Blair's memoir defends his New Labor legacy
Modernizing and morals shaped domestic and foreign policy, but scandals and Iraq debate shadowed his term as prime minister
By Larry L. Witherell
Special Correspondent to the Charlotte Observer
Posted: Sunday, Sep. 19, 2010
Book review: A Journey by Tony Blair
A large volume of ink and a few Irish eggs have been spilled commenting upon Tony Blair's memoir. Anyone expecting a mea culpa over his decision to go to war in Iraq will be disappointed and must be naïve to have considered the possibility that he would confess regrets or apologies.
"A Journey" is a friendly, often uncomfortably folksy, but unwavering reiteration of the defense he has given since March 2003. The unanswered question is why Blair, a brilliant, articulate, self-confident and smooth politician, failed to gain public support for the Iraq war.
For all his qualities and skills, he has never had a close relationship with the British public. Everything was an abstraction, whether it was development of New Labor and the modernization of the state (the basis of his domestic policies), or morality (the basis of his foreign policies). He found little pleasure in the retail politics of the campaign trail, and he seemed uncomfortable hobnobbing with the common folk.
Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/09/19/1698045/blairs-memoir-defends-his-new.html
By Larry L. Witherell
Special Correspondent to the Charlotte Observer
Posted: Sunday, Sep. 19, 2010
Book review: A Journey by Tony Blair
A large volume of ink and a few Irish eggs have been spilled commenting upon Tony Blair's memoir. Anyone expecting a mea culpa over his decision to go to war in Iraq will be disappointed and must be naïve to have considered the possibility that he would confess regrets or apologies.
"A Journey" is a friendly, often uncomfortably folksy, but unwavering reiteration of the defense he has given since March 2003. The unanswered question is why Blair, a brilliant, articulate, self-confident and smooth politician, failed to gain public support for the Iraq war.
For all his qualities and skills, he has never had a close relationship with the British public. Everything was an abstraction, whether it was development of New Labor and the modernization of the state (the basis of his domestic policies), or morality (the basis of his foreign policies). He found little pleasure in the retail politics of the campaign trail, and he seemed uncomfortable hobnobbing with the common folk.
Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/09/19/1698045/blairs-memoir-defends-his-new.html
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