Wednesday 28 November 2018

SOURCES FOR THE GOOSE AND GANDER

It would be a lot easier to decipher the missing Madeleine saga if we understood the sources behind the stories that regularly appear in our newspapers.  Anything by Tracey Kandhola we can assume comes directly from Kate and Gerry, they have been close for many years and it’s unlikely Tracey is still meeting a hooded stranger in an underground car park. Tracey broke the news of the parents meeting with officers from Scotland Yard and floated the idea of two new leads.  Leads SY are keeping to themselves for fear of sending the suspects underground, but helpfully publicized by Tracey in several downmarket tabloids.  This story was confirmed by a ‘source’ from Whitehall, which is as vague you can get, but it implies someone political.
 
Then we have a ‘source’ from Portugal who says the Portuguese police are going back to the theory that Madeleine woke and wandered off.  Source from Portugal is even more vague than the source from Whitehall. Given their very strict Judicial Secrecy laws and the media fiascoes of the early years, how likely is it that the PJ are leaking? Could it come from the PR agency in Lisbon, hired by the McCanns to protect their reputations?  What does a PR agency do, other than manufacture stories for the press?  Just asking.
 
Finally, we have Gerry and Kate blasting the press (via a source) for insulting them with this latest theory (woke and wandered) and Clarence stepping in to state how ludicrous the idea is.  Hmm.  Simply looking at the sequence of events and taking them at face value, it would appear that the McCanns somehow managed to manufacture a very public argument with, err, themselves.
 
Now it may well be that I am confused, I often am, and reading the tabloids online is near impossible with all the ads and pop ups, but having waded (quite literally) through them, I'm pretty sure I have the gist. Actually, sitting back and looking at the overall picture, the entire narrative for this ongoing saga, at least the MSM version, seems to derive from 'sources'.  Even Clarence, their professional spokesman, is often described as a 'source close to the family'.
 
It was actually sources close to the family who planted all the initial abduction stories in the media.  So successful were they, that on the 4th May 2007, we all awoke to the news that the McCanns' apartment had been broken into and their 3 year old daughter abducted.  So successful were they that night, they immediately set up a media monitoring team, not only to create a narrative, but also to seek and destroy their critics.
 
That's the thing with success.  Once you achieve it, you spend the rest of your life trying to recreate it.  Team McCann learned very early on how easy it is to manipulate the masses.  It must have been very vexing for them that Goncalo Amaral and hordes online stood in the way of their grandiose plans for the future.  The mainstream media they could gag, but social media has always been beyond their reach.  When they brought out 'the big guns' to silence those they call trolls, it resulted in tragedy.  There was no public outrage on their behalf, no call to target and imprison online trolls, in fact the public were repulsed.  They had overstepped the line.
 
Despite their decade long battle against Freedom of Speech, they have failed.  They may have gone some way in stopping the MSM from going after individuals and corporations, thus contributing to the rapid decline in newspaper sales, but they cannot stop the rise of bloggers and commentators on social media who tell them the truth.  Controlling the masses is not as easy as it was in 2007.
 
But lets get back to 'sources'.  In the aftermath of Madeleine's disappearance, the sources had names and faces.  Family and friends of Madeleine's parents, who were obviously way too distraught to speak to the media themselves.  It was these sources who claimed there was a break in, there wasn't, and who claimed that the police 'were doing nothing'.  Some might say they were setting the police up for all that was to follow. 
 
Some might also say the McCanns played fast and loose with Portugal's Judicial Secrecy laws.  They certainly used them in their many interviews to avoid answering awkward questions.  Who can forget Gerry's famous tantrum when asked about blood found in the apartment?  'He's a bit hot' Kate said, cool as a cucumber.  They tried the old 'judicial secrecy' again, when Sandra Felgueres asked about the dogs, 'yes I know about Judicial Secrecy, but we don't have it now', she told the flustered Gerry.  Gerry and Kate seem to have their own judicial secrecy, shared by two.
 
Gerry and Kate are very aware that anything they say on camera could be used against them.  Aware, but their love of the limelight helps them to overcome that, they feel the more the public sees them, the more they will like them.  It's kind of addictive.  Now it seems, it has finally sunk in, and any interview they do give, seems forced and uncomfortable. Crimewatch saw a distinctive turn in public perception of this case.  Sceptics rushed to social media and with minimum effort could see the huge flaws in the parents' abduction claim. 
 
Over the past 11+ years there have hundreds of sightings, and hundreds of stories suggesting Madeleine is alive, especially in the early years when the Search for Madeleine crusade was it's height.  Most if not all, stopped when Scotland Yard got involved.  The idea of England's finest trekking off to Morocco or the Amazon, was always ludicrous, and I'm sure any that came in were filed under 'W' for wild goose chases. 
 
So who has in interest in planting 'McCann' stories in the press?  Clarence Mitchell, obviously, in fact all the PR people the McCanns employ, both here and in Portugal.  On the opposite side.  The PJ - highly unlikely see above.  Goncalo Amaral, also highly unlikely, he seems to have moved on and has never played silly media games, so why would he now?  Woke and wandered would also make him look grossly incompetent, he was in charge of the original investigation.  Maybe it was someone well intentioned (towards the McCanns) who wanted to throw the baying press hounds a morsel of prime rib to see how it goes down.  An explanation for why the police are not looking for an abductor or a live child and reinforcing that they [the police] are not looking at the parents. 
 
At the moment I am pondering the enormity of running what must by now be a library of 'sources' and, since the Team McCann use the word frequently, trolls , who patrol social media looking for punch ups.  How do they ensure they all stick to the script?  How many are there?  I imagine there were hundreds in the early days, now, no more than handful, but even that kind of filing system would turn my head into spaghetti. And what if there are opposing forces within those sources and trolls? What if they don't agree among themselves?
 
Wherever it came from, woke and wandered is not an end of investigation theory.  It is something that is ruled out at the beginning, and it was.  Someone I think, is still trying to control the narrative, for what end, who knows. 
 


21 comments:

  1. I can hardly see how the blame game of Woke and Wandered would land at the doorstep of GA. It would surely point to gross neglect, which is what everyone must believe falls into the lap of the McCanns themselves, leaving the children, as they alleged in an unlocked apartment.

    Although they seem to have always given the impression that Madeleine could not have left the apartment. Why? How? How do they know that? What was in place that they will not admit to, to prevent her leaving? Some invisible cage? If that was the case - this would throw light on the obstacle course the potential abductor would have to overcome. It's simple, the preferred scenario is THEY DID IT. The same they, as THEY TOOK HER.

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    1. Their, the Tapas group's statements are so full of holes, options other than abduction are bound to be explored. MWT was the first I think, to put forward the woke and wandered explanation totally disregarding the open window and Jane Tanner's sighting.

      Gerry, Kate and the tapas group are locked into their statements, they cannot make any changes without throwing the whole sequence of events into chaos. Gerry had to change his initial statement by 'remembering' he entered the apartment via the patio doors, not the front door. From the beginning their plans were going awry.

      And I'm glad you have mentioned that obstacle course 15:13, in the Irish interview Kate went to great pains to detail the obstacle course 3 year old Madeleine would face leaving the apartment, oblivious to the fact that the abductor would have to do the same, with a child in his arms.

      Being tied to those statements put Kate in the ridiculous position of having to claim she knew nothing about Jane Tanner's sighting until the next morning. In her book, she says she was 'relieved' to hear the news. That was a real 'wtf' moment for me, what mother could possibly be relieved to know her friend saw a strange man wandering of with her daughter? Had I been Kate and a 'friend' had given me that news the following morning, I would have decked her!

      I don't think Gerry, Kate and their friends have given any more statements to the police, how can they when they are all so dependent on each other to stick with the original script. Kate refused to answer questions at her second interview as she knew it would be compared directly to Gerry's. That's why it was such a big mistake to allow Gerry to be in the room with Kate when she was first interviewed. Going by the principles of KISS (keep it simple stupid), it is the silence of the key witnesses that has prolonged the investigation of this case.

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  2. You can’t rule something out if it could have theoretically happened unless you know what DID happen. Your post makes no sense whatsoever

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    1. Yeah, thanks for that Kate

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    2. Don’t be such a knob.

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  3. Hi Ros

    Another a good blog but quite long. I've skim read it but will have to digest it later. I do like the "it's unlikely that Tracey is meeting a hooded stranger in an underground car park", ha ha!! You do have a way with words.

    I just thought I would let you know that if you download Adblock Plus (it's free of charge) it will stop all adverts and pop up videos. You will get one video appearing on each DM and DE article but that's all. Just click on the X to get rid of them.

    If you want to suspend AB for a short while - go into your history file (Ctrl H on a keyboard) then click on Extensions and on the Adblock part click on the tick on the Enabled box the tick will disappear. You can then go back into it and click the box to reinstall Adblock.

    I hope that helps.

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  4. LOL 15:42, I agree on the too long bit, ha ha, I was actually going to stop after the McCanns in a public battle with themselves!

    But today I feel especially verbose, that happens sometimes. There is so much misinformation and disinformation around the disappearance of Madeleine, I feel compelled to set the record straight. If Gerry and Kate had not been so bloody minded in their campaigns against those who do not believe them, I doubt I would still be here now.

    I continue with my blog because the McCanns and their minions continue feeding the public a false narrative. Action, reaction. I know that is not what you are questioning 15:42, but I feel I should say it now and again, for those who question my motives.

    Many thanks for the tip about AdBlock, I will certainly give it a try. I see so many articles that I would love to read but the blooming pop ups drive me mad!

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  5. Hello Ros.

    "I continue with my blog because the McCanns and their minions continue feeding the public a false narrative. Action, reaction."

    Well said.

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  6. Ros, you asked 'What does a PR agency do, other than manufacture stories for the press? Just asking.' PR also hush things up for their clients by, for example, threatening to stop a newspaper getting interviews with their client if they question the client's integrity, for example. Remember Clarence Mitchell saying he would end an interview if he was questioned further about the 'jemmied shutters'?

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  7. Hello Rosalinda

    ”Gerry and Kate seem to have their own judicial secrecy, shared by two”

    The above wording is a brilliant brief description of the McCanns' approach to media in recent years, and of their attitudes in general,which we could see very early on, especially after the PJ-files had been released, though they then weren’t under no pledge of secrecy. You should have had it as a title of your text.

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    1. Aha well spotted Bjorn, lol. I am also partially alluding to folie a deux - madness shared by two. Though to be fair, a shared delusional disorder may apply to the entire family! They believed they had conquered the world with their heart wrenching tale of a small child stolen in the night. They saw a future of fund raising events, pop concerts, sports, arts, an annual Madeleine Day. The world was giving them money and they loved it.

      The problem with people who are delusional is that they cannot see any flaws in their plans, the moral compass is gone, so too any thoughts that this might come back and bite them in the ass.

      I agree, it would make a good title! Something I will bear in mind. In the early days Judicial Secrecy worked in Gerry and Kate's favour, they could give as many interviews as they wanted with a valid excuse not to answer difficult questions. They were able to criticise the police via their friends and family, and put out false narratives, sightings etc, via sources. A journalist will not reveal their sources, so they can say whatever they want.

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  8. Hi Jane :) I suppose when you have the hottest story in town you can make the rules. For a while there Clarence ruled the roost and could do what he liked with all those journalists looking for a McCann story. In those early days they were rarely asked difficult questions, certainly not from the British journalists, who appear to have had their questions vetted. It was Portuguese journalists who asked about the blood in the apartment and the alerts of the dogs.

    I don't think Clarence has any power any more Jane, the world has moved on, the Madeleine story is mostly forgotten. Gerry and Kate have stuck to the same script for 11+ years, they have nothing to say that will put bums on seats. There really isn't any need for Clarence to shield them from the press anymore, but to be honest why was there ever a need for Clarence?

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  9. Leveson 2 inquiry will not go ahead after press intrusion victims lose High Court battle

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/leveson-2-inquiry-high-court-ruling-kate-gerry-mccann-christopher-jefferies-media-press-a8659151.html

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  10. What I find strange is the press buying into this story. Any good investigative journalist along with the Police would & should have torn their statements to shreds. Given the McCanns litigious actions over the past 11 years, is it possible like Op Grange,MSM know & perhaps treading water until the time is right. I have noticed a change of attitude towards the McCanns by MSM.

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  11. Monday 7 May 2007 (appeal aimed at the abductor)

    Kate McCann (madeleine):

    “Alex [Woolfall] and Andy [Bowes, British Embassy press officer] had arranged for the appeal to be handled on a ‘pooled’ basis, which meant that one company, in this instance the BBC, would be chosen to record it and they would then distribute the film to all the other media outlets.”

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  12. Published 5 May 2012
    From: Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Home Office

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/madeleine-mccann

    Link official website included.

    For more information, including the latest image progression, see the Official Website to find Madeleine McCann.

    ?

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    1. Hello anon November 2018 at 22:33
      re "https://www.gov.uk/government/news/madeleine-mccann"

      Yes I'm just as astonished and confused myself. I've shortened the info in your link in order to emphasize what's essential here.


      GOV.UK
      Published 5 May 2012
      From:
      Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Home Office (to whom it may have concerned, my remark)

      ”Madeleine McCann has been missing from a holiday resort in the Algarve, Portugal, since 3 May 2007. The Portuguese police authorities are leading the investigation into her disappearance, with the support of UK police authorities”
      ”If you have any information that you think might be relevant to the investigation, please contact the police authorities”
      ”For more information, including the latest image progression, see the Official Website to find Madeleine McCann”

      So, in 2012 the Polícia Judiciária , Metropolitan Police and Find Madeleine investigation team were closely co-operating to solve the case.

      Here below I've tried to formulate in plain language what the GOV, the Met/SY, the Operation Grange and the Portuguese PJ then tried to inform the public about.

      ”If you’ve information, that you think may be useful in solving the case, we don’t mind if you would prefer to pass it directly on to the two former suspects in the case, as it would make things so much easier for us and for our colleagues in Portugal. We fully trust them (the McCanns) and all those private investigators, to whom they’ve have paid large amounts of money to keep their ”Find Madeleine Investigation” going, which they so admirably did even before any of us got involved in the search for their daughter”

      Questions that should be asked. When were the McCanns excluded as partners of the British and the Portuguese police force. Was it after or before Redwood's moment of revelation?


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    2. The hyperlink in ‘gov.uk’ to ‘findmadeleine’ has not been disabled, it’s still working.

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  13. "Press Release: Victims vow to fight on after Leveson Part Two judicial review finds in favour of government"

    https://hackinginquiry.org/leveson-two-jr-challenge-rules-in-favour-of-gov/

    Extracts from the judgement

    On the abuse suffered by the claimants

    P.13

    [About Kate and Gerry McCann] There was also constant press intrusion and photography. One newspaper even published extracts of the third claimant’s private diary which had been taken by the Portuguese police. And so on.


    ...

    How claimants withheld evidence for Part two

    P.22

    It is stated by all four claimants (and is not disputed) that all accordingly gave evidence at the first stage of the Inquiry in somewhat restricted terms: it being anticipated that much fuller evidence would be given in Part 2 of the Inquiry.


    ----------

    From Kate McCann's 'private diary':

    "SUNDAY, JUNE 17: Cherie Blair (then the Premier's wife) phoned to find out how we were.

    We talked about everything in general, including about them leaving Number 10. She agreed as well to make a 20-second video clip for our broadcast on YouTube about Madeleine and children who have disappeared.

    I also had the chance to speak to Tony (then Prime Minister) who told me that we weren't to hesitate to ask him if there was something he could do to help.

    On Sky News tonight they suddenly said the Portuguese police had stated that the crime scene had been contaminated 'because of us' and that fundamental evidence had been lost. How dare they insinuate that our daughter's life could be put in danger because of us. Very angry. Very upset.

    I want to speak to someone now, but it's too late.

    I changed my mind and I sent a text message to Ricardo (Portuguese police family liaison officer). I don't know if was a sensible idea but I feel really annoyed."

    http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/press/19-Sep8/NOTW-14-09-08.htm

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    1. I wonder why Kate came out with such a firm denouncement of news that they (Gerry, Kate and their friends) who contaminated the crime scene. To be fair it was true. It was they, Gerry, Kate and their friends who were claiming Madeleine had been abducted. Yet they (Gerry) tampered with the open window and allowed all and sundry into what they had already declared a crime scene.

      The average adult would know how valuable fingerprints and forensics are, this however, was a party that included 6 doctors. Fingerprints on that open window, or indeed, anywhere else in the apartment, could have led directly to the abductor. They all ignored any forensic hopes of getting Madeleine back. Why?

      Among Gerry's famous quotes, is 'confusion is good', yes isn't it. So all these doctors, who are presumably dealing with emergencies on a daily basis, didn't think to preserve the crime scene? They thought to print out photos of Madeleine and the closure of the border, but not the direct evidence in front of them that they were trashing.

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  14. It's only a matter of time now until law enforcement finally solve this case. I believe the child was brought back to the UK and is hiding in plain sight.

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