You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Britain
Red Ken believes his apparent anti-Semitism will impress the International Olympic Committee
2005-02-16
Ken Livingstone admitted yesterday that telling a Jewish reporter he was behaving like a Nazi concentration camp guard was "offensive". But the London mayor again insisted the remark was not racist and that he was not going to say sorry. With International Olympic Committee inspectors starting their assessment of the capital's bid for the 2012 Games today, there are fears that the row could damage Britain's chances. London faces stiff competition from several cities, notably Paris, and Mr Livingstone suggested that his determination to stand up for what he believes in could impress the IOC.
Posted by:Bulldog

#15  Agreed, Ship - Kudos, Mac!
Posted by: .com   2005-02-16 11:47:00 AM  

#14  LOL MacNails!
Posted by: Shipman   2005-02-16 11:44:49 AM  

#13  Ah, now it begins to come clear. He's got a devious plan to get London out of hosting the economy-killing Olympics!
Posted by: mojo   2005-02-16 11:03:05 AM  

#12  S-P-O-D: "How can Labor stand by him?"

Consider Labor's constituents: leftists, working class. Leftists are increasingly anti-Zionist/anti-Israel/anti-Jewish (choose all that apply) and the working class is increasingly muslim.

So, you ask, "How can labor stand by him?" I respond with, "How can they not?"
Posted by: PlanetDan   2005-02-16 10:18:22 AM  

#11  haha . somewhere in Africa!!!

reporter - 'Mr. Livingstone, I presume?'

"Yes", said he, with a kind smile, lifting his cap slightly. "Now fuck off you nazi scumbag and reactionary bigot!"

reporter - "tropical diseases affecting your tiny little mind sir ?"
Posted by: MacNails   2005-02-16 8:07:20 AM  

#10  This is mind blowing. I don't expect much to come of it. He should get the sack from Labor.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2005-02-16 6:59:49 AM  

#9  Yes. He was their restaurant critic for five years.
Posted by: Bulldog   2005-02-16 6:36:57 AM  

#8  Um? I am confused Didn't Livingstone actually work for that paper at one time or have articles of his published by them?
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2005-02-16 6:29:01 AM  

#7  This is an interesting factor:

"The evaluation commission is led by Moroccan Nawal El Moutawakei, the first Moslem woman to win an Olympic gold medal when she won the 400 metres hurdles at the same 1984 Los Angeles Games where London bid chief Sebastian Coe claimed his second 1500m gold."
Posted by: Bulldog   2005-02-16 6:25:04 AM  

#6  I am having a hard time not posting my crappy Ken as Hitler "photoshop" job.

The man is an unrepentant communist. How can Labor stand by him? It's simply astounding.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2005-02-16 6:25:01 AM  

#5  The Times has a good general article on the State of Ken and this story, which includes a transcript of the conversation between Livingstone and Finegold. Finegold was there to try to talk to guests outside Livingstone's £4,000 (taxpayer funded) knees-up:

Finegold: “Mr Livingstone, Evening Standard — how did tonight go?”
Livingstone: “How awful for you. Have you thought of having treatment?”
Finegold: “Was it a good party? What does it mean for you?”
Livingstone: “What did you do before? Were you a German war criminal?”
Finegold: “No, I’m Jewish. I wasn’t a German war criminal and I’m actually quite offended by that. So, how did tonight go?”
Livingstone: “Right, well you might be — but actually you are just like a concentration camp guard, you are doing it just because you are paid to, aren’t you?”
Finegold: “Great, I have you on record for that. So, how was tonight?”
Livingstone: “It’s nothing to do with you because your paper is a load of scumbags and reactionary bigots.”
Finegold: “I’m a journalist and I’m doing my job. I’m only asking for a comment.”
Livingstone: “Well, work for a paper that doesn’t have a record of supporting fascism.”


Mind-blowing.
Posted by: Bulldog   2005-02-16 6:20:54 AM  

#4  London has to take enough votes from Paris to get NYC in a one-on-one with the Frogs this July.

You guys aren't helping.
Posted by: someone   2005-02-16 6:10:59 AM  

#3  According to The Scotsman, what he said was:

"'I think it is important that the IOC members realise they have a mayor who is not going to panic, change course or get in a great flap but will deliver the games on time.'"

The all-too-subtle irony that it is the crass and obstinate Livingstone himself who is causing this "great flap" seems to be lost on him.

Pre-empting Blair's call for an apology this morning, yesterday:

"He said any demands for an apology from Mr Blair would fall on deaf ears, adding: 'He is not there to manage me. He is not answerable for my mistakes, or successes. We are judged separately.'"

But Blair is the leader of his party - and Ken runs the risk of being booted out yet again. Not that that in itself has ever done him any harm politically (and Labour always comes crawling back to him in the end) - Ken is Victim Man!
Posted by: Bulldog   2005-02-16 6:04:54 AM  

#2  Absolutely hilarious! What a twat.
Posted by: Howard UK   2005-02-16 5:49:46 AM  

#1  UPDATE: Tony Blair has called on Livingstone to apologise for his original remark. Heh.
Posted by: Bulldog   2005-02-16 5:30:57 AM  

00:00