"I'm not going to waste this campaign and the next six weeks talking about what we might do," he said. (1)We know that, John. We've known that for quite some time. National puts out policies in a manner similar to Labour standing by its principles - only rarely and with embarrassment, as if the whole sorry business was something to be ashamed of, and best forgotten as soon as possible.
Of course, the brief stab of visceral satisfaction of Key making a comment that can be misconstrued to suggest he's a policy shy, power seeking wench was soon forgotten, as the surreal quality of Winston Peters lecturing anyone on trust was appreciated. Good old Winston, he might have lost his seat, his baubles and his credibility, but he's still got his sense of humour.
Next act on the 08 Campaign Comedy Stage - Helen Clark! She'll have you laughing till you cry as she tells us the election is all about trust, honesty and principles and these are the reasons you should vote for her. Oh, she's already used that joke ... ?
1 - "Key would be difficult to trust - Peters," unattributed NZPA article, 28th of September, 2008. Reproduced on stuff.co.nz. (http://www.stuff.co.nz/4708787a6160.html)
2 comments:
I sense the anquish and disillusionement in your post. Clearly you are searching for home to cast your vote. May I suggest the Maori Party?
Get ready for the National/Maori government. This notion would have seemed impossible back when Brash gave his Orewa speech, but the world moves in mysterious ways.
I am secretly hoping ACT, UF, NZF, Progressive all disappear this election. Don't mind the Greens, I just wish they would stand up for themselves instead of always renewing their vows to Labour.
Unfortunately, my Maori credentials are nil.
Nothing would surprise me any longer. National/Maori? Why not? Desperately short sighted on both sides, but that seems to be the flavour of the times.
(The Maori party should think long and hard before it gives power to a party that is still longing to abolish the Maori seats - and I know the Nats are ready to do an about turn on that issue in the short term if it suits them - but isn't that the point? They are perfectly willing to switch when it suits them., and next time around it might suit them to declare the time has come to do away with the Maori seats. A National/Maori government this time makes a National/Someone else government more likely next time. THe Maori Party seem just about naive enough to ensure their own destruction.
As for National, if they allied with Maori, I predict there will be a backlash and the formation of a 'One Nation' style party, cannablising the NZ First constinuency and the National rump that finds the idea of coalition with the Maori Party unacceptable. Though they will be a natural ally for National in the future, they will be a nasty lot.)
As for my angst-ridden state, I must concur. This is actually quite a new and hence interesting condition for me. As I've pointed out before, I've never had any difficulty making pragmatic calls previously - I've usually managed to vote for the leftwing party, no matter how much I might have disliked some of what they did. But there are some circuit breaker issues which can shake that fundamental alignment. In Britain, it was invading Iraq. In New Zealand, it was the free trade deal with China. I feel I can't vote for a party that would Do Stuff Like That, or a party that would support a party that would Do Stuff Like That. So it is tempting to say "Piss off, go and sit on the losers' side of the house, sort yourselves out, come back in three years time with a a promise to do better."
If the election result for Palmerston North reveals one spoiled ballot, you'll know whose it was.
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