Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: "Evil called: Can you make a meeting at 11?"

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  • John Morrison,

    OTOH, Russell, it's not hard to feel that folks are getting pretty damn sick of the slick, punchy and totally content free soundbite that Clark is very, very good at as well.

    I find it amazing that Craig believes the PM speaks in such a way whereas I always thought she mostly answered honestly and concisely, with some spin thrown in occasionally. Must be different perspectives.

    Cromwell • Since Nov 2006 • 85 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Craig, you really are running out of ideas. It is widely reported in the US exactly which DC lobby firms John McCain is using,

    Mr Pointen (since we're going to be formally bitchy): Are you sure you really want to be citing the far too cosy and very far from transparent relations between K Street lobbyists, political parties and presidential candidates as a role model for 'openness'?

    And I don't think some of the more noxious surrogates doing the rounds of the political media circuit in recent months are any less palatable for being 'open'. But, naturall, distant enough to be disavowed and cut loose if their crap backfires.

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

  • Deborah,

    The Standard has a gotcha. As predicted by RB - not a clear answer.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    There's been all this Sturm und Drung over the EFA but that's one thing the US has done relatively well recently (kicking and screaming) - made all money given to political parties public information, required ad's to have a statement saying who's paying for them etc (all stuff people are complaining about here are SOP there) - it hasn't stopped people inventing things like 'bundling' to get around it of course

    One of the interesting things about Obama is the way that he's leveraged the internet and raised at least half his money from small donors - meaning he's much less beholding to big money than any recent candidate has been.

    Now that the primaries are over he needs to tilt to the right to take on McCain (you can see this happening the past week) - this is normal, and expected - but I bet there will be a lot of gnashing of teeth by his current supporters and maybe a drop off in those small contributions

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    Well, I think that's precisely the perception the advisers have been seeking to propagate.

    Yes, every time I hear Clark described as "smug" or people start by saying the "feel" something I know that Labour is not going to be judged on actual facts but in something from the Crosby / Textor play book.

    Their presence here and the UK has been blatantly obvious for a while. Quite frankly I was surprised that this was a little known fact.

    The reason they are described as "evil", is the Karl Rovian nature of their interventions. They have no interest in building something "good" simply in creating enough descent and dissatisfaction to win an election.

    Whatever your politics, that approach stinks.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Actually, this explains the "look at how much better Aussie is than NZ" line he keeps spouting...

    Yes, Gareth, John Key hates New Zealand because he's a tool of FOREIGN warmongers, multinational corporates and nefarious bagmen. Not only "slippery" but unpatriotic. All you've got to do is get some traction on the notion that he's a (hypocritical) closet queer who cheats on his wife with Alan Bollard, beats his children with an imported wooden spoon, and is the secret lovechild of Ayn Rand and Allan Greenspan and our work is done...

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

  • Craig Ranapia,

    The Standard has a gotcha. As predicted by RB - not a clear answer.

    And if he did, do you think The Standard would have posted it? Jus' saying folks...

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

  • Stanley Pointen,

    Craig, calm yourself down. I enjoy your blogging and would hate to feel partly responsible for your melt down. The truth about Mr Key and his Hollow Men connections will out eventually, and he will suffer the fate of all politicians who seek the slippery path to power. You've still got Bill English.

    Auckland • Since May 2008 • 26 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Craig, calm yourself down.

    Stanley: Patronise someone else. Seriously.

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

  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    Yes, every time I hear Clark described as "smug" or people start by saying the "feel" something I know that Labour is not going to be judged on actual facts but in something from the Crosby / Textor play book.

    I don't think I've heard Clark described as 'smug'. The word is frequently used to describe Cullen, however. And you'd be hard pressed to argue that our Deputy PM is not insufferably smug - you don't need Crosby/Textor to tell you that, you just need a few seconds of Question Time footage.

    It seems to me that Labour party supporters at PAS are building themselves a narrative to explain their parties upcoming annihilation and the Cosby/Textor revelations feed right into that, providing an excuse for the left that poor old Labour will only lose because of some sort of satanic, right-wing media sorcery.

    Labour will lose this election for a variety of reasons - bad luck with the economy, incompetent handling of the media, public rejection of their policies, 'third-termitis' and so on - and the Nats will win by default because Labour are doing a terrible job convincing the country to give them another term, not because they have Crosby/Textor on the payroll.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    And if he did, do you think The Standard would have posted it? Jus' saying folks...

    That is one thing I don't like about the Standard. They do their credibility no good by ignoring some pretty serious failings of the current Government, like the Guantanamo style Immigration Bill being shepherded through at the moment.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    __The Standard has a gotcha. As predicted by RB - not a clear answer.__

    And if he did, do you think The Standard would have posted it? Jus' saying folks...

    Of course not. The point is not that it is the Standard who posted it, but that John Key fudged the answer when he was asked in November 2007, “Have you got any advisors round now that are seen in The Hollow Men?”.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    So you missed the "/tongue in cheek" bit at the end there huh Craig.
    I'll toddle off then.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • Ian MacKay,

    John Key hates New Zealand because he's a tool of FOREIGN warmongers, multinational corporates and nefarious bagmen. Not only "slippery" but unpatriotic. All you've got to do is get some traction on the notion that he's a (hypocritical) closet queer who cheats on his wife with Alan Bollard, beats his children with an imported wooden spoon, and is the secret lovechild of Ayn Rand and Allan Greenspan

    Hells Bells Craig!!! Is all that true? I did rather wonder! :)

    Bleheim • Since Nov 2006 • 498 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    I think he's making the bit about Greenspan up

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Stanley Pointen,

    Deborah, thanks for the link. As a first timer to The Standard, I listened to the audio clip and can only agree with you. A guy who wants to be the Prime Minister of New Zealand can't remember who is advising him? Not credible.

    Auckland • Since May 2008 • 26 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    It seems to me that Labour party supporters at PAS are building themselves a narrative to explain their parties upcoming annihilation and the Cosby/Textor revelations feed right into that, providing an excuse for the left that poor old Labour will only lose because of some sort of satanic, right-wing media sorcery.

    I feel tarred by that Brush Danyl and I have to say I think your attempt at a meta-narrative is premature. I've lived through several Crosby/Textor campaigns and they do no one any good; they're divisive and cynical. Critiquing their approach to politics is not an attempt to distract attention away from Labour's problems, but a genuine comment on the trajectory of NZ politics. Perhaps you might limit your attempts at divination?

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Angus Robertson,

    There's been all this Sturm und Drung over the EFA but that's one thing the US has done relatively well recently (kicking and screaming) - made all money given to political parties public information, required ad's to have a statement saying who's paying for them etc (all stuff people are complaining about here are SOP there) - it hasn't stopped people inventing things like 'bundling' to get around it of course.

    No one has complained about registering donations, National went as far as suggesting stopping anonymous donations. Labour refused and under the EFA several $100,000 can be donated in complete anonymity.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

  • insider outsider,

    Yes I too wonder if this big bogey CT is being built up - one could even call it dogwhistling perhaps. I actually fail to see that they are anything particualrly evil on the political spectrum. Hard nosed, yes, but I don't see evidence of them actually making stuff up - they exploited Tampa but didn't create it from what I can see.

    In London they used "a sly campaign slogan" and in Australia used "subtle appeals to fear and prejudice". Well call out the guards!

    Nicky Hager's main beef seems to be not that they lie or make stuff up but that they exploit situations and people's base fears to achieve political advantage and so are generally not nice. Well no sheet? Show me a politician that doesn;t.

    nz • Since May 2007 • 142 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I don't think I've heard Clark described as 'smug'.

    To be fair, Danyl I've said that Clark is a very, very smart and capable person but can be prone to a common failing among very, very smart and capable people -- intellectual arrogance. You know, when you just can't bring yourself to really believe that people who disagree with you aren't acting out of some kind of malicious secret agenda, if they're not just stupid and/or evil.

    Seriously, I was kind of gob-smacked how many Labour supporters still think anyone who voted for National last time out were "greedy", "stupid", "gullible" or flat out not-so-closeted bigots. There can't be anything wrong with us, it must all be the fault of a mysterious and malicious them. And, to be fair, there was the same kind of post-election psychosis among far too many Tories after the 2002 election. There was just no way they could accept that National was handed its worse electoral showing ever for a reason.

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

  • George Darroch,

    It seems to me that Labour party supporters at PAS are building themselves a narrative to explain their parties upcoming annihilation and the Cosby/Textor revelations feed right into that, providing an excuse for the left that poor old Labour will only lose because of some sort of satanic, right-wing media sorcery.

    Indeed. The only thing worse than having National sweep into power and do things I find distateful is having Labour hacks complain about their precious Government being "stolen" from them for months or years afterwards.

    Having been a member of the Greens, losing out on having any say and being generally ignored or caricatured in the media is par for the course. You get used to it and it doesn't have any effect on you after a while. Kinda like the numb sensation brought about by continually losing world cups actually.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    Indeed. The only thing worse than having National sweep into power and do things I find distateful is having Labour hacks complain about their precious Government being "stolen" from them for months or years afterwards.

    Is this some harking back to 1993 or is there, outside an odd reinterpretation of a few posts here, some real evidence that Labour supporters have given up on the election in preference for pre-testing some Hillary-esque concession? I doubt it.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    So you missed the "/tongue in cheek" bit at the end there huh Craig.
    I'll toddle off then.

    No I didn't, but I should have slipped in a "/tongue in cheek" tag myself. :) Not that I think we're not going to see the usual suspects running exactly that line, once it's been beta tested on The Standard.

    That is one thing I don't like about the Standard. They do their credibility no good by ignoring some pretty serious failings of the current Government, like the Guantanamo style Immigration Bill being shepherded through at the moment.

    I should be fair to The Standard though -- like Kiwibog, it's doesn't hide it's ideological light under a bushel, so to speak. I sure don't have any problems with blogs have a strong political POV -- or even explicitly party political affiliations -- but I have a pretty big problem when proportion, good taste, good humour or even regard for basic matters of fact go down the toilets to be replaced with outright hackery.

    That includes entirely contrived outrage at 'gotcha!' soundbites where any grain of substance is quickly trampled into dust by the nutty comments.

    If you want to talk about "voter suppression" (i.e. framing political debate in a way designed to angry up 'the base' while scaring off everyone else) Darths Rove, Crosby and Textor have nothing to teach the worse of the nutroots.

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

  • FletcherB,

    but I don't see evidence of them actually making stuff up - they exploited Tampa but didn't create it from what I can see.

    Well, a boat called Tampa was there... They didnt make that up.

    It had people on board that may have been refugees or may have been trying to gain illegal entry.... They didnt make that bit up.

    But the people on the boat didnt actually throw children into the water to force the Australian armed forces to rescue them, as claimed by the Prime Minister on national TV. THEY MADE THAT BIT UP.

    Politics is all about presenting the facts from your own point of view, (we call it spin, I'm sure you've heard about it). But making shit up is lying..... and making shit up that suggests other people are evil is pretty bloody EVIL in my book.

    West Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 893 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    Paul - I should have used "would be" instead of "is" in at least one case there.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

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