Cuba - George Galloway interview

Krishnan Guru-Murthy's interview with George Galloway on the retirement of Fidel Castro and the future for Cuba certainly created a lot of feedback.

We've listed some of the strongest opinions below.

You can watch the interview and send your comments on the issue to news@channel4.com.

Your comments

Dear Krishnan

Just a short note to acknowledge the professionalism and journalistic integrity with which you dealt with George Galloway last evening. His attack on you and Channel 4 News were akin to the ranting of Mohammed Al Fayed, frankly I don't know how you managed to keep control.
- Dewi Williams, Stoke-on-Trent

George Galloway was entirely correct in yesterday's Channel 4 News. Your report on the retirement of Fidel Castro did sound like it had been scripted by Fox News or vetted in advance by the Whitehouse.

Your emphasised the obvious failings of the regime (lack of democracy, free speech etc.) and downplayed the very considerable achievements of free health care and the highest longevity in the region together with the highest literacy.

Moreover you failed almost entirely to analyse the unjustifiable and tyrannical blockade of the country by the US. George Galloway did provide a level of balance to the report but was shouted down and ridiculed by Krishnan in such a way that it was obvious which side Krishnan was on.

Sadly for a normally well balanced news service this was seriously biased.
- Derek Murphy

The item on Castro and Cuba (February 19) at least managed to suggest that Castro might be more popular among ordinary Cubans than the USA is prepared to admit. However, Channel 4 missed an opportunity to examine US policy as critically as it deserved.

Channel 4 might also have mentioned the 'Miami 5', the Cubans currently imprisoned in the USA for trying to prevent acts of terrorism against their country.
- Heather Rutledge, Birmingham

Why did you bother to try and interview this man? He only answered questions with questions and criticised the coverage of Castro. Which I thought was well balanced. I don't think he said anything that was of interest to your viewers.
- Anne Fisher

I'm a great fan of channel 4 news, so I was very disappointed that you chose to put George Galloway on as a Cuba expert. Serves you right that he then tried (quite unjustifiably) to trash your own piece. I would have thought you could have found someone better informed, more dignified and less pompous and self-satisfied than Galloway.
- Andrew Fisher

George Galloway said 'you have to espouse support for Fidel Castro to get elected in Latin America'. Krishnan should have acknowledged his allies have been elected in Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua, but pointed out their defeat in Peru and other countries.

It was wrong to show people crossing the sea from Cuba to the USA and quote anti-Castro forces as saying this showed Cubans are desperate for freedom.

Economic migrants cross the Mediterranean in the same way. Mainly they are after improved economic opportunities, not "freedom".
- R.A.McCartney

Is Channel 4 trying to tell its viewers that what elected George Bush was democracy in action. Shame on you. Whatever the shortcomings of Cuba they pale into insignificance compared to the election of Bush. Thousands of votes destroyed and black voters disenfranchised. We have been through all these doors in Northern Ireland. Aside from that the health service in Cuba is much superior to our own. What is your problem? Are you afraid of stating the truth? BR> - Mary

First, why do you bother to interview George Galloway regarding Fidel Castro's decision not to continue as Chief Commander?

He's rude and abusive, he does not explain or defend his opinions and keeps on insulting others who disagree and even makes fun of their capabilities and knowledge! One may or may not agree with the views he defends, but he is still rude and abusive, and his views are hardly ever properly explained or defended.

In turn, his opinions are not relevant for us, the audience, to understand the world. His opinions are uninteresting and entirely irrelevant for anyone who is looking for informed and well-reasoned argument. Personally, as an informed and critical viewer, I felt insulted when you offered this interview as commentary on this news. That wasn't intelligent and relevant commentary.
- Maria del Mar Medina, Essex

I am a consistent viewer who values your objectivity but with a slightly different slant from the other news channels.

I love Cuba and was looking forward to your piece on today's news. I was desperately disappointed then that you chose to interview George Galloway and ruined the whole report.

I am not concerned about Galloway one way or the other but in choosing him you knew what you were going to get and you got it in spades and there was NOTHING about the possible ways forward for Cuba post Castro.

I put up with misreporting from the BBC whose correspondent talked about widespread poverty, where there is hardship but no poverty, and endured ITV but tonight you let me down big time.
- Peter Smith

Cracking interview tonight. Krishnan got what he deserved in his Paxman-style attempt to make George Galloway look stupid.

I thought this was a news program, not an entertainment show with a hidden political agenda.
- Moray Rumney. Edinburgh.

I just watched your Fidel Castro story and there were a number facts that were blatantly wrong and need correcting soon, calmly and firmly (without George Galloway's unhelpful rhetoric). I will restrain myself to mentioning two order of importance.

1. Cubans are in NO WAY forbidden from using the internet. Indeed, many many Cubans use the internet (for e-mail, study and recreation). Access is restricted as a result of the US' blockade and problems of access. I am guessing that as in London, street sweepers at 3am did not have instant access to the internet.

2. The Cuban Missile Crisis was not Castro's doing. Certainly, he was instrumental to the crisis and key in escalating tension throughout it. But it was Khrushchev's decision to place missiles in Cuba (against Castro's wishes who asked for conventional weapons) as a means of protecting Cuba against continuing US aggression (Bay of Pigs, Covert Operations escalating Cold War tensions).

I am a fan of Channel 4's news and was disappointed by such an inaccurate report on such a monumental story (which surely you have had time to prepare?). Cuba is not a democracy. But it does deserve objective reporting.
- Tanya Harmer

I just wanted to say well done on the way you handled the interview with George Galloway this evening.

I watch Channel 4 News every day, precisely because it has a social conscience, and because the editorial team is not afraid to challenge convention.

A comparison to Fox News is absurd, as it is a paragon of right-wing propaganda, and unworthy of any association with real journalism.
- Conor (a viewer from Dublin).

Dear Krishnan, I want to congratulate you on your interview with Mr Galloway, normally he bullies those who ask him difficult questions. How he could accuse you of being like Fox News is beyond parody. As for Castro resigning, hopefully the ordinary people will get some freedom.

You know you must be doing something right when you upset George Galloway.
- Michael Valdiny

Thank you for letting G.Galloway express a different view on CUBA.

This was so refreshing, so interesting, challenging and the best piece of democracy I have seen on TV for some time.

I share G. Galloway's views on this subject indeed.
- Olivier Blanc

Castro was not perfect, and not even Galloway would say that he was, but you simply failed to show why democracy which impossible to implement due to the constant undermining of America, you failed simply to address this issue, you mentioned America only to represent the opinion of it's gloating president who's acting proud of himself because he's got rid of the 'Castro problem' which has been the mission of America for decades.

This is exactly the same angle Fox News is taking, they are essentially the press office of the White House, what does that make you?
- Daniel Taylor

Your interview with George Galloway was a disgrace and your interviewer totally biased. Galloway was right re. the USA; not much democracy in the one party state election circus we're currently witnessing.

Bush went to Vietnam! Why 50 yrs of embargo for Cuba! Madness!
- Phillip Tanswell

A quick thank you to Channel 4 News for once again highlighting what a vile and publicity hungry character George Galloway is and well done Krishnan for keeping a cool head. I for one certainly couldn't have.
- Jon Partridge

In addition to the congratulations for Krishnan Guru-Murthy's professionalism in facing down the demagogue which is George Galloway, I would also like to observe just how much fun he had! George Galloway's face quickly contorted with rage and hatred at the implacable, and steepled-fingeredly calm approach of Krishnan Guru-Murthy.

Such aggression may not be edifying in the heat of a battle, but it is understandable. In the rarefied atmosphere of a television interview, it is appalling.

Highlights for me included the suggestion that the suspension of parliamentary elections 1939-45 meant that of suffrage (or free trade unions, for that matter), or that six years of intense war is comparable to five decades of personality rule. George Galloway believes in perpetual war and cannot differentiate between varying degrees of conflict! Now it makes sense!
- Alec Macpherson, Edinburgh

I was too incensed to write last night. Phillip Tansell (see correspondence) is absolutely right: Krishnan Guru-Murthy's interview was an absolute disgrace. No sooner had Galloway opened his mouth when he was interrupted repeatedly by schoolboy questions (from someone with all the grinning demeanour of a schoolboy) on Cubans having no voting rights and being denied opportunities to express their points of view in a one party state.

Has Guru-Murthy looked around himself lately? What did a 2million+ demonstration achieve here on the issue of Iraq and as for freedom of choice in our multi-party democracy what benefit is it to me to have a choice between two intellectually bankrupt and almost equally discredited political parties?
- David Musselwhite

Castro has proven beyond all doubt he is a competent and socially responsible leader. He has given Cubans universal health care of a standard second to none, open access to higher education, and equality for all. One can only wonder what he may have accomplished were it not for the economic warfare being waged by the US.

Cubans I have spoken with state the greatest gift Castro has given them is the return of their self-respect and dignity. I expect one day some form of democracy will evolve, but, weathering the storm of American interference is the top priority at this time.

You may continue to paint Castro as an evil dictator but this American point of view flies in the face of the facts. Castro has been and remains enormously popular.
- Wm F McCormick, Ontario, Canada

Have these people not heard of playing devil's advocate? Yes, the questions were biased, but THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE!! The whole point was to provoke Galloway into answering, although one might urge caution when interviewing someone as obnoxious, rude and pig-headed as Galloway. It doesn't mean that the presenter, programme or channel are biased.

Well done Krishnan, I couldn't have stayed as calm as you did. How you managed not to swear is beyond me.
- Brendan, Rugby.

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