Another broken promise

43 comments on “Another broken promise ”

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1. Draco T Bastard 1

   20 October 2011 at 2:15 pm

   I suspect that was a promise that he’d forgotten about 5 seconds after he made it.
   • Craig Glen Eden 1.1

     20 October 2011 at 2:42 pm

     Nah It was a real promise just like all his others though he has absolutely no ability to deliver.
2. Afewknowthetruth 2

   20 October 2011 at 2:44 pm

   Andrew Little has obviously been taking lessons from the master.
   • mik e 2.1

     20 October 2011 at 10:56 pm

     ITS al over tomorrow afew 21st
3. Lanthanide 3

   20 October 2011 at 4:50 pm

   Actually I believe what he said is that he’d “talk to someone important to try to stop Coro being moved”.

   The important part was “try”. He never guaranteed he would succeed.

   Pointless post.
   • Tigger 3.1

     20 October 2011 at 5:01 pm

     Did he try? Should he interfering in our state broadcaster’s programming? Not a pointless post, more proof he’s full of shit yet never gets held accountable for it.
     • Lanthanide 3.1.1

       20 October 2011 at 5:19 pm

       It’s hard to say whether he actually personally spoke to anyone.

       Someone at TVNZ did put out a statement either on that Friday or a few days later, saying that Mr Key was entitled to his opinion just like anyone else, but that they would not move the show.
   • Colonial Viper 3.2

     20 October 2011 at 5:10 pm

     The important part was “try”. He never guaranteed he would succeed.

     You mean like how he would “try” to give everyone a tax cut north of $50?

     Or that he would “try” to close the gap with Australia?

     Or that he would “try” not to raise GST?

     Or that he would “try” to improve the Rena oil spill response?

     Or that he would “try” to bring New Zealanders a brighter future?

     Hey dude, I’m glad that he didn’t “guarantee success” on any of those things because I might be a little disappointed in him now eh?

     The Tory side of your brain taking over, you giving Key the soft peddle in the name of literal fairness?
     • Lanthanide 3.2.1

       20 October 2011 at 5:21 pm

       “The Tory side of your brain taking over, you giving Key the soft peddle in the name of literal fairness?”

       When we’re talking about a flippant off-the-cuff remark about an entertainment issue, yes. I’ll also point out that I’m usually quite literal and pedantic about most things.

       Also I don’t think he said that he’d “try” not to raise GST, he said that they wouldn’t. Similarly he also said they would give a tax cut north of $50/week. He probably didn’t say “try” when talking about closing the gap with Australia, either.

       If you can get quotes of any of these statements where he said “try” (or similar), please, go ahead. But I don’t think it happened.
       • felix 3.2.1.1

         20 October 2011 at 5:29 pm

         Perhaps you should examine your own quote before you accuse others of inserting erroneous words.
         • Lanthanide 3.2.1.1.1

           20 October 2011 at 10:02 pm

           Well here’s the direct quote:

           “I’m going to speak to someone important enough to see whether that can happen.”

           So he didn’t say “try”, but clearly he’s not saying he will make it happen, he’s going to see “whether that can happen”.

           http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz-government/news/article.cfm?c_id=144&objectid=10755730
           • Puddleglum 3.2.1.1.1.1

             20 October 2011 at 10:24 pm

             Yes, that’s the usual kind of escape clause he inserts into all his comments.

             I think it’s an embodied evasiveness (rather than a carefully considered literal precision of conscious thought).
       • Colonial Viper 3.2.1.2

         20 October 2011 at 5:44 pm

         I don’t get it Lanth, are you saying Key wasn’t going to try to achieve any of those things??? Because he clearly hasn’t.
         • Lanthanide 3.2.1.2.1

           20 October 2011 at 9:54 pm

           Saying:

           “I will not raise GST”
           and
           “I will try not to raise GST”

           are quite different things.
           • felix 3.2.1.2.1.1

             20 October 2011 at 11:18 pm

             Lanth, Again with the “try”.

             Do or do not. There is no “try”.
   • felix 3.3

     20 October 2011 at 5:28 pm

     Lanth, where is your quote from?

     I haven’t seen any with that wording. It doesn’t square with what’s quoted here: http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/john-key-pledges-fight-coro-switch-4428912

     I hope you haven’t based your defense of Key on a semantic argument hinged on the word “try” in a quote you invened yourself…

     But even assuming that your quote is legit and tvnz’s is off, the position of the word “try” doesn’t provide a defense for Key anyway. He isn’t saying he would “try to talk to someone important”, he’s saying he will talk to someone important.

     So even going by your very charitable paraphrase, the question is did he or not?

     Either way the answers aren’t good for him. If he didn’t he’s a lazy fuck, if he did and failed he’s a useless fuck.
     • Tigger 3.3.1

       20 October 2011 at 5:35 pm

       Key scored points off that promise. Did he keep it? FFS, he offered to do it, he wasn’t pushed.
     • Lanthanide 3.3.2

       20 October 2011 at 10:04 pm

       He promised to talk to someone about whether it could be moved.

       Did he talk to someone? Who knows? Did he promise he would get it moved? No.
       • felix 3.3.2.1

         20 October 2011 at 11:25 pm

         “Who knows?”

         All we know for sure is that if he tried, he failed. But no-one seriously believes he tried.

         The point is, as Tigger says, he chose to make political capital by grandstanding on a stupid trivial issue that he had to know he could do nothing about.

         Are you so used to being lied to that you don’t spot it anymore?
         • Lanthanide 3.3.2.1.1

           21 October 2011 at 9:21 am

           Was he a dick for saying what he said? Yes.

           Did he “break his promise”? Do you know if he talked to someone or not? You don’t know either way, so you don’t know if he did break his promise or not.

           TVNZ did respond via a “spokesperson”, so even if he didn’t personally talk to someone directly, TVNZ did respond to his suggestion by batting it back.

           Edit: Shorts found some evidence down below at #10 that he did not speak to anyone. So by that measure he broke his promise. But that isn’t the evidence that Zetectic presented when he posted this article. I stand by all my posts.
   • Craig Glen Eden 3.4

     20 October 2011 at 5:59 pm

     Pointless attempt to make out he could do anything!
4. logie97 4

   20 October 2011 at 5:29 pm

   I feel it is reassuring to think that even a prime minister cannot achieve this sort of thing.
   On the other hand it could be a double-conspiracy in that it looks as though
   he didn’t achieve it and therefore Griffin looks independent (on something so unimportant.) Therefore, when he doesn’t announce that he will try to get things changed, the more subtle changes will be made, only not with publicity.

   Spy vs Spy anyone… it sure is a mad world
5. Tigger 5

   20 October 2011 at 5:38 pm

   And do we believe he watches Coro like he claimed? I call bs here too. Next up he’ll be getting a Bieber do and wearing Kardashian gear…
6. tsmithfield 6

   20 October 2011 at 6:01 pm

   I see commentators here, other than Lanth, are stooping to new lows of pettiness.

   Firstly, we don’t know if Key tried to get Coronation Street shifted back or not.
   Secondly, who gives a fuck?
   • felix 6.1

     20 October 2011 at 6:29 pm

     If he didn’t try he lied. Bad John.

     If he tried he failed. Useless John.

     Who gives a fuck? John does. So much of a fuck he said he was going to go out of his way and above his station to fix this godawful mess because it’s so damn important.

     Also he watches Coro all the time and has done all his life so you know he really meant it too.
     • tsmithfield 6.1.1

       20 October 2011 at 6:38 pm

       So you seem to think JK should be in charge of TVNZ programming? Then again, I guess you have enjoyed your previous leader who liked to micro-manage everything, so I probably shouldn’t be surprised.

       Key can express his view to TVNZ like anyone else. However, I am sure there would be screeches here about unbridled excess of power if he actually forced TVNZ to change its programming schedule, despite your previous adulation of your dear leader.
       • Puddleglum 6.1.1.1

         20 October 2011 at 6:52 pm

         Key should not have even said that he would ‘try’.

         As PM he should/would have known that he should not so much as express his personal opinion on TVNZ’s operational matters.

         It shows that his sense of the responsibilities inherent in the position he occupies is flawed. 

         It is, however, a trivial matter. Which I think was the point of the post.

         Whether trivial or important, John Key will simply say he is ‘concerned’, ‘cares’, ‘understands’, ‘will consider it’ or is as ‘angry as anyone else’, etc., etc..

         But there’s just no follow up (unless he’s hounded to provide one). 
         • tsmithfield 6.1.1.1.1

           20 October 2011 at 7:07 pm

           It depends on which capacity he did it in.

           If he approached TVNZ in his capacity as a private citizen, then he has as much right to express a view as anyone else. And TVNZ would have absolutely no requirement to follow those views. However, it would be inappropriate to approach TVNZ in his capacity as PM IMO.

           From the response of TVNZ, it seems that any approach he made would have been in his capacity of a private citizen.
           • Puddleglum 6.1.1.1.1.1

             20 October 2011 at 8:08 pm

             When I said he shouldn’t express his personal opinion, I meant on the programme – which we all agree he did do. Hearing the PM (or any Minister) make such a comment is what is wrong.

             But, as PB says below, it’s just an example of Key saying empty things to people – that he doesn’t believe – in order to be on side with them. 
           • felix 6.1.1.1.1.2

             20 October 2011 at 8:08 pm

             Even for you that’s pathetic.

             What was the name of the show again? The something hour… what was it?

             Oh that’s right, “The Private Citizen’s Hour”.
           • Craig Glen Eden 6.1.1.1.1.3

             20 October 2011 at 8:47 pm

             “It depends on which capacity he did it in”

             Thats pissweak ts he’s Prime minister and was on the show because of that. When you hold a warrant its with you till the end. So 24/7 he has no personal opinion he is PM.
             • Ianupnorth …

               20 October 2011 at 10:18 pm

               I work for a government department and I am not allowed to express my opinion or be critical of current government policy, whilst in the workplace that is!
       • felix 6.1.1.2

         20 October 2011 at 8:17 pm

         “So you seem to think JK should be in charge of TVNZ programming?”

         No, John does. Keep up.

         “Then again, I guess you have enjoyed your previous leader who liked to micro-manage everything, so I probably shouldn’t be surprised.”

         You’ve lost me now, I think you’ve confused me with someone else. I probably shouldn’t be surprised.

         “Key can express his view to TVNZ like anyone else.”

         Not really, he’s the fracking PM. He doesn’t get to be Johnny Nobody until he’s safely back in Hawaii where he belongs.

         “However, I am sure there would be screeches here about unbridled excess of power if he actually forced TVNZ to change its programming schedule,”

         Of course. Look at the response to him just saying he would. He definitely shouldn’t be doing this t, glad you agree.

         “despite your previous adulation of your dear leader.”

         Lost me again. Who are you talking about?
       • mik e 6.1.1.3

         20 October 2011 at 10:59 pm

         I thought ACTORYKEY was already incharge of programing at Media works and TVNZ he’s on tv all the time serial offender a compulsive attention seeker
   • Treetop 6.2

     20 October 2011 at 7:20 pm

     What if people who previously voted National won’t vote National until Coro is shifted back?

     I’d like to know if Key has said that he would intervene as Key often has a line similar to this: there are more important issues to attend to than…
7. Pascal's bookie 7

   20 October 2011 at 7:28 pm

   Can’t remember where I saw it, but someone asked they PMs office if he had talked to someone important. They basically laughed.

   He was bullshitting the caller, that’s all. He’s a wanker like that.
   • Lanthanide 7.1

     20 October 2011 at 10:06 pm

     It wasn’t even a caller, it was just a question he read out because it was the “only one worth answering”.
     • Pascal's bookie 7.1.1

       20 October 2011 at 10:51 pm

       So he picked something to bullshit about.

       I think it might have been in last friday’s herald business section. They have a column called “Insider” or something where they put all sorts of interesting titbits. But anyway, no one important or otherwise was talked to.
       • Lanthanide 7.1.1.1

         21 October 2011 at 9:22 am

         Looks like Shorts found it down below at #10.
8. RedLogix 8

   20 October 2011 at 9:28 pm

   My feeling on all these issues that the Nats keep getting caught out on is that the voting public deep down sort of expect the Nats to be a venal, self-serving pack of suited sharks… so they really don’t care.
9. Rodel 9

   20 October 2011 at 9:45 pm

   If Mr Key says he’ll do something or even just try to do something..then does nothing.. the dumbos will just hear the first part of the message and still believe he’s fulfilled his ‘ promise’. Key and Co know this.
   Interesting that he hasn’t followed up his ‘publicly announced thought of popping in to see Lomu.
   I wonder why? Too busy with Sir Mad .Ill give you a knighthood and you give me a promo close to election time. What’s the word for that?
10. shorts 10

    21 October 2011 at 6:01 am

    “The one-off John Key hour on RadioLive suited him perfectly – a place where he can say what he likes with guests fed to him by the Prime Minister’s office.

    On that radio show Key pronounced himself a great fan of Coronation Street.

    “Who’s home at 5.30?” Key said. “It’s got to be moved” and he would talk to “someone important enough to see whether that can happen”.

    I asked one of Key’s press secretaries Lesley Hamilton if he had made such an approach to TVNZ. But Hamilton said absolutely not – and he was never serious about making such an approach.

    That was never explained when he was on air. It was just something to say.”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10758828

    I believe in lay terms thats called lying
11. randal 11

    21 October 2011 at 3:56 pm

    the only time john keys would move anything on teevee would be when he needed the timeslot *wink wink*** for himself.
    ffs get it right willya.

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