Hitler had great speaking style - what's the issue?

[BrilloPad]

BBC News - UKIP defends MEP's 'Hitler speech' advice

On second thoughts, perhaps he should have used a different example.

[CoolCat]

The political/journalistic bubble that infests this country has many double standards. One of these is to massively publicise anything remotely controversial that any UKIP member says, while at the same time ignoring many much more serious controversial things done and said by members of the older parties.

They are doing their best to discredit UKIP. While out in the real world the majority of the population think, for instance, that immigration is indeed out of control and far too high, and none of the older parties really want to do anything about it. Sure they will talk tough come election time, but when push comes to shove they will keep the open doors wide open. It is refreshing to see their complacency dented a little by UKIP.

Its partly a problem with the way our democracy works, that the voters have next to no say in the candidates who are selected into winnable seats by the main parties. And the backgrounds of folk standing are mostly far too similar. There is rarely any candidate broadly reflecting the common sense mainstream views of the majority of voters.

I see really serious stuff being done by Labour, Conservative, and Liberal representatives and wonder why they get so little air time in the press. I guess its mainly because the state broadcaster and the media barons generally want the status quo in many ways, for different reasons, liberal views of bbc folk, and business owners liking cheap imported workers, and all the rest of it.

[DaveB]

Well he did have the Grammar Nazis on his side.

[SueEllen]

UKIP MEPs and councillors are interesting characters.

Boris Johnson has an interesting character.

Tory councillors making discriminatory remarks are interesting.

Labour councillors/mayors calling each other names and fighting are interesting.

Any politician screwing up on Newsnight/current affairs program is interesting.

The point is main-stream politics is boring, and so unless politicians whether local or national do something that's interesting or are eccentric characters no-one is interested.

I have a constituency MP who is a back-bench rebel according to his voting record. Due to his background and his calm manner (boring character) he isn't interesting to national media.

[vetran]

Poor taste as a choice but anyone who has heard one of his speeches has to admit that despite being a psychotic lunatic he was a very proficient orator.

[barrydidit]

Poor taste as a choice but anyone who has heard one of his speeches has to admit that despite being a psychotic lunatic he was a very proficient orator.

Coupled with a magnetic personality. I read Albert Speer's memoirs recently, and this is a topic he returns to a number of times (as in, from the early 30's to April '45) when analysing his own behaviour. He recalls there being numerous occasions where senior military staff would fly into Rastenburg with the message that they were in an impossible position and muxt withdraw only to return to the front promising to 'give it another go' after a couple of hours in Hitlers presence.

It's a naive reference to make for a political person, but probably a valid point just in terms of the ability of one man to hold total power over thousands of people just by his presence and rhetoric. Not sure that's really what UKIP are after though..

[Doggy Styles]

Hitler was a brilliant orator.

Untold thousands have studied and appreciated his techniques without then marching out of the house and into Poland.

[EternalOptimist]

He wasnt that particularly good imho

a lot of his antics and style are now laughable and often subject to parody
whereas his main opponent, Churchill, is still regarded as a measured master

[vetran]

He wasnt that particularly good imho

a lot of his antics and style are now laughable and often subject to parody
whereas his main opponent, Churchill, is still regarded as a measured master

History is written by the victors?

If he had been benevolent many people would have emulated them, because he was a monster he made his style uncomfortable just like his moustache.

Churchill sounds odd and slightly forced occasionally.

Both however both could control a crowd and populace superbly.

[BlasterBates]

hmm using Hitler as an example.

I can only assume that anyone who thinks that doesn't speak German.

His "great oratory" skill was whip up a mob in a frenzy of hatred, ranting and raving.

Not completely convinced that's a good example.