Liz Forgan is the current chair of Scott Trust. Scott Trust?
The Trust is responsible for appointing the editor of The Guardian (and those of the group's other main newspapers) but apart from enjoining them to continue the paper's editorial policy on "the same lines and in the same spirit as heretofore", has a policy of not interfering in their decisions.
Andrew Sullivan linked to a BBC radio program hosted by Jonathon Dimbleby, with Simon Jenkins, Liz Forgan, Bea Campbell and Charlie Wolf as guests. The discussion doesn't foray into American politics until the 34th minute, but when it does, the current chair of Scott Trust, Liz Forgan, responds viscerally. My rough transcript follows.
Liz Forgan: Sarah Palin has reached deep into my secret heart. I've been a card carrying feminist for forty years, and this woman has found somewhere in me a little kernel of sexism. She causes me to make a failure of sisterhood. I cannot, sorry Charlie, but I cannot stand her candy coated philistinism, I hate her crass creationism, I loathe her parading of her family about the place, God forgive me I even hate her teenage hair.
Jonathon Dimbleby: I would have thought that you Liz, you would have been a fellow sister...I thought you would have been cheering her on.
Liz Forgan: Hence my shameful confession, and I do really fear, fear the fact that she touches something deep in America, and something real in America and I agree with you about that. And that makes me very afraid. Umm, and I, the only solution I can see to it is the principle governers of superpowers should elected by global electorates because I don't trust their judgement. But she does put us in a dilemma, your right.
(...)
Simon Jenkins: One of the desserts I like least is Moose, and I was terribly pleased to discover this lady shoots mooses, making a terrible mess to the dessert trolly.
(...)
The only thing I think we are entitled to agree to a view on is every American election, presidential election, there are two people voting; there are Americans and there is the rest of the world. All over the world, people are affected by what an American president does, and I think we are entitled to a view on what American presidents say and do, when in office and when standing for office, because they are a sort of proxy for us. Our people are dying in Afghanistan and Iraq because of decisions taken by Americans. Therefore I will say to Americans, please think twice. Your thinking about your own country, but your thinking about the rest of the world as well.
Some crass honesty, which I appreciate. I would agree with Jenkins that
All over the world, people are affected by what an American president does, and I think we are entitled to a view on what American presidents say and do, when in office and when standing for office, because they are a sort of proxy for us.
I thank Liz Forgan for her blunt honesty, and Jenkins for his post-bloviating realism. We are a global race now, this reality is non-negotiable. For a major American political party to devolve into tribal myth in order to win an election betrays the objective reality of this world, and our place in it. Congratulations to our cousins for also pointing that out.