Deja vu

15 comments on “Deja vu ”

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1. Steve Pierson 1

   24 June 2008 at 11:20 am

   He’s stolen the script and the setting!

   It’s like National’s media people said ‘let’s find the blankest slate we can, then we’ll find the most effective PR material we can and use it to make the blank slate look appealing’
2. Billy 2

   24 June 2008 at 11:21 am

   Good job Labour thought up the pledge card all on their own…
3. IrishBill 3

   24 June 2008 at 11:26 am

   Yes Billy, but while sharing/stealing campaign ideas goes on a lot John’s campaign is the the most comprehensively pinched campaign I think I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen quite a few.
4. dave 4

   24 June 2008 at 11:29 am

   Irish Bill, were you thinking of the American family on the Labour publicity,perhaps that was one of the “quite a few” you were referring to.
5. T-rex 5

   24 June 2008 at 11:30 am

   Maybe if National do form the government they could get the Key-puppet to act like Thomas Jefferson for the duration of his time in office… that might not be so bad.

   —

   You know, it just occured to me there might be some good lessons for those working on strong AI from Nationals manipulation of Key. How do you program someone to act real while still having them do what you want?
6. T-rex 6

   24 June 2008 at 11:31 am

   Christ I hope I’m never on a debating team with you Dave. I’d gag you.

   While you’re a champion for the opposition though… YEAH! STAND STRONG BUDDY! YOU’RE AN INDIVIDUAL! MAKE SURE YOUR VOICE IS HEARD!
7. gobsmacked 7

   24 June 2008 at 11:51 am

   All the Way with JK

   It’s Morning Again in New Zealand

   Ich bin ein South Aucklander (“needs work” – Murray)
8. Zero Wing 8

   24 June 2008 at 12:28 pm

   Come on T-Rex, Key brought more than just a pretty face to the Party.
   Without him National might never have had the ambition to sell out all their core values and adopt a bunch of Labour positions.
9. Dark Watcher 9

   24 June 2008 at 12:59 pm

   I thought you leftards would want a soft left PM like John Key who models himself on Tony Blair.
10. T-rex 10

    24 June 2008 at 1:06 pm

    You thought???

    I find that hard to believe. Citation needed.
11. Rex Widerstrom 11

    24 June 2008 at 1:24 pm

    Steve: In my experience that’s happening more and more, right across the political spectrum, across western democracies.

    The era of strong-willed leadership, convinced they’re right, proud of their policies and prepared to stand or fall on how many people they can convince to their point of view is all but over.

    The natural progression of focus grouping, then message modifying, every statement is that parties need “leaders” who are pretty much blank slates and will walk out and say whatever the power brokers and the spin doctors told them to say.

    Of course there’s a role for media advisors and political strategists (well I would say that I guess…) but that role should be to figure out ways to attractively package a principled platform. Increasingly however the job is becoming the creation of that platform – and changing it to suit the prevailing wind.

    That’s one of the reasons I’ve been happy to work for unions, then switch to working for a union-busting MP… they both had principles and they both stuck to them. Alas in today’s environment, that’s a rarity. What that means for the future of politics, and indeed the future of democracy, I hate to think.
12. G 12

    24 June 2008 at 6:45 pm

    “Ich bin ein South Aucklander.”

    Much of the humour around here leaves me groaning, but that made me laugh out loud. 🙂

    C’mon, Irish Bill, are you seriously saying that Labour has a copyright on the idea of driving their candidate around in a car and talking about ambition?

    Pretty desperate, don’t you think?
13. NX 13

    25 June 2008 at 12:05 am

    Tony Blair pioneered the third-way philosophy. He was the guy centre-right voters liked.

    Helen Clark tried to emulate Blair with his third-way approach but has failed miserably. The former Blair govt. & Australia’s new Rudd govt. show how very old left New Zealand Labour is.

    Helen still bangs on about the Vietnam war, Ruth Richardson & Rogernomic like they were yesterday. A woman obsessed with battle long since past.

    Time for a change.
14. r0b 14

    25 June 2008 at 12:38 am

    Helen Clark tried to emulate Blair with his third-way approach but has failed miserably.

    Yes, 9 years of solid and productive government for NZ, that’s a pretty miserable failure all right.

    Time for a change.

    Step right up
    …
    That’s right, it filets, it chops
    It dices, slices, never stops
    Lasts a lifetime, mows your lawn
    And it mows your lawn
    And it picks up the kids from school
    It gets rid of unwanted facial hair
    It gets rid of embarrassing age spots
    It delivers a pizza
    And it lengthens, and it strengthens
    And it finds that slipper that’s been at large
    Under the chaise longe for several weeks
    And it plays a mean Rhythm Master
    It makes excuses for unwanted lipstick on your collar
    And it’s only a dollar, step right up
    It’s only a dollar, step right up
    …
    You got it buddy: the large print giveth
    And the small print taketh away…

Links to post

1. Cake and have it at The Standard 2.01: posted on 25 June 2008 at 1:55 pm

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