Further falling
September 28th, 2006 at 1:01 pm by David FarrarAll bad news in the media today for Brian Connell. First we have the publicity over his vow not to cut his hair until Don Brash is no longer Leader. Good God – are you 12???? I mean seriously, one is a Member of Parliament.
Then we have David Carter saying that the Independent had confirmed to him prior to the Caucus meeting that they knew someone was going to confront Brash. I had certainly heard the day after it happened that the Independent had the story written in advance and were just waiting for the Caucus meeting to then confirm and file the story..
On top of that one of Connell’s staff, now on either annual or sick leave depending on who you believe, confirming Connell had spoken top the Independent earlier that day. There’s also scuttlebutt around that there has been a refusal to hand over cellphone records showing or disproving if a cellphone had been left switched on and transmitting during the caucus meeting.
And finally in the Herald story, he threatens to take a few people with him if he does retire from politics. Later when he realises it was on the record he says he was “musing” not “threatening”.
The Press has a story about Connell no longer living in his electorate. The Press also notes that he has put out no press releases in two years and asked only 14 written parliamentary questions this term (something I and Andrew Falloon highlighted a week or so ago).
NZPA also reports on the threat to bring others down and how the suspension came as a complete surprise. I’m amazed it was such a surprise as I actually raised the issue on TV twelve days ago and it seemed obvious to me by the response that MPs wanted to take some action.
September 28th, 2006 at 1:36 pm
David, this is a member of the National Party you are taking the blowtorch to. Everyone has foibles (not thinking of Bob the Builder in particular). This whole thing is potentially quite destructive for the National Party.
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 1:41 pm
New Zeal, I totally disagree. This is not a matter of “foibles” Its about absolute disloyalty and treacherous behaviour.About undermining those who are working to support you. Fine, if there are disagreements, raise them but the rules say those disagreements stay inside the tent.
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 1:42 pm
New Zeal,
So just because he is a National MP he should be exempt from DPF’s criticisms?? That argument doesn’t wash with me. If he were to remain silent he would likely be accused of hypocrisy should he then comment on the actions of a Labour Party MP.
DPF,
Vote:Some interesting comments from Connell in last night’s Guardian-
http://andrewfalloon.blogspot.com/2006/09/connell-speaks-to-guardian.html
September 28th, 2006 at 1:42 pm
Umm I am not applying the blowtorch – I am reporting what the media is reporting. Unlike some of my Labour counterparts I don’t ignore issues within my own party.
As for the comparison to Bob C, I refer you back to yesterday’s poat. Brian’s problem is that he has not scored any runs on the board to make up for his mistakes. Bob C has. He won Tauranga off Winston which was an incredible feat, he won the electoral petition and he probably helps attracts some votes from people who like his plain speaking style.
This isn’t personal with Brian C. It is all to do with asking a simple question – is this person helping National gain votes or helping National lose votes. No matter what I think personally of individuals, I support anyone who supports the team and is bringing in votes.
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 1:46 pm
The current political scene makes it easy to be embarrassed to be a kiwi. We seem to have an oversupply of self-serving, childish and, sadly, downright dishonest leaders. New Zealanders from all walks of life and from either end of the ideological spectrum deserve better. Out with the lot of you and lets hold an election for a benevolent dictator with the only eligibility conditions being that they’ve never ‘served’ in politics before and have both parents born in NZ
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 1:48 pm
The current political scene makes it easy to be embarrassed to be a kiwi. We seem to have an oversupply of self-serving, childish and, sadly, downright dishonest leaders. New Zealanders from all walks of life and from either end of the ideological spectrum deserve better. Out with the lot of you and lets hold an election for a benevolent dictator with the only eligibility conditions being that they’ve never ‘served’ in politics before and have both parents born in NZ
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
David,
That coupled with Connell stating publicly that he had received hate mail from National Party members immediately after his post-caucus public comments two weeks ago.
The guy is a prize shit.
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 2:28 pm
All I am saying is this is a destructive event happening at a time when National is trying to score a major hit.
I agree that the party needs to work as a team, but how many more Connell’s are there in the National Party?
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 2:28 pm
“I support anyone who supports the team and is bringing in votes.”
Well, that may be quite so, but it seems a bit superficial to me. Shouldn’t the matter of how votes are solicited be an important part of that equation. For the team to meet sales objectives they need to have a product. To sell a product, they have to believe in it. To believe in the product, it has to be good.
The key ingredient that seems to be missing in all of this, from Field thru to the Pledge card thru to the Brethren and thru to Connell, seems to be the product.
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 2:37 pm
The product currently has 49% support in polls. And regardless even if you do not like the product you can behind the scenes move to replace it, but you don’t bag your own product in public.
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 2:46 pm
No David the product has 49% of those who have made up their minds.
There are an awful lot of people in the heartland who have no time for either of the main political parties and in fact are disgusted by the behaviour of our polititians.
To be sure Labour are probably history next elections but we get Labour lite with your crew
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 2:49 pm
“The product currently has 49% support in polls”
Well one poll anyway.
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 3:28 pm
These Labourites are a piece of work. They just cannot get with it.
Vote:The story goes about two Labour supporters sitting at a rugby game and the score board says ” Home Team 16 Away 12 “. ” No ways ” says Jekyll, who is listening to a delayed trasmission over the radio ” The home team is leading 16 to 5 “.
Labour had better find new day jobs.
September 28th, 2006 at 3:42 pm
I don’t think I have ever so many lame excuses made for a poll result in my life.
Brash is doing a excellent job of leading the National Party, and the naysayers can’t handle the truth.
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 6:12 pm
“This isn’t personal with Brian C. It is all to do with asking a simple question – is this person helping National gain votes or helping National lose votes. ”
A simplistic view to take. Wouldn’t it be a better approach to ask how an articulate and intelligent person like Brian could contribute to helping National gain votes?
Every party needs a conscience. And when Brian Connell got up and in the privacy of caucas said that if Don Brash was poking a leading member of the Business Round Table he was not fit to be Prime Minister he was acting as National’s much needed conscience.
You righties underestimate how poisonous the public finds the business round table – it gives Labour a free serve in the next election campaign.
Oh, and your seeming to endorse without actually doing so the ridiculous rumour that Don Brash insisted that Brian Connell hand over his cell phone records diminishes both you and Don Brash.
It simply confirms that general impression that there is little that the present day corrosive and cancerous sections of the National party would not stoop to in order to smear their enemies.
National wouldn’t get back in power until it renounces this type of rumour mongering.
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 6:23 pm
Only a few retards like you Sean think it is relevant who is sleeping with who. Labour have already tried some cheap shots about being in bed with the roundtable and the public have punished them for it.
By the way repeating the words Helen used to describe Don do not make you trendy or smart. As she got slaughtered by every commentatior in the country for them, it just makes you look like the thickest of the thick.
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 6:41 pm
Don Brash sleeping with a leading member of the Business Round Table is of interest to me as it suggests a highly dangerous level of influence. If it is of no interest to you that is just fine and dandy.
When the public get closer to the election they may think about that issue a little more carefully.
As for “corrosive and cancerous” – how else do you think the voting public would describe behaviour of routinely inventing and disseminating untrue smears on political opponents.
The thought of any political party’s leader demanding cell phone records off a PM is too stupid to be given credence to.
You, with your links to the national party know that and yet you still *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge* give it legs.
That type of political operative is known in the trade as cancerous and corrosive.
Play it fair and the voters will reward you, play it smear and the voters will treat you like Trevor Mallard.
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 8:19 pm
I love it how the left are so blinded by their own backward metamorphasised Marxism, that they can’t even comprehend a politician holding free market ideas all by himself; no money, sex or horse heads in beds required.
Congratulations Sean for perpetuating the myth.
Vote:September 28th, 2006 at 8:48 pm
Maybe even more important is that Sean has taken it upon himself to set the tone and terms for the left to start confronting this shit. He understands that once you get past red/blue tropes, people vote with their guts, and the Nasies’ mastery of visceral smears has been winning for them.
Of course this does not mean adopting the inchoate fabulism that occupies the talkback-radio shows, or reflecting back the pathetic, mindless ranting of the used-up skanks peddling unreadable, plagiarized ideas from Ayn Rand. But it does recognize that informed, channeled anger can be quite useful and productive; it can illuminate and inspire, and it can slap down the yapping mutts that needed a good swift kick in the ass long ago.
It does not matter one rat’s patui if or who Brash was sleeping with anyone other than his wife. NO-ONE CARES ABOUT Brash’s sex life. Get it?
But keep on burying the real story Farrar…the real story that IS POLITICAL and that story has legs. The real story is that Mr Don, has or had a close personal relationship with the Deputy Chair of the Business Round Table. Whether it was an affair or not is means nothing…the fact was that the BRT told the Nasies “pick Brash and you get the cash”.
Get it? The BRT appointed the Leader of the Nastie Party for a mere $1.8m and you’ve all been spinning like mad to cover up this especially nasty slug of sewer splooge. This is WHY you have relentlessly deflected attention away from the delightfully perfumed Diane Foreman, and twisted it into a story about the poor old Don being smeared for having an affair. BULLBISCUITS…the old comb-over corpse probably wasn’t even up to it…but it has been most suitable distraction to have him hide behind his wife’s skirts.
Vote:September 29th, 2006 at 12:21 am
Cretean,
The BRT like Brash?
Wow.
You’re kidding me.
Who would have thought?! Oh scandal of scandals! How did they manage to keep it a secret for so long!!!
Vote:September 29th, 2006 at 6:34 am
Just let Connell play himself out without senior figures adding to the news cycle. He may of course dish the dirt on everyone Tamhere like, but Connell is not a figure that anyone takes seriously. The “long hair” protest will earn him ridicule. The Party will sack him, it is just a matter of getting a broad consensus on a widely popular fugure for his replacement (hopefully such a person exists).
Vote:September 29th, 2006 at 6:43 am
sean says: “As for “corrosive and cancerous” – how else do you think the voting public would describe behaviour of routinely inventing and disseminating untrue smears on political opponents.”
You mean Michael Cullen? That’s routine for him, and has been for years.
Vote:September 29th, 2006 at 8:37 am
Amazing the people who are obsessed with the BRT. Hell Roger Kerr once sent me an e-mail – that means I am contaminated. Oh No. Don Brash knew Diane Foreman for I think over 20 years – well before she became a BRT member. But shock gasp she did become a member, so shock horror this means Don is in their pay.
It would be nice if people could focus on policy and issues rather than mythical conspiracies.
Vote:September 29th, 2006 at 10:48 am
Yes, they are obsessed with the BRT, Halliburton, Big Oil, etc etc and its all part of the leftist pathology, which nutshelled is just a mind that is unable to mature. They were told fairy tales when they were young about trolls under bridges and ogres etc and they’ve never been able to escape the imprint such stories have implanted on their subconciousness. The leftist really believes that without the protection of government, the troll would catch and devour them, and this is the underlying cause of their obsession with power, for they believe as long as they can maintain control, they will be safe from the troll – manifested as BRT etc. They are sick, they are numerous and they have the vote. That’s the downside of democracy that we must all endure. Its hard tho to be sane and held to ransom by a majority of mentally unbalanced insecure losers who are ever ready to turn their backs on morality and decency and rationality because they’re suffering from a neurosis rooted in their childhood.
Vote:September 29th, 2006 at 11:16 am
“Its hard tho to be sane’
Is that why you have just given up on the whole difficult concept then?
Vote: