Heh the naughty press
November 29th, 2005 at 8:39 am by David FarrarOh you do have to appreciate the mischief that the press can get up to. Colin Espiner has a wonderful piece on the Peters issue, but what really made me laugh was when the press gallery asked, I’m sure ever so sweetly, if the PM and the Foreign Minister would be having a joint press conference. The reaction seemed to be what one would get if you asked them if they would like to contract leprosy.
Peters’ reaction was especially hilarious. He responded “Where on Earth would you see that, anywhere else in the Western world?”.
The answer of course is, well basically everywhere.
The full article is worth reading, because Espiner does a clinical fisking of Peters lies. Peters has survived for years from bluster, and it is great to see someone who will quote his own words from the previous day back at him to expose the man. Take this example:
Then he took TV3 to task for quoting him asking for “a second chance” from the public. “I did not ask for a second go or a second chance,”‘ Peters said. Yet he is on tape telling reporters the previous day: “How about giving Winston Peters a second chance?”
One can not disagree with the conclusion:
Clark and Peters will continue with the pretence that he is foreign minister for at least a while longer.
Tags: Winston First
November 29th, 2005 at 8:56 am
DPF, Talking of our Foriegn Minister, I see the Minister of the Crown Rt Hon Winston Peters, has your old mate Bob Clarkson is in court today for alleged over spending for his election campaign in Tauranga. The figure given is $110,000.00
Vote:I’m wondering if you will be following the case on your blog?
November 29th, 2005 at 9:17 am
Espiner is right, the Peters appt is a slow train-wreck. The only question is what will happen when Winston’s temper snaps, when he feels his ego can’t take any more ridicule. I predict he’s on the opposition benches (for real) within 18 months, and that Labour will form a new deal with the Greens. Dunne will whine but not actually do anything.
Vote:November 29th, 2005 at 9:56 am
It is alleged as you say, and yes I will be covering it.
Vote:November 29th, 2005 at 11:58 am
Espiner missed the funniest bit of that quote from Winston.
I saw it on the telly, he said “Where on Earth would you see that, anywhere else in the Western world, two people from the same… from the same… from the same…”
Same what Winston? Same, um, government? Surely not.
Vote:November 29th, 2005 at 7:37 pm
Right.
Thats it.
Cadmus is definitely Winston wearing a dress.
No doubt in my mind now.
One to many
‘Minister of the Crown Rt Hon Winston Peters’
Allah protect us.
Vote:November 29th, 2005 at 7:57 pm
It has been one of the funniest sights this side of the election, the left all frantically defending Winston Peters. Yes, after many years of vilifying Winston at every turn and in every way, they now have to get down and defend him. Unless very very qualified Yoga experts, the contortions required must really hurt. And I bet it burns them up, imagine, having to defend that pretentious old fart.
Oh, and Cadmus, do you think there is any chance that the MSM will even mention the much bigger overspending case, that of the Labour party spending tax payers money on electioneering ? I wonder why they haven’t started on that one yet, a little bit of political pressure being applied ?
Vote:November 29th, 2005 at 8:51 pm
It has been one of the funniest sights this side of the election, the left all frantically defending Winston Peters. Yes, after many years of vilifying Winston at every turn and in every way, they now have to get down and defend him.
This might come as a shock to you Ed, but the left doesn’t exactly speak with one voice – our inabilty to agree on anything has been something of a hallmark of left-wing political and philisophical history for several hundred years now – you’d think even the slower right wingers would start to catch on, but apparently not.
Moreoever, even if the political left DID all speak with one voice, that voice would probably not be Cadmus. Our current Minister for Foreign Affairs is roundly despised in my wide and impecabbly left-wing circles – I’m enjoying his skewering by the media just as much as right-wing homunculi such as yourself.
Vote:November 29th, 2005 at 9:12 pm
Ed Snack, you touched a bit of a raw nerve there. [You can tell this is the case when certain other fellow commentators have to draw upon smug moral superiority complexes for comfort and relief] Well done.
Vote:November 29th, 2005 at 11:09 pm
Let me see what Colin has written…
“Having just dispatched Foreign Minister Winston Peters like a sulky errand boy to go and watch the All Blacks at Murrayfield”
Err… he did not look like he was sulking in the photo with Tana. In fact he looked to be genuinely enjoying the occassion.
Vote:November 30th, 2005 at 9:27 am
Apologies to Dim, if I could edit I would make that “Most left wing commentators….” I of course recognise that the section of the far left associated with the Greens is probably laughing up its sleeve as well. I just enjoy the sight of the likes of Cadmus and RB so assiduously defending Winston.
Vote:November 30th, 2005 at 10:37 am
if I could edit I would make that “Most left wing commentators….”
Just out of curiosity, can you name one, other than Cadmus – who like me – isn’t exactly a commentator, just some anonymous guy on the internet.
I just enjoy the sight of the likes of Cadmus and RB so assiduously defending Winston.
A cursory search through the Russell Browns Hard News column fails to unearth anything remotely like a defense of Winston, and plenty of comments like this one:
The strangest and most potentially damaging facet of the new government is the appointment of Peters as Minister of Foreign Affairs; both because it’s a post outside Cabinet, and because it’s Winston Peters.
Vote:November 30th, 2005 at 11:11 am
The fascinating thing with Russell on Winston isn’t what he has said, but what he hasn’t!
Winston’s fiascos have been major news day in and day out for several weeks.
And what has Russell said on the issue? From what I can see if the comment above is his only comment in the last six weeks. That’s it.
Boy and people accuse me of ignoring news I don’t like. I can only conclude that defending Winston is as repugnant to Russell as criticising Helen for agreeing to it.
Vote:November 30th, 2005 at 11:47 am
I’ll be completely honest in admiting great discomfort in Peters being in the coalition. I don’t defend any of his views apart from some of his good sense about economics and social justice towards our still-living ancestors.
But I’m not uncomfortable enough to say that because of that we should have no government, or go back to the polls. I think Winston is clown. He’s a controllable clown, possibly. He only has a small party, and that means he really only wields small influence. I think it’s worth a crack. I see him as a court jester, a safety valve for the pomp and slendour of the Queen. He can safely say the unsayable, because everyone just laughs and moves on. But all too frequently he also hits a real sweet shot, and the Queen laughs publicly and then sneaks off to a private council with him to go into it a bit more deeply.
And clowns wear baubles, if I remember correctly. Funny looking ones.
National are now just courtiers who are vying with the clown for the job. They’re bitter their bid didn’t fly, and no potential partners like them except for their traditional enemys, the natives.
They don’t understand that the role of the clown always has been as a lightning rod for hate anyway. Someone to publicly execute one day if things aren’t going well, or there’s rumours of an assassination plot. Winston’s been hated so long he’s used to it. I think he’ll survive.
I am also uncomfortable with this whole analogy because it confirms we’re the monarchy of Queen Helen. That is why I keep telling you guys to get the fuck over it. It doesn’t do public debate any justice if the opposition are too stupid to see that they are only striking the lightning rod. I should expect better from National – they used to be a party of competence, and I have voted for them in the past when they weren’t ruled by ideology and hate. They could start engaging in constructive debate, and take seriously the good of the country, rather than trying as hard as they can to make us a laughing stock abroad. If they succeed in this goal, doing a Bonnie Prince Charlie on us, they will get nailed in the next poll bigtime.
I personally don’t want to see that because a weak opposition leads to an authoritarian government. Thank god we have MMP and a fool in the coalition to make that difficult.
Vote: