truth is impossible to uncover, with certainty.
The version I heard was that Gilligan put the name of Campbell into Kelly’s mouth – hey- perhaps Gilligan’s notes will clear the matter up…..
There has been a procession of yet more experts (many of them active weapons inspectors) on Newsnight tonight, all casting doubt on the existence of any WMD in Iraq at all, and certainly ruling out the presence of deployed or deployable weapons. At best, serious observers suggest that there may be residual evidence from pre Desert Storm, but there seems to be agreement among those who should know that Iraq has had no new WMD since 1991.
Which has nothing to do with this.
Again, if Blair did believe the 45 minute claim he should resign on the basis of incompetence and stupidity.
Journalist with an agenda, fine if you’re freelance, but not if you work for the BBC, as in Mr Gilligan’s case.
Once more with feeling, it’s not up to the BBC to act as the ‘Official opposition’
In a recent poll the BBC had a 60% credibility rating down from 97% pre war, I'd say that was a problem.....The reporter made a big deal about ‘the majority of those questioned supporting the BBC’ until the guy he was interviewing mentioned the 97% figure.
Incidently, I see the BBC has pulled Gilligan's notes and an e-mail from his boss from their website......