Flattering to deceive

23 comments on “Flattering to deceive ”

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1. Salsy 1

   28 May 2011 at 10:36 am

   Im wondering if Fran is doing the same . Ive often read her pieces regarding Chinese ownership with interest as she runs a subtle warning message and often outs the govt for private, silent deals – i.e the Wrightson PGA takeover. But this morning, its like Farrar accidently logged in using the wrong name..
2. Colonial Viper 2

   28 May 2011 at 10:46 am

   Armstrong is praising Key for being an “aggressive cave/den”? 😛
3. Daveski 3

   28 May 2011 at 11:10 am

   This anti-Key campaign is working a treat at the polls. Please keep it up.
   • Eddie 3.1

     28 May 2011 at 11:45 am

     I’m just reporting on what Armstrong’s saying. Go crying to him if you don’t like it.

     Or, better yet, tell us which of the points is wrong or unfair. Hasn’t Key already included asset sales in his budget? Wasn’t he lying about the ETS’s affect on domestic prices?
4. Campbell Larsen 4

   28 May 2011 at 11:31 am

   Unfortunately the criticism is a little bit too subtle for the average reader of the Herald.
   He is going to have to do better before he gets into my good books.
   Few commentators get the kind of exposure that he gets via his columns. Is it the case that Mr Armstrong realized that an article that is openly critical of Shonky and the Rats would not get published but caring deeply for the nation he secreted his true message in code, or is it that he merely feared for his pay packet and kick backs from the Rats?
   Or feared that he was losing his credibility after writing so many PR puff prices?
   What sort of man are you really Mr Armstrong? If you have an opinion of your own, then let’s hear it, don’t hide behind nuance.
5. Blue 5

   28 May 2011 at 11:51 am

   I think you give Armstrong too much credit. He’s a power junkie, pure and simple. He gets a high out of watching the cut-and-thrust of politics, and his idol is whoever is winning, whatever tactics they are using to do so.

   I wish he could be accused of such a sly attack, but the reality is that he admires Key for this type of behaviour. The facts and the morality of the Key sham is completely lost on him.

   His job is to sit and snigger on the sidelines while the country goes to hell, because Key is still riding high in the polls and he’s completely taken with how Key has managed to pull off such a clever scam.

   In short, he’s the Herald’s Machiavelli.
   • cowbell 5.1

     28 May 2011 at 2:57 pm

     Blue is right – Armstrong is not that subtle. He doesn’t know/care what is right, he cares about who is winning.

     I thought this blog post was satire at first.
     • Campbell Larsen 5.1.1

       28 May 2011 at 4:01 pm

       Shonky is not a shark, and winning is not what the Rats are doing, they are ahead in dodgy polls perhaps, but loosing support gradually and most critically, losing the confidence of voters in regards to asset sales management of the economy , jobs etc.

       It is a bit premature to call someone whose game is collapsing early in the 1st quarter the winner
   • Chills 5.2

     28 May 2011 at 5:27 pm

     I have to agree Blue, he is praising Key for his “skullduggery”, and that is clearly evident in his comparison of Key to Clark and Lange. And it’s been obvious for some time that he gets his thrills observing the machiavellian behaviour of our politicians.
6. ianmac 6

   28 May 2011 at 11:56 am

   Suppose there will be a shift in perception from “a friendly funny smiling bloke” to “an authorative forceful clever has-the-answers” sort of chap. Just what we need they cry. Can then have it both ways.
7. M 7

   28 May 2011 at 12:36 pm

   Eddie

   Interesting take on Key, like Campbell I think it’s way too subtle for the average Joe.

   I think it would have been better to maybe phrase something like: Key offers class clown soundbites and Goff offers well reseached and fully costed policies.

   Key’s arrogance reminds me of a Bush clip I saw where Bush skited that he couldn’t believe he’d won (stolen) the election and was taking charge of a country that was in good shape financially and was seemingly OK in most people’s minds and that he was going to change all that – sorry I can’t find a link but I do remember it clear as day because I could not believe the outrageous arrogance, it may be in a Michael Moore flick.

   Btw you’ve written lair instead of liar – sorry, I’m a pedant.
8. Afewknowthetruth 8

   28 May 2011 at 1:41 pm

   Of course none of it has any relevance whatsoever, which is why anyone who is awake to the truth doesn’t bother reading the drivel churned out by so-called newspapers.

   1. Industrial societies are primarily concerned with looting resources, preserving the interests of money-lenders, and converting fossil fuels into waste which destroys the environment.

   2. It will make no difference which party is in power, as long as NZ remains trapped in the industrial paradigm, whoever leads will be primarily concerned with looting resources, protecting the interests of money-lenders, and converting fossil fuels into waste which destroys the environment.

   3. So-called newspapers are simply businesses, and their prime purpose is to make profits for the owners. Sensationalism, inconsistency and hypocrisy are basic requirements of modern ‘journalism’. There is no consistent profit to be made from telling the truth in the current industrial paradigm.

   4. Industrial society is inherently unsustainable and is coming to an end. And so are all the silly political games currently being played within the framework of industrial society.
   • Draco T Bastard 8.1

     28 May 2011 at 3:47 pm

     1.) Not industrial societies – capitalist societies
     2.) It will make no difference which party is in power, as long as NZ and the world remains trapped in the Capitalist Paradigm…
     3.) Private newspapers, radio and TV stations, ergo, the MSM, are there to propagate the Capitalist Paradigm. Our state radio and TV don’t do any better as they’re aping the private media.
     4.) Capitalist society is inherently unsustainable and is coming to an end as it has done numerous times before and for the same reasons – it’s run out of available resources.
9. deemac 9

   28 May 2011 at 1:53 pm

   it is certainly true that Gore wiped the floor with Bush in the TV debate but that voters preferred the folksy Bush to the smart alec Gore!
10. Muzz 10

    28 May 2011 at 5:28 pm

    What a good article! I’ll take my hat off to you… 😉
    When the journo’s buy into this deceitful rhetoric they sell their souls along with their credibility… Their failure to shed any real light on Key’s irresponsible, neo-liberal agenda shows how little worth they are to democratic society – I thought the media’s role was to protect democracy by questioning this rich and powerful, not helping them pursue their selfish agendas.
    • RedLogix 10.1

      28 May 2011 at 6:02 pm

      Basically Armstrong’s been a Gallery hack for too long. He sold his soul to stay in the game many years ago.
11. arants 11

    28 May 2011 at 6:46 pm

    He is right though that National’s strategists have comprehensively out-thought Labour. This year’s campaign will focus on the credibility of Labour’s leadership team, not just Goff. The front bench committee’s bunker mentality and self-obsession mean effective defence against this is unlikely.

    As Armstrong points out, they are on a timid track to lead Labour into a long period of Opposition, with National skilfully mapping their path.
    • Salsy 11.1

      28 May 2011 at 10:48 pm

      Dont agree, its all currently being pulled along by the magnetism of Key, there are no manouvers. On the other hand, the drum of the left is getting louder and stronger. Key has peaked way too soon. Look at the comments on Armstrongs article, things are getting nasty toward him. Goff on the other hand is appearing more relaxed affible and genuine. The two leaders are settling into their positions. Key as the leader you can trust to serve foreign interests – Goff the leader you can trust to serve New Zealand.
12. Anne 12

    28 May 2011 at 7:14 pm

    Open letter to John Armstrong:

    Dear John,

    Would you like to post a comment and tell us if EDDIE is right? Cos I want to believe it but the doubters have me worried. 🙂

    yours,
    Anne.
13. Georgecom 13

    28 May 2011 at 11:02 pm

    I found this part of the article most interesting
    “You get in first with your version of events. You paint the worst possible scenario as the inevitable consequence of what your opponent is proposing. You leave the facts behind. You know in a sound-bite democracy, no one remembers your opponent’s rebuttal.”

    Seems to me that is where National is also vulnerable. Never mind the ‘mum and dad’ investors, asset sales = ownership control and profits offshore and higher power prices.

    Do you feel better off under National? Of course not.

    It doesn’t matter about the truth, Armstrong has clearly told us. 6 months to get in first and package up the realities of asset sales and the dismal economic position people are in. A vote for National in November = public assets going off shore and 3 more years of rising living costs.

    One thing epople have been telling me recently is ‘what alternative does Labour have’. I expect to see some clearly differentiated policies coming out shortly.
14. Georgecom 14

    28 May 2011 at 11:06 pm

    Plus

    “National is borrowing to pay for the tax cuts. It will soon be selling state assets to pay for the tax cuts.”

    “As your GST and cost of living went up, John Key pockets an extra 25k per year. The government is borrowing to pay for those tax cuts and will soon be selling state assets to pay for them”

    “Bill English is responsible for the recession”

    “Bill English is responsible for the lack of growth in the economy”

    “Bill English has mismanaged the economy”

    All true, just need to be repeated often.
    • Salsy 14.1

      28 May 2011 at 11:18 pm

      Oh and they are. David Cunliffe is doing an excellent job of busting myths – one of the biggest ones Nat voters just cant accept is that there was a surplus when English took over the books. The reaction is so extreme, that Whale oil even took to finding every link in the universe he could to debunk this. They know when voters start to see cracks in the facade, their in trouble..
15. RedandBlack 15

    30 May 2011 at 2:34 am

    Is it not time to out the dodgy polls that Key relies on to sustain his mojo and also make BBC Hardtalk freely available to the voters?

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