After watching tonight's CBC documentary on Peter Newman's Secret Mulroney Tapes, my respect for the ex-PM has gone up again, just as it did after reading the book. This man was a great leader. I believe, as we wrote in the book, that his overall record in office is only so-so. But this was a great leader. Dare I say a statesman! And a great politician.
On the other hand, my respect for Peter C. Newman has plummeted even further. (With apologies in advance to Alvy.) I mean, for those of you who watched tonight -- especially the journalists out there -- were you not repulsed at his sycophancy? Was this not some of the most unethical journalistic behaviour ever seen on tape? I mean, he was practially advising the man on his major decisions. Not just an ego stroker but an adviser. This is not the role of a serious journalist.
Not that I expect to see or hear any outrage in the papers. If it had been Trudeau or Chrétien instead of Mulroney, however ... Oh boy! National scandal of Judith Miller-like proportions! Front page of tomorrow's Globe for sure! Antonia Zerbisias would be howling in the Star. But no. Don't expect that. It won't happen. Because it's Mulroney. Newman screwed over the right guy.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 10:32 PM
