Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The perils of political confidence

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  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Meanwhile, dear Media and Politicians, if you’re so concerned #teapottapes are a “distraction from real issues” why didn’t you dedicate the lengthy airtime you just wasted on said real issues instead? Crazy talk, right?

    Because real issues don't sell as many papers as Zac Guildford's whatevers, right?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • dc_red,

    I for one am sick of all those unemployed lip readers sitting around collecting the dole while trying to work out what people on TV are saying, before heading out to cause criminal mayhem in the leafy suburbs. ACT policy is to put them to work!

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

  • David Hood,

    Then there is the genre of "Bad Lip Reading"

    Dunedin • Since May 2007 • 1445 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    Perhaps – but I can at least feel a microscopic grain of grudging respect for tabloid scum who are candidly and shamelessly bitches of the circulation department – and will do anything to feed that Moloch. Wagging your finger with one hand while the other is elbow deep in a steaming shit pile is just rank hypocrisy.

    Give me an up front bastard over a two-faced one, any day of the week. At least with the former, you can see where the cowpie in the face is coming from.

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

  • Rich Lock, in reply to Sacha,

    Geddis also raises an interesting point as to whether the clearing out of the media from the café was a legally enforceable demand. The media were asked to leave, but their almost total compliance seems to have been purely voluntary.

    A lot of the stills and footage I've seen show a number of Joe and Josephine Punter-types sitting at nearby tables studiously attempting to ignore the WTF-ness going on a couple of metres away. Assuming they are punters and not cunningly-disguised DPS officers, this would tend to add some weight to this point. And also undermine the 'reasonable expectation of privacy' defence.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Ant Timpson,

    lip readers

    nice tweet along those lines yesterday from Bryony Hilless.

    "Are they watching?" "Yes" "Do u know if I say colourful, lip readers will think I said I love you?" [insane giggling]

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to merc,

    I am surprised the media, one outlet did, hasn't remembered that this tea chat thing is an MMP code word for vote this way not that I'm telling you to.

    I think 3News responded in kind by not publishing the tapes, but instead cutting to grilling Banks over a leadership coup. They can play the hint-hint game too.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Give me an up front bastard over a two-faced one, any day of the week. At least with the former, you can see where the cowpie in the face is coming from.

    Indeed. While the Murdoch tabloids are shallow and tacky, at least we know where they stand. But broadsheets resorting to tabloidism while still presenting a broadsheet face, well, lipstick and pigs, much?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Palmer,

    Has anyone called this the cuppa hacker scandal yet?

    Since Nov 2006 • 36 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Rich Lock,

    A lot of the stills and footage I’ve seen show a number of Joe and Josephine Punter-types sitting at nearby tables studiously attempting to ignore the WTF-ness going on a couple of metres away.

    Which is really an endearing feature of the Kiwi character I think. I have a friend who almost had a stroke while standing behind Sigourney Weaver in line at a cafe. She managed to resist blurting out “OMFGOMFGItotallyLOVEyouPLEASEpleasePLEASEsay"GetawayfromherYOUBITCH!”, peeing herself, then fainting. We’re stoic, us Kiwis. :)

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

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Phil Palmer,

    Has anyone called this the cuppa hacker scandal yet?

    or even The Mad Chatters Tea Party?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Not since the following has tea so obsessed a nation.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    I was going to go for something like 'chimps tea-party'. But that could be taken as a bit ad hominem, so I won't, and the only reason I was thinking it is because it has that 'feeding time at the zoo' element to it, which applies more to the media scrum than the two participants.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • PaulC,

    The best caption i have seen in regards to the picture is '... once more the sith shall rule the galaxy ...'

    Auckland • Since Nov 2011 • 19 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Rich Lock,

    'chimps tea-party'. But that could
    be taken as a bit ad hominem...

    ...or possibly add hominid

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    or even The Mad Chatters Tea Party?

    Merc had it best with the Two Johnnies. One of them is still missing the glasses though.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    it's in the bag...
    There is a 'pursed slips' element to it all, lip readers aside they should have got a signer, to make sure it would all fall on deaf eyes...
    Defies belief really...
    I wish the media would get back to parsing policy and quit with first pass the purse...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    hominid

    I had a feeling you'd remind me of the word I was struggling to think of, and pun on it.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And reliable as the dinner gong, Phil Goff opens his mouth and blows it:

    Labour leader Phil Goff says police have better things to do than get involved in a political spat between a newspaper and the National party.

    Whatever you think the merits of the complaint are (I'd say the general consensus around here is "invisible to the naked eye"), were the Police supposed to just tell Key to piss off? Really?

    It had become a criminal matter because John Key was refusing to be transparent, Mr Goff said.

    No, Phil, it became a Police matter because a complaint was laid.

    There needed to be media ethics around private conversations, but the public understood that the meeting between Key and John Banks over a cup of tea had been a political stunt, he said.

    On-message, but not only really irrelevant but a little rich coming from that quarter. :)

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

  • merc,

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Rob S, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    I wouldn't consider this to be an attack on the police but more querying why John Key felt it to be necessary to involve them in such a marginal matter that would have other forms of recourse.

    Since Apr 2010 • 136 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    The Johnnies had a reserved table, you can see the sign on the table in the photo. When they walked in Johnnie 1 started hand shaking all the other patrons, Johnnie 2 started issuing his business cards.
    Private conversation my butt.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Rob S,

    I think when you're accusing National of "politicising" the Police (which has been the running headline on National Radio), it would be nice if you weren't quite so open to the same charge. And not for the first time, I find myself wondering why Goff (or his advisors) seem incapable of going for anything but the most silly attack line on offer.

    Is everybody off their tits on hash tea today?

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

  • merc, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    That'd be a hell of a waste of hash, leaf on the other hand...

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Rob S,

    attacking the messenger is a tactic as old as the hills

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

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