| Newsnight is one of the few programmes that the BBC produce that makes television licence fee worth paying. Considered their flagship news programme, it does a fine job of showing up how bad the ten o'clock news has become.
Some people, myself included find the Micheal Howard interview to be one of great moments of television. Here is an approximate transcript:
Paxman: Did you threaten to overule him?
Howard: I was not entitled to instruct Derek Lewis and I did not instruct him.
Paxman: Did you threaten to overule him?
Howard: The truth of the matter is that Mr. Marriot was not suspended-
Paxman: Did you threaten to overule him?
Howard: I did not overule Derek Lewis-
Paxman: Did you threaten to overule him?
Howard: -I took advice on what I could or could not do-
Paxman: Did you threaten to overule him?
Howard: -and acted scrupulously in accordance with that advice. I did not overule Derek Lewis-
Paxman: Did you threaten to overule him?
Howard: -Mr. Marriot would not suspend him-
Paxman: Did you threaten to overule him?
Howard: I have accounted for my decision to dismiss Derek Lewis-
Paxman: Did you threaten to overule him?
Howard: -in great detail before the House of Commons-
Paxman: I note that you're not answering the question whether you threatened to overule him.
Howard: Well, the important aspect of this which it's very clear to bear in mind-
Paxman: I'm sorry, I'm going to be frightfully rude but - I'm sorry - it's a straight yes-or-no question and a straight yes-or-no answer: did you threaten to overule him?
Howard: I discussed the matter with Derek Lewis. I gave him the benefit of my opinion. I gave him the benefit of my opinion in strong language, but I did not instruct him because I was not, er, entitled to instruct him. I was entitled to express my opinion and that is what I did.
Paxman: With respect, that is not answering the question of whether you threatened to overule him.
Howard: It's dealing with the relevant point which was what I was entitled to do and what I was not entitled to do, and I have dealt with this in detail before the House of Commons and before the select committee.
Paxman: But with respect you haven't answered the question of whether you threatened to overule him.
Howard: Well, you see, the question is...
At this point Paxman gives up with this part of the interview.
The BBC have put a video clip of the interview on their web pages at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/talent/presenter/features/feat2.shtml
which naturally they have dumbed down beyond belief.
| 
