Citizen journalism + Flickr + UK election.
Tony Blair
Sarah Sands: “What is political genius is Blair's intuitive championing of an obscure sport that has been the darling of the Olympic Games. Early reports of the Prime Minister's interest in beach volleyball were assumed to be malicious. But volleyball has captured everyone's hearts with its good natured, youthful silliness.”
The trampoline and synchronized diving, "sports" that Canada has won medals in, would be the first to go in my benevolent Olympic dictatorship. Beach volleyball on the other hand...you know, come to think of it, I haven't seen any of the men's competition, but that's okay: I hear that the men are wearing baggy, cover-all uniforms anyway, while women, are wearing tight, revealing "clothing". The scantily-clad dancers—which I've only seen in news reports, not that I watch the news or anything—are a bit absurd, but only slightly. Sexist? No question. But can you guess which sport got me watching the Olympics in the first place?
From the speech by Tony Blair opening the debate on a British resolution to authorize military action against Iraq.
Blair: "The question most often posed is not why does it matter, but why does it matter so much?. Here we are the Government with its most serious test, its majority at risk, the first Cabinet minister resignation over an issue of policy, the main parties internally divided. People who agree on everything else..."
An Honourable Member: "The main parties?"
Some Liberal Democrats: "Not us."
Blair: "Ah yes, of course, the Liberal Democrat. Unified as ever in opportunism and error."
There was raucous laughter in the Commons. I saw the speech on cspan.org, and it was truly funny too: they say comedy is timing, and he timed both of his last sentences perfectly. The expression on his face (appropriately smug), was perfect.
Time passes, and I find this summary of the speech.
