Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
Claire Berlinski, Ed. ·
Sep 27, 2010 at 7:26am
Peter and I discuss Thatcher, Palin, Turkey and moderate Islam. Now remember: Peter has actually met Margaret Thatcher. (And I've met moderate Moslems.)
I meant to be extremely calm when the subject of Sarah Palin came up. But somehow it didn't work out that way.
Thank you, Peter, for having me on the show.
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Jun '10
Re: Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
note - here is a good link to part 1. http://bit.ly/aErEmP
Finally - I have been like a mouse looking for cheese, or a monkey pressing a lever - back and forth to the UncKnowledge on twitter and NRO, hoping for some serious Thatcher/Turkey dinner...
Claire - here is the thing. You are one of the great pleasant surprises here on Ricochet! Can't wait to hear/see the rest of it.
Thanks Peter for bringing me to Ricochet and introducing me to such thoughtful and brilliant people as Claire.
Edited on Sep 27, 2010 at 7:53amRe: Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
Thanks, Mark! (I should also express my limitless gratitude to Peter for flashing the cover of that book no less than a thousand times. Thank you again, Peter!)
May '10
Re: Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
Now wait a minute! Who's doing the interview here?! Priceless reaction from our man Peter.
Jun '10
Re: Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
Actually Claire, help me understand something. You offer a compelling 5 minute summary of Thatcher making the shift from a Stalinist/Marxist union dominance in Britain after a long, severe, and continuing decline to "one of the wealthiest and most powerful countries in Europe." Clear, and under-appreciated by conservatives who inherit her legacy.
Here is the question - in your experience: between Thatcher and the phenomenon of West Berlin/Germany, how is it that liberals who want government control of greater and greater areas of our economy (socialist tendencies) explain this turn around, this difference in wealth and freedom? Is it simply willful and blind ignorance, or do they re-interpret the data in some way to have socialism make sense? Do you hear cogent arguments against your position, or is it just an unwillingness to see?
May '10
Re: Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
I own the book and the answer to this is probably waiting for me there, but I'm impatient. When you say Thatcher "breaks" the strike, does that imply she actively did something to end it? Or did she just have the courage to play chicken and wait it out?
And how did that standoff compare to Reagan's response to the air traffic controllers' strike in the U.S.?
Hilarious!
Jun '10
Re: Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
Peter and Claire, I think this was one of the best Uncommon Knowledge podcasts yet! Great exchange of conversation. Ricochet has cast it's influence on the interview.
During Thatcher's time I'll always remember listening to the English Beat's song "Stand Down Margaret". It was a painful time. "I see no chance of your bright new tomorrow". Many of us thought Reagan was taking us into oblivion as well. Can't wait to read the book.
Edited on Sep 27, 2010 at 11:10amJun '10
Re: Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
The whole first segment was great, especially when Claire turned a question around on Peter. It suggests an excellent future Uncommon Knowledge: Claire (she is a journalist, after all) interviewing Peter.
Edited on Sep 27, 2010 at 6:05pmMay '10
Re: Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
You got your hair straightened! Who knew it was possible?
May I be serious for a moment (annoying to ask that)? Have you ever seen the Francis Urquhart trilogy? House of Cards, To Play the King, and The Final Cut. Essential viewing for conservatives, though it's amazing how few have seen it stateside. Mona Charen's fond of it, and I introduced it to Bill McGurn (pre-Ricochet). And naturally, all Tories thought it was awesome, because it portrayed them as both competent and ruthless. Which qualities they sadly lacked.
Sex, murder and politics. Yummy yum. In his declining years, he's especially annoyed at Thatcher (the third series opens with her funeral, in fact). He wants to wipe her from the public mind, and be remembered as the greatest PM since Churchill. Even as he's being forcibly evicted from office, he's obsessed with "beating that bloody woman's record". And comes up with a foriegn adventure. "It could be our Falklands, Elizabeth!"
If they have such a thing as Netflix in Catstantinople, you won't regret it. Warm, soapy goodness. "You do trust me, don't you?"
Re: Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
It's only possible in low-humidity Northern California. I did a film shoot once in Tel Aviv and was really marveling at the utter insanity of Jews declaring a state there of all places--I mean, forget the question of Palestinian national aspirations, didn't they realize that building a city there would mean no Jewish woman would ever have a good hair day again?
May '10
Re: Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
Just heard the interview as an audio-only podcast this morning, so I didn't see any flashing going on. I have nothing intelligent to add about the content, which was thoroughly engaging. One request regarding presentation, though, Claire. You frequently start out a burst of speech with a high, clearly enunciated voice, but then drop down to a barely audible staccato mutter, as if to get to the next thought as quickly as possible. It's somewhat distracting, and not all your points come through clearly. Not terrible, just something to mildly obsess over for your next book tour. Nothing like those NPR people with the ridiculous speech impediments, though.
Edited on Sep 27, 2010 at 7:47pmPeter: you failed to follow up and give her a hard time about all the cats. A clear sign of a complicated woman.
May '10
Re: Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
Women can be excused cats. It's guys with cats that raise a red flag.
Oooh, and Claire, I nearly forgot the very first scene. She fairly bookends the plot of the most captivating political drama e'er writ. "Nothing lasts forever. Even the longest, the most glittering reign must come to an end someday". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSWrTG8sBRI
Though I'm reliably informed she was a big fan of Yes Minister/Yes, Prime Minister.
Edited on Sep 27, 2010 at 7:43pmMay '10
Re: Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
Claire, I'm surprised how soft-spoken you are in these videos. Your writing is so energetic that I was sure you would be pounding your fist on the table while the words burst forth. I'm also surprised how succinctly you've made your points in the interview, because I know you have so much to say. Good job.
Sep '10
Re: Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
I'm surprised that Peter didn't make the connection between Claire Berlinski and her love of cats and Pope Benedict XVI and his love of cats. Clearly, this is a Romanesque double head fake takeover of Turkey via the Berlinski Accord.
The fiendish cunning.
Sep '10
Re: Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
Is this microphone on?
Sep '10
Re: Now Playing: Me, Me, Me! And Some Guy Named Peter Robinson
Now wait a minute! Who's doing the interview here?!
It was a magic moment. It reminds me of the look Martha Stewart had on her first appearance on the David Letterman Show (back when Letterman was funny) -- Martha was doing a Christmas decorating bit and Letterman yelled at Martha "that's not what you used to say back when we were married."
Peter's look on his face was of similar vintage. Priceless.