The birth of NZ’s very own Birther movement

Written By: - Date published: 9:07 pm, September 26th, 2013 - 81 comments
Categories: david cunliffe, labour, uncategorized, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: ,

slaterThe right must be very afraid of David Cunliffe.  Because they are coming up with the most extraordinarily crazy conspiracy theories to try and discredit him.

It is becoming a bit like the Birther movement in the US.  Over in the land of the free and the brave some chose to exercise their freedom of speech by claiming that the President of the United States was not born there but was actually born in Kenya.  There is no proof that this actually occurred.  Their basic motivation appears to be that Obama is black.  Deep down they cannot accept that a black person could or should be their leader.  And so they have talked up an amazing conspiracy theory.  It is full of dog whistle, after all they are not complaining that their leader is black, just that he was born in a nation where most of the people had dark skins.  And he is obviously not an American, so why should he lead them.

And despite POTUS producing an unimpeachable piece of paper showing that he is American born, they refuse to believe this and still claim that he is an Alien.  As far as I am aware a poll has not been conducted but I suspect that a significant part of the Birther movement believe that Obama was born on one of Jupiter’s moons.  I guess that democracy requires an acceptance that some people may have the most bat shit crazy beliefs possible.

Despite their efforts, actually probably because of their efforts, Obama was recently reelected leader of the free world.  The last election was fascinating.  Obama probably won the first because he lifted everyone with his soaring oratory and vision, he won the last election because lefties and progressives, even while harbouring significant reservations, insisted that their country should be run by someone who was at least sane.

Over here things are developing in the same way.  David Cunliffe has recently received the overwhelming endorsement of Labour Party members and affiliates.  He has then engaged in a dream week where he has been concise and competent when interviewed by the media, sharp with his policy announcements and somehow he has made the Labour caucus look united.  He then had a significant bump in the latest Herald Digipoll and for the first time in 6 years Labour and National are suddenly getting close to equal pegging.

So what does National do?  It engages its social media geniuses to try and destroy Cunliffe’s reputation.

First off Matthew Hooton calls Cunliffe a liar because he said he had some involvement, not specified, in the formation of Fonterra.  Not once, but four times on National Radio.  An apology today by Kathryn Ryan shows what RNZ thinks of Hooton’s claims.

And then Cameron leaps to the fore and decides to attack Cunliffe’s release of a document showing that when he was with BCG he did work that led up to the formation of Fonterra.  Not just with one post, but with multiple posts where he quotes people such as “A Reader”, also known as a staffer of National’s Parliamentary Research Unit, as confirmation that there is something dodgy about the timesheet that Cunliffe produced.

So let me get this right.  Cunliffe produces a fake timesheet that he says was provided by Boston Consultancy Group, one of the most well respected consultancies in the world with offices in 75 countries and BCG will not notice if it is a fake?  Do you think that if the timesheet is false BCG may actually express its concern?

This has about the same chance as Obama being Kenya born.  Actually it is less likely.

We are witnessing the birth of our very own birther movement.

 

81 comments on “The birth of NZ’s very own Birther movement ”

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  1. Colonial Viper 1
    26 September 2013 at 9:13 pm

    The Righties appear to be spiralling out of control. This is developing into a big problem for Key. If he doesn’t rein them back in it will eat into the credibility of any future attacks on Cunliffe eg during the actual campaign next year.

    • chris73 1.1
      26 September 2013 at 9:54 pm

      This isn’t really required by the right, I’d suggest just sticking with Andrea Vances articles and keep leaking whats coming out of Labour

      • mickysavage 1.1.1
        26 September 2013 at 9:59 pm

        Chris do you get instructions from on high? In the past I agree that Labour leaked like a sieve but my impression is that the caucus is very resolute right now. Do you have any evidence of Labour MPs leaking? Or are you just running lines in the hope that your wishes match reality?

        • chris73 1.1.1.1
          26 September 2013 at 10:32 pm

          Depends because from where I was sitting Phil Goff did an admirable job but was hamstrung by his ministers, David Shearer was set up and dropped by his ministers and Cunliffe was apparently a tad unpopular with some in the party as well

          Yet somehow everything has now changed and its all solidarity and teamwork…its also the same thing that was said during Goffs and Shearers tenure

          You have (mostly) the same people in (mostly) the same positions and yet you think you’re going to have a different outcome?

          I think the same people that stopped Goff from becoming PM, didn’t even let Shearer get to the campaign and actively tried to roadblock Cunliffe are still there and are leaking like a sieve

          Why they’re leaking is something I don’t get because whats the point of being a politician and not wanting to have the power?

        • David H 1.1.1.2
          27 September 2013 at 7:05 am

          Great article Micky, Except I think this “Over in the land of the free and the brave” Should really read ” Over in the land of the Paranoid and Insane.” Now that a way more apt description of the state of mind over there.

          Sorry did not meant to detract from the discussion, but with Chris73 up to his RWNJ Tricks.

      • billy fish 1.1.2
        26 September 2013 at 10:07 pm

        The article also forgot to mention the other facet of the “birther movement” here
        Continual claims that all the shit is coming from inside Labour in an ever increasing leak torrent

        Happy birther day Chris

      • Colonial Viper 1.1.3
        26 September 2013 at 10:08 pm

        Another bad poll or two and National is going to start leaking like Fukushima

        • Rhinocrates 1.1.3.1
          26 September 2013 at 10:21 pm

          Good point. To assume that National is united would be stupid; the would-be successors to Key will see any weakening of his position as an opportunity. Collins may not believe that she can take the leadership before the next election, but after that, surely…

          Keep an ear out for the leaks coming from what so far has been a tightly disciplined machine, but which won’t be for long.

        • Chooky 1.1.3.2
          26 September 2013 at 10:42 pm

          CV+1….smirk

      • mike e 1.1.4
        26 September 2013 at 10:35 pm

        C73 the birther movement has lead to a miscarriage of justice

  2. Hayden 2
    26 September 2013 at 9:22 pm

    WHAR TYMSHET? WHAR?

  4. irascible 4
    26 September 2013 at 9:27 pm

    On Planet Key life can be measured by the slaters which crawl from the woodwork a hooton’ and a hollering that they only have the true tin foil hats to preserve NZ from a Labour government.
    Mind you I’ve heard Key echo the tinfoil conspiracy recently when he proclaimed that a Labour-Green coalition would not be a genuine government if the only opposition was him and his National-ACT party.
    Me thinks the residents of Planet Key are losing their grip on the already shadowy reality they may have.

  5. Pete 5
    26 September 2013 at 9:57 pm

    I mentioned on Monday how Hooton sounded like a shrill Birther or a Truther. Do we have some Koch brothers to go along with it?

  6. Tim 6
    26 September 2013 at 10:10 pm

    He’s running lines. Polly wanna cracker?

  7. karol 7
    26 September 2013 at 10:12 pm

    excellent post, micky. I am amazed how some righties have chosen to keep on trying to claim something that has been proved to be incorrect.

    Mind you, I wonder how much of it is a diversionary tactic? Hard to tell how sincere they are. It means us lefties spend a little less time talking about important policy issues.

  8. QoT 8
    26 September 2013 at 10:15 pm

    Well, see, BCG are obviously part of the conspiracy. Notice the three letters in their name?

    B = Bolshevik
    C = Communist
    G = Gorbachev

    WAKE UP, SHEEPLE.

    • mickysavage 8.1
      26 September 2013 at 10:16 pm

      😀
      😀
      😀

    • Pete 8.2
      26 September 2013 at 10:29 pm

      Just another one to add to The List:

      List of Conspirators Against the National Party, and Therefore New Zealand

      The Boston Consulting Group
      Public broadcasting, especially Radio New Zealand
      Timesheets
      Shower heads
      Gays
      Lesbians
      Artists
      Actors
      Anyone who didn’t like The Hobbit
      All columnists except Fran O’Sullivan
      People who move overseas
      People with student loans
      People who move overseas with student loans
      People who return from overseas with student loans
      Safety inspectors
      The entire city of Christchurch
      Maths
      Bloggers
      ASB Bank
      The Governor of the Reserve Bank
      BBC Hardtalk
      Scientists
      The Commerce Commission
      The Ombudsman
      John Campbell
      Parliamentary Services
      BMW
      Jon Stephenson
      Three-way handshakes
      Nicky Hagar
      Breakfast (the meal)
      Martyn Bradbury
      Environmentalists
      The Supreme Court
      Labour Unions
      The entire public service, except Treasury and the intelligence agencies
      Teachers
      Universities
      Academics
      Bernard Hickey
      Gareth Morgan

      Feel free to amend as you like

  9. karol 9
    26 September 2013 at 10:24 pm

    The suggestion on another thread that the documents Cunliffe provided to RNZ were obviously fake? Did this misguided person think that the documents hadn’t been scrutinised and accepted by RNZ’s lawyers/researchers?

    Or were they just not that bothered, with this issue that could have legal repercussions for them?

    • David H 9.1
      27 September 2013 at 8:18 am

      I think it was attributed to Whaleslime’s sewer site, and therefor a non event. But not positive.

  10. Rhinocrates 10
    26 September 2013 at 10:27 pm

    Vespasian, a Roman emperor (certainly one of the better ones), once said of a critic – “I will not kill a dog for barking at me,” and the effect was far more devastating than an execution would have been. David Cunliffe seems to have handled this well, by making an immediate link with the birthers.

    If this keeps up, they won’t look evil, they’ll look silly – and politically, that’s worse.

    An old proverb, attributed to every great philosopher is this: “who defines the terms wins the argument.” That’s why Gaffe and Mumblefuck lost – it was always “me too” or attacking beneficiaries and teachers. They let Key determine the terms of the argument, as Thatcher said that Blair was her greatest triumph. This time it’s “you’re not even Satan – he had depth”, and it works.

    • Rhinocrates 10.1
      26 September 2013 at 10:45 pm

      I’ll have to say, he certainly didn’t say “Bow wow!” either, which was what Gaffe and Mumblefuck did.

    • The Al1en 10.2
      26 September 2013 at 10:50 pm

      “If this keeps up, they won’t look evil, they’ll look silly – and politically, that’s worse.”

      Watch DC with Gower, he already does this by talking to him like a naughty 5 year old.
      Fun to see.

      • Rhinocrates 10.2.1
        27 September 2013 at 12:12 am

        Seeing Rat Boy put in his place would be nice – do you have a link?

        • The Al1en 10.2.1.1
          27 September 2013 at 9:12 am

          I don’t have a link, but if it helps, there’s a small example of it at the end of DC’s candidature press conference, which would be somewhere on the tv3 site I guess.
          It’s happened a few times before and a couple after, but just check the tone and manner of Cunliffe’s replies next time they’re both on if you can’t find one. I’m picking pre planned as a neutralising tactic, though accept it could well be a subconscious thing.

    • Mike S 10.3
      27 September 2013 at 6:34 am

      Exactly. They obviously didn’t even consider that Cunliffe would produce a timesheet and what’s more produce it immediately for scrutiny. Talk about thickwits.. This is a thing I see in Cunliffe, he is not afraid to stand up and defend himself instead of dismissing the issue as if beneath him or hiding from the issue. In my opinion his actions show someone who has a strong belief in what’s right and who will fight rather than flee or crumple.

      • Delia 10.3.1
        27 September 2013 at 12:24 pm

        He has been around enough that he knows all their dirty tricks and he knows what to do with them, he is not Helen’s ‘son’ for nothing.

    • Rodel 10.4
      27 September 2013 at 9:19 am

      Rhinocrates
      Your Vespasian,quote was on the button but the terminology maligns dogs…. For G and H It’s ‘rodents’.

  11. bad12 11
    26 September 2013 at 10:37 pm

    Now that Blubber Boy has destroyed the ‘news spit paper’ that they gave Him to play with,(Daddy’s attempt to make the little psycho grow up???), what’s the lump of lard do for a crust these days,

    Back on the sickness bene for psyche issues is it, could never quite work that one out either, what was the line there, Wee Cam the only sickness bene in the whole nation who wasn’t faking it…

    • Delia 11.1
      27 September 2013 at 12:30 pm

      He should be happy to be on a Job Seeker allowance and go find another job…just like he and his mate expect all those other ‘bludgers’ do do.

    • Delia 11.2
      27 September 2013 at 12:30 pm

      He should be happy to be on a Job Seeker allowance and go find another job…just like he and his mates expect all those other ‘bludgers’ do do.

    • Murray Olsen 11.3
      27 September 2013 at 3:23 pm

      I have heard that WhaleSpew uses private income insurance. The insurance company possibly thinks it’s better to just pay him than wrestle with a pig in mud. Of course, this probably also allows him to receive money from all sorts of sources that wouldn’t be possibly if he relied on Paula for his income.

      • lprent 11.3.1
        27 September 2013 at 4:29 pm

        I thought that his insurers had cut him off a few years ago.

        • Murray Olsen 11.3.1.1
          27 September 2013 at 8:22 pm

          It’s quite possible that what I heard was wrong. How he supports himself is hardly one of the things that excites my curiosity. On a sociological/psychological level, I am curious as to how he manages to be as influential as he is. I can see why NAct would have him around, as it’s hard to imagine a depth he wouldn’t sink to in his slavish devotion to his daddy’s legacy, but why on Earth does anyone put him on tv?

          • lprent 11.3.1.1.1
            28 September 2013 at 10:26 am

            TV in NZ has dropped to depths that make the news and much of the political commentary to be laughable. It has largely become infotainment and played as much for laughs are information. If you want information then most younger people just use the net – including what broadcast TV is worth .

            The other content on TV is just as useless, including Sky’s pay TV.

            It was kind of weird the other day realising that virtually no one at work watches more than a miniscule amount of broadcast TV any more. They pay reasonably small amounts of money to get their entertainment without ads and in their own time schedules. I’d thought that it was just my circle of friend and family who were doing that.

            I haven’t connected the TV aerial since I moved back into my apartment last september.

            Whaleoil is presumably entertaining and suits the content makers of a dying industry.

  12. mike e 12
    26 September 2013 at 11:08 pm

    hopefully bennett has him drug tested and ready for work!

  13. hellonearthis 13
    26 September 2013 at 11:26 pm

    Matthew Hooton made his claim 5 times before he was told to shut up. He was given a warning at four and then said it again.

  14. tracey 14
    27 September 2013 at 5:38 am

    never underestimate tgd power of the right. whoever controls the dialogue wins and murdoch controls the dialogue… gonna be hard work defying that.

  15. Aotearoean 15
    27 September 2013 at 7:01 am

    Mathew Hooton will have to decide who needs him after the next election?

    • Tim 15.1
      27 September 2013 at 7:24 am

      I think he has aspirations of a job with Crosby Textor

    • David H 15.2
      27 September 2013 at 10:01 am

      And he’s going to point to his “Liar Liar Liar etc etc ad naseum” debacle on his CV? Not a good look, accuser, then made to look a fool all in under 24hrs.

    • felix 15.3
      27 September 2013 at 10:25 am

      He’ll probably be hospitalised by then.

      Unfortunately there’s no cure for what Hooten has, so he’ll almost certainly live out his last days in the “Hospice For Failed Desperate Spinners Who Got Lucky A Couple Of Times And Don’t Know When They’ve Outlived Their Usefulness”.

      You know, where John Ansell lives.

  16. Saarbo 16
    27 September 2013 at 9:26 am

    These idiots can say what they like about Cunliffe, but they (Hooten, Whale, Farrar, Armstrong, Vance) who have a go at him and his CV wouldn’t get close to being employed by BCG. BCG are a clever bunch and to become a BCG consultant requires serious brain power and qualifications. In my 15 year corporate career (I’m out of that scene now, too constraining, they can go and stick their “performance appraisals” up their arse, you know what I mean, the indignity of corporate life) I learned more when the company I worked for contracted BCG than in any other environment I worked in. They come out with some amazing thinking and tools to boost business performance, so I’m very interested to see what DC comes out with in terms of economic development.

    And I have a chuckle when I think about DC versus Steven Joyce, the small time radio man from New Plymouth who made good by rationalising a few radio stations into national format…that is his one claim to fame and he now thinks he has the know-how to create economic development in New Zealand (Lets be honest, he is doing fuck all). In my 15 year corporate career I worked beside heaps of consultants, and BCG would be the only consultant that I reckon were worth the money paid to them, and its fair to say it was serious money too. Steven Joyce wouldn’t get close to being employed by BCG, he’s a lightweight and his performance shows it.

    • tinfoilhat 16.1
      27 September 2013 at 10:08 am

      Strange I also used to work in the corporate sector many years ago and also had dealings with BCG (not David Cunliffe) though, my impression was that they were very expensive buffoons and yes men (very few woman) and generally pretty crap.

      • Saarbo 16.1.1
        27 September 2013 at 6:22 pm

        @tinfoilhat

        There were more women than men on the Fletcher Challenge Paper job, many process engineers with phd’s from US and Aus universities from memory.

        • karol 16.1.1.1
          27 September 2013 at 6:30 pm

          When I was researching Cunliffe, BCG & Fonterra, I found a couple of ex BCG women and men now with Fonterra.

    • Cemetery Jones 16.2
      27 September 2013 at 11:12 am

      One of the most comedic moments from Whale’s Birther/Bircher threads on Cunliffe’s document was the one where a WO moderator, ‘Petal’ indignantly posted that BCG hadn’t replied to his email request for info confirming the legitimacy of the document, so he phoned them. He added that when he told them what blog he was from, they forwarded him to a voicemail. Then, after a dramatic line-break, added ‘I think I’m being stonewalled.’

      I actually sprayed coffee. The idea of the conceited little knob calling BCG and trying to strong-arm his way past reception with an Aaron Gilmore-esque ‘do you know what blog I am from?’ bluff had me in stitches.The dramatic line-break followed with the ‘I think I’m being stonewalled’ might just have damaged my bladder for good in my effort to retain continence.

      The evident cognitive dissonance was fantastic. He may as well have posted a video sobbing “But I thought big business was on our side?”

    • newsense 16.3
      1 October 2013 at 12:59 am

      let’s wait and see him prove that. A dullard with a club can beat a knight with a sword if he hits him first and when he’s not ready…proof of the pudding is the results.

  17. trickldrown 17
    27 September 2013 at 11:02 am

    Hooten is going to work for fisher and paykel so they can do
    research on machines that a permanently stuck on spin cycle.

    • Sable 17.1
      27 September 2013 at 1:01 pm

      I thought he might be working with agricultural research to develop his own brand of extra strength fertilizer..

  18. Sable 18
    27 September 2013 at 1:00 pm

    I think Shakespeare said it best: why stoop to pick up nothing…

    • billy fish 18.1
      27 September 2013 at 6:10 pm

      Is there nothing that Shakespeare had no quote for? I am always awed by the mans skill. The Motzart of the English language

  19. Rhinocrates 19
    27 September 2013 at 11:52 pm

    Funny that Hoots hasn’t shown up here – you know, to “stand by” his excretions. He’s got moral courage and facts by his side – or so he he says, so he’ll “stand by” what he says, I expect.

    Mind you, I once stood in a paddock by a cow pat, so I guess I “stood by” that and so it’s pretty easy.

  20. the sprout 20
    28 September 2013 at 10:27 am

    such fear and loathing towards Cunliffe from the right, and yet they seemed to love Shearer and the ABC.
    funny that

  21. CV 21
    29 September 2013 at 10:57 am

    I have Cameron Slaters CV

    2003 Owned Security Company
    2004 Inbetween Jobs
    2012 Editor of Truth (6 months)
    2012 to today Inbeween Jobs