This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2013/sep/06/simon-hoggart-week-us-senate-david-frost

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Simon Hoggart's week: the bizarre US Senate and memories of Sir David Frost Simon Hoggart's week: the bizarre US Senate and memories of Sir David Frost
(12 days later)
✒ President Obama may need some luck getting permission for his war from the US Congress. By chance a book called The American Senate by MacNeil and Baker (Oxford, $29.95) thumped through my letterbox this week, and it reveals once again what a bizarre body "the world's greatest deliberative assembly" – as they choose to call themselves – seems to be. Almost nobody attends debates, and as we saw the other day, at least one senator sits around playing online poker. The filibuster is not only still used but is a prized weapon. And new legislation can be blocked in dozens of other ways. Some of the tricks date from 200-odd years ago. The "hold", for instance, was a means of delaying debates and votes from when senators travelled to Washington on horseback.✒ President Obama may need some luck getting permission for his war from the US Congress. By chance a book called The American Senate by MacNeil and Baker (Oxford, $29.95) thumped through my letterbox this week, and it reveals once again what a bizarre body "the world's greatest deliberative assembly" – as they choose to call themselves – seems to be. Almost nobody attends debates, and as we saw the other day, at least one senator sits around playing online poker. The filibuster is not only still used but is a prized weapon. And new legislation can be blocked in dozens of other ways. Some of the tricks date from 200-odd years ago. The "hold", for instance, was a means of delaying debates and votes from when senators travelled to Washington on horseback.
But there are now variations: there is the Mae West hold, the blanket hold, block holds, rolling holds, ping-pong holds, fuzzy holds and something called hand-to-hand holds. As George Packer wrote in an important New Yorker article, because of ferocious procedural nit-picking, these topics: climate change, immigration, job creation, food safety, veterans' care, campaign finance, labour laws, plus scores of executive and judicial appointments, were among those "the world's greatest deliberative body was incapable of addressing". And we think our House of Commons doesn't work too well!But there are now variations: there is the Mae West hold, the blanket hold, block holds, rolling holds, ping-pong holds, fuzzy holds and something called hand-to-hand holds. As George Packer wrote in an important New Yorker article, because of ferocious procedural nit-picking, these topics: climate change, immigration, job creation, food safety, veterans' care, campaign finance, labour laws, plus scores of executive and judicial appointments, were among those "the world's greatest deliberative body was incapable of addressing". And we think our House of Commons doesn't work too well!
✒ I always thought David Frost had a rather touching naivety about him. He couldn't quite believe that he, the son of a Methodist preacher, had become so rich and so famous. He adored it and never hid his enchantment behind a mask of cynicism. BBC staff still tell of the time he took a phone call from the UN: "Boutros Boutros, marvellous to hear from you!"✒ I always thought David Frost had a rather touching naivety about him. He couldn't quite believe that he, the son of a Methodist preacher, had become so rich and so famous. He adored it and never hid his enchantment behind a mask of cynicism. BBC staff still tell of the time he took a phone call from the UN: "Boutros Boutros, marvellous to hear from you!"
I first met him when he was one of the "famous five" who launched TV-am. After touring the studios, he took me to lunch, round the corner, in his chauffeur-driven, powder-blue Rolls-Royce. It would have been quicker to walk but not half as impressive. His face was covered in thick, pungent makeup, which in the warm restaurant made it hard to enjoy the food. But in a sense he only existed on television, so his whole life was spent camera-ready.I first met him when he was one of the "famous five" who launched TV-am. After touring the studios, he took me to lunch, round the corner, in his chauffeur-driven, powder-blue Rolls-Royce. It would have been quicker to walk but not half as impressive. His face was covered in thick, pungent makeup, which in the warm restaurant made it hard to enjoy the food. But in a sense he only existed on television, so his whole life was spent camera-ready.
The naivety never really left him. It might have been the secret of his success as an interviewer: he genuinely wanted to know the answers. I went on Breakfast with Frost a few times, and afterwards you got breakfast with Frost, in a private BBC room. Once we were joined by Sir John Major, Joan Bakewell and Moira Stuart, among others. For some reason, we were talking about a new bill which gave equal rights to transgender people. I mentioned that, surprisingly, one-third of people who changed sex were women who became men. Frost asked, in a genuine spirit of inquiry: "I wonder, can a man who was once a woman ever have an erection?"The naivety never really left him. It might have been the secret of his success as an interviewer: he genuinely wanted to know the answers. I went on Breakfast with Frost a few times, and afterwards you got breakfast with Frost, in a private BBC room. Once we were joined by Sir John Major, Joan Bakewell and Moira Stuart, among others. For some reason, we were talking about a new bill which gave equal rights to transgender people. I mentioned that, surprisingly, one-third of people who changed sex were women who became men. Frost asked, in a genuine spirit of inquiry: "I wonder, can a man who was once a woman ever have an erection?"
I have always cherished the look of mingled bafflement and distress on the faces of those gathered round the breakfast croissants.I have always cherished the look of mingled bafflement and distress on the faces of those gathered round the breakfast croissants.
✒ You must have had some of those emails, apparently from friends or family, who have been mugged abroad and desperately need you to send money for hotel bills, flights home etc. I got another this week from a good friend allegedly stuck in Ukraine. Knowing she was at home, I forwarded the message to her, as did, as it turned out, many others who had received the same email.✒ You must have had some of those emails, apparently from friends or family, who have been mugged abroad and desperately need you to send money for hotel bills, flights home etc. I got another this week from a good friend allegedly stuck in Ukraine. Knowing she was at home, I forwarded the message to her, as did, as it turned out, many others who had received the same email.
She was worried, but at the same time cheery. "A lot of old friendships have been rekindled as people rally round to alert me to the trouble. I hope I don't know anyone who would actually pay up," she wrote back.She was worried, but at the same time cheery. "A lot of old friendships have been rekindled as people rally round to alert me to the trouble. I hope I don't know anyone who would actually pay up," she wrote back.
You'd think nobody would fall for these scams. But they do, which is why the scammers continue. A year or so ago, I met a man in Boston whose son-in-law had already spent $100,000 in pursuit of a vast, but sadly nonexistent, sum of money promised him by someone in Nigeria.You'd think nobody would fall for these scams. But they do, which is why the scammers continue. A year or so ago, I met a man in Boston whose son-in-law had already spent $100,000 in pursuit of a vast, but sadly nonexistent, sum of money promised him by someone in Nigeria.
✒ The footballer and actor Vinnie Jones, now living in Los Angeles, says he doesn't like returning to England because, thanks to immigration, "it is not the country I grew up in". Leaving aside the fact that he is an immigrant himself, and that every form of commerce in California – agriculture, industry and plastic surgery for pets – would collapse if there were no immigrants, one wonders whether one new aspect of British life that we can all regret is the glorification of casual violence, on the football pitch or the cinema screen, such as Mr Jones himself did so much to promote.✒ The footballer and actor Vinnie Jones, now living in Los Angeles, says he doesn't like returning to England because, thanks to immigration, "it is not the country I grew up in". Leaving aside the fact that he is an immigrant himself, and that every form of commerce in California – agriculture, industry and plastic surgery for pets – would collapse if there were no immigrants, one wonders whether one new aspect of British life that we can all regret is the glorification of casual violence, on the football pitch or the cinema screen, such as Mr Jones himself did so much to promote.
✒ The other day my son and I did something almost nobody does these days: we went to a county cricket match. The Kia Oval, which a few days before had been rammed with Ashes fans, had a few hundred people scattered around the 23,500 seats. Whole blocks were empty. Nearly all the food and drink stands were closed.✒ The other day my son and I did something almost nobody does these days: we went to a county cricket match. The Kia Oval, which a few days before had been rammed with Ashes fans, had a few hundred people scattered around the 23,500 seats. Whole blocks were empty. Nearly all the food and drink stands were closed.
The match, Surrey v Derbyshire, was entertaining enough, though I was glad we had taken stuff to read, otherwise it could have been a long seven hours. The seats were hard and uncomfortable. The crowd, if you could call us that, was almost silent, so the loudest noises came from the Kennington traffic and the players shouting to each other; no breathless hush in the close for them.The match, Surrey v Derbyshire, was entertaining enough, though I was glad we had taken stuff to read, otherwise it could have been a long seven hours. The seats were hard and uncomfortable. The crowd, if you could call us that, was almost silent, so the loudest noises came from the Kennington traffic and the players shouting to each other; no breathless hush in the close for them.
It seemed a little sad. The Oval, as it was known then, is where the first international cricket match was played, and the first FA Cup final. The Ashes were invented after England's first loss to Australia there. And of course some England players famously peed on the pitch last month. I do wonder how long county cricket will last, and when it's gone, how we will nurture new talent.It seemed a little sad. The Oval, as it was known then, is where the first international cricket match was played, and the first FA Cup final. The Ashes were invented after England's first loss to Australia there. And of course some England players famously peed on the pitch last month. I do wonder how long county cricket will last, and when it's gone, how we will nurture new talent.
✒ John Jennings bought a Tefal pan at Sainsbury's. The label warns of noxious fumes. "We recommend that birds should not be kept in the kitchen," it says. So now, I suppose, frying sausages at home is as dangerous as going down a 19th-century coalmine.✒ John Jennings bought a Tefal pan at Sainsbury's. The label warns of noxious fumes. "We recommend that birds should not be kept in the kitchen," it says. So now, I suppose, frying sausages at home is as dangerous as going down a 19th-century coalmine.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.