Has Obama made his first blunder? (BBC)

Cynical journalism raises its ugly head at the BBC. Usually I have a lot of respect for opinion articles from "our own correspondent" but occasionally they do get it wrong.

This is a very cynical piece of writing about President in waiting Obama and his recent choice to make Hilary Clinton his Secretary of State. Justin Webb, the BBC North America Editor suggests that this is his first mistake of his new presidency. The press is eagerly awaiting his first mistake like a pack of vultures waiting for a lion to die of dehydration in the desert. So, that is my first issue with the article, the suggestion that this is his first blunder of many. I like to think of President Obama as the last honest politician, yes he will make mistakes but they will be human mistakes there is no need to wish or look for the first mistake. Indeed it will not be the mistake that I will judge him on, it will be how he deals with it that matters.

An example of Obama as the last honest politician is in fact this appointment of Hilary Clinton, who if she continues to be Secretary of State will be in a prime position to challenge for the presidency at the next election in four years time. A cynical Obama would have ensured she was marginalised and not put in any kind of position which would boost her popularity or power base. The last honest politician, President Obama, would put the good of the government and his country first and given her the job.

Justin Webb then embarks on a long rambling diatribe about how Bill Clinton is only good for parties and speeches, he is pretty much only in it for himself and how he never achieved much in Office about from "that dalliance with Monica Lewinsky". Justin then makes a further leap to Hilary making her out to be some clinical cyborg and suggests their marriage is "the heart of the Clinton darkness". Fairly irrelevant rubbish which if the sexes were reversed could be considered to be rather old fashioned sexism. A serious politician which Hilary clearly is, cannot be judged purely on the behaviour of her husband, who is rather harshly judged himself.

There are another few paragraphs of snide comments about the Clinton's and suggestions that you cant get one without the other and that together they are trouble. This cynical journalism is written straight from the gutter and should the BBC be looking to re-organise the news department I would suggest that Justin Webb has become embittered by American politics and should be quietly moved on or retired.

President Obama, I have a feeling this will not be the last of these type of articles and I am sure you have a good positive media manager to stand above the hype and the vitriol. In any future hour of darkness can I suggest you take the Winston Churchill approach to the Media.

"We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France,
we shall fight on the seas and oceans,
we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be,
we shall fight on the beaches,
we shall fight on the landing grounds,
we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
we shall fight in the hills;
we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old."

- Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of Great Britain 4 June 1940

Fight them, the media wherever they may choose to do battle, fight them for the truth, the honesty and the moral high ground. Don't ever give up your position as the last honest politician.