The Politics Thread

[Prufrock]

It's not his personal charisma, he's a vacuous, tetchy doddering fool. It's what he represents. He's been a blank canvas to project all these people's frustrations with the political system.

[Prufrock]

Do I win at find the picture of politicians with shitc*nts?*

*Of course, this is a trick question when it comes to politicians.

There's a fairly obvious difference between the relationships involved in those photographs...

[Harry Genshaw]

One could argue that Corbyn being prepared to have open dialogue with the IRA years before the Govt tried it, made him a bit of a visionary

[Prufrock]

He didn't "have dialogue" with them. He supported them.

And there's nothing to be gained in having dialogue with terrorists if you're not in a position to sort anything. Some people grit their teeth and speak to them in order to hammer out a settlement that while distasteful saves lives. There was no question that any of Corbyn and McDonalds meetings and eulogies we're going to bring about any peace.

[thebish]

It's not his personal charisma, he's a vacuous, tetchy doddering fool. It's what he represents. He's been a blank canvas to project all these people's frustrations with the political system.

People are drawn to him - it's charisma - he has it - like it or not... it may be fleeting, but it's childish to pretend otherwise...

Owen doesn't have it even if bwfci thinks owen smith is more charismatic than corbyn.

[Hoboh]

It's not his personal charisma, he's a vacuous, tetchy doddering fool. It's what he represents. He's been a blank canvas to project all these people's frustrations with the political system.

People are drawn to him - it's charisma - he has it - like it or not... it may be fleeting, but it's childish to pretend otherwise...

Owen doesn't have it even if bwfci thinks owen smith is more charismatic than corbyn.

I'd say it was more cultish than charisma meself.

[Prufrock]

Don't talk bollocks man. "People are drawn to him" dear me. People are drawn to Smith as well so he must be charismatic too by your definition. Unless the number of people who need to be drawn to you to be classed as "charismatic" is a precise number somewhere above about 200,000, but below about 600,000.

Which would be convenient. Childishly so.

[thebish]

Don't talk bollocks man. "People are drawn to him" dear me. People are drawn to Smith as well so he must be charismatic too by your definition. Unless the number of people who need to be drawn to you to be classed as "charismatic" is a precise number somewhere above about 200,000, but below about 600,000.

Which would be convenient. Childishly so.

who is drawn to smith? have you ever seen an enthusiastic crowd around him?

I don't see how you can describe Corbyn as a cult figure - as you have often done - and also claim he has no charisma. people with zero charisma do not become cult figures.

[Enoch]

people with zero charisma do not become cult figures.

Kim Jong-un?

[LeverEnd]

people with zero charisma do not become cult figures.

Kim Jong-un?

Noam Chomsky.

[Beefheart]

You're honestly suggesting that Jeremy Corbyn is charismatic?

[BWFC_Insane]

When you're in the cult he probably seems charismatic.

When you have any sort of grasp on reality at all though it is plain that he is an incredibly boring old man who plays on it at every opportunity to hide his bitterness.

Charisma my arse. Nobody goes to see Corbyn because they think he's the next Obama. They go because he represents some fleeting leftist movement that died off over 30 years ago but a few folk simply can't accept it.

[thebish]

You're honestly suggesting that Jeremy Corbyn is charismatic?

i guess it depends how you define charismatic... there are different ways to do that.

it is (in my opinion) clear that there is something about him that has drawn huge crowds - and he has the ability to work those huge crowds - and a MASSIVE surge in membership in the party - and this is being described as "cult" like - ie - having something to do with following him specifically... to my mind - there's is clearly something about his personality - who he is - the person he projects - that is attractive. For me, that's enough to warrant use of the word "charismatic". "charismatic" (outside of religious use) is usually used when someone has some kind of personal attractiveness that inspires devotion/loyalty/following. I think the corbyn phenomenon is close enough to that to warrant use of the word.

if corbyn does not have any of those attractive personal qualities to inspire devotion - I'd be interested to hear theories as to why he seems to have such a large fanatical and devoted following and why people flock to hear him in a way that they don't flock to hear Owen Smith (who is espousing pretty much exactly the same policies.)

[thebish]

When you're in the cult he probably seems charismatic.

When you have any sort of grasp on reality at all though it is plain that he is an incredibly boring old man who plays on it at every opportunity to hide his bitterness.

Charisma my arse. Nobody goes to see Corbyn because they think he's the next Obama. They go because he represents some fleeting leftist movement that died off over 30 years ago but a few folk simply can't accept it.

you're entitled to your opinion - but I think that's a bit thin. I don't think that even begins to adequately explain it.

[BWFC_Insane]

When you're in the cult he probably seems charismatic.

When you have any sort of grasp on reality at all though it is plain that he is an incredibly boring old man who plays on it at every opportunity to hide his bitterness.

Charisma my arse. Nobody goes to see Corbyn because they think he's the next Obama. They go because he represents some fleeting leftist movement that died off over 30 years ago but a few folk simply can't accept it.

you're entitled to your opinion - but I think that's a bit thin. I don't think that even begins to adequately explain it.

If he is so charismatic perhaps you could explain why he currently polls at the lowest personal approval ratings for any Labour leader since polling began? (I think it may even be the lowest personal poll ratings for any leader of a major party ever too, but am not certain).

Surely his charisma should see his personal rating soar?

[thebish]

When you're in the cult he probably seems charismatic.

When you have any sort of grasp on reality at all though it is plain that he is an incredibly boring old man who plays on it at every opportunity to hide his bitterness.

Charisma my arse. Nobody goes to see Corbyn because they think he's the next Obama. They go because he represents some fleeting leftist movement that died off over 30 years ago but a few folk simply can't accept it.

you're entitled to your opinion - but I think that's a bit thin. I don't think that even begins to adequately explain it.

If he is so charismatic perhaps you could explain why he currently polls at the lowest personal approval ratings for any Labour leader since polling began? (I think it may even be the lowest personal poll ratings for any leader of a major party ever too, but am not certain).

Surely his charisma should see his personal rating soar?

I suspect that making a judgement about someone's electability - which is what people are thinking about in such polls is not the same thing as finding something attractive/inspiring in a person.

[BWFC_Insane]

When you're in the cult he probably seems charismatic.

When you have any sort of grasp on reality at all though it is plain that he is an incredibly boring old man who plays on it at every opportunity to hide his bitterness.

Charisma my arse. Nobody goes to see Corbyn because they think he's the next Obama. They go because he represents some fleeting leftist movement that died off over 30 years ago but a few folk simply can't accept it.

you're entitled to your opinion - but I think that's a bit thin. I don't think that even begins to adequately explain it.

If he is so charismatic perhaps you could explain why he currently polls at the lowest personal approval ratings for any Labour leader since polling began? (I think it may even be the lowest personal poll ratings for any leader of a major party ever too, but am not certain).

Surely his charisma should see his personal rating soar?

I suspect that making a judgement about someone's electability - which is what people are thinking about in such polls is not the same thing as finding something attractive/inspiring in a person.

If I take that argument it means charisma is irrelevant anyway....

I don't think he's got any charisma. If he did he might be able to sell some ideas to the electorate rather than just preaching to the already converted.

[thebish]

fair enough - we disagree about the use of a word in the english language! I doubt the sky will fall in. chill!

[boltonboris]

His tweet about "remembering" the dead of 9/11 was as vulgar, crass and downright twattish as I'll ever see

[bobo the clown]

His tweet about "remembering" the dead of 9/11 was as vulgar, crass and downright twattish as I'll ever see

The need he could not resist to throw in the next lines was crass ... and deliberate.

Anyway, boundary changes to be announced tomorrow will give him a constituency with over 35% Jewish ethnicity.

That'll be interesting.