Tamaki Makaurau’s very own wannabe Trump

Written By: - Date published: 9:10 am, June 20th, 2022 - 41 comments
Categories: auckland supercity, Donald Trump, efeso collins, elections, leo molloy, local government, supercity - Tags:

What started out as an ego driven campaign is now developing into full blown Trumism as Leo Molloy thrashes around attempting to court attention in the belief, Trump like, that it will convert into political support.

From Toby Manhire at the Spinoff:

At a launch event for his new campaign office just off Ponsonby Road, a space decked out like a sports bar, he issued a series of pre-emptive strikes at his rivals. Castigating the media for  “disinformation” that suggested a potential split vote the centre-right, Molloy practised attack lines on his opponents.

His first target was Wayne Brown: “He’s been tucked up in bed with the virus for a week, I’m not sure who I feel more sorry for more, him or the fucking virus.”

Molloy next had a go at Viv Beck’s choice of clothing, describing her as “the one who wears duvets around town”, and predicting that she would soon “jettison” her campaign.

Finally, promising a “slugfest”, Molloy took aim at Collins: “If anybody sights Efeso, he’s an endangered species – there’s space on the wall. He’d look beautiful mounted on that wall. I’ll get him, I’ll stuff him, and there’s your headline for tomorrow, you media boys.”

Any responsible major party should run a million miles from such a Trump wannabe.  So what is National doing?  It appears that they are cosying up to him.  He claims that he has had support from a number of National Party members and that they want to endorse him.  Luxon has refuted this claim but there is the undisputed claim of a prime slot at a National Party gathering.  From Kirsty Wynn at the Herald:

Molloy’s claim of endorsement comes less than a month after he was allowed to address a party event attended by National Party deputy leader Nicola Willis and other MPs.

Despite a longstanding National Party policy of not endorsing candidates at local government elections, Molloy spoke at the event attended by 100 members at a lunch at Markovina Vineyard Estate in West Auckland on May 28.

Molloy’s polling is just ahead of Viv Beck’s and the margin is well within the margin of error.

National’s problem is that Molloy is not going anywhere.  But if Beck was to pull out her votes would not automatically go to Molloy.  The market for a Trumpian type character in Tamaki Makaurau is just not that big.

Molloy’s campaign manager Matt McCarten should hang his head in shame.  I am comforted that McCarten has never won a major campaign.

I am quietly confident that the good people of Tamaki Makaurau will refuse to allow a buffoon to take over the Mayoralty.  And that the good people of the West and the South will support Efeso Collins in droves.

If not and if Molloy won there would be a circus in Auckland Council that would make the Trump presidency look like an episode from the West Wing.

41 comments on “Tamaki Makaurau’s very own wannabe Trump ”

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  1. Visubversa 1
    20 June 2022 at 9:39 am

    McCarten has plenty of experience running failed Auckland Mayoralty campaigns. He did JT's campaign last time.

  2. John G 2
    20 June 2022 at 10:04 am

    I don't get the polling that has come out recently saying that Collins and Molloy are level pegging.

    Collins is the left wing candidate.

    Molloy, Beck and Brown are effectively all right wing.

    If that poll is correct then nearly 75 percent of eligible voters are going to vote right wing.

    I doubt that. Maybe the poll was taken in Epsom !

  3. Chris 3
    20 June 2022 at 10:07 am

    "The market for a Trumpian type character in Tamaki Makaurau is just not that big."

    Too many people over-estimate the average kiwi voter. Most of us don't have the gristle to know what's good for us. Heck, Key had the poorest of the poor voting for him. The same thing's going to happen with Luxon. New Zealand voters seem more interested in "giving the other lot a go", than knowing what's best for the country. That's a big part of the puzzle that the left has never been able to solve.

    • Anne 3.1
      20 June 2022 at 10:38 am

      Agree Chris.

      Time and again Labour has over- estimated the integrity of the average voter when it comes to politics. They assume that most people sit down and weigh up the pros and cons of each individual (or party in a general election) and vote according to the policies they are presenting. Most do not. Hence they are vulnerable to charlatans and narcissists who prey on their ignorance and weaknesses. Molloy is obviously such a character.

      I hope that micky is right though. Having met Efeso Collins, I can say he is an outstanding candidate. He is intelligent, competent, honest and totally genuine. He will be a Mayor for all the people not just a chosen few.

      • Patricia Bremner 3.1.1
        20 June 2022 at 12:23 pm

        Yes Efeso broken heart

        not that Molloy, smileyfriend of the self anointed apostleno.

      • swordfish 3.1.2
        20 June 2022 at 3:55 pm

        .

        Oh for Christsake, spare me the outpouring of narcissistic elitism anchored in an utterly deluded sense of moral & intellectual superiority.

        • swordfish 3.1.2.1
          20 June 2022 at 4:10 pm

          Doubly so for Chris at 3 … ever heard of democracy, egalitarianism & the empowerment of so-called ‘ordinary’ working people ? … used to be very popular at one time on the Left. In fact, it was absolutely foundational … before its core organisations were captured & transformed into a self-interested Vanity Project for the Professional New Middle Class.

          • Chris 3.1.2.1.1
            21 June 2022 at 3:33 pm

            "…ever heard of democracy, egalitarianism & the empowerment of so-called ‘ordinary’ working people ?"

            Yes, just what the world needs – more self-made right-wingers like Bennett, Key and Shipley.

            I think you're confusing democracy with opportunity.

        • Anne 3.1.2.2
          20 June 2022 at 5:47 pm

          Narcissism and elitism my foot.

          I am not interested in team sports. Ignorant as hell. If everyone was expected to vote on who was to be in the teams, my choices would be based on whether I like the sound of their names or the way they look. There would be loads of people just like me who haven't got a clue and they are spread across the social spectrum.

          Politics is the same. Half the population are not interested and don't care about politics. When they make a decision as to who to vote for it is frequently not based on quality information. Some political parties are better at understanding that than others and they can better tailor their campaigns to suit their purpose.

          That's all I was saying and so was Chris.

          • Anne 3.1.2.2.1
            20 June 2022 at 6:01 pm

            Okay. Half the population may be a bit overstated. Lets say 1/3rd. Does that sound about right yes?

    • Blade 3.2
      20 June 2022 at 11:41 am

      Tautoko.

    • Sanctuary 3.3
      20 June 2022 at 6:36 pm

      There are ten of thousands of affluent and successful people in our democracy who are hooked on rage radio and online bullshit and its turning them into dangerous and bullying sociopaths.

  4. Tiger Mountain 4
    20 June 2022 at 10:08 am

    A venal little sod which will obviously suit certain voters and right wing pundits.
    He has treated the Auckland restaurant scene as a personal money trench for years–just the guy for old school Auckland business community, and bonus point, he is of course white.

    There will be people who while “not racist” will just not feel right having a brown Supercity Mayor. Efeso needs to turn out the vote like Len Brown did, including organising group voting sessions and mail ins.

    If the right’s candidates all stay in Efeso will win imo. The worry is that the right candidates will tactically withdraw, although Wayne Brown’s ego will probably see him stay in.

    The proverbial in the room is low turnout–32–38% in recent years. Mail is just about dead, renting and transience of abode is a thing, so even middle class people do not necessarily vote in Auck. local elections.

    Turnout will be king in this Supercity election.

  5. Stuart Munro 5
    20 June 2022 at 11:00 am

    Trumpism is irredeemably tainted by its associations with the dumb end of America. If Molloy were running an updated Muldoonism it might resonate – but Trump, like W. before him, evokes the instinctive response among NZers "How could you possibly vote for anything that stupid?" – even in that wretched hive of scum and villainy north of the Bombay Hills.

  6. Anne 6
    20 June 2022 at 11:17 am

    … even in that wretched hive of scum and villainy north of the Bombay Hills.

    cheeky wink

  7. Blade 7
    20 June 2022 at 12:18 pm

    Apparently the Tories are indirectly supporting Viv Beck. I was about to say she seems OK. Doesn't seem to speak in pidgin English and hasn't from what I've seen mentioned the word Maori. That's what many voters on the Right will be hoping for I would ASSUME.

    Her husband is.. is…..what the hell is the world coming to?!!! In the old days being racist was an easy proposition.

    https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/19-04-2022/the-uphill-road-from-downtown-auckland-viv-beck-makes-her-case-for-the-mayoralty

  8. OldManTime 8
    20 June 2022 at 12:32 pm

    "He claims that he has had support from a number of National Party members and that they want to endorse him."

    Molloy is a buffoon, who, time will show, is being economical with the truth. National will not endorse Molloy or anyone else, at least not directly.

    "Luxon has refuted this claim but there is the undisputed claim of a prime slot at a National Party gathering."

    Viv Beck has spoken to numerous National party gatherings. It means nothing. My prediction is that National's defacto Auckland arm C&R will eventually endorse Beck.

    "And that the good people of the West and the South will support Efeso Collins in droves."

    Efeso will only be elected by a split vote on the right. His Labour endorsement is a liability, and he has neither the intellect or the personality to bring the change that is needed to Auckland.

  9. observer 9
    20 June 2022 at 1:44 pm

    If anyone wants to know what kind of person Molloy really is, here is a Twitter thread, and much of it in his own words.

    Warning: it is very unpleasant, some of it probably not suitable for work, but … the voters deserve to know. And sadly, there is very little reporting of the real Molloy happening right now.

    https://twitter.com/StrayDogNZ/status/1387585165283655683

    • newsense 9.1
      20 June 2022 at 4:05 pm

      McCarten’s involvement is odd.

      Maybe JT was too Westie Maori and this dude has got all the aggressive (and regressive and homophobic by the looks of that Twitter thread) qualities of JT, but ticks from an odd number of establishment figures too…

      From the tweet department it seems he’s a classic old school ‘take my wife’ type comedian. Be kind of embarrassing if the Auckland left lose to him…

      Still it does crack me up when you here all this tough on gangs BS, and then you see guys like Marc Ellis et al get done for drug possession or use or whatever, or any number of pre-ball functions in the wealthier parts of town. We could, y’know, just bust your suppliers and all of the rich bored guys on drugs and then that’d put a massive dent in drug demand and gang activity…

  10. Blazer 10
    20 June 2022 at 2:22 pm

    Molly known in racing circles as the 'poison dwarf' suffers from chronic, small man syndrome.

    Constantly engaging in posturing macho behaviour and brown nosing the wealthy.

    His bankruptcy cost NZ taxpayers K40 plus.

    I guess in this era he has the credentials to become… Mayor.

    As for Macarten running his campaign… reminds me of the saying… if you don't like my principles… I do.. have.. others. '

  11. woodart 11
    20 June 2022 at 2:29 pm

    malloy was a self destructing mouth in palmy thirty years ago. not a team player. would be an absolute disasterous politician in any feild. maccartens credibility over who he hangs with is shot..

  12. higherstandard 12
    20 June 2022 at 5:40 pm

    Regardless of who gets in I'm picking the rates will go up and the shambles that is auckland will continue on its slide to become NZs most unliveable city.

    All the mayoral candidates offer little hope of anything different to the rubbish we've had to put with since the Super City came into being apart from their own particular foibles and cant.

    • gypsy 12.1
      21 June 2022 at 9:32 pm

      Hard to argue with that, although to be fair, that's partly the fault of the way the super city was set up. The Nat's screwed it up from the outset, and we're paying the price of the vacuum they created.

  13. Mike the Lefty 13
    20 June 2022 at 6:15 pm

    Does Molloy have any policies other than having more cars clog up the streets of Auckland?

  14. Sacha 14
    20 June 2022 at 7:23 pm

    Molloy’s polling is just ahead of Viv Beck’s

    Yeah nah. Turns out the Waiheke branch of the Taxdodgers Onion left out a crucial detail of the poll they paid Farrar for and which media breathlessly published without question:

    https://twitter.com/David_Cormack/status/1538715042694447104

    • mickysavage 14.1
      20 June 2022 at 7:33 pm

      Holy fuck. This is not even an incidental fact that could be overlooked.

      • Sacha 14.1.1
        20 June 2022 at 7:48 pm

        Yep. Though as others pointed out to David Cormack in that thread, it was the owners of the data who misled in their media release, not the pollster himself.

        • Muttonbird 14.1.1.1
          20 June 2022 at 8:41 pm

          There are one and the same, are they not?

          • Sacha 14.1.1.1.1
            20 June 2022 at 8:44 pm

            The poll was commissioned and publicised by the 'Ak Ratepayers Alliance' astroturf group which is a local offshoot of the Taxdodgers Onion. Curia did not publish the poll results.

            • newsense 14.1.1.1.1.1
              20 June 2022 at 11:08 pm

              Any other interesting poll information? Read one headlined ‘Nats surge ahead’ or some such which had most parties more or less unchanged and a .6% increase for National.

            • Peter 14.1.1.1.1.2
              21 June 2022 at 7:32 am

              If that's the outfit involved it has all the credibility of Jordan Williams behind it.

            • Sacha 14.1.1.1.1.3
              21 June 2022 at 9:01 am

              If journalists were still doing their job, polls would not be published without showing error margins for each figure (and not pretending precision by adding decimal places). But where's the manufactured outrage and clicks with that?

    • observer 14.2
      20 June 2022 at 8:36 pm

      Also dodgy: the pollster pre-selected the candidates.

      Usually (for example, the "Preferred PM" polls for TV1) it is an open question. Respondents can name whoever they want. That's why the detailed results, which are published on the pollster's website, include answers like Key and Clark. Even Pita Sharples got a mention in the most recent poll!

      https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/05/31/full-results-1news-kantar-public-poll-may-2022/

      But this Curia poll was obviously intended to put only 4 names before the public, thereby slanting the coverage. They succeeded: none of the media coverage has highlighted this important difference. Lazy journalism is the propagandist's friend, as always.

      • gypsy 14.2.1
        21 June 2022 at 9:39 pm

        That's interesting because Craig Lord has at times been missed out of media coverage of the mayoral election, despite finishing third in 2019, and being the only surviving candidate from that election.

  15. EE 15
    20 June 2022 at 10:52 pm

    I wish I knew more about horse-racing, but I think McCarten’s got himself a bolter.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolting_(equine)

  16. Tony Veitch (not etc.) 16
    21 June 2022 at 5:45 am

    Well, as a Cantabrian, I'm tempted to say 'the jafas deserve Molloy,' but I won't!

    • SPC 16.1
      21 June 2022 at 8:18 am

      I felt sorry for the jafas (the lockdown and decades of losing for the Blues), and was prepared to be "happy for them" if they won a Super Rugby Pacific title – then 21% of them indicated support for Molloy. Yeah na. Reason for 21 points to the Crusaders.