Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The perils of political confidence

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  • dc_red,

    Heh, in the TV3 video when the Rt Hon hops out of his limo to meet Banks, there's a prominent sign in the background across the road: "Clark & Clark"

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Also, were the media invited to this tea fest?

    Banks announced his Tea party the day before if I recall correctly. He said it was the afternoon.

    Key will complain to the police over the matter.

    ...Could mean he is complaining to the Police for their incompetence in looking at suspicious packages and thus not looking after him.DPS and 11 other police didn't notice a suspicious package?

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to dc_red,

    “Clark & Clark”

    And the other says " For Lease":)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    If the media were invited, how can it be framed as a private conversation?

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to BenWilson,

    You’d probably have to elaborate about the risks. The recording/transcript has not been released yet, so there’s not much of a limb there, is there?

    Key is to make a criminal complaint at 4pm today and Joyce has already issued an incredibly aggressive media statement. That's a limb and a half.

    What will be happening now is that Fisher and Milne will be working to try and stand up by other means the parts they believe to be a story. If they can't, they'll probably have to back off. If they can. next Sunday's HoS will be interesting.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Carol Stewart, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    For Lease

    Unfurnished?

    Wellington • Since Jul 2008 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to merc,

    If the media were invited, how can it be framed as a private conversation?

    I imagine m'learned friends are mulling over that one already.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to merc,

    If the media were invited, how can it be framed as a private conversation?

    I believe Steven Price rather generously leaned in the direction of expectation of privacy based on the media being ushered onto the other side of the glass.

    If the idea of laying charges is to tie the matter up in legalities until after the election, it reflects a little more 'panic' than usual in National's camp.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to BenWilson,

    not much of a limb there

    Given the way this government has consistently shunned certain media outlets without consequence, one risk is being denied access for another 3 years.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    The invitation becomes all important because there would obviously be rules of engagement.
    ... the PM's staff ordered the pack away to give the two men some time for a private discussion. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/blogs/the-whip/5963065/Whats-in-the-teapot-tapes-really
    I don't know if that is actually viable after you have invited the media there to cover the event in the first place.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Well HOS have got until Sunday then.... WE ALL WANNA KNOW! m'kay ?

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    The Manawatu Standard weighs in: Picking row not in Key's best interests

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Stuff’s Twitter account is reporting that Key will complain to the police over the matter.

    It’s probably a decent strategy for Key and his people – to reframe it as a criminal offence against him – but it’s also a bit creepy.

    To be coldly cynical about it, I don't think it's a good strategy at all. I can understand why there's a lot of paranoia in Key's inner circle around rogue audio (not expecting any sympathy here, just saying I get it), but I think it would have just been smarter to say "publish and be damned" and let it be a one day wonder. Seriously, unless Banks and Key were saying "Cunliffe doesn't know what he's talking about. I'd tap Judith's booty, for shizzle" I really don't think they'd have said anything damaging outside the media-political complex. Really. Key, of all people, should know the difference.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Key is to make a criminal complaint at 4pm today and Joyce has already issued an incredibly aggressive media statement. That's a limb and a half.

    Yes, but what else could the Herald have done? Destroyed the tape? Things heard can't be unheard. The news is out there now. It's only a matter of time.

    Key is being foolish with this. Personally, I'm happy about that, such an OTT reaction suggests genuine fear about the outcome of this election, and it's never going to look good to insist on secrecy like this.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • dc_red, in reply to Sacha,

    Yes, my first thought was that the criminal complaint was a stalling tactic. The Police could easily take 6-12 months to address such a pressing issue ... sure as it won't be done by the time the next HoS goes to print?

    How many years did it take for them to find nothing re : the "theft" of the Brash emails?

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    The tea thing as a signal for vote skewing has precedents (Clark, Greens) proving this was an orchestrated PR stunt with full media presence invited, hell it was signaled weeks before with a countdown. Full media presence means recording of the event. To cry fowl that your security did not remove the obvious thing on the table or that the media were illegally recording your requested PR stunt (Key called for a cup of tea last election) is to say the least, disingenuous.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Bradley Ambrose, the cameraman, has spoken to NewstalkZB:

    Bradley Ambrose says he was filming the meeting in Epsom between John Key and John Banks when Mr Banks started answering questions.

    He says that's when he put his microphone on the table.

    "I had enough time and enough space just to reach my arm and drop it on the table to try and get his questions," he told Newstalk ZB.

    "I wasn't able to get a shot so I backed off and while I was backed off trying to get other shots we were basically hustled out of the room, told to get out."

    Mr Ambrose says he completely forgot about his microphone as he struggled to get a shot of the pair.

    Police are visiting John Key in his office to receive a complaint about the secret recording.

    Newstalk's story also says Ambroses's account contradicts the HoS's claim that the recording was inadvertent, but it doesn't seem that way to me.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    but I think it would have just been smarter to say "publish and be damned" and let it be a one day wonder

    Yes, I really thought that's what they'd do. Color me surprised.

    Given the way this government has consistently shunned certain media outlets without consequence, one risk is being denied access for another 3 years.

    The Herald has huge readership by NZ standards, particularly amongst people who don't use the internet as an alternative. I don't think any government can afford to alienate them, and they certainly can't afford it two weeks from an election.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    I know that – I thought some might enjoy it.

    I think 3410 was being ironic :-)

    Yep.
    Sorry, John. Too dry, perhaps. :)

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to dc_red,

    Pshaw, Red. As Idiot/Savant pointed out last week, the Police are fully occupied not investigating cases of alleged electoral law breeches against multiple candidates referred to them by the Electoral Commission. Be reasonable, chap – as Jim Anderton wisely told us there’s rape and pillage out there and you can’t expect the constabulary to multi-task.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    Attacking something peripheral that can be framed as about dishonesty is a pretty good strategy to deflect any claims of lying about numbers or suchlike. Why they'd feel threatened at this stage is a mystery, though these are largely the same paranoid goons that starred in The Hollow Men.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • merc, in reply to Russell Brown,

    In an earlier report (Herald I think) Ambrose states that he was not permitted by security staff to go back and retrieve his microphone. This is shaping up to be an accidental doozie. Also it appears to me that Mr Key may be falling into the trap of his National predecessor Muldoon, hubris is going to always make for an Icarus moment.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to BenWilson,

    Radio NZ's Morning Report has huge listenership, but you'll notice that hasn't stopped Key and co.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Ian MacKay,

    "FRENCH PRESIDENT Nicolas Sarkozy told US president Barack Obama he was fed up dealing with Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu and considered him a liar. .......Mr Sarkozy made the alleged comments during a private conversation with Mr Obama ......and the remarks were overheard by a small number of journalists but not initially reported."
    Odd that neither Obama nor Sarkozy could stop publication but Key can.
    A very similar situation?

    Bleheim • Since Nov 2006 • 498 posts Report Reply

  • dc_red, in reply to merc,

    We won't know for sure until he says "I love you too Mr Goff"

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report Reply

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