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Discussion on political leader PR.

Written By: - Date published: 1:06 pm, January 1st, 2019 - 66 comments
Categories: jacinda ardern, Politics, sexism, Simon Bridges, The Standard - Tags: , , , , ,

lprent: I have grabbed a comment from veutoviper which was related to a comment by Pete George where PG said (amongst other things):

A stupid comment from you. I’ve commented quote a bit over the years about media treatment of different politicians, but that’s a diversion from what they are doing for Ardern.

Ardern knows how to manipulate and use media to promote her PR – as did key.

veutoviper responded in today’s OpenMike:

Some of you may have read the discussion that has been going on this morning with Pete George under yesterday’s posting of “The Standard’s ten most commented on posts in 2018”.

This comment by me started out as a response to PG’s reply to Psycho Milt here.
https://thestandard.org.nz/the-standards-ten-most-commented-on-posts-in-2018/#comment-1566954

Originally I was going to add it to the now unnumbered/no reply facility ones in the thread. Then I decided to start a new thread under the same post, but then thought it really did not relate to the topic of the post. So fell back to Open Mike as the best option.

Back to PG’s response to Psycho Milt, Three things jumped out at me. Let’s deal with the shortest two first:

“Winston Peters has been given an easy ride by journalists for a long time.”

My immediate response? Hahahahahahahahaha A love-in between Winston Peters and the media??? You must be blind as well as tone deaf.

“And percent or two off the Pasifika vote (presumably from Labour) could give National a chance in a two party race.

There is that FPP two horse race mentality coming through again …

But the one that I (stupidly) decided to focus on was this one.

“Ardern knows how to manipulate and use media to promote her PR – as did key.”

Why did this get my goat?

Because there was no mention of Bridges and his use of media to promote himself etc. Yet, just an hour or so before making that comment here, PG posted this comment on his own blog:

https://yournz.org/2019/01/01/happy-new-year-kia-hari-te-tau-hou/#comment-336049

The comment consists of a picture of Simon and Natalie Bridges together and smiling at an outdoor venue in Tauranga from Simon’s Twitter account with a comment – “Happy New Year! Natalie & I are at a family event in Tauranga with the kids. Hope you all have a good night!” 8:45 PM – Dec 31, 2018

https://twitter.com/simonjbridges/status/1079644695582527489

PG has then added a comment that “I would put one up from Jacinda Ardern but she doesn’t seem to have been on Twitter or Facebook – her Twitter account hasn’t been used since 30 October.”

Do I detect a bit of snideness there? Over the last year, Ardern has not been a big poster on Twitter. But she has been a prolific Facebook poster with her last post with video of herself and two Ministers at the Auckland City Mission on Dec 21 attracting 614 comments. (No mention by PG of this or the hugh responses to her other regular FB videos and posts.)

But lets look at Bridges and his use of media etc.

He does post on Twitter regularly and his previous tweet immediately under the one PG posted above is one yesterday* with a full frontal/facial photo of himself holding their daughter with the comment “My little princess turns 1!” with a link to a NZ Women’s Weekly article on Jemima’s first birthday.

https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/family/simon-bridges-daughter-jemima-turns-one-40100

https://twitter.com/simonjbridges/status/1079613204068675586

This NZ Women’s Weekly article is a sickly sweet article about Jemima’s birthday in early December with pictures of her and the whole family celebrating with cake etc. but also with some PR messaging going on.

For example (my bolds):

“The thing with Simon is that he’s very attentive,” adds Natalie (36), who has her own PR business. “He’s away a lot, but when he’s home he’s really there. He plays with the kids, he reads them stories, he gives them his full attention. He’s an amazing dad to all of them.”Simon is definitely smitten with his wee girl.” …

“Having Jemima was a beautiful finish to our family; we don’t have any plans to have any more children. It has changed all of us, having her. We all adore her and she is a real delight.” …

“A future politician, perhaps? Simon is thrilled at the thought.
“She’s got the skills,” he muses. “She knows how to play people – she knows the best way to get attention is smiles. She’s usually so happy and bubbly, but she’s not afraid.”

Natalie reckons at least one, if not all three, of the Bridges children could end up following in their dad’s footsteps, and if Jemima continues to enjoy interacting with people from all walks of life, she might be the one to go after a seat in Parliament! And her mum doesn’t have an issue with that.

“Despite what people may think, I think going into politics is a very noble thing,” says Natalie. “Most people go into it with a huge heart and very noble reasons. I would like it if one of our children decided to take that route. And they do have a great role model.”

But is this a one off for Bridges and the NZ Women’s Weekly? Not at all, and that article includes links back to three previous NZWW on the Bridges this year – which I stupidly decided to read … Anything to avoid housework, dishes etc.

What I found was that in 2018, NZWW has run at least five (5) articles on Bridges and his family, all blatantly using photos and discussions about the children. As well as yesterday’s one, there were articles dated:

4 March 2018 – https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/parenting-news/national-party-leader-simon-bridges-introduces-his-newborn-daughter-36756

14 March 2018 – https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/family/at-home-with-new-national-party-leader-simon-bridges-and-his-family-36832

This one included detail of Natalie Bridges’ media/PR career as editor of fashion magazine ‘Simply You’, before setting up her own public-relations company Blink PR.

2 Sept 2018 – https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/family/simon-bridges-admits-its-a-challenge-juggling-family-and-career-38909

Header = ‘I don’t want to get out of politics one day and feel like I won the battle but lost the war.’ This was the same week as the unauthorised leak of his expenses and the ensuing furore around parliamentary enquiries –and Bridges said in the article that while his new gig has definitely thrown him some curve balls, the biggest challenge of his new normal is still juggling his family and his career.

11 Sept 2018 – https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/family/simon-bridges-on-how-politics-is-affecting-his-family-life-38939

A more detailed follow-up to the one a week earlier which is worth a read for a little insight into how Bridges saw his first six months as Leader and his future in politics (at that time at least), for example:

“I’m not in this as a time server,” he admits. “I’ll be surprised if I’m still in politics in my mid fifties – I’m 41 now.

“Some people go into it for life and they’re there 30 years on − that won’t be me. It’s about making a contribution, significant service and hopefully before it’s too late, spending a lot of time with my family and maybe having another career again.”

And as for Simon, he reckons he’s transformed too – and he doesn’t think the job is as hard as some previous opposition leaders have made it out to be.

“It’s gone better than I thought it would, in a funny sort of way,” he muses.

“I just thought it would be… looking at past opposition leaders, they made it look hard. I’ve basically only been in government. Actually, it’s been more uplifting than I thought it would be.”

He continues, “I think I’ve grown as a person over the past six months. I’ve had to become a better listener and more inclusive, and in doing that better, I suppose a decision maker.”

And, of course, it’s been about developing his own style of leadership after following in the footsteps of the likes of Bill English and Sir John Key. For Simon, it’s a combination of taking advice and listening to his gut.

—————–

Now, I have not done the same exercise for Jacinda Ardern and the number of articles on her in the New Zealand Women’s Weekly this year – nor will I be doing one today. [This is NOT how I intended to start 2019 .. ]

I also note that there are two other recent articles on their website re two NZ women politicians – which I hasten to add I have not read:

How Chlöe Swarbrick is planning to have an eco-friendly Christmas – https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/lifestyle/homes/chloee-swarbrick-eco-friendly-christmas-40048

Julie Anne Genter’s sustainable approach to raising baby Joaquin –
https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/parenting-news/julie-anne-genters-baby-joaquin-40126

So where to from here?

I really don’t know, nor am I sure that I care, but just a little bit of ammunition for the future to use when people claim that Ardern is the big PR manipulator of the media.

Bridges does it too – and IMHO is much more blatant at exposing his family and their life in this way.


lprent: It wasn’t hard to confirm this. It took me minutes to find similar Simon Bridges family articles in Womens Day, Noted, and a number of other such magazines. Personally I couldn’t give a damn. Family washing is part of politics. What does concern me is the continuing judgemental focus by the misogynist fools who seem to have different standards for female politicians compared to the male ones.

66 comments on “Discussion on political leader PR. ”

  1. Siobhan 1

    …it’s now 2:06 pm, Its really nice weather outside, or if you’re trying to avoid the midday sun can I recommend the new Netflix documentary Struggle, about talented but obscure Polish artist Stanislaw Szukalski (really, its fascinating, hilarious and tragic, with some interesting and very timely political angles)….or maybe go fishing or something… the concerned nurturing mothering streak in me just feels you need to all get out of this loop..

    • veutoviper 1.1

      Do you post at the beige blog?

      There is some-one who has turned up there recently calling themselves “Mother”.

    • lprent 1.2

      After the year I have had with spending 5 months in sunny Singapore working long hours and with my main entertainment (as I crashed in the evenings) being the idiot box, the last thing I want to do is to go out in the sun or to watch more TV.

      Had a bike ride, seem to have recovered from last nights wine and the rather pathetic fireworks off the sky tower and have exercised the kitten back to sleepy exhaustion. Relaxing writing site upgrades and talking local politics seems like a damn good idea.

      This is me getting out of my loop.

  2. ropata 2

    Saccharine PR puff pieces are part of the job in politics. PG fails as usual to make any substantive comments on policy, to him politeness, superficiality, and PR is most important.

    Pete George is a tedious old coot obsessed with trivia. Seems to have forgotten the most PR driven leader in living memory was Teflon John Key, over whom the NZ herald published 2 or 3 drooling accolades per day

    Criticise the Government on what they have actually delivered, who gives a flying f*ck about the number of articles Womens’ Day is churning out.

    • greywarshark 2.1

      ropata
      I have missed reading you recently so am glad to happen on this comment.
      And I think you are so right in what you say.

      What i feel is that one has to take a surgical knife to the ‘matter’ that gets presented by the PR machines and see if there is a nugget of useful information there, or an indication of one. Could we have some links to academics here in NZ who teach critical thinking methods which we can use in scanning the bumf? Or links to the subject on youtube?

      This is a brief explanation on google:
      It can lead to developing your judgement, evaluation and problem solving abilities. Learning Critical Thinking skills can also enhance your academic performance. … Today one of the most important criteria for success in College is the ability to think independently while being logical at the same time.Jan 27, 2015

      And though it says college, implying young people, I consider that there is so much going on, with such ramifications, all the time, that we need to refresh our thinking systems and knowledge to cope.

  3. Philj 3

    Got as far as mention of PG and I bailed….. Infinite time. …finite lifespan.

    • lprent 3.1

      Might pay to force yourself to just get past the whole PG thing and read the whole post. While VV responded to PG, VV was critically analysing what PG actually said and responding to it with some real examples to counter his erroneous assertions.

  4. Chris T 4

    Political leaders using media, some are better than others.

    Who would have thought

  5. Sacha 5

    All this shows is that National’s comms people are still more effective than their Labour and Green equivalents at working the media. Sadly that has not changed since before the election and it is a major failure of judgement and leadership.

    If this government continues to not communicate its plans and achievements properly we will instead get acres of media about how they do not have any, stoked by the righties and useful idiots who mistake volume for wisdom. That is just politics as usual.

  6. fender 6

    “….and if Jemima continues to enjoy interacting with people from all walks of life, she might be the one to go after a seat in Parliament!….”

    Sounds cute but I can’t imagine how they expect their one year old to be able to have any concept of differing walks of life.

    As for PG, I just wish he would be honest with himself, ffs, he’s no spring chicken.

    • Muttonbird 6.1

      I’d like him to be honest, full stop.

      The man won’t admit his political compass, claiming studious neutrality when any observer at all will note he is heavily right wing. That’s fine, just admit it and stop pretending to be an impartial political ‘hobbyist’.

      Pete is Trump-like in his poor ownership of the intent of what he writes, blatantly denying the obvious when challenged. A lack of integrity defines the man and his blog.

      Some of his commenters are quite funny though, and at least he had the balls to thank them for keeping his drab forum afloat.

      • Pete George 6.1.1

        “claiming studious neutrality”

        I don’t believe i have done anything like that.

        “any observer at all will note he is heavily right wing”

        That’s a stupidly inaccurate comment.

        It’s funny to see how flustered some people get about me. It’s more disturbing to see how people here just make things up repeatedly. I don’t know if it’s through ignorance or are blatant attempts to smear.

        With no substantiation of assertions I think it it pretty much amounts to lying. It looks like a form of dirty politics. It’s been happening here for a long time. I thought that things had improved here recently, but apparently not.

        This is why a reason why the Standard is not taken seriously as a political forum. Too much activist angst and arseholeness.

        There’s not much point in refuting all the bull in this one post and thread here given the probably reaction, so I might do a post on it.

  7. Robert Guyton 7

    Badger, badger, badger!

  8. Robert Guyton 8

    “Do I detect a bit of snideness there?”
    Pete George, snide?
    Nooooooooooo!
    Muttonbird’s assessment is perfectly accurate.
    Ropata spices-up the old grey porridge with his, “Pete George is a tedious old coot obsessed with trivia.”
    Pete’ll be on soon to scold us for this “nasty wee pile on” – he’ll call it Dirty Politics and breathlessly claim it proves that Labour does it too!!!!

    • Sacha 8.1

      Really does not bring out the best in some of us, does he.

      • Pete George 8.1.1

        I agree. Why do you think that is?

        I’m just one person sometimes expressing my opinion and encouraging discussion and debate and information sharing without abuse. It’s kind of ironic that that is what some resort to, as if they see me as a political enemy that must be discredited and defeated at any cost.

        I think over-reactions and personal attacks reflect more on others than on me.

        • Sacha 8.1.1.1

          I think we have already had this conversation. My belief is undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder affects your comprehension and conversational style and pushes buttons in others. Personally, I have adjusted my expectations accordingly and the world is a happier place.

          • Robert Guyton 8.1.1.1.1

            Elegant.
            Earlier point taken also 🙂

          • Pete George 8.1.1.1.2

            “My belief is undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder affects your comprehension and conversational style and pushes buttons in others.”

            That’s really quite funny Dr Sacha.

            You’re correct about one thing – “undiagnosed”.

            Why do you think this only really manifests itself here? And some people can have seemingly quite sane discussions with me elsewhere?

            • Sacha 8.1.1.1.2.1

              Haven’t you been banned from most political blogs at least once?

              • No, but I guess it depends on what you call ‘most political blogs’.

                Haven’t you avoided answering my questions?

                • fender

                  “Why do you think this only really manifests itself here?”

                  People can see through you and you have history here.

                  “And some people can have seemingly quite sane discussions with me elsewhere?”

                  Either they don’t know you well enough or they’re too polite to express their true sentiments. Or it could be you have too many conversations with your bathroom mirror, I think I hear it calling you now…

        • Psycho Milt 8.1.1.2

          I think over-reactions and personal attacks reflect more on others than on me.

          Unintentional humour is always the best kind.

          Psycho Milt: I’ll ignore your own bias leading you to refer to an “easy run and sometimes open lauding and PR promotion of Jacinda Ardern in the media,” terms I don’t recall you ever using about its treatment of John Key.

          Pete George: A stupid comment from you.

          One of those comments is “encouraging discussion and debate,” and one is “over-reactions and personal attacks.” Can you spot which one is which, Pete?

      • Muttonbird 8.1.2

        Eh? My writing’s never been better, thanks.

  9. BM 9

    Pete, you do good work, your blog is probably the best political blog in NZ currently, kudos to you.

    Ignore Guyton, he’s [deleted].

    [Oh, well done. First ban of the year and we’re only 19 hours in. 1st Feb, BM and don’t advocate violence here again. TRP]

  10. peterlepaysan 10

    Well, was this not a happy new year start?

    PG can get every one going, he is like that.

    His reference to Ardern was, intentionally, provocative.
    PG is a bored retiree, he needs to get a life, (like a few other posters on this site.)

    • More made up assertions based on no evidence. I’m not bored (far from it), nor am I a retiree.

      “PG can get every one going, he is like that.”

      Yes, I have this amazing ability to force every one to get going and to make things up.

      • RedLogix 10.1.1

        Well because while it’s easy and fun to demonise nazis; the moderate reasonable right is more threatening to deal with.

        I don’t agree with you at most points but at least there is potentially an interesting conversation to be had. Yet I’m constantly disappointed at how little intellectual effort many people will make, lazily falling back on tired tropes and personal attacks.

        It’s their daily dopamine hit I guess.

        But perhaps one suggestion; your writing style is often passive voiced ‘egg-shell’ walking; and this comes across as disingenuous or devious, when I’m willing to credit your intentions as better than this.

        • Robert Guyton 10.1.1.1

          The “reasonable right”, exemplified by say, Bill English, RedLogix?
          The reasonableness is an issue only on one level and can be revealed for what it really is, by applying non-conventional methods, such as lampooning and gentle mockery; teasing even. That’s the Achilles heel of such practitioners. Of course, that leaves the teaser open to criticisms of pettiness or childishness, but the Emperor-who-wanted-clothed provided us with a story about how that can result.

          • RedLogix 10.1.1.1.1

            I get to define my political allegiance thank you Robert. I’m firmly moderate left.

            • Robert Guyton 10.1.1.1.1.1

              RedLogix – you do indeed, get to identify your political allegiance! I can’t work out how you might have thought I’d done that for you – it must be one of those misunderstandings-things that happen on blogs. I only identified Bill English in my comment. I was responding to your 7:40am comment, RedLogix.

              • “RedLogix – you do indeed, get to identify your political allegiance!”

                Different rules? You’ve labelled your perception of my political allegiance often. I usually just put it down to ignorance or an attempt to push buttons.

                • Robert Guyton

                  You are welcome to identify your political allegiance too, Pete George. Can you share with us the category your blog was assigned recently, in the overview of NZ blogs?

              • greywarshark

                Red Logix
                Well because while it’s easy and fun to demonise nazis; the moderate reasonable right is more threatening to deal with.

                I took that to mean that the ‘moderate reasonable right’ is more threatening than far-right nazis, because in contrast with them the moderates seem respectable and their arguments seem adequate. They then aren’t inspected and critiqued thoroughly and can get away with seriously bad policies that aren’t recognised as such till Too Late.

                • patricia bremner

                  Yes just so. They clothe their nastiness so reasonably it feels churlish to object. Of course we are then childish and ‘making things up’.

              • RedLogix

                Fair cop … I must stop using my phone to blog with. I’m a very fast reader normally and this has led to trouble in the past, but on a tiny phone screen I just misinterpret things far too often.

        • Pete George 10.1.1.2

          And the ‘ the moderate reasonable left”, and the “moderate reasonable non-aligned”.

          Right (and left) labelling is often inaccurate and often nothing more than an attempt at putting someone down or discrediting their political views or even just their opinion.

          The intolerance of differences is a major reason why use of social media has trashed it’s potential and worked against a revolution in how we do democracy and debate.

          I would have liked to see leadership from the major political blogs, but Kiwiblog and The Standard forums seem to keep fomenting dirty mischief. I thought there were signs of this changing here, but it appears not.

          It seems that many political blog participants are stuck in a rut of ‘make, lazily falling back on tired tropes and personal attacks’. Also common on Twitter and Facebook and Reddit and elsewhere.

          Social media has been a great opportunity too often self trashed.

      • woodart 10.1.2

        well Ive never heard of you, but seeing that you were up, posting at 5.25 a.m.. either you are a shift-worker, or you need to get a life……….

  11. Frankie and Benjie 11

    The media are easier to spin left or right if they are already biased one way or another.
    Stuuf (oops a typo but as I’m spinnin too …) have rated themselves on their 2018 predictions.

    So how did we do? We scored 90/200, our worst score ever. Blame it on the fact that it’s a new government after nine years of getting to know National’s moves.

    But we’ve had a year of Labour, NZ First and the Greens now and we expect to do better next year. So tune in for our predictions for 2019 tomorrow.

    Their 2019 predictions may show if they will be easier to spin left or right.
    I don’t think it was just getting to know Nationals moves, I think they liked them. They clearly don’t know the Greens.

    • greywarshark 11.1

      Perhaps they haven’t yet formed a good leaker-bond with someone in the know about the Greens.

  12. What does concern me is the continuing judgemental focus by the misogynist fools who seem to have different standards for female politicians compared to the male ones.

    I think there is a strong element of that – Ardern is seen as a shallow girl (at 38 years old?) who’s not very bright and is out of her depth as Prime Minister, while Bridges is seen as a smart, capable, mature family man (never “boy,” despite being only 4 years older than Ardern), well able to run a country. I can’t picture any objective observer reaching that conclusion.

    But there’s also an underlying die-hard conservative element pushing the meme of Ardern valuing her family only as PR material. I doubt Pete George falls into this category, but as someone who enjoys mud-wrestling with the gimps in Kiwiblog comments threads, I’ve seen plenty of it. In that world, Ardern doesn’t actually have a family because she and Gayford aren’t married. Gayford is a dodgy character with a promiscuous (I assume there’s a bit of sexual envy involved there) and drug-filled history who must constantly live in fear of the cops fingering him for his past crimes that the gimps invent and gossip to each other about. It’s also possible his name’s a bit of a giveaway and it’s a marriage of convenience (I think this is from people who never got over the trauma caused them by seeing Helen Clark running the country). Neve Ardern Gayford is of course a bastard, sometimes hilariously referred to as the First Bastard, again because her parents aren’t married. It’s like the 1950s got itself a blog.

    Given that level of hostility to the modern world, it’s unsurprising that any coverage of Ardern’s family attracts howls of outrage from them. You’d think Pete George would know better than to align himself with it, though.

    • I don’t align myself with commenters at Kiwiblog. I have moderated out at YNZ attempts to repeat comments like examples you have given here.

      Mentioning that Ardern (or any leader) uses PR (they all do) does not align one with the worst abuse at KB (or here). You’ve repeated things from KB here, but I presume you don’t align with those assertions.

      Putting a new year tweet from Bridges in a New year post does not align me with Bridges as claimed in this post. I frequently put tweets in comments that don’t align me with the tweet content or the tweeter. Trump for example. They are designed to encourage discussion.

      I posted about the Queens Christmas message, that doesn’t align me with the monarchy. I posted the Governor general’s new year message, that doesn’t align me with the monarchy. I’d love us to ditch the monarchy. But these were topical stories that I thought some people might be interested in commenting on.

      Back to bridges – I have been largely critical of him for months. I think he is failing as a major party leader. Of coyurse he tries to use PR as much as he can – but the media are less receptive to him. That’s not uncommon when in Opposition, but media are increasingly writing off Bridges.

      veutoviper:

      people claim that Ardern is the big PR manipulator of the media.

      Bridges does it too – and IMHO is much more blatant at exposing his family and their life in this way.

      I think that’s debatable, but debate often takes a poor second place to berate here.

      • Robert Guyton 12.1.1

        “your writing style is often passive voiced ‘egg-shell’ walking; and this comes across as disingenuous or devious,”
        QFT.

      • Psycho Milt 12.1.2

        I don’t align myself with commenters at Kiwiblog.

        Sure. but your belief that the media give Ardern an unusually easy time and deliberately promote her aligns perfectly with theirs, which is what I was referring to.

        I think that’s debatable.

        So you’ve retreated from Ardern being deliberately promoted by the media to a fallback position of Bridges not being significantly more promoted than Ardern, without the slightest recognition that position effectively accepts the conclusion of Veutoviper’s post.

        • Pete George 12.1.2.1

          “your belief that the media give Ardern an unusually easy time and deliberately promote her”

          I haven’t said that, you’ve made it up.

          “So you’ve retreated from Ardern being deliberately promoted by the media ”

          Again i haven’t said that, you’ve made it up, that I haven’t retreated anywhere.

          • Robert Guyton 12.1.2.1.1

            ” I haven’t retreated anywhere”
            QFT

          • Muttonbird 12.1.2.1.2

            “Your belief that the media give Ardern an unusually easy time and deliberately promote her”

            I haven’t said that, you’ve made it up.

            I’m sorry, but you have said that. This is why people give you a hard time. You claim you haven’t said something when you clearly have. This isn’t the route to the ‘civilised discussion’ which you crave.

    • RedLogix 12.2

      It’s like the 1950s got itself a blog.

      LOL .. it’s really good to have you back.

      Interestingly I was watching an Australian TV channel at breakfast this morning that ran a five minute montage of scenes from 2018, both dreadful and inspiring … and included was a great clip of Jacinda with baby, looking very happy and strong.

  13. reason 13

    A very good poster here at The Standard ….. Rosemary M …. gave me some balance and reassurance …. that there are good honest reporters working in our news media … a fact that gets somewhat buried by the blatant right wing editorial bias.

    A good example of this is the myth / fraud that “Key-pledges-PMs-salary-to-charity”
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/573560/Key-pledges-PMs-salary-to-charity

    The reporter who wrote and filed the story was actually quite factual …..providing information that …. ” National Party leader John Key has vowed to donate “a good part” of his government pay to charity should he be New Zealand’s next Prime Minister.” ……..

    “Key wouldn’t elaborate on what charities he supported, nor how large a portion of his salary he donated. He said his “personal decision” was not something he wanted publicised.”

    “Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimmons said Key was one of many MPs who donated a percentage of their government salary to charity.

    “It’s good, but I don’t think it’s something that should be made into a song and dance. I know quite a few MPs, including me, who make a lot of donations to charity,” she said.”

    But the good reporting is undone…. by the editorial choice for a misleading pro-national headline ,,,,,,,,,,, ” Key pledges PM’s salary to charity ” .

    The right-wing bias was still on show after the Nats lost the last election …. with the media going along with their first past the post spin … that the largest minority somehow won and were ripped off by those losers who formed a majority .

    The media colluded and was involved with Dirty Politics ,,,,, The witch hunting Meth ‘contamination’ fraud …. and the sort of racism that National pushes for political ends…

    Jacinda Ardern needs to cultivate ties with good jornos while the media relationship is positive …..

    Eventually The right wing snakes will start hissing their spin and lies at her and labour with increased venom

    Dirty politrics Mrk 2 , 3 & 4 will be coming her way …. the rat fuckers have taken over the garbage barge called the national party ……….. and its just in their nature.

    • Sacha 13.1

      “Jacinda Ardern needs to cultivate ties with good journos”

      It is her comms team’s job to make that happen.

  14. Robert Guyton 14

    Rawsharkosaurus has previously driven the final nail into the PG coffin:

    http://wondermark.com/c/2014-09-19-1062sea.png

    April fool Pete George released from ban…


    (But Pete wasn’t quite dead).

  15. Jum 15

    We forget the continuing influence NZ Women’s Weekly has over so many New Zealanders, at our peril. The mag has a steady reading base, many that will read a newspaper, but not a blog, in many cases because they don’t use a computer.

    I was in a supermarket in 2008, and the woman in front of me turned the NZWW magazine over because it had a pic of Helen Clark on the front. I could see the anger on her face and her muttering she wouldn’t be buying that mag that week.

    How many of these tunnel-visioned readers are nats? I’m still trying to find a rational explanation for the continuing numbers supporting national. Perhaps that example above shows a complete lack of rational thinking or objectivity on the part of the average nat voter. Just blind obedience to the fount of their greed.

    • greywarshark 15.1

      I suggest the thinking goes like this. It’s our side, combining against ‘those’ people with whom one does not care to mingle; they don’t follow the same pasttimes, don’t have the same amount of money, don’t dress right, and at the worst their bad attitudes have to be monitored and controlled to keep the country nice for us.

    • woodart 15.2

      they need something to believe in and hide behind. so much has changed in the last 50 years that conservatives are adrift. its the reason that life forms like trump can have a following. if you are an older white person looking out at a world that has moved on, any throwback will seem like an anchor…..

      • greywarshark 15.2.1

        ‘life forms like Trump’ – what a good description. True to the core, and crushing at the same time.

        • Jum 15.2.1.1

          Greywarshark and Woodart

          ‘if you are an older white person looking out at a world that has moved on, any throwback will seem like an anchor’ describes perfectly the ‘life forms like trump’ bill ralston (Listener 5 Jan) who is running his campaign to get rid of simon bridges and install the ‘True to the core, and crushing at the same time’ judith collins.

          That ‘side’ is terrified of the 90% galvanising. They don’t seem to realise that their party’s machiavellian machinations will lead to just that, if the backers continue to finance and corruptly engineer nats into government again.

  16. Darien Fenton 16

    Look I don’t care if politicians have pics with their kids. They do have other lives after all. What I care about is the nasty, misogynist and “baby pimping” comments that appear whenever the slightest glimpse of Neve appears (which is rare). I would love to see more pics of her, but I totally respect the right of her parents to manage this. Simon Bridges, it seems, thinks it’s ok – and that’s his choice too. And as for Pete George. A generous comment would be God loves a trier.

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