Written By: - Date published: 4:42 pm, February 12th, 2008 - 42 comments
Categories: john key -
Tags: john key
I’ve just listened to Key’s reply to the PM’s speech. I’m underwhelmed.
Instead of using it to promote any sort of policy platform it was a rehash of tired old phrases from the National Party linebook.
You’d think that having had the PM’s copy for over four hours that they’d be able to produce something a little more polished. Yet what we were treated to reminded me of the kind of thing you get when you put a bunch of people in a room and ask them to write something. Everyone puts in their little bit and you end up with crap.
It was a whole series of disjointed, unfunny jokes and metaphors with some management speak thrown in for good measure – something like: “We’ll be flexible in the implementation of our integrated health clinics” and something about a gramophone. Key was big on promises and (as usual) short on detail.
In terms of replies, Peters stole the show. He laid into Key, taunted the media, took a swipe at immigrants and mocked Burka Bob.
Key sat there chewing on his pen looking decidedly uncomfortable with only Bill English and Nathan Guy for company.
Perhaps it’s time for a new speechalist John?
Facebook
Twitter
Scoopit!
I was expecting the Standard to positively embrace Key’s speech. I was expecting you all to be absolutely wowed by it.
I am underwhelmed by the Standard’s response to it.
However in the first paragraph, you are making a general comment on a 400 word post post based on a 20 line description on the behavior of an MP. The poster didn’t state an opinion on if he/she approved of his behavior, they merely described it (well apart from the common name for Bob around here).
Oh, so I’m being utterly unreasonable in assuming the word after “Winston stole the show” indicated some approval? If that wasn’t all your base’s intention, then perhaps he should have left Winnie’s immigrant bashing out of the roll call?
Or perhaps I can just dismiss your rather disingenuous spin — something Winnie’s rather good at too — and take the Freudian slip at face value. Wouldn’t be the first time people who should know better have squinted past the more rabid side of Winston’s rhetoric when he’s an otherwise useful attack dog.
The funniest bit yesterday was when Cunliffe accused the opposition of being “preppy” and I think the other phrase was pompous or arrogant or similar.
I’m sure it was completely unintentional and lacking in irony
Craig, stop being precious. You’re grasping at straws.
We’ve made our thoughts on Winston’s racism clear: http://www.thestandard.org.nz/?p=1067
Craig Ranapia – dude, you really are becoming more like the rest of the kiwiblog right every day. Are you still claiming MP’s deserve to get sprayed with piss?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/blogs/insidethebeltway/2008/02/07/clarks-waitangi-no-show-smarter-than-key-turning-up/#comment-37451
Christ, you’ll be calling people “Liarbour lickspittles” next…
Anyone know what the ratings are for parliament TV on Sky. Must be pretty low. The apparent fact is that it is not actually performance in parliament that matters, but the reporting of performance in parliament.
From todays Herald
In his reply to the Prime Minister’s statement to Parliament, Mr Key compared Labour to a gramophone – “confined to history, a relic left gathering dust at the back of the cupboard wondering why the music has stopped”.
He described Helen Clark’s speech as “vacuous” and “boring” and joked about Shane Jones mounting a leadership bid in a third of the time it has taken for Labour to offer tax cuts.
He claimed the Resource Management Act would mean: “I have more chance of being Britney Spears’ therapist in 2015 than of driving through the Waterview tunnel … “
Then they go on to Winston laying into National, just like a good poodle.
How many people voted for NZ first at the last election? Reading this story, how many really care what Winnie says in the house?
I take it you missed the TV news last night TDS.
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1318360/1579756
See the ‘related video’ on the side bar – the second one is gold.