Lets take a break

The latest attack by Helen Clark on John Key has focused the spotlight on Key and Bill English and the holidays they took earlier this week.Clark said that she worked harder than the duo and was surprised they took holidays at the same time.

Key and English were on holiday with their families and were taking time out with them during school holidays, as families do.

It isn't a good look for our Prime Minister to have a go at a man for wanting to spend time with his family.

What other way are the public supposed to look at it?

It was a silly thing for Ms Clark to say, politically damaging, and shows the increasing pressure she is facing under a polling rort, a disintegrating government bureaucracy, protests and a series of gaffs by her and Ministers that have shown she isn't the Teflon Jane that everyone thought she was.

It is wonderful to watch.

By TRACY WATKINS - The Dominion Post | Thursday, 10 July 2008

The air above Parliament is becoming increasingly toxic as the leaders of Labour and National trade blows over the hours they work.

John Key has hit back at Prime Minister Helen Clark's suggestion that National MPs worked "short weeks" and labelled it an attack on his decision to spend time with his two children during the school holidays.

He said yesterday he made no apologies for being a family man.

That had Labour in turn privately accusing Mr Key of "dog whistle" politics by jumping on Miss Clark's remark to remind voters she had no children.

Dog whistling is a term used to refer to comments which send a coded message to your own supporters. Continued

Desperation by Labour Backfires
Pointing fingers in the playground
Retreat while you are behind
Ian Wishart's Absolute Power
Phil Goff on Alt TV

c Political Animal 2008