Yesterday the four internal candidates vying to succeed Alan Rusbridger as the Guardian editor-in-chief took part in hustings for the role ahead of a staff ballot, which will see one of them guaranteed a final interview.
Mr S’s mole says it could only be described as a ‘good day for external candidates’ as all four editors-in-waiting put on an underwhelming performance at the event. However, one candidate in particular made an impression for the wrong reasons.
After they were asked about politics, their own and that of the Guardian‘s, Janine Gibson, Katharine Viner and Emily Bell all made vague mutterings about Guardian values. Wolfgang Blau, however, took the bold step of going into specifics.
Already at a disadvantage for admitting he is not a woman, Blau dug an even deeper grave for himself by naming Nick Clegg as the politician he finds the ‘most convincing’. This is the same leader of the Liberal Democrat party who ‘betrayed’ the paper’s student readership over tuition fees.
Sensing the murmurs of discontent across the room after his admission, Blau tried to win favour by moving on to his second favourite politician. ‘I also think quite highly of Natalie Bennett,’ he said, seemingly oblivious to the damage her car crash interview on Green party policy had done the day before.
Happily, his rival Emily Bell was on hand to enlighten him on his blunder. ‘You’re not reading the same news as me,’ she quipped.
With the ballot winner guaranteed only an interview, Mr S hopes that the external candidates are ready, their time is coming.
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