Irish journalist humiliates EuroBank technocrat who won't stop ducking hard questions

[xchrom]

http://boingboing.net/2012/01/22/irish-journalist-humiliates-eu.html

n this video from a European Central Bank press-conference in Ireland, journalist Vincent Browne demands that the ECB representative explain why the ECB required the Irish people to bail out a bank's uninsured creditors. The bureaucrat mouths bland reassurances, then asserts (despite all appearances to the contrary) that the question has been resolved. Browne doesn't let up. It's quite a stirring spectacle.

[barbtries]

1. pathetic.

hope it riles up the taxi drivers. i think i know how they feel.

[xchrom]

2. it's the new 'some of my best friends are{insert minority of choice}'. nt

[suzanner]

3. Thanks for posting- brought tears to my eyes

Since reading How the Irish Saved Civilization (best recollection of title- get the audio edition at the public library) my respect and admiration for the gentle tenacity of the Irish as a whole is very high. Here is one more example of banks enslaving any and everybody in a global coup. Where are the geniuses and the powerful prosecutors when you need them? I'm starting to think there are none. I used to know smart people who went into law and were liberal. They SHOULD be of an age to tackle this without suffering anything more than RW media BS.

[Peregrine Took]

4. I wish our reps in the media here had 1/100th of his tenacity.

They know how to interview/question people much better over there - BBC included.

[xchrom]

5. indeed. i thought he was doing his job.

no, those questioned didn't like it -- and there is another story there.

but the journalist is supposed to grill people just as that man did.

[Plucketeer]

6. Yeah boy!

That was my thought - as SOON as he reiterated the same query. And THEN to keep at it! WOW! Where does one FIND such determination? This guy re-defines "Fighting Irish" in my eyes. Makes me proud Irish blood courses thru my veins.

[wxgeek7]

20. Obama has that fighting Irish blood in him

...I wish he would use it more often, hehe.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Can we get some Irish journalists here in the states?

Remember when the Irish journalist frazzled the Frat Boy over Iraq? I'm liking what I see.

[xchrom]

8. it's what we should be seeing all the time. it shouldn't be unusual. nt

[Esra Star]

9. More Emperors stark naked.

Somebody please buy that bureaucrat a g-string with a fig leaf motif.

P.S. I am now in the Vince Brown fan club.

[truedelphi]

10. In defense of the poor beleagured Banking Rep -

he could hardly come out and say: "All of us at the podium were told that most journalists, especially in Free Societies like Greece, The USA, et al, would not ask us to actually answer any questions put to us. After all, in most "free" societies, the journalists are hired (and promoted) for their willingness to accept whatever non-answers we state are the truth.

"We were told ahead of time that as long as we regurgitate the same ol Bullocks-style of 'The Irish people must face austerity measures so that the Rich Bankers have confidence in their holdings,' and that answer would be enough to shut you Irish journalists up! How were we to know that you journalists here in Ireland actually understand matters and have real freedom of the press?"

[ScottLand]

11. Wow! Can we bring him over here for a while?

[Casandia]

12. This was beautiful

I loved the look on their faces ....Move on to the next question please.... - they new they were trapped. My 100% pure Irish Grandfar from Waterford would have been so proud to see this!

[midnight]

13. Anyone know what country this Banking Technocrate is from?

This Banking technocrate has no more understanding of why Ireland is paying for his corporations bills than the taxi driver...

[chervilant]

14. Thank you EVER SO MUCH

for posting this clip. Would that our prima donna journalists have such courage and tenacity.

[xchrom]

15. +1

[Moostache]

16. I love that SOMEONE asks the questions, BUT...

There was no answer given!

I'm all for making these banksters squirm and I'm always happy to see anyone put the fire even slightly to their asses; but in the end, I want MORE! I want my pound of flesh AND I want to see them suffer the consequences of their hubris and actions. I want legal restrictions enforced. I want banking regulations restored to what they were successfully from the 1930's through the 1990's. I want the F.I.RE. sector of the economy to go back to a healthy level of the GDP. I also want Prep-walks and stiff sentences, total loss of assets and bankruptcies for the major players (CEOs, Board Members, Directors, ie. - the management class that does nothing and collects everything) - both as a punitive measure for what they have done, but also as a warning to others in the future who will be tempted to once again bring us to this precipice!

Naked, unvarnished capitalism has given rise to predatory global banking cartels that have enslaved the world. The last domino is already wobbling (the American consumer class - once known as the middle class) and has little to no hope of returning to a true engine of the global economy. The Chinese and Indian "miracles" and manufacturing bases exist only because of Draconian working conditions, total lack of care for the well-being of employees and a ready supply of exploitable, desperate people that will work for 1/10th of what an American worker would need just to survive in this country.

The REALLY depressing thing I saw recently was the idea that Apple (who now makes almost everything they sell in China) clears $400,000 PROFIT for every employee that they have...but that is APPLE employees - they outsourced the entire manufacturing process to China and allow the companies there to serve as contractors in a vendor-supplier arrangement instead of as employee-employer relationship. THAT is a problem that is not going to go away.

We live in a world that is going to have to do one of two things - Massive genocidal killings to reduce the population or Economic revolution of killing off global corporatism before it does us all in. Profits over people is not a slogan that will be used, but it IS the core value of those who believe in totally unfettered, unregulated capitalism. To these whining hyenas, the 1950's and 1960's - when America really WAS #1 - was a series of 5-year plans under the Kommisars! America was more than just capitalist back then....corporations had real ties to their communities and actually CARED about supporting the local and national economies and they wanted to create a consistent and fair return on investment for the investor-class. The expectation was NOT double digit increases every year or CEO pay on a scale that would make the Pharoh's of Egypt blush.

We lost the edge...and have fallen into the abyss. I am not hopeful that anyone is going to be able to stop the fall either...it 100% won't be Gingrinch or Romeny and I have already been bitterly disappointed that Obama was unable to do more to make the country rally around a return to sanity in the face of the 2007-current economy. We are already in free-fall...the GOP will cut the parachute off completely while the Dems seem content to debate just how long we can go before "zero-barrier" is reality...

[Citizen Worker]

17. Having made several trips to Ireland over the years I can say that the Irish people with whom I

interacted were friendly, engaging, well informed, much more so than in the US, and eager to talk with travellers on any subject for as long as I wanted to talk with them. Smart, well informed and fun to talk to. So, it's not surprising that the Irish journalist asked relevant and probing questions. In the US a journalist would have asked the bankster to compare the taxis of the two nations.

[DeSwiss]

18. K&R

None of us are ''required'' to bailout these private bank's uninsured investments, Vincent. That's why he won't answer you. He and his whole lot of thieves are hoping a majority of us don't figure this out. Because they know what comes next.


- Unfortunately (for the time being), he doesn't have to answer anyone........

[xchrom]

19. +1

[JJW]

21. This is what should be asked of every poltician

at every rally and town hall meeting. Why are the 99% baling out the 1%

[pansypoo53219]

22. what is the meaning of UNguaranteed?

the rich aren't allowed to lose? WTF

[MikeyRickles]

23. despicable

These people should all be in prison

[KurtNYC]

24. Reminds me of the irish joke...

The difference between an Irish guy and an American guy

is the American guy looks at the rich man on the hill and says "someday I'll go up there and live in that house with him."

The Irish guy look at the rich guy up on the hill and says "someday I'll go up there and kick that guy's ass."

The smirk on the German banker's face at the end was very telling and annoying.