The real story on Slater’s videos

Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, September 21st, 2010 - 164 comments
Categories: making shit up, Media - Tags: , , ,

Twice in a fortnight, we have had the unedifying spectacle of media running a false story based on a video on Cameron Slater’s Whaleoil blog. First it was the fake video that purported to show Jim Anderton saying only an earthquake could make him lose the mayoral race. Last night, it was a story that Labour’s Mana candidate, Kris Fa’afoi applied for a job with National shortly before going to work for Labour.

In both cases, media simply ran a story based on Slater’s word and the video he gave them.

Anyone who has met Slater knows he’s more than a few sandwiches short of a picnic. He doesn’t have the access or the ability to conjure up fake videos of Anderton from local TV or Fa’afoi using two year old footage. Slater is merely the crazy tool of the National Research Unit. They’re obviously behind most of the interesting material that Farrar and Slater release* and these put-up videos are no exception (Slater gets the stuff Farrar turns down).

Now, my comrades in the media, here’s a real story for you: how National uses proxies to run up false, muckraking media stories while appearing to keep its hands clean. It might take some actual research.

*(before you ask, no, we get nothing from the Goffice. To my knowledge, they haven’t even had the sense to formally contact us – ever. I’m guessing that’s unlikely to change. Brendon Burns said he and his Parliamentary colleagues might be off some Christmas card lists after they voted for CERRA (the Gerry Brownlee Enabling Act), and I think after our criticism of that, we’re off their lists too).

UPDATE: Danyl at the Dim Post makes a good point:

What’s unusual to me about the Cameron Slater phenomenon is not that there’s a crazy person writing crazy stuff on the internet – that’s a pretty widespread problem – but that when you visit his site and see the temper tantrums, conspiracy theories, mocking of people who die in tragic accidents, pictures of his favorite guns etc it’s really obvious that he’s crazy, and the long rambling digressions about his struggles with mental illness confirm the diagnosis.

But for some reason when most of the journalists working in the press gallery visit Whaleoil they don’t see a deranged person fabricating implausible lies, they see an important thinker and commentator whose statements need to be amplified and reported to the nation…

164 comments on “The real story on Slater’s videos ”

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  1. Outofbed 1
    21 September 2010 at 10:53 am

    But for some reason when most of the journalists working in the press gallery visit Whaleoil they don’t see a deranged person fabricating implausible lies, they see an important thinker and commentator whose statements need to be amplified and reported to the nation…,

    And I for one have always thought, how could Farrar associate with this obvious nutter unless of course..

    • Bored 1.1
      21 September 2010 at 11:12 am

      Says it all about the jornos and their bosses….nothing more to be said on their behalf.

      With Whale being a few sandwiches short of a picnic, it begs the question whats the filling between bread slices? Any ideas?

    • ghostwhowalksnz 1.2
      21 September 2010 at 12:25 pm

      Farrar was actually arrested back in early days for spreading malicious political rumours – yes they were that bad.
      Farrar at the time was working directly for the Nationals ‘research office’ ie for the black ops, he just moved up the food chain and uses his so called polling business to spread lies.
      They do this because Curia arent a member of the polling industry group so dont have to abide by their ethics

      • Rex Widerstrom 1.2.1
        21 September 2010 at 2:42 pm

        Oh come on GWW… that was for a prank press release that said Lhaws had been assassinated and police were interviewing the PM. Not the funniest joke ever, but a long way from “arrested for spreading malicious political rumours”.

        Not that that should be read as a defence of the lines he takes on a lot of issues (and which I call him on, almost every day).

        But that sort of deliberate hyperbole about past brushes with the law is trotted out by some commenters over at Kiwiblog trying to discredit me, most recently by the delightful Act supporter “Chuck Bird”, so it gives me the shits.

        • ghostwhowalksnz 1.2.1.1
          21 September 2010 at 7:05 pm

          Farrar himself has admitted being arrested, probably for some other stunt. Who knows? He probably makes Garrett look like Mother Theresa

          • William 1.2.1.1.1
            21 September 2010 at 8:34 pm

            He was arrested for the incident Rex describes and appeared in court, I don’t recall the sentence handed down.

          • Joe Bloggs 1.2.1.1.2
            22 September 2010 at 10:04 am

            Yup. That Farrar’s a terrible man.

            He’s also made no comment on his serial baby-eating nor on his abduction by 3 metre tall blue lizards back in the ’80’s.

            Nor has he quelled rumours about his involvement in the CIA-funded sinking of the Titanic.

            And as for Kennedy’s assasination, that grassy knoll bears a striking resemblance to the man himself….

            Makes David Garrett look like Mother Theresa… FFS you need to start taking your meds again.

        • BLiP 1.2.1.2
          21 September 2010 at 7:13 pm

          Serves you right for wallowing in the sewer.

  2. Carol 2
    21 September 2010 at 10:55 am

    I noticed in the TV3 piece, Kris Fa’afoi said he had never approached the National Party, but people still keep repeating that he did as if it was a proven fact.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 2.1
      21 September 2010 at 12:20 pm

      They are also spreading the lie about Fa’afoi not being the local choice, via Farragoblog of course

      • Gosman 2.1.1
        21 September 2010 at 12:27 pm

        I believe they are putting forward the FACT that Fa’afoi was Phil Goff’s choice and that his selection was facilitated by head office. He may very well be also the ‘local choice’ (whatever that means) but that doesn’t detract that what David Farrar is stating about the selection process is essentially true.

        • ghostwhowalksnz 2.1.1.1
          21 September 2010 at 2:30 pm

          Really ?
          And Does Farrago tell us about why MP David Carter had his selection ‘by the locals’ overturned by ‘head office’ or how John Keys selection was facilitated by holding the voting open so that outsiders appointed by the regional party HQ could get their vote counted.
          Those words ‘essentially true” and Farragoblog have never gone together

          • Gosman 2.1.1.1.1
            21 September 2010 at 3:09 pm

            Now you are changing the argument by claiming that while what he stated was not a lie he should have stating the same thing about the National Party selection process. Maybe, maybe not. Take it up with him on this issue if you have a beef about it. However you can’t accuse him of spreading a lie like you did with any validity whatsoever.

  3. Regan 3
    21 September 2010 at 11:28 am

    I first saw the story about Anderton’s quote after Public Address retweeted the herald: http://twitter.com/publicaddress/status/23027691357

    That was all well before WO posted anything as far as I can tell.

    From what I could tell at the time, it was started by Newstalk ZB.

  4. mickysavage 4
    21 September 2010 at 11:34 am

    Slater is a manufacturer and disseminator of lies. When questioned about it he justifies it on the basis that all is fair in politics. And then he rails against hypocrisy!

    If he is the go to person for a right wing view of the media then we are in trouble.

    Contrast his rants to the earnest intelligent analysis of, for instance, Idiot Savant. It makes you wonder why there is a debate about many issues.

    • Gosman 4.1
      21 September 2010 at 11:56 am

      Where’s the linkage to the National Party Research unit though?

      The author of this piece is no better than Cameron Slater except he at least admits that he makes stuff up for effect whereas the author of this rubbish expects us to believe this is true.

      • bbfloyd 4.1.1
        21 September 2010 at 1:12 pm

        Gosman.. are you for real? Do you actually believe the shit that you spout? or are you just another silly nat shitstirrer taking advantage of the fact that successive labour govts have protected your democratic right to dribble any old crap?

        • Gosman 4.1.1.1
          21 September 2010 at 2:02 pm

          “…taking advantage of the fact that successive labour govts have protected your democratic right to dribble any old crap?”

          Meaning that only Labour is interested in protecting free speech presumably?

          Do you believe the dribble that you put down here?

    • burt 4.2
      21 September 2010 at 12:25 pm

      Slater is a manufacturer and disseminator of lies.

      Never heard him say that socialism works so all hope is not lost – yet !

  5. Andrew 5
    21 September 2010 at 11:34 am

    “: how National uses proxies to run up false, muckraking media stories while appearing to keep its hands clean”

    – So you accept you have absolutely no evidence for this and simply want someone else to prove this baseless statement

    • Juan Manuel Santos 5.1
      21 September 2010 at 11:42 am

      Slater is on the record working with the Nat research unit.

      Mr Slater said he drew the attention of the National Party research unit to photographs of Mr Keizer, and said it was his understanding that the MPs had identified him off there.

      Mr Slater said he worked with the taxpayer-funded National Party research unit at identifying the spy by going through the Facebook sites of Young Labour members.

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz-election-2008/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501799&objectid=10541397

      It’s clear as day that he’s being fed this stuff.

      • the sprout 5.1.1
        21 September 2010 at 11:44 am

        You’d have to wonder how else Slater gets, or can afford, such access to all that archival footage to trawl through.

        • Gosman 5.1.1.1
          21 September 2010 at 12:02 pm

          Once again a poor attempt at a linkage. Provide the hard evidence of a link not just supposition

          • felix 5.1.1.1.1
            21 September 2010 at 1:21 pm

            The link has Slater in the Herald admitting to working with the unit.

            antispam: illiteratefuckwit. Nah not really I just think you’re an illiterate fuckwit.

            • Bored 5.1.1.1.1.1
              21 September 2010 at 1:33 pm

              Very urbane Felix, any other terminology might have gone well over his head.

            • Gosman 5.1.1.1.1.2
              21 September 2010 at 1:55 pm

              No it doesn’t. It just has Cameron Slater stating he passed on information to them. It would be like saying that if someone informs the Police about something they are working with them. Pure nonsense.

              • felix …
                21 September 2010 at 4:16 pm

                “Mr Slater said he worked with the taxpayer-funded National Party research unit at identifying the spy by going through the Facebook sites of Young Labour members.”

                I don’t know how you can read that and say there’s no evidence he worked with the npru.

                Unless you’re calling him or granny liars that is.

                • Gosman …
                  21 September 2010 at 4:50 pm

                  No, he passed on information to them at one time in the past. Big difference to claiming he actively worked for them or is working for them currently. Just because I might pass on information to the Police about a case they are interested in doesn’t mean I am working for them. Many Psychics have tried that line of argument before.

                  • felix …
                    21 September 2010 at 5:15 pm

                    “With”, Gosman. Work(s) “with”. Not “for”.

                    Bit late for shifting the goalposts now.

                    • Gosman …
                      21 September 2010 at 5:25 pm

                      Simple question for you felix as I know you are a simple person.

                      Is there any hard evidence that Cameron Slater and the National Party Research Unit are linked in anyway beyond Cameron Slater passing on information to them about some activist person in the past?

                    • felix …
                      21 September 2010 at 5:30 pm

                      “…beyond Cameron Slater passing on information to them about some activist person in the past?”

                      So you mean beyond what we’ve all said was true and proven?

                      Don’t be ridiculous.

          • Loota 5.1.1.1.2
            21 September 2010 at 1:42 pm

            Funny how all the Right Wingers want hard evidence on this and that but suddenly go all soft with the BS that Farrar etc push out.

            How convenient.

    • lprent 5.2
      21 September 2010 at 12:55 pm

      If it is ‘baseless’ then all it requires is that both parties confirm that. Which I suspect will happen when hell freezes over.

    • bbfloyd 5.3
      21 September 2010 at 1:22 pm

      Andrew… can you provide conclusive evidence that proves you aren’t a total numbnuts?

  6. prism 6
    21 September 2010 at 11:49 am

    Whaleoil is the son of some National Party official isn’t he. Wonder what sort of role modelling and family life goes into producing such an identity?
    It seems that false and misleading videos that muddy the water are emanating from National? Are they themselves smart enough to think of these machinations or is it someone behind them giving them stick to beat the opposition with.

    Labour hasn’t ever contacted The Standard? Wow, that’s a Rip Van Winkle party. Seems like we are going through here a version of the star politician Tony Blair stepping down and his dogged deputy Gordon Brown taking over. We need to see a Labour with chutzpah of Australia. Is there anyone behind ‘the Green Door’ with ideals for a happy, vital, prosperous NZ and ideas on practical ways to achieve this with short and long term steps?

  7. Gosman 7
    21 September 2010 at 12:00 pm

    So other than this tenuous linkage between Cameron slater and the National party Research unit, (where all he admitted to was drawing attention to someone, not what I would call working for them), what HARD evidence does anyone have that he is being “fed this stuff”?

  8. Gosman 8
    21 September 2010 at 12:01 pm

    Where’s the HARD EVIDENCE people?

    • lprent 8.1
      21 September 2010 at 12:51 pm

      You mean like the ‘hard evidence’ about who runs this site that you and the other RWNJ’s like slater were using a few years ago?

      You want us to operate at a different standard to what your mates do? Bill English didn’t seem to need ‘hard evidence’ to say that this site was run by the Labour party…

      • Gosman 8.1.1
        21 September 2010 at 1:09 pm

        Ummmm…. do you have any evidence that I have ever linked this site to anything at all?

        Did you think it was out of order that someone attempted to do that or is all fair in love and war as far as you are concered?

        • bbfloyd 8.1.1.1
          21 September 2010 at 1:27 pm

          Comedy….. i just received word… you’ve been replaced as cheif ditto head for the nats… they accepted my offer… they had also realized what a gullible fool you are. the approach you’re using isn’t working for hide, and he’s a lot sharper than you. give it up before you hurt yourself.

    • Loota 8.2
      21 September 2010 at 1:43 pm

      Your “hard evidence” ploy to get us to run around after you satisfying your knee jerk requests is simply not worth the effort. We have a Right Wing to take down…and a Left Wing to sort out.

  9. joe bloggs 9
    21 September 2010 at 12:02 pm

    unsurprisingly, the right bloggers happily and confidently make similar assertions about The Standard.

    Baseless innuendos abound on both sides of the great divide and Marty’s efforts along this vein is just another example of the polished game both sides play through their respective proxies, formal, informal or in whatever form those proxies take.

    Take for example, Marty’s headline “The real story on Slater’s videos” – followed by what? Nothing but a conspiracy theory.

    Hard evidence? Facts? A forensic trail leading back to some research unit? Not required, evidently…

    As there is a natural balance to everything in life here’s another for-instance – does anyone recall Eddie’s efforts at spinning and muckraking over Paula Bennett’s supposed corrupt practices in regard to Natasha Fuller? It took Fuller’s denials of undercover dealings to blow that particular smokescreen out of the blogosphere and off the front pages of today’s fish and chip wrappers.

    Never let it be said that the facts ever got in the way of a good dog-whistle on either side of the great divide between the Leftists and those who are Right.

    • Gosman 9.1
      21 September 2010 at 12:05 pm

      Thank you joe bloggs for a very succinct analysis of this post. I agree whole heartedly this is nothing but conspiracy theory BS

    • bbfloyd 9.2
      21 September 2010 at 1:52 pm

      Hey Joe where you gonna run to now? a word in your pearly shell lad. hypocrisy is actually quite ugly when it’s practiced with your hand down there. you may have an enviable ability to ignore the trail of evidence that lays about all over the news/internet, but recycling trite, irrelevant drivel discredits you, and gives credence to opposing viewpoints.

      even if the dittohead in cheif wants to climb into that warm pocket with you(comedy)

      • Joe Bloggs 9.2.1
        22 September 2010 at 10:07 am

        sorry bbf – I missed you point (was there one?). Wonder if you might be able to translate your last post into English..

  10. randal 10
    21 September 2010 at 12:05 pm

    slater is a just a prawn in the game.
    tiem he was chucke into a pot of boiling oil.

  11. randal 11
    21 September 2010 at 12:13 pm

    yes gosman there is a point.
    that is slater is a right wing bully boy with enough leverage and contacts to be taken serioulsy by the right wingers in the daily press who seize upon his pronouncements as if they were real news.
    the press is onwed and operated by right wingers who have the wealth and means to advertise their proclivities but they stilll need provocateurs like slater so they can avoid charges of peddling untruths (lies) and retailing halftruths at full price.

    • Gosman 11.1
      21 September 2010 at 12:16 pm

      Ummmmm….. he also appears on Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury’s panel discussion show on some community service television channel. So it isn’t just “right wingers in the daily press” who seem to take his views seriously but also hard core leftists.

      • Richard 11.1.1
        21 September 2010 at 12:39 pm

        They don’t take his views seriously. He is however a perfect caricature of the sort of person who might have those views.

        If they took his views seriously, they would find somebody else to present those views.

        • Gosman 11.1.1.1
          21 September 2010 at 12:42 pm

          Based on what evidence or is this just your (obviously biased) opinion?

          • felix 11.1.1.1.1
            21 September 2010 at 4:21 pm

            That’s it, NO MORE OPINIONS ON GOSMAN’S INTERNETS PLOX.

            kthnx

          • Richard 11.1.1.1.2
            21 September 2010 at 4:59 pm

            The evidence of my eyes and the fact that I can spot humour when I see it.

            “Bomber” offers Slater the opportunity to present his views to underline the fact that only a crazy person would believe what Slater believes.

            FWIW, I don’t think that Slater is part of some National Research Unit conspiracy. He is just a nutter with access to the internet. Sure, he might talk to people in the National Party and other associated groups. And sure some people might sometimes help him to source information. But that is it.

            He no more takes orders from National than The Standard takes orders from Labour.

      • Uroskin 11.1.2
        22 September 2010 at 10:21 am

        Triangle TV Auckland, Fridays 7pm; Stratos TV (Sky 089, Freeview satellite) Sundays 8pm

  12. Carol 12
    21 September 2010 at 12:24 pm

    I’m not usually one to comment on people’s appearance, but that pic of Slater at the top of this website is a deterrent to visiting this site.

    • Gosman 12.1
      21 September 2010 at 12:30 pm

      You going to bother adding anything of substance to this discussion or would you like to focus on superficialities?

    • Roflcopter 12.2
      21 September 2010 at 1:46 pm

      You’re probably the kind of person that looks at a guy with tats on his face and cries “Criminal!!!!”

      • Carol 12.2.1
        21 September 2010 at 1:54 pm

        No. I have nothing against tats, on faces or anywhere. And no, I have nothing of substance to add. I just find his face very distasteful, and I very rarely have that sort of response to anyone. He looks like someone who totally neglects himself. Someone with tats has taken some care in their self-presentation. I haven’t read anything Slater’s said or done that adds anything useful to political discussion, and generally avoid anything to do with him, if I can.

  13. randal 13
    21 September 2010 at 12:45 pm

    slater is superficial.
    if there was any substance to the man he would be in the cut and thrust of real politics.
    as it is he is just sliming round the edges doing the creep stuff.

  14. kerry 14
    21 September 2010 at 12:50 pm

    I have never ever seen a post from a Left wing blog that spins such outlandish lies, fantasy and is so disgustingly offensive towards individuals like the posts I have seen on right wing blog sites…..

    Gives the measure of the rights mentality.

    • comedy 14.1
      21 September 2010 at 12:55 pm

      Suggest you visit the chaps at the link below.

      http://www.aucklandeye.co.nz/

    • Gosman 14.2
      21 September 2010 at 1:02 pm

      This one comes pretty close and, as stated, at least Cameron Slater acknowledges he makes stuff up for effect. The author of this post obviously firmly believes that the National Party Research Unit is working closely with Cameron Slater, without a shred of hard evidence to back up this claim it must be added.

    • Gosman 14.3
      21 September 2010 at 1:05 pm

      Martyn Bradbury and Tim Selwyn are pretty out there in terms of levels of abuse. I understand you may never have read their blog mind you.

  15. comedy 15
    21 September 2010 at 12:53 pm

    Plagiarising Lprent

    But Marty surely unsourced quoting such as ” Slater is merely the crazy tool of the National Research Unit. They’re obviously behind most of the interesting material that Farrar and Slater release* and these put-up videos are no exception (Slater gets the stuff Farrar turns down).” is one of the fastest known ways to start a flamewar.

    I would have thought that it qualifies as being extremely bad behaviour and is a pretty typical troll tactic. I hope the other contributors restrain their first instinct to give you a ban as you have a history of this kind of thing (by my definition of it). This particular post has all the hallmarks of a practiced troll – a breed that I detest.

    Planting unsourced ‘quotes’ across reasonably respected media is also a classic start to a grey ops ‘everyone knows’ misinformation campaign. Amongst my library I have a number of books dealing this type of ‘big lie’ technique. It isn’t something that I like much either.

    [lprent: Now that is funny (makes a change). However the other characteristic of flamewars is that they are invariably off-topic for the post. In this case the content is on-topic for the post. ]

    • comedy 15.1
      21 September 2010 at 1:02 pm

      I must admit to enjoying a good flamewar though …………… my secret shame, along with who I voted for as mayor last time around

  16. rndm 16
    21 September 2010 at 1:40 pm

    FWIW Newstalk ZB ran the story based on comments Anderton made to them. He was, as I’ve been told, rung on the sunday after the quake and was asked if he’d made the “take an earthquake to lose the mayoralty race” remark. They’d been told about it by a Chch source (not a blogger) and chose to check it with Anderton.

    When asked if he’d been on CTV with Yardley and made the comment Anderton chuckled and said “yes that’s true” then commented about not wanting to play politics over the mayoralty race given the quake. As it turned out Anderton misunderstood the question and thought it was in context of the seismic shift line he’d given the previous Friday. However the reporter took it as Anderton confirming the matter and ran the story on that basis.

    The blogs then followed the story afterwards. So no deliberate smear, no following whaleoil, just a mistake.

    • Gosman 16.1
      21 September 2010 at 2:37 pm

      NOoooooooo…. rndn.

      This doesn’t fit in to the big conspiracy story involving Cameron Slater, the National Party Research Unit, Kiwiblog, Roswell, and 911.

    • Lanthanide 16.2
      21 September 2010 at 3:26 pm

      Except that whoever made the video knew for sure that it was a misquote or misunderstanding, because they had to deliberately edit it to be misleading to get it to say what they wanted it to say.

  17. gobsmacked 17
    21 September 2010 at 1:46 pm

    Evidence? You got it – from the horse’s mouth …

    “I leave this to Whale Oil” – John Banks, National.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10566362

  18. Gosman 18
    21 September 2010 at 1:52 pm

    What is that eidence of what exactly? That John Bank’s would prefer to leave Cameron Slater to abuse Andrew Williams? Isn’t that just common sense?

    • bbfloyd 18.1
      21 September 2010 at 2:05 pm

      It’s the gossy and gobby show.. not funny and pushing a barrow full of ignorance and bigotry, but you gotta love a trier.. don’t you?

      i am impressed though with their ability to steadfastly shut out any kind of reality, or maturity in the presentation of their personal fantasies. that takes real determination to be that childish and obnoxious. i tip my hat to you boys.

      • gobsmacked 18.1.1
        21 September 2010 at 3:10 pm

        Er, I think you need to read more carefully, Bbfloyd. You got me 100% wrong.

        • Gosman 18.1.1.1
          21 September 2010 at 3:14 pm

          That seems to be Bbfloyd’s main problem. Reading comprehension.

          Probably the result of years of Socialised Education 😉

          • bbfloyd 18.1.1.1.1
            21 September 2010 at 3:32 pm

            vitoria ave primary actually , remuera intermediate, auckland boys grammar. all good, goverment funded, socialised institutions ewld chep.

        • bbfloyd 18.1.1.2
          22 September 2010 at 2:42 am

          sorry gobsmacked. was a bit precipitate there.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 18.2
      21 September 2010 at 2:49 pm

      Banks actually named Slater in one of his emails ( which ended up going to wider selection) as dealing with the more unsavoury stuff.

  19. bbfloyd 19
    21 September 2010 at 2:17 pm

    my recommendations to you Marty for so successfully attracting such a dense(pun intended)swarm of tory ditto heads. the local pony clubs have reported a run on large horses lately. well done.

  20. the pink postman 20
    21 September 2010 at 2:50 pm

    It all smells of the National Parties Dirty Tricks Brigade !!
    The Dirty Tricks Brigade of National has been with us for a long time Remember the ‘Cossacks ‘ advert in Muldoons time .The disgracefull Moyle scandal ,Remember the sleazy untrue “rumours ” made about Phill Amos, the unproven attacks on Labour and Lefties is long and continuous Tories and their mates on the Right will do anything for power.
    The brains behind this group would be Trextor -Crosby financed by the Democratic Union of which the leading members are the Democratic Party US.

  21. the sprout 21
    21 September 2010 at 2:59 pm

    22 out of the 70 comments on this post thus far from Gossman.

    it’s like you’re paid to put out fires, extremely loyal to the slater, or just batshit obsessive about this topic for some reason 😆

    whatever your affliction, me thinks you protesteth waaaay too much to be credible

    • Gosman 21.1
      21 September 2010 at 3:16 pm

      I do love the way you attack the man and not the argument. That suggests to me that you know that this whole line about Slater and the National Party research unit being in cohoots is nothing more than leftist spin.

      • bbfloyd 21.1.1
        21 September 2010 at 3:30 pm

        Gossy… you really can’t expect anything else. you have been getting rather tiresome with the personality stuff. yes i know, it’s fun and all, but if there’s nothing of substance to back it, then people are entitled to assume the obvious.

        i’m surprised nobody’s come up with the theory that you’re cameron himself in disguise (heh heh heh). the style is similar. the overall effect is pointless, and poisonous.

    • The Baron 21.2
      21 September 2010 at 3:19 pm

      Oh dear lord, the level of paranoia on this topic is reaching ridiculous proportions.
      1. Paid to do it? Why would anyone pay to subvert this blog?
      2. So let me get this straight – slater running that story is iron clad evidence of a relationship with the nats. Yet the standard shows the same level of syncronicity with labour, yet we are also to take that as mere coincidence?
      3. Have any of you considered just how much traffic and profile you’ll be driving to the deranged one?
      Sigh, some of you really need to get out more.

      • bbfloyd 21.2.1
        21 September 2010 at 3:40 pm

        if it’s being so ridiculous, as you state, then what are you doing wasting your time and unlimited intellect writing here?

        i have to admit that your arguments are as ironclad as i’ve seen for ages. but it’s not so much that you have any facts to go on, or have another aspect to share that would inform. no, it’s the total and utter self belief in your right to denigrate those on lower social/intellectual pegs that convinces me that you’re right.

        • Gosman 21.2.1.1
          21 September 2010 at 3:44 pm

          Are you one of the people on the lower intellectual peg he likes to denigrate?

          Actually don’t bother answering that….

        • The Baron 21.2.1.2
          21 September 2010 at 3:52 pm

          But you see, floyd, I reckon that when idiots like you are not hesitating to take the pulpit that those with more sense have an obligation to speak up too. It stops the stupid from spreading too far.
          As for why I am here; and not that I should have to justify my one on topic comment versus your dozen or so examples of argumentum ad hominem; it is because I grudgingly admit that Marty usually posts good stuff. Today however is disappointing, petty and paranoid.
          Honestly, Floyd and others – I admire your blind loyalties. But isn’t getting this worked up about this rubbish just as pathetic as the rubbish in the first place?

    • AndyB 21.3
      21 September 2010 at 3:26 pm

      Kind of like: Marty G, bbfloyd, Bill, Draco T Bastard, ghostwhowalksnz, ianmac, Bunji, Ari, …

      All who post way too much to be actually working during the day. Maybe they are paid to start the fires that the RWNJ’s come and try and put out? Me thinks they protesteth waaaay too much to be credible.

      Anyone who happens to dare disagree with you HAS to be a paid national party hack huh?

      • Marty G 21.3.1
        22 September 2010 at 8:27 am

        I don’t comment from work and this post, like most of my others, was written the night before and scheduled to come up during the day.

      • lprent 21.3.2
        22 September 2010 at 10:37 am

        I’m a programmer so I comment from work during long cross compiles – gives me some constrained time limits. Usually I don’t bother because there isn’t time after a moderation sweep.

        Most people who comment here do something similar – they comment in down time. You can tell because the comments are usually short and if you look at them in time order across threads, they clump within a ten minute period. The ones that are more interesting are where you see a series of long comments across extended periods of time. That is the political/media professional and/or retired/unemployed pattern.

        None of the people you mentioned above have that pattern, however there are some people who do. Yesterday Gosman was displaying an interesting pattern because of how much time he expended across the whole day.

        Like Marty (and most of the others here), posts are written in the evenings or early mornings. That is why I see a pile of posts on the schedule every morning.

        Very occasionally I will write a reaction post during the day. They usually have pretty poor grammer, trailing sentences that I didn’t finish, and sometimes spelling errors.

        Your problem is that you don’t have enough of a view on the system to look for patterns. So you’re just doing the chicken entails trick of seeing what you want to see.

  22. Draco T Bastard 22
    21 September 2010 at 3:37 pm

    But for some reason when most of the journalists working in the press gallery visit Whaleoil they don’t see a deranged person fabricating implausible lies, they see an important thinker and commentator whose statements need to be amplified and reported to the nation…

    They see someone thinking the same as they do and so report that. It saves them from getting tarred with the same brush as they can point to whaleoil and say see, it was him, not me.

  23. Gosman 23
    21 September 2010 at 4:38 pm

    So let’s recap here.

    No HARD EVIDENCE linking Cameron Slater with the National Party Research unit but an awful lot of unsubstantiated heresay, rumour, innuendo, and paranoid conspiracy theories mascarading as facts.

    Sounds like just another day at the office at The Standard then 😉

    BTW Cameron Slater is denying everything.

    http://whaleoil.gotcha.co.nz/2010/09/21/nice-try-but-wrong-again/#comments

    But then again he would, wouldn’t he?

    • The Baron 23.1
      21 September 2010 at 4:51 pm

      Actually, when you think about it, this entire theory makes no sense…
      If Kris did indeed go to the bats for a job, then what would be the best way of publicizing that to discredit him…
      1. Talk about it openly and publicly via one of spokespeople. Maybe even your mana candidate to make things really interesting.
      Or 2. Seed the story to a nutty, credibility depraved blogger via your research unit.
      #2 seems the far dumber way of doing things. Isn’t the more logical scenario as follows:
      – slater is unemployed, with lots of time on his hands;
      – slater has access to google and tvnz websites
      – slater has done this sorta thing plenty of times before.
      Occams razor leads me to conclude that that is by far the more accurate theory of this utterly banal story.
      A final thought – on the less logical angle: even if the nats research unit was involved, isn’t this exactly what theyre meant to do? And what labour’s does too…?

  24. Russell Brown 24
    21 September 2010 at 4:39 pm

    You’d have to wonder how else Slater gets, or can afford, such access to all that archival footage to trawl through.

    No mystery with the CTV clip of Anderton. It’s on YouTube.

    I suppose he might occasionally get tips from Wellington, but it’s not as if he’s very well-connected. He tends to look like a know-nothing on TV. Which makes it even more of a mystery that some journalists insist on treating him like a political oracle.

  25. felix 25
    21 September 2010 at 4:54 pm

    Hey Gosman.

    I reckon Cameron works with the npru from time to time ‘cos he said so himself.

    I reckon he makes up and spreads bullshit for political purposes ‘cos he said so himself.

    You gonna apologise for calling him a liar?

    And still reckon you’re an illiterate fuckwit.

    • Gosman 25.1
      21 September 2010 at 5:08 pm

      “And still reckon you’re an illiterate fuckwit.”

      Why would I reckon I’m an illiterate FW?

      Truly bizarre felix. Have you been on the turps again this afternoon?

      • felix 25.1.1
        21 September 2010 at 5:26 pm

        Not allowed to drink anything from the garage. I’ve been told.

      • bbfloyd 25.1.2
        22 September 2010 at 2:51 am

        my main problem is that i hate liars gobby. and you know better than anyone here, i suspect what slaters connections are, but you are, despite your knowledge of the truth, indulging in nasty little baiting sessions simply to get off on the fact you can. for people like you, the anonymity of the internet is vital, as you wouldn’t have the nads to say the rubbish you do to anyone in person unless you had a bodyguard close by.

  26. kiwiteen123 26
    21 September 2010 at 5:02 pm

    (I am not sure if I am currently banned- Lynn, please advise?)

    I have spent some time reading through this post and all the comments, and to be frank, I am disgusted.

    It is well-known that I am not the world’s biggest fan of The Standard but this post is a new low.

    Both Slater and Farrar have denied being fed any stories from National HQ. I have a few questions:
    1. Why would National ‘feed’ stories to Slater who publicly criticises so many of National’s stories and MPs/Ministers?
    2.Slater has stated that he is no National’s biggest fan, he has stated that he hates how they have treated him. Remember the Party Conference Saga??

    Slater has not been fed any stories from National.

    You may not like the content of his videos, but people do.

    [lprent: Yes – you’re still banned. You could always appeal to Irish. The word is (I hear) that he is mellowing as the grey hairs appear.
    I’ll let this through on the general principles that this post is a bit of a flamewar from the post outwards. For some reason the RWNJ’s seem to think that producing false video smearing someones reputation is quite different to telling the perpetrator of the fraud that he is probably just a tool. ]

    • IrishBill 26.1
      21 September 2010 at 9:25 pm

      Nope. He’s still banned.

      • kiwiteen123 26.1.1
        21 September 2010 at 9:33 pm

        Ok.
        If/When you decided to stop suppressing me you could send me an email:kiwiteen123@gmail.com letting me know.

        [Let this through too to complete the record – but leave it there unless / until IB gets in touch. — r0b]

  27. Bored 27
    21 September 2010 at 8:09 pm

    Felix,

    It is time to give up and cut your effort back, RWNJs like Tighty and Gos are defending their spiritual mate Whale Oil with some vehemence. Logic does not come into this, why would anybody wish to defend somebody retarded enough to name themselves after what the Urban Dictionary defines as a Slimy amalgam of bodily fluid (semen, sweat) emitted by an obese man during sexual activity. Originally used by sex-workers? He is politely, somewhere on the spectrum, sort of Mental Health Act material. That Felix is what you are up against. And the guys got court convictions like his mates Garrett and Hide. Far be it for me to take the high moral ground here, but I dont have any, do you? Maybe Gos and Tighty do…if so as good liberals we should foregive them and give them a second chance. Doesnt the law say something about three strikes?

  28. J 28
    21 September 2010 at 10:21 pm

    The lack of comment from the National Party against the bigoted depressed ramblings of our lonley slow frigthened facists , 2 lonley overweight white men, show that regardless of the official name of their relationship that National are happy to let him shit stir and lie on their behalf. Disgusting.

    Gosman is a political innocent if he doesn’t understand the reality of this article. National are being promoted by 2 disgusting propagandists . Further more they seem to be treated as real credible sources by the fat innocent minds of zb and tvnz.

    Farrar = disgrace to free reporting of facts, total propaganda, fascist in tone.
    Slater = Sad, in need of medical help.To have this man on msm is fucking creepy.

    • bbfloyd 28.1
      22 September 2010 at 2:59 am

      J.. gos knows full well the reality behind the post. his task was to distract attention with personal abuse. usually quite effective, for short periods anyway. the only thing that could be considered “innocence” is that he doesn’t have any other communication method other than what we.ve seen so far. he’s got a lot to learn there. but between you and me, i don’t hold out much hope of that happening. when he grows up he will be the “there’s no fool like an old fool” guy.

      • The Baron 28.1.1
        22 September 2010 at 7:21 am

        His “task”?! Oh my god. Yes, ok, I concede then. It is as clear as the day is long that the national party is paying loyalists to come and subvert this blog. Why – well it must be because of all the deep thinking and commitment to left ideals from all of these leading political commentators that has ben relate worried, and needing to intervene.
        And here I was thinking that Gos was simply someone rallying against a whole pile of paranoid, hyperbolic dumb.

        • The Baron 28.1.1.1
          22 September 2010 at 7:37 am

          Ben relate = them really.

          Damn autocorrect

        • bbfloyd 28.1.1.2
          22 September 2010 at 10:58 am

          Baron…. now you’re being childish… making silly claims and then attributing them to others is LYING!

          • The Baron 28.1.1.2.1
            22 September 2010 at 12:01 pm

            Pardon? So you’re a liar then?

            Good to clear that up.

            • bbfloyd 28.1.1.2.1.1
              22 September 2010 at 4:49 pm

              grow up baron….. i’ve had better debate from schoolboys… everyone here knows what you and your playground bully set are doing. it wasn’t funny at school, and adults have no excuses.

  29. luva 29
    22 September 2010 at 5:30 am

    The same Whale that was kicked out of the National Party conference…..riiiiiiight

    • felix 29.1
      22 September 2010 at 7:07 am

      Johns don’t usually like to be seen in public with whores either. Doesn’t mean they don’t require their services in private.

      • mcflock 29.1.1
        22 September 2010 at 3:31 pm

        Johns don’t usually like to be seen in public with whores either. Doesn’t mean they don’t require their services in private.

        best line of the day (at a minimum), Felix!

  30. stever 30
    22 September 2010 at 7:40 am

    From

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/features/2583835/Internet-warrior

    “When it came to pursuing political targets, the party apparatus would not officially feed him [Slater] tips, or otherwise instruct him to do its bidding. “But somebody might ring me up [of their own volition] and say `check this out’.””

  31. J 31
    22 September 2010 at 10:23 am

    Whale ill and Lonley Dave Farrar are part of an absurd propaganda push that has been stinking up our political scene for a long time. The tiresome message from the old school rich boys of nat and their rotund mentally ill cheerleaders is that Labour = evil. Remember that wanker Brash called Labour the most corrupt administrtion ever over petty issues. I don’t forget shit like that.

    The Right Wing here are as crazy as their counterparts in the U.S. The sooner Farrar is exposed as a slimy propagandist hiding behind the facade of his National Party funded student poll telephone company the better it will be for intelligent discussion . We need to start repairing the decades of infrastructure and policy mismanagement, a mismanagement hugely influenced by the bed wetting writing of right wing people whose only goal is to convince you that the socialist aspect of our mixed economy and community is evil. After decades of neglect we have to repair that mess. The National Party and it’s crazy hangeroners are disgusting in their lack of transpreancy, their constant bitching and screaming, and their dislike of our hard earned capital going to working men and women and their families.

    • Gosman 31.1
      22 September 2010 at 8:20 pm

      LOL!!!

      Oh you are too much J.

      you sound like the Glenn Beck of the left, (but a little more wacky).

      • J 31.1.1
        22 September 2010 at 10:05 pm

        Gosman,sweet little man,

        Glenn Beck is just another right wing nutjob. So are WO and DF , so are you. It does your arguement no service to use the pathetic rightwing Glenn Beck as a term of abuse to me, because it just highlights that all the nutjob media are on the rightwing, even you admit that. He’s just the star at the moment. There is no left wing in the media.

        To paraphrase Ted Kennedy,

        “Why do the right wing hate working people so much?”

  32. randal 32
    22 September 2010 at 1:37 pm

    no matter what well founded proposals from the left or the right for that matter the only thing that national party mp’s want is to amass enough cash if possible to purchase a whare in london or the south of france.
    their venality and their gross desires for goods and self aggrandisement have been evident since the founding of this country and show no signs of abating whatsoever.

    • comedy 32.1
      22 September 2010 at 1:46 pm

      Yes but it ain’t just the Nats, what about the quoffed ones (Little P and Little Win), the Labourites etc etc etc I hates them all.

      They is not my precious !!

  33. Vicky32 33
    22 September 2010 at 2:19 pm

    Nothing to say yet, I just wanna be subscribed! 😀
    Deb

  34. Swampy 34
    26 September 2010 at 11:18 am

    Why is there so much fuss over Slater’s joke post, surely everyone can see it is humourous.

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