In a dinnamic environment it’s hard to be precise

Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, October 19th, 2012 - 32 comments
Categories: alcohol, john key, slippery - Tags:

So apparently John Key failed to be “precise enough” when he said he voted for the drinking age to be 20, and actually voted for it to be 18.

I’m sure many a finance company director would follow his reasoning, but to most of us it looks like proving black is white – and the dangers of that are you’ll be run over on the next zebra crossing…

But then this is all the fault of opposition MPs being ‘pedantic’ with the fact that true doesn’t equal false.  I mean, maybe it’s the high-falutin’ logic papers I did at university that means I think that that’s an overly important precept for our society, but I kind of think it’s a good thing if our opposition is keen on the truth actually being the truth…

32 comments on “In a dinnamic environment it’s hard to be precise ”

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  1. One Tāne Huna 1
    19 October 2012 at 8:21 am

    “It is sunny. Well, to be precise, it is raining.”

    Standard supplementary to any question put to Slippery in the house: “Can the Prime Minister be precise?”

  2. Nick 2
    19 October 2012 at 8:22 am

    Is there a running list of the PM’s brain fades, changing recollection and outright lies? I think a complete list in one place could be used quite effectively by an expert witness to plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

  3. Tom 3
    19 October 2012 at 8:48 am

    It reminds me of Lincoln’s spot resolutions ..

    “The spot resolutions were offered in the United States House of Representatives on 22 December 1847 by Abraham Lincoln, Whig representative from Illinois. The resolutions requested President James K. Polk to provide Congress with the exact location (the “spot”) upon which blood was spilt on American soil, as Polk had claimed in 1846 when asking Congress to declare war on Mexico. So persistent was Lincoln in pushing his “spot resolutions” that some began referring to him as “spotty Lincoln.” Lincoln’s resolutions were a direct challenge to the validity of the president’s words, and representative of an ongoing political power struggle between Whigs and Democrats.”

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spot_Resolutions

  4. muzza 4
    19 October 2012 at 9:16 am

    Prime Minister John Key says he is guilty of not being precise enough in his comments about the drinking age, but is shrugging off criticism.

    Really enjoying this shruggin off, and the hard time the media arre giving him /sarc

    Mr Key told reporters he voted for the drinking age to be raised to 20, when in fact he voted for it to stay at 18.

    Lying toe rag!

    The Labour Party says Mr Key either had a brain fade, or was not telling the truth.

    Green Party co-leader Russel Norman says the memory lapse is concerning given Mr Key runs the country.

    No we have a fraudulant lier – Call it as it is Norman, this is not a concern, its far past that now!

    The Prime Minister admits he was not as precise as he could have been, but believes the opposition MPs are being a bit pedantic.

    So criticising others for your lying is now the way forward, got it!

  5. Lanthanide 5
    19 October 2012 at 9:27 am

    I think this is a bit of a beat up, really, having heard Key’s response to reporters asking about it. He ended with “fair enough” I believe – he accepted their criticism.

    Really, if he’d said “that’s why I voted for the split age of 20” there’d be no real story here. Simply leaving out the word “split” changes the meaning of his sentence entirely, but it’s obvious that that is what he meant when he said it.

    I think this is simply evidence of him not getting his thoughts in order and answering a question well, but given the context (on his way to parliament) I don’t really think that’s a huge crime. He still does a much better job of answering questions than Shearer does, so be careful about throwing stones…

    I did like Russell Norman’s stance on it:
    “he can’t remember anything, he can’t run a department, I don’t know how he can run a government”.

    • One Tāne Huna 5.1
      19 October 2012 at 9:32 am

      “…evidence of him not getting his thoughts in order…”

      Exhibit Z.

    • Jackal 5.2
      19 October 2012 at 9:51 am

      Lanthanide

      Really, if he’d said “that’s why I voted for the split age of 20″ there’d be no real story here.

      You mean if John Key had told the truth there wouldn’t be a problem? Yeah! That’s what I think as well.

      Here’s how the most recent Dunnokeyo moment went down: Key sees polling on drinking age. Key gets asked about drinking age. Key lies about how he voted on drinking age to try to gain public support. Lie blows up in Key’s face. Key blames the opposition.

      • ianmac 5.2.1
        19 October 2012 at 10:29 am

        Yea. I predicted that it would somehow be the Opposition’s fault. But not directly Mr Shearer’s fault though. Huh?

      • Lanthanide 5.2.2
        19 October 2012 at 10:34 am

        “You mean if John Key had told the truth there wouldn’t be a problem? Yeah! That’s what I think as well.”

        No, I mean if he hadn’t dropped a single word from his sentence that made his intention clear, there wouldn’t be a problem. I’m sure you’ve mispoke and had typoes that cloud or even completely reverse the intention of your communication; it’s a hallmark of being human.

        Now, why did he drop the word?
        A. Was he deliberately lying to the public?
        B. Is he just sloppy?
        C. Was he in a rush to get to parliament?

        I think 50/50 on B and C, but not A as you (and others here) are asserting.

        • One Tāne Huna 5.2.2.1
          19 October 2012 at 10:40 am

          So, fresh from an ongoing stream of deliberate lies and refusals to take responsibility for his duties, he trips over his words for a change.

          No-one really understands what it’s like to have to keep up the relentless mendacity. It’s stressful. No wonder the poor man’s looking drawn.

          We should feel sorry for him.

        • weka 5.2.2.2
          19 October 2012 at 10:46 am

          D. Did he deliberately use the language that he did, knowing full well that it sounded better and matched the polls better, and that if called on it he could shrug if off as a mistake? So not an outright lie, but a strategised manipulation.

          • gobsmacked 5.2.2.2.1
            19 October 2012 at 10:53 am

            The more revealing comment was at the end – “but Parliament voted for 18”. As if it was somebody else. Silly old Parliament!

            Distancing himself from decisions he was part of has been a hallmark of his time in office. It’s worked well for him. Probably done its dash now (I hope).

          • David H 5.2.2.2.2
            19 October 2012 at 5:54 pm

            E: Did he do it deliberately? To take the heat out of all the other shit that’s plaguing his govt at the moment??

    • gobsmacked 5.3
      19 October 2012 at 10:24 am

      He still does a much better job of answering questions than Shearer does, so be careful about throwing stones…

      Unfortunately, this is true. The media/opposition are increasingly drawing attention to Key being “loose” with language – about time too. But he will get away with it as long as he can say “I’m blathering jibberish, but hey, listen to that guy!”.

      It beggars belief that Labour would highlight one of the PM’s greatest weaknesses, and then copy it.

      • Lanthanide 5.3.1
        19 October 2012 at 10:35 am

        I’ve found myself agreeing with every single one of your comments in the last couple of weeks, gob.

        • gobsmacked 5.3.1.1
          19 October 2012 at 10:39 am

          Oh no! You iz right wing troll! 😉

          I’ll try and find something to fight about. Christchurch rebuild, who cares, eh?

      • Vicky32 5.3.2
        21 October 2012 at 5:20 pm

        He still does a much better job of answering questions than Shearer does, so be careful about throwing stones…

        Say what? Praising Key, in order to slam Shearer? I am gobsmacked. I didn’t believe you Greenies would go so far.. and thereby give yourselves away.

        I meant this comment for you, but the system messed up, and it landed on Lanth’s post, which probably is where it should also be!

         

    • Vicky32 5.4
      21 October 2012 at 5:19 pm

      He still does a much better job of answering questions than Shearer does, so be careful about throwing stones…

      Say what? Praising Key, in order to slam Shearer? I am gobsmacked. I didn’t believe you Greenies would go so far.. and thereby give yourselves away.
       

  6. gobsmacked 6
    19 October 2012 at 9:27 am

    Credit to Norman and Robertson for nailing Key on this. Good soundbites (“body double” – heh).

  7. Dr Terry 7
    19 October 2012 at 9:35 am

    You know, just for a split second, I thought the PM might be about to offer a personal apology, at last. I hardly think so. What he did do was attempt to use that big word “pedantic” which he must have picked up from somewhere. Thus, predictably, he turns actual blame upon the opposition, with a word that dismissively means “concerned with insignificant detail”. Yes, indeed, this is John Key talking!

  8. Dv 8
    19 October 2012 at 10:18 am

    Lanth
    If it had been a one or two off ok .
    BUT it is not.
    It is part of his pattern

  9. Dv 9
    19 October 2012 at 10:34 am

    Dunokeyo has hit the comments in nbr

  10. McFlock 10
    19 October 2012 at 12:55 pm

    I’m sure many a finance company director would follow his reasoning

    lolz 

  11. MrSmith 11
    19 October 2012 at 7:27 pm

    A snake oil salesman had just drifted into town,
    All the fine Lady’s and fine Gents took him for bit of a clown,
    That said he had plenty of charm, but as the Lady’s & Gents hair turned grey this soon turned to alarm,
    Till one morning they awoke and he couldn’t be found,
    Turned out the snake oil salesman had emptied the bank on his way out of town.

  12. Maggie May 12
    20 October 2012 at 6:39 pm

    Some people may not mind John Key lying to the public of NZ but we remember the hard time he and his ministers gave the Labour Party so we are enjoying Key’s downfall, bring it on guys make sure you give him no wriggle room, lets give him the same treatment he gave Labour, at least they were trying to do the best for our country not just trying to do the best for the wealthy in the world.

    • RedLogix 12.1
      20 October 2012 at 6:57 pm

      You don’t understand. In the minds of many, many New Zealanders they expect National to be the party of cosy deals and corruption. It’s OK for Key to lie. They’re secretly quite proud that their man is such a good liar and gets away with it so much of the time.

      A Labour PM is quite a different matter. The left expresses principles and values which they know they cannot, do not want live up to. Therefore if a Labour PM so much as signs a fricking painting to raise money for charity it’s the crime of the century.

      It’s not and never will be a level playing field Maggie.