A miss as good as a mile

Written By: - Date published: 3:45 pm, November 22nd, 2010 - 26 comments
Categories: by-election, john key, spin - Tags:

Key talking on Breaskfast about Mana: “we slashed the majority from 6,155 to 1,080. So by any measure, you’ve got to take that as a win.”

Apart from the one measure that counts. Eh John?

Of course, this is also the dude who reckons that sitting “pretty much next to” Obama for a few minutes is a foreign policy achievement.

26 comments on “A miss as good as a mile ”

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  1. Tigger 1
    22 November 2010 at 4:23 pm

    Why was Key even on Breakfast today speaking about this? Given a certain other event going on, surely his time could be spent doing things other than crowing about his apparent ‘win’? Ick.

    • Fisiani 1.1
      22 November 2010 at 4:36 pm

      Tigger try watching the link rather than just spewing political bile. 90% of the link is about John Key’s concern re the mining tragedy on his way to the airport to get to Greymouth and then right at the end he is asked a question by the interviewer.

      • Craig Glen Eden 1.1.1
        22 November 2010 at 5:57 pm

        Talk about take some of your own advice Fisiani the vomiter.

      • Vicky32 1.1.2
        22 November 2010 at 6:23 pm

        I am sure he’s deeply concerned… Yeah. Right.
        Deb

        • Tigger 1.1.2.1
          22 November 2010 at 7:00 pm

          Yes Fisi crowing about his performance in Mana is worth a mouth of bile. He was smug and exceptionally un-statesman like here.

          • jcuknz 1.1.2.1.1
            22 November 2010 at 9:42 pm

            A drop in support from was it 6000 to 1000 majority is certainly something to crow about even if one didn’t win, and it was SUPPOSED to be a Labour SAFE seat. I gather there are also more than that majority in special votes to be counted so maybe the majority will be even lower … so definitely a good win by National. It is worth going over to Kiwiblog and reading DPF’s summary and historical relevance instead of all the childish blather above.

            • felix 1.1.2.1.1.1
              22 November 2010 at 10:52 pm

              It’s a good loss by National, moron – not a good win.

              This is what happens when you listen to Farrar and Key too much jcuknz, you forget that words actually have meanings and aren’t just noises to fill the spaces between mouthfuls of piss.

              • Jim Nald …
                22 November 2010 at 11:28 pm

                I read this post earlier this evening and saw that Breakfast link.
                But I am still a bit too nervous for my own wellbeing to check out that link.
                The last time I heard Key being interviewed (on Morning Report), I was so traumatised. And, honestly, I still haven’t recovered from that.
                I am a bit scared that if I listen to another interview of him this time, I will suffer anaphylactic shock or go into an apoplectic fit.

            • swordfish 1.1.2.1.1.2
              23 November 2010 at 2:55 am

              @jcuknz

              Labour won the Party-Vote in Mana by a mere 2500 votes. Take into account the By-Election turnout and we’re talking about a 1700 majority benchmark.

              Like Farrar, you are deliberately confusing the 2008 Candidate-Vote (6100 majority) with the 2008 Party-Vote (2500 majority). Laban’s Candidate-Vote was a personal one. 4500 of her 6100 majority came from National, Green, NZ First and minor-voters. In a ONE vote by-election, those 4500 – all things being equal – will naturally return to the candidate representing their respective parties. They don’t have the luxury of a second vote in the way they did in 2008. Hence, the Party-Vote is the baseline. Comprende ?

              Unfortunately, Farrar’s spinning like there’s no tomorrow. Very selective/deceptive graphs and figures being employed to try and win the post-by election analysis. Sadly, Tracy Watkins seems to be heavily influenced by him, but then Tracy’s always been a bit of a blue-ribbon girl. Something to do with being brought-up in the rural Waikato, I believe. The sort of area where they traditionally weigh, rather than count, National votes.

              I’ll be countering Farrar’s spin over the next few days on this site and others.

              • swordfish …
                23 November 2010 at 7:16 am

                @ To anyone who’s interested:

                I’ve just set-out some comprehensive suburb-by-suburb stats comparing the 2008 Mana Party-Vote with the 2010 By-Election vote in comments on Red Alert (‘Reflections on Mana’, 22 November). Just look for the long, long table of stats. See also my following comment there on the accuracy or otherwise of Farrar’s analysis of the vote movement in the Far North of the seat.

        • rightofleftcentre 1.1.2.2
          22 November 2010 at 9:46 pm

          Are you saying he’s not deeply concerned?
          No matter what the colour of the party any Prime Minister belongs to, such a suggestion is obnoxious in the extreme.
          Hard to imagine a more ridiculous post than that!

      • Irascible 1.1.3
        22 November 2010 at 10:42 pm

        I must say, Fisiani, that it is good to see the Member for Hawaii returning to visit his Helensville postal address and, coincidentally, visit the photo-opportunity that is the Pike River disaster.
        The flying visit by Key to the mine is a diversion for him as he doesn’t have to face up to any scrutiny over the economic disaster his administration has visited on NZ and which is now being recognised by Standard & Poors with their credit down grade.
        He also doesn’t have to face up to any questioning about the behaviour of his Cabinet Ministers past, resigned and present.
        Fisiani, just tell your employer to return to their residences in Hawaii or Dipton rather than attempt to be the nation’s saviours.

  2. Craig Ranapia 2
    22 November 2010 at 4:41 pm

    Aren’t sore winners absolutely delightful? If Wayne Mapp resigned, and Labour managed to turn North Shore (which National has held since 1949) into an effective marginal in the by-election I think a wee bit of crowing would be in order.

    • ak 2.1
      22 November 2010 at 4:54 pm

      Except that the party vote majority in 08 was only 2500. Allowing for the reduced turnout and Matt’s votes, the Left majority has actually increased. But you knew that. I guess an increase is a decrease in a world where losing is winning and poor-to-rich wealth transfer is your noble raison d’etre.

    • Bright Red 2.2
      22 November 2010 at 4:59 pm

      It’s not a marginal.

    • swordfish 2.3
      23 November 2010 at 3:07 am

      @ Craig Ranapia

      Mana is NOT the “Labour stronghold” being portrayed. Do see my comments above, Craig. And then do a wee bit of thinking. Honesty rather than spin is always the best policy. Perhaps you could pass that message on to Farrar.

  3. Colonial Viper 3
    22 November 2010 at 5:00 pm

    To misquote Goff, I’m looking forwards to Key winning just like he did in Mana, in 2011.

  4. tc 4
    22 November 2010 at 5:09 pm

    Much ado about nothing really……Botany would be worth reading something into if Sideshow has the guts to stick by his vacuous claims about transparency and a higher standard of gov’t by sacking Pansy.

    Go on Johnny let’s see you gamble with a seat not shuffling the list like you did for Worth…..consider it a litmus test for where things really stand, if you believe your own spin you should increase the margin….Melissa lee awaits your call to serve…again.

    • Irascible 4.1
      22 November 2010 at 10:45 pm

      Botany will certainly be an interesting electorate for a bye-election especially as the election would have eventuated from NACT sleaze and misappropriation of taxpayers’ monies rather than an honorable resignation like that which triggered the Mana bye-election.

  5. Craig Glen Eden 5
    22 November 2010 at 5:49 pm

    Yes he lost but it feels like he won! The Gap between Aussie wages and NZ wages is growing but it feels like its not.Standard and Poors down grade our rating but National are doing well.

    To all RWNJ National didn’t close the Gap in Mana Parata got less votes than last time, she didn’t close the gap as a new candidate stood against her. Less people voted in total get it!

  6. Hilary 6
    22 November 2010 at 9:44 pm

    Perhaps Key is just practicing the spin about second being a win in preparation for the RWC.

  7. jcuknz 7
    22 November 2010 at 9:48 pm

    Statistics, Statistics, Dam statistics 🙂 Twist them how you like. National are still in government and Labour are still in opposition and the ratio hasn’t changed..

  8. Drakula 8
    22 November 2010 at 10:26 pm

    I am interested to know how Mat Mc Carten did in the Mana by election I thought he made a good point about the deplorable housing lockout in that electorate.

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