Fearing Winston

Written By: - Date published: 7:32 am, November 21st, 2011 - 46 comments
Categories: election 2011, national, nz first - Tags:

National is getting increasingly hysterical as its internal polling shows its majority slipping away and New Zealand First above 5%. The ‘positive campaign’ that never really was is out the window. It’s all out attacks on NZF now.

National is lashing out at the democratic notion that a government should need a majority in Parliament to pass legislation, saying Winston could trigger a snap election (if a National or Labour-led government needs him for a majority) because he wouldn’t sacrifice his principles like the Maori Party and ACT and support whatever Budgets the government puts up.

In short:

‘if you vote for NZF, government will grind to a halt and there’ll have to be another election, aahhhhh!!!!!!!!!!! Vote National: Bungling a Blighted Future’

The fact that a party that is polling so high is resorting to such hysteria just shows what a weak position they are actually in – how thin the wedge between complete victory and defeat is.

The problem for National is that the tattered Brand Key is what has turned people from National to NZF in the first place – scare tactics like this from Key won’t work.

Or, maybe he just needs scarier material. Twitter is helping out with this, for example, from David Slack:

“Help Key and Farrar out! They’re scaring us, but only a little. “A vote for NZ First is a vote for rectal probes by aliens. Daily.”

Invent your own anti-NZF scare line for National below:

46 comments on “Fearing Winston ”

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  1. higherstandard 1
    21 November 2011 at 7:50 am

    I can’t honestly say that any of the politicians or political parties on offer in my electorate are worth making the effort to vote, bit like the Auckland council elections – what a load of retards, troughers and general dross.

    • bbfloyd 1.1
      21 November 2011 at 9:42 am

      which makes you a national supporter hs,,,, argue the toss on that if you will, but the truth will out…. voter apathy has always assisted national, as their self interested, greedy members do what they have to to ensure the bludge train keeps rolling…

      the rest of us only have principles to guide us rather than lust for money and power….

      • higherstandard 1.1.1
        21 November 2011 at 10:40 am

        I don’t support any political party bb.

        • felix 1.1.1.1
          21 November 2011 at 10:45 am

          Yeah you’re not even that interested in politics, which is why you’ve been commenting here daily for several years using an ensemble cast of handles.

          • higherstandard 1.1.1.1.1
            21 November 2011 at 11:52 am

            I comment here for fun Felix – just as I occasionally do at other blogs.

            Like yourself there are far more interesting things in my life than politics and political blogs.

            • felix 1.1.1.1.1.1
              21 November 2011 at 5:54 pm

              So because I eat more than just tomatoes, that proves that I don’t like tomatoes?

              Your participation obviously means that you’re interested hs. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.

              • higherstandard …
                22 November 2011 at 5:17 pm

                What point are you trying to make felix ?

                Am I interested in politics – somewhat. However as I stated above I mainly comment here for fun and to bait Greg P as he is such a good sport.

                But as I stated above there are far more interesting things in my life than politics and political blogs and with the increasing tard quotient of our politicians and their policies I’m finding myself less and less interested in politics and the outcome of this election.

  2. mickysavage 2
    21 November 2011 at 7:51 am

    He I can’t beat David Slack’s effort.

    But this is really weird.  He is if anything driving support towards NZFirst and not doing Labour any favors.  Maybe he is also trying to shore up the 51% because he realises ACT and United Coiffures are toast. 

    • Peter 2.1
      21 November 2011 at 8:50 am

      ACT aren’t necessarily toast. If Goldsmith resigns on the night or the days following the election and hands it to Banks…

      • Deuto 2.1.1
        21 November 2011 at 8:56 am

        ????? Improbable but surely this would immediately trigger a by-election. This would not just hand it to Banks, if he had the second highest number of electorate votes.

        • jaymam 2.1.1.1
          21 November 2011 at 9:39 am

          In the by-election the new National cadidate would lose horribly and David Parker would win, thereby changing the balance of power by two seats.

          • Lanthanide 2.1.1.1.1
            21 November 2011 at 10:36 am

            Actually if David Parker were already in parliament via the list, then it would merely reduce National’s seat holding by 1.

            • jaymam 2.1.1.1.1.1
              21 November 2011 at 11:47 am

              Well the rules need to be sorted out.
              If Parker wins a by-election, do Labour get another person in from the list? That would be fair.
              If not, Labour would have to find someone else to stand. Perhaps Kate Sutton.

              • Lanthanide …
                21 November 2011 at 12:35 pm

                No, if Parker wins a by-election, he goes from being List to Electorate.

                If Labour’s share of the party vote says they’re entitled to 35 MPs and they win 20 electorates, then they have 20 electorates and 15 list MPs. If one of those list MPs later wins a by-election, they have 21 electorates and 14 list MPs, still the same total 35 MPs.

          • mikesh 2.1.1.1.2
            21 November 2011 at 5:36 pm

            If an incumbent party loses a bye-election does that mean they bring in another list MP to restore proportionality. If not, then Labour gains a seat and National loses one so the balance of power changes by two seats.

      • Lanthanide 2.1.2
        21 November 2011 at 9:42 am

        It would trigger a by-election and at best it would only result in Banks getting into parliament. After the election itself is complete, the lists only purpose is to replace list members who leave parliament – there’s no longer any seat share or coat-tales etc going on.

        If National / Goldsmith did that, I’d expect the seat would go to Parker (or possibly the replacement Nat candidate – but not likely).

        • Peter 2.1.2.1
          21 November 2011 at 1:28 pm

          I dunno. If Goldsmith wins, and then resigns prior to writ day with a good enough reason, I don’t believe that a by-election needs to be held. Would be interested to see other opinions on this.

  3. Colonial Viper 3
    21 November 2011 at 7:57 am

    Say NO to Winston! Or risk bringing to real living life the secret bedroom fantasy lives of your wives and mothers! And in some cases, your daughters too! The ones you always suspected they had about Winston, the smooth but untrustworthy cad. This is not about irrational jealous fear, really it isn’t.

    • M 3.1
      21 November 2011 at 10:37 pm

      ‘This is not about irrational jealous fear, really it isn’t.

      Damn straight it isn’t 🙂

      I’d have Winnie charm me any old day of the week rather than that flat-footed, dead fish-eyed git called Key.

  4. Armchair Critic 4
    21 November 2011 at 8:10 am

    I thought Key wanted to talk about policy. When will he be doing this?

  5. Pete George 5
    21 November 2011 at 8:25 am

    I doubt Labour would look forward to dealing with Winston either.

    • Colonial Viper 5.1
      21 November 2011 at 8:29 am

      Goff and Winston have worked together closely before. What’s the problem again?

    • Craig Glen Eden 5.2
      21 November 2011 at 8:31 am

      Shit Winston would be a piece of cake its Tariana he has to worry about!

      • Tom Gould 5.2.1
        21 November 2011 at 8:55 am

        Yes, so it’s okay for Tariana or Brash and Banks to hold his government to ransom, and be hostage to their bizarre crazy ideas?

  6. Uturn 6
    21 November 2011 at 8:44 am

    “Everytime someone votes for NZ First, a baby beneficiary dies.”

    (That one might drive most of Nat support to NZ First)

    “Vote for Winston and it will be straight to bed with no pudding.”

    “Vote for NZ First and GST on fresh fruit and veges will increase.”

    “A vote for NZ First will mean the end of big screen TVs at Harvey Norman.”

    “Vote for Winston and I’ll bring the full weight of the law down on you all.”

  7. mikesh 7
    21 November 2011 at 8:50 am

    Snap elections are an FPP concept. Under MMP The Governor General would have the alternative of asking another party if they could form a government. A new election would only be necessary if no other party was able to do this.

    • Lanthanide 7.1
      21 November 2011 at 9:50 am

      Yeah, that was my understanding too, mike. If we were in the position where either government would be a minority on confidence and supply, Winston could vote no confidence and then offer support to the opposition. No need for a new election.

  8. aerobubble 8
    21 November 2011 at 10:00 am

    Is the Pm guilty of wasting Police time? I remember when Cheney and
    Bush were on the podium and Cheney pointed at the crowd…
    …Key is no expert on microphones, he would have known to have
    the bag next to him removed otherwise, so Key could see the cameras
    in his face on the other side of the window, how does Key know
    they did not pick up his statements. If Cheney cannot expect
    privacy while at th eback of a podium then why would Key expect
    privacy in the middle of a photo shoot.
    Why hasn’t the PM been charged with wasting Police time?
    Ot is it the fact that so many commentators seem to believe
    there was a legitmate case for privacy, solely on the basis
    that he asked for the camera to take photos from outside,
    where obviously its emphasises the point of the media staged
    event, that he was meeting with Banks.
    Sorry, but Key knows lip readers exist too. There was never
    an expectation of privacy, and the MSM media has Key by
    the balls now because of this inept amateur PM.

    Goff has been in government longer…

  9. fabregas4 9
    21 November 2011 at 11:10 am

    Key when commentating about this included Metiria Turei but not Russell Norman – in his list of what a dodgy government we might have after the election. The white middle class male Green is ok but that Maori woman!

  10. ianmac 10
    21 November 2011 at 12:02 pm

    Hooton says it is not worth talking about Winston because he can’t get over 5%. Then spent the entire time on Nine to Noon frantically bagging Winston mostly with wild fantastic threats. He had been talking to John Key this morning to get his talking (shouting?) Boy they must be running scared.
    Start a sweepstake. How many times will Key use tonight’s Leaders debate on TV3 to bag Winston. 1,5,10 10+ Place your bets.

  11. anne 11
    21 November 2011 at 12:07 pm

    Bankers trust,meryll lynch con man is scared of peters because of the prospect of loosing ‘absolute control” the reason winston walked out on national was because national wanted the pension to be cut from 66% to 60% of the average wage and he went in to battle for the elderly,the nats wont include that though, will they,they just label winston as unstable,i think that key’s view to certain people being like goats,easily led,intelligence levels is pre-chimpanze,so no problem,under control,is far more important for the public to know being so close to this election.

    • ianmac 11.1
      21 November 2011 at 5:20 pm

      The trouble he had with Shipley was that he refused to sign off the Asset Sale of Wellington Airport. Seems likely that he sticks to the same principle now where others capitulate.

  12. tsmithfield 12
    21 November 2011 at 12:23 pm

    Rather than fearing Winston, it seems to me that Labour wants to fondle Winston. Yuck.

    • Daveo 12.1
      21 November 2011 at 12:28 pm

      So if you don’t hate him you love him? That’s a typical Tory false binary. With a “black or white” world view like that it’s no wonder you lot have so many policy failures.

    • Galeandra 12.2
      21 November 2011 at 1:13 pm

      Ts, your visceral response actually suggests a desire for homoerotic transgression. Go on, you know you want to. Beats dry old politics.

  13. Richard Leckinger 13
    21 November 2011 at 2:31 pm

    I’m afraid that the Nat attack on Winston has nothing to do with Winston. Because Winnie’s worth so much hot air, the attack on Winston is designed to starve Labour of oxygen during the last week of the election.

    • outofbed 13.1
      21 November 2011 at 3:05 pm

      Hey Rick
      On current polling you might be an MP.
      I bloody well hope so, you are a fine man 🙂

  14. Frank Macskasy 14
    22 November 2011 at 2:17 am

    Watching Key on TV tonight ranting about Peters…

    Peters must be laughing intro his whisky! By demonising him, Key is elevating him to being a worthy opponant. To many voters who might have leaned to National, but are alienated by the prospect of asset sales, Peters is a plausible, safe alternative.

    And I must admit, watching Peters on TV tonight – he was on form; on message; and on top of it. And best of all, he’s talking to the media instead of fighting with it.

    Peters doesn’t have to go into coalition with National. He just has to drop National’s polling by a few percentage points, and that allows Goff to form an alternative coalition government.

    Of course the National strategists are piss scared. They’ve worked out precisely the same thing.