Of Burnley’s friendly and Obama’s wandering eye

  • Post

  • 11 July 2009

  • Posted by Alastair Campbell

  • 9

I know some of you think I am overly obsessed with football, and Burnley in particular. But I normally draw the line at travelling north for pre-season friendlies. I am only going to our first of the season, at Bradford City this afternoon, to get some final shots and interviews for the BBC programme I am making about our promotion and what it means to the town. One of the people I will be interviewing is David Burnley (name changed by deed poll) who has missed one game in almost forty years, and once so impressed the squad in turning up for a pre-season friendly in Majorca that they let him play. So be fair, I am not as obsessed as that. It'll be good to get a proper look at our new players, and to get a feel from the fans for their expectations of the season ahead. We will have the smallest squad by a long way, and the lowest wage bill, even if it has rocketed from Championship levels. I reckon the club with the next smallest wage bill will be spending double what Burnley do. I had a long chat with manager Owen Coyle yesterday, who seemed very confident we would do better than the bookies and the pundits are predicting. And the buzz around the town is still there, getting stronger as the season proper nears. I was also pleased to see a few Asian fans wearing the club colours. I interviewed one young man, Joni, who said he felt his generation felt a greater sense of belonging to the club as part of their lives than maybe his parents' generation. A brief word on the Barack Obama 'ass man' picture. If you've read my diaries, you'll know there were times when both TB and I would find ourselves challenged by feminine beauty in the kind of way that have women rolling their eyes and telling you to grow up. I also recall a Nato summit in Madrid when Bill Clinton joined us in being distracted by a host of spectacularly pretty and well-dressed hostesses. So Obama would appear to be following a well-worn Presidential path. But hold on -- I think he was looking at something on the floor beyond the young woman's posterior. Sarkozy's eyes are the ones to watch.

9 responses to “Of Burnley’s friendly and Obama’s wandering eye”

  1. I don’t think he was looking at her a$$ either and I’m not one to go easy on lecherous politicians.

    I liked the line on one news website “Barack has been spending too much time with Silvio”. Tee hee.

  2. If I remember rightly you seemed close to fainting in Madrid, and when you met Diana for dinner. Women may as you say like to say you are being pathetic, but they know there is nothing wrong in a man being attracted to a lovely looking woman. it works both ways — which is why I come on here!! Darling

  3. Is the football season getting longer and longer? It seems yesterday you were going on about promotion and you’re already at a match. We’ve not even finished the first Test in the Ashes yet. Whatever happened to cricket in summer, football in winter?

  4. Obama and Sarko both ended up with very good looking women, so why should we think they do not appreciate good looking women?

  5. I agree with Em on Obama’s so called a$$ gaze. He just doesn’t seem to be the type.

    Re David Burnley, perhaps Mark Bennett should repost that video when David was arguing over his record with another Burnley fan. It is hilarious!!

  6. Did you spot the irony in the team you were playing being in the same position as Burnley exactly a decade ago? Although I am pleased that my team, the Bantams, were able to win, I honestly wish Burnley every success in the coming campaign. I certainly hope they stay in the top flight for a number of seasons. Who knows, in another decade today’s match could be a local derby, in the Premier League itself.

  7. If Obama and Sarkozy were not aware of beauty in all her asspects, that would be the time to be worried…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

169. Jimmy Wales: Wikipedia vs. Musk, AI, and the Battle for Truth

Who gave us an encyclopedia in our pockets? Why is the statement that Donald Trump is the "worst president in US history" allowed on his Wikipedia page? How do Brazilians and Americans differ on the... Continue

5 January 2026

485. Trump Says America will Run Venezuela

Trump has announced that Venezuela will now be run by Washington as US forces have captured Nicolás Maduro and taken him to stand trial in New York. After months of escalating tension, Trump launched... Continue

3 January 2026

484. War in Europe, Trump’s Destruction of Institutions, and Britain’s National Treasures (Question Time)

Will Europe go to war with Russia in 2026? Should National Service be introduced next year? How will AI continue to develop? Should the G20 be moved? And how else will politics change next ye... Continue

1 January 2026

483. The Future of British Politics, How The World Order Is Changing, and The Power of History

What does this year look like for the future of British politics? How is the global order going to be reshaped? And will the power of historical narratives become even stronger this year? L... Continue

31 December 2025

Alastair Campbell’s Diary: How we must fight the 3Cs in 2026

Crime, corruption and cruelty show how leaders like Trump and Bukele exploit power, and why they must be stopped... Continue

31 December 2025

Article

Posted by

168. A Climate Special: Populism, Security, and Leadership

Can the planet sustain infinite economic growth, or is GDP a flawed metric? Is the UK genuinely decarbonising, or is it simply outsourcing its pollution? How can politicians defeat the populi... Continue

29 December 2025

482. A Trumpian Year, the Politics of Hope and Highlights of 2025

What surprised Rory and Alastair most about 2025? Why does Trump's presidency feel even more chaotic than expected? And who gets their vote for campaigner of the year? Join Rory and Alastair... Continue

25 December 2025

481. Polanski, Macron & al-Sharaa: The Best & Worst Politicians of 2025

Who deserves the title of UK politician of the year - and who gets worst? What was the most consequential moment of Trump's presidency so far? And can Rory convince Alastair that Christmas is... Continue

24 December 2025