Key VS Clark: Principles

John Key's politically savvy decision to put Winston Peters in his place a few months back and refuse to do a post election deal with him should be seen by the wider voting public for what it is.

Highly principled.

Peters has been embroiled in scandal, paybacks and political corruption-just like his senior partner in government, the Labour Party-and the latest detail out today about the Vela Family donations to Winnie only vindicate Key's initial move.

The decision will do well for Key come polling day but we know he didn't do it purely for political reasons because he may need a support partner after grabbing the majority of votes on Saturday November 8. 

He has said he would rather not form a Government by relying on a corrupt individual for votes in the house but that is the price that one pays for having principles.

Helen Clark on the other hand has refused to sack Peters, leaving him in some sort of limbo land of Wonderland purgatory, where he somehow gets to keep his baubles while not having his position of responsibility.

Serious issues surround her Minister but she refuses to budge. The latest Vela revelations out today will no doubt be more of the same for her.

Hold on to absolute power at all costs and try and retain it, at all costs again, even if that means using taxpayer money to illegitimately smear your opposition, then lie about your involvement.

It is political pragmatism at best and political corruption at worst. Something that out Prime Minister has perfected over the last 9 years.

This is what intelligent people will see as a lack of principle from our Prime Minister. Her standards are low and therefore her principles simply reflect that.

An interesting contrast to John Keys highly moral and principled stand.

c Political Animal 2008

A good question

A YouTube submitted question for the great debate directed at Helen Clark but not shown.

We saw no tough questions put to Clark and all the hard ones were put to John Key-no matter though Clark fucked up the easy ones like, "how would you describe a rich person?" (she should have said "prick") and Key easily dealt with a grilling from the left.

The video is about trust and puts questions about Helen's honesty directly to her. 

Since this election is supposed to be about trust perhaps TV One could have played a YouTube clip that was central to the election campaign of the Labour Party.

c Political Animal 2008

Sucking Lemons

A lovely little slice of apple pie and down home humour from Emmerson from the Herald commenting on Clark's unhinged performance in Tuesdays Prime Ministerial debate.

I am heartened by Keys new found set of cahoneys, I thought he had lost them, and his performance that Tuesday night leaves me with new found confidence in him for his leadership qualities.

He is more than a match for his corrosive, cancerous competition.

It would have been nice to see some hard questions put to the head prefect as well.

Related Political Animal reading

Sore loser Clark lacks class

Labour's official spin on debate dizzying

Key wipes floor with Clark in one-sided debate

Full Debate Video

Live Blog coverage

c Political Animal

Sore loser Clark lacks class

When you lose anything you simply suck it up and take it like a man or half a man in Helen's case.

Helen Clark's big loss in Tuesdays debate with John Key has her bitterly attacking her worthy opponent with a torrent of vitriol, mindless name calling and school-yard baiting:

"The fact he didn't burst out crying on the set probably counted for him," she said during a Radio Live question and answer session this morning.

Today she said she was not accusing him of yelling at his family.

"What I meant was he was having a tantrum he was completely out of control trying to shout me down..."

Another reason he couldn't out shout her was that he didn't have a "voice advantage".

NZ Herald

When backed into the losing corner Clark is juvenile, insipid and clearly lacks the class to be a "good loser", the mark of a seasoned politician and a decent, honest, civil person.

She brings all these qualities to her leadership and New Zealanders deserve much better.

Like the good socialist that she is she blamed everyone else but herself.

The format, Johns voice, his inexperience, the questions and the "lack of moderation" were all to blame for her poor showing and Keys dominance.

Not her poor record in government or lack of social skills.

Pathetic.

c Political Animal 2008

Labours official spin on Debate dizzying

The official Labour view of last nights Key debate(Clark really didn't feature) from their blog site The Standard is that it was a "narrow victory" for Johnny boy: 

A narrow victory for Key in tonight’s TV1/Youtube debate.

A forum where he could repeat his tired slogans to his heart’s content suited him. No-one could pull him up on his lies, except Clark who, inexplicably, failed to do so. And when Clark spoke, Key just yelled his lines over the top of her.

That might come back to bite him though. Key didn’t want to repeat Brash’s mistake of appearing to treat Clark softly because she is female. Instead, he let out the nasty side in him, yelling, talking over the top. He seemed disrespectful; “I can talk over Helen for the whole debate if you let me Mark - it’s your call”, awful. That won’t play well with women (seems Tories can’t just treat women as they do men). Continued

Most commentators agree that Key came out on top of Helen, even some of the rabid left give the debate to Key, but Labour party officials are already spinning the bullshit and fairy dust, calling him a liar, saying he spoke over the top of her-he did but so did she-and calling him "nasty", she was the one who got personal about Keys home life when she was cornered for the umpteenth time.

Key had her on the ropes the whole 90 mins and even the bizarre irrelevant question from Barry Sopher about the 1981 Springbok tour was used to Keys advantage.

He was around 20 at the time, who at 20 gave a rats about the tour, I didn't because people that young generally don't, he was living a normal life at the time and Clark, who must have been approaching 30 was knee deep in flower bags and police batons-30 year olds are more politically aware!! well duh.

The TV ONE poll that ran along with the debate was also conclusive proof that the public were convinced that Key was the winner of the debate.

With nearly 50000 votes cast  Key had 67% support and Clark was on 33%. A NZ Herald poll out this morning has Key on 72% and Clark on 28%.

Labours denial of the truth here is unfortunate but nevertheless a symptom of their denial of their poor record for the last 9 years and the reason Clark lost confidence in last nights debate.

She had little positivity to back herself up.

Related Political Animal reading

Key wipes floor with Clark in one-sided debate

Full Debate Video

Live Blog coverage

c Political Animal 2008

NZ Election 2008: Leader's debate

An interesting premise, a political debate on YouTube.

In this TV One production YouTube users can put video questions to politicians to be answered in the debate which screens on TV One and YouTube on October 14 2008.

The debate is between John Key and Helen Clark and you can watch it here on Political Animal.

Here are a couple of questions from YouTube submitters:

 Why Should NZ trust you?

Welfare Dependancy

Labour, ignoring public opinion?

c Political Animal 2008

John Key says Clark " has alot of explaining to do"

From johnkey.co.nz

Helen Clark's stunning revelation today that she was told in February by Owen Glenn that he had donated $100,000 to Winston Peters leaves the Prime Minister with a lot of explaining to do, says National Party Leader John Key.

"This is a stunning revelation. Months have gone by since Helen Clark was informed by Mr Glenn about the $100,000 donation.

"The public was firstly told that Mr Peters had not received any money from Mr Glenn, then the public was told that Mr Peters had in fact received a donation but had not known about it, and then finally yesterday they were told that Mr Peters had personally solicited the donation.

"Today, we learnt that Helen Clark herself had the relevant information all that time.

"Helen Clark has got a lot of explaining to do today to the New Zealand public."

"The public are entitled to know why she withheld this crucial information for so long."