Nats’ election strategy – all about Key

Written By: - Date published: 11:21 am, June 16th, 2011 - 28 comments
Categories: election 2011, national - Tags:

National’s election strategy is pretty much fully-laid out. It shows that National is very much dependent on Brand Key. The Budget is their economic vision, or rather lack of vision. The rapid-fire release of major policies following the Budget laid out the rest of the platform, and show National doesn’t believe its policies are vote-winners.

If they thought that their policies were vote winners they would have given them some decent airtime. Instead, they slammed them all out in a couple of days right in the shadow of the Budget – benefit cuts, attacks on workers’ rights, asset sales, Kiwisaver cuts, service cuts. They are already largely forgotten. And that’s the objective.

The platform out, National is now trying to tell us what a great guy John Key is. He has had puff pieces in the North and South and the Dom this week, not to mention the excruciating Plunket hearts Key interview on The Nation.

Expect much more of these media appearances and for Key to take little ownership of National’s policies.

National will try as hard as possible not to talk about substance this election. None of its big policies are vote winners. Instead, it will try to convince us that a few policies we don’t like are worth it to keep “the Nice Man Mr Key” on as our smiling and waving leader.

It’s up to the Left to keep the focus on the stuff that matters.

28 comments on “Nats’ election strategy – all about Key ”

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  1. Peter 1
    16 June 2011 at 11:52 am

    I bit like Muldoon, trust me Kiwis I’ll do the thinking for you!

  2. freedom 2
    16 June 2011 at 12:08 pm

    They want to pin their campaign on a guy who has already said he is going to quit if they lose?  Why would a reasonable person vote for someone with that sort of blatant disinterest in the future of New Zealand.

    • Colonial Viper 2.1
      16 June 2011 at 12:14 pm

      Well this is a nice meme to repeat.

      “Key already has his CV up to date and ready to post. And he’s not interested in working in NZ” 🙂

    • Robb 2.2
      16 June 2011 at 3:57 pm

      What did Helen do when labour lost the election last time round, dropped the seat she won plus the leadership of the party and headed off to the UN quick smart causing a bi-election. But let me guess that was different!

      • The Voice of Reason 2.2.1
        16 June 2011 at 4:16 pm

        It’s not a guess, Robb, it actually is different. Most defeated PM’s usually shuffle off pretty quickly, Muldoon excepted. What they don’t usually do is announce before the election that if we ungrateful sods don’t vote for them they’ll scarper to Hawaii. It takes a fair bit of arrogance to do that.

        • queenstfarmer 2.2.1.1
          16 June 2011 at 5:19 pm

          It takes a fair bit of arrogance to do that.

          Or honesty. Everyone knew that Helen was off to the UN, which of course was true. Some might advocate playing charades, but I prefer the honest approach. It might cost some votes if mishandled, but you can’t say it’s hurt Key’s popularity.

          • The Voice of Reason 2.2.1.1.1
            16 June 2011 at 5:44 pm

            “Everyone knew that Helen was off to the UN …”
             
            So why was it such a surprise when the announcement was made? And why weren’t the righty blogs trumpeting the ‘fact’ before the election?
             
            Key is occasionally honest, but usually only by mistake. ‘I’d love to see wages drop’ springs to mind. The rest of his pronouncements are bullshit, mumbo jumbo or meaningless stats. But, by all means keep hoping that Key remains as popular as ever. When National lose in November us lefties can enjoy a good laugh at how Key snatched defeat from the jaws of victory because the right’s only strategy was to hope his personal standing would triumph over the growing dislike of the Government he leads.
             
            There are nine marginal seats that Labour can and likely will win back this November. Key is not the candidate in any of them, but nine lacklustre National MP’s are standing and the voters in those seats aren’t going to re-elect them just because Smiling John would like them to. I fully expect National to get a solid party vote, of course, but its the electorates that will see them off to the opposition benches. And Key off to Waikiki.
             
             

  3. tc 3
    16 June 2011 at 12:08 pm

    More like trust me, I’ve had the hollow men do the thinking for everyone.

    Focus by the opposition on the likes of Crusher/Basher/Aya-Tolley/Browncoal/Wilko etc is one way (using the shadow portfolio MP’s not Goff) …..all incompetant with a wrecking ball approach to highlight the smiley wavey clown is an appropriate image as he’s fronting a circus.

    ChCh is tragic but yet again it’s highlighted how f’n useless gerrymander is as one example.

  4. randal 4
    16 June 2011 at 12:12 pm

    looks very much like the C.R.E.E.P. has scuppered any chance of Shakey John Key returning tot he treasury benches.
    When they are made to answer for their crimes then he isnt going to look so good.

  5. Afewknowthetruth 5
    16 June 2011 at 1:10 pm

    Spin doctors know that neuro-linguistic programming works extremely well on proles.

    Proles would vote for an inflatable doll if it was surrounded by slogans saying: Achieve. Together. A better, brighter future. Free beer ….

    ‘It’s up to the Left to keep the focus on the stuff that matters.’ Nice joke!!!

    The Left will do what they always do -run and hide at the mention of peak oil, population overshoot, acidification of the oceans, collapse of industrial society, abrupt climate change, the Sixth Great Extintion Event etc.

    Nowadays politics is all about who can keep the general populace deluded the longest.

  6. queenstfarmer 6
    16 June 2011 at 1:58 pm

    Well why wouldn’t you focus on a guy who, according to polls, even Labour voters rate as preferred PM?

    • Draco T Bastard 6.1
      16 June 2011 at 2:20 pm

      Well, the reason why they focus on Smile & Wave is because they don’t want people to think about and discuss their policies which seem to be pretty much designed to make NZ worse off.

  7. JS 7
    16 June 2011 at 2:36 pm

    Been a few disasters under his reign. Voters could think he is jinxed.

  8. ianupnorth 8
    16 June 2011 at 9:57 pm

    Watched an episode of ‘The Simpsons’ at the weekend, the one where Marge takes on Mayor Quimby – she is seen fronting a meeting and in order to get the crowd on her side she just keeps saying 9-11 – and they all behave like slaves to the message.
     
    Anyway, what are Key’s ‘messages’

    No nanny state
    Trust me, I came from a poor back ground
    I got rich, so can you!

    Problem is the lemmings believe him!!

    • DavidC 8.1
      16 June 2011 at 11:04 pm

      or you could trust the other guy who says…
      Nanny state and we will tax you to death..
      Trust me ..I have never had a real job..
      The poor vote for me and I want you to be poor too!

      • ianupnorth 8.1.1
        17 June 2011 at 1:05 pm

        Depends what you call Nanny State? Whilst we have a sizable portion of the population who endanger themselves with all manner of unhealthy activities you could say it is needed more than ever.
         
        Define – real job? Does being a currency trader for an international bank prepare an individual for a leadership role like PM? Or does having academic credibility and in depth knowledge prepare someone better?
         
        The poorer have got considerably poorer under key’s watch, oh, and the rich have got considerably richer!

    • Jewish Kiwi 8.2
      17 June 2011 at 9:13 am

      Are you sure that it wasn’t Family Guy?

  9. Peter Bains 9
    16 June 2011 at 11:45 pm

    Imagine if the election was about Goff, Labour would poll 25%. The left are scared it will become a personality battle, if it does Goof is stuffed completely.
    Labour have dumb policies, GST off F&V, gee, I can see the average Chinese/Indian fruit shop dropping prices 15% across the board, Tui Billboard anyone. At least my truffles should be cheaper!

    • McFlock 9.1
      17 June 2011 at 12:02 am

      god forbid it becomes about policies. Or the economy. Have fun with smile and wave, troll.

    • Draco T Bastard 9.2
      17 June 2011 at 12:09 am

      When you choose your vote on Smile & Wave all you get is shafted as the people of NZ have been finding out over the last couple of years. BTW, it’s not a two horse race – we got rid of that undemocratic system nearly 20 years ago.

    • ianupnorth 9.3
      17 June 2011 at 1:06 pm

      Look another lemming! (Peter Bains)

  10. Gazza 10
    17 June 2011 at 11:57 am

    KJT you should have included probably in your comment so you don’t get g_man on your case for not having proof of fact.
    Also Key may be the pollsters preferred Leader but you are always going to get that result with a loaded question.

  11. Gazza 11
    17 June 2011 at 1:46 pm

    Labour have dumb policies, GST off F&V, gee, I can see the average Chinese/Indian fruit shop dropping prices 15% across the board,

    So Peter Bains advocates allowing Asian fruit sellers to rob us blind and ignore any law that tells them to reduce their price, good one!! exactly like a leeming follow his leader to the poverty cliff.
    As it is most go to the supermarkets for cheap products then double the price then add GST.and that is one problem I will have to admit has been allowed by both Labour & National to curry the votes.

  12. randal 12
    17 June 2011 at 2:14 pm

    Key is a lightweight with a client base of rich jews in Miamai. he be out of here soon.

  13. freedom 13
    17 June 2011 at 2:20 pm

    As the comments from certain Politicians this week have pissed me off most royally
    I propose this slogan for the General Election 2011

    ” STAND UP OR BEND OVER
    IT’S YOUR VOTE ! “