Clark says believing Fairfax poll like believing in fairies
NZPA reports:
Believing in polls that put National at more than 50 percent support is like believing in fairies, Prime Minister Helen Clark said today.
A Fairfax Media-Nielsen poll over the weekend put National Party support on 52 percent, 18 points ahead of the Labour Party.
Miss Clark told TVNZ that those numbers did not match her experience as she met people across the country.
“I would no more think that National’s polling over 50 percent than I thought there were fairies at the bottom of the garden, that is not reality,” Miss Clark said.
Not a touch of humility. Not a touch of “Yes we are behind and need to convince people”, just King Canute routine.
I’ve just done a count up and since John Key became Leader there have been 50 public polls showing National at 50% or greater, including seven from UMR who do Labour’s own polling.
That is a hell of a lot of fairies!
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:36 am
She is quite correct: there are no fairies at the bottom of the garden.
They are all in her own caucus.
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:36 am
The hardest thing for somebody who is mentally ill, is to have lost any understanding that other people might be right!
If she was the Skipper of a Nuke Sub, she would have been relieved of her command some time ago.
Very sad really.
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:40 am
Headline: Clark kills Tinkerbell!
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:40 am
Kind of like the moon being the cause of high crime rates right?
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:41 am
You know a party is in trouble when a leader starts saying “this doesn’t equate with the response we are getting around the country”. Or words to that effect.
Bill English relied on that line in 2002. We all know where that went. Getting close to that point for Labour too.
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:44 am
Miss Clark told TVNZ that those numbers did not match her experience as she met people across the country.
I am sure this is true. Why? Because Helen Clark spend her time going round the country meeting Labour supporters in party meetings. Unlike John Key who goes to Otara. She has made it plain that to speak with people who are not your supporters is contemptible and foolish.
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:49 am
Helen is like the holocaust denier. Of course Helen doesn’t really mix with the unwashed only with people she wants to hear, like her rugby leagure mates from that intellectual hotbed of South Auckland.A few facts.
(1) Clark’s claims that the polls are wrong is the instant reaction of any party in trouble. Blame the polls.National did that in 1999.
(2) With National having a clear lead for over a year of polls doesn’t that tell you Labor is on toast. As any politico will say “It’s the Trend that counts”. As for things improving- Winston’s day today,opening the books etc. It’s not time for a failed,bankrupt,inept incumbent government.
(3) Clarks and Cullens antics last week extrapolating “what if” stories about John Key’s position re the world recession and Iraq. Signs of total meltdown.
Just finished reading Bassett’s book about the David Lange government and cabinet. A great read, not for Auntie Helen,Cullen and Margaret Pope. Ruth Dyson comes out like a politician of the 1900’s. The Socialists are great backstabbers for themselves.
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:57 am
Reduce political engagement by opponents – Tick (EFA).
Complain about media – nationalise the Press Complaints authority (planned?).
Since polling is unreliable, appoint a sole government polling agency (….coming?).
Democracy (insert Tui Ad).
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:06 am
Appoint “Minister for Fairies” – tick?
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:07 am
My neighbour is an ardent Labour supporter, infact we agree not to discuss politics as it gets in the way of a good friendship.
Over the weekend she admitted she is not voting Labour this election…her reason Helen Clark. If she is indicative of the thinking Labourite then they are more stuffed than Helen believes.
I have to agree with s.russell that if you live your life in a echo chamber you do not have a true picture of what is actually happening out there. Most Kiwi’s I speak to have had a gutsfull of being told what to do by people whose only experience of life is Unionism and Academia, which supply a very distorted view of the world.
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:08 am
I’ve met Christopher Finlayson, so yes, I believe in fairies and the polls…
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:14 am
National also faces a danger if they believe the polls and think that they will be able to govern alone. This represents their greatest challenge and danger. Just go back over the last three elections and you will see that the minor parties don’t start rising in the polls until six weeks out from polling day.
No doubt National will get the first opportunity to form a Government (I believe they will achieve 44-46%)
But the major question is will they form the government? Best option for National voters is to vote strategically. Give the party vote to National and then vote Hyde (Act) in Epsom, Adams (Family Party) in East Coast Bays and Filipaina (Family Party) in Mangere.
These three parties could then form a Government that would work. National supporters would then not be forced to have Douglas as finance minister as many I speak to do not want that option forced upon them or National. (I might add that I think Douglas has a valid contribution to make, but preferably not as finance minister)
A big swing to National is in part because many voters want to remove Labour. Not necessarily because they agree or admire all that National stands for, they just want to get rid of Labour.
National therefore to Govern long term should endeavour to get the mix right. I believe National, Act and Family Party would be a very fair reflection of what the majority of the public of New Zealand are wanting to see represented in Parliament.
If the mix is right, hard work and vision is respected and admired being underpinned by a good values system, just watch this country take off again and become a world leader in all of the right things instead of the wrong things.
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:18 am
She believes (at least publically) Winston Peters. Says it all really.
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:20 am
Helen Clark said…
Believing in polls that put National at more than 50 percent support is like believing in fairies,
This is fuck’n unbelievable. The Prime Minister and her Broadcasting Minister approved a $ one million funding for the bullshit Sensing Murder TV2 show. Helen’s comment showed that she was contradicting herself, ie, funding programs which promote the belief in the existence of fairies but rubbishing polling results which were in fact conducted by (definitely not fairies) real humans.
The $ 1 mil could have been used/diverted for a re-training program for leechers who live on the state’s tits, so that they can get off and find useful employment.
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:23 am
I have absolutely no doubt that Clark has had fairies bottoming in her garden.
This is an enormous train wreck in slow motion.
Watching somebody deteriorate mentally so publicly is not a good look.
If only they had pushed her out onto an ice flow last year and given Goff his turn.
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:27 am
This is beyond hilarious.
All those peple she meets at Labour party events support the Labour party. Who would have guessed.
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:28 am
Perhaps she was referring to Peter Davis doing her/the Gardening ?
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:30 am
“All those peple she meets at Labour party events support the Labour party. Who would have guessed.”
I guess she bases her logic on the fact that some of the Labour flotsam do attend National Party meetings for the specific purpose of tape recording and back stabbing.
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:33 am
That’s certainly one fairy that has never been sighted in Helen’s topiary. Mind you, I doubt there’s much trimming of that particular bush.
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:37 am
‘That’s certainly one fairy that has never been sighted in Helen’s topiary. Mind you, I doubt there’s much trimming of that particular bush.’
/gold
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:51 am
S. Russel; Neil; chfr; agree;
Clark and Co are a completely closeted bunch, they are completely unaware that
1) as many as 40% of NZ-ers hated their guts all along
2) one of the main reasons for them winning elections is the people who have always voted Labour, whose parents voted Labour, grandparents voted Labour, etc, etc, It actually takes a lot to piss these people off so much that they will stay home, but this line has been crossed
3) even the journalists who are part of the closeted circle of liberal socialists are having second thoughts
4) none of the people who are included in Helen’s circle dare tell her the truth
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:02 am
One of my friends (in non-political shared interests) is a socialist from a Labour-voting family going back to their great-great grandparents in the north of England. One of the most sickening things I have experienced, is the candid admission from this perfectly decent guy (whom I assumed would be a National voter), that he really didn’t care what Labour did, he would still vote for them just because “the other side” was tainted by the interests of people who were out to “exploit” the vulnerable….etc, etc….(that bloody Karl Marx is responsible for a lot). When I asked what he thought of the Labour Party changing, so that they were now more about radical feminism and “free love” and sex education and undermining “patriarchy” (my friend is married with kids), he said he didn’t care as long as a Labour Government’s ministers could do their jobs as Minister of Finance, Minister of Corrections, Minister of Defence, Minister of Education, Minister of Health, and so on. I said to him; “they won’t be able to, I promise you that…..the character flaws that those people have got are insurmountable….”
He recently admitted that I was right on this point, and on this point, he intends to stay at home this year. And that is an encouraging experience, in contrast to the sickening one a few years ago when I first talked politics with him.
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:14 am
gee..!..but there is so much fairy dust to be spread around in the next seven weeks..?
..who can clearly predict the outcome..
(did anyone see that aussie ‘poll-expert’ on morning telly..?
he seemed to be totally locked into first past the post mode..unaware of the realities/mathematics of m.m.p..
..plus 13% still undecided..?
..now..do some thinking on that 13%..
..d’yareckon they are natty-supporters..?
..i don’t..i reckon all the nattys + soft votes..are already on board..
..and that these13% are still undecided about either voting lab/green/maori party..or are pissed at labour..
..but able to be won back/scared off key/national..
..eh..?
..you are all just political premature ejaculating again..
..eh..?
..phil(whoar.co.nz)
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:26 am
Well Ive been calling her Crazy Clark most of this year not just as retort but because my observations of her behaviour over ther past 12 months.
She started to display very disturbing behaviour late last year and this has continued with the classic signs of referring to herself in the 3rd person dismissing logical and rational argument out of hand Not prepared to engage in reasoned debate
All the signs on a person in power who has surrounded themselves with syncophants and incompetents too scared to challenge them and fawning all over them.
The Hans Christening Andersen story I used to read to my children The Emperors Clothes sums up her behaviour and this latest comment from her.
Alas people with her mental illness go on to suffer a complete breakdown unless they get counselling and treatment
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:27 am
Philip Ure – you ignore the fact the the 13% “undecided” will become the 20% “couldn’t be bothered to vote” on election day. Accept the simple fact. Your beloved Greens will be going into Opposition in November There could be a bright side however. If Labour continues to implode and self-immolate, the Greens could in fact become the Opposition!
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:39 am
so..inventory..your ‘reasoned’ political-analysis of this..has the greens either not getting into parliament again..
..or cannabilising the labour vote so much..the greens become the official opposition party..
..um..!..i see with your ‘political-predictions’..
..that you like to leave yourself a fair bit of ‘wriggle-room’..
(could/should we call you a follower of the ‘barn-door’ school of political predictions…?..)
.eh..?
(you’re funny..!..i’m chortling away here..!..)
..any more predictions..?
..y’know..!
..(you enliven/brighten-up a dull monday morning..!..)
phil(whoar.co.nz)
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:47 am
Hell it is good fun reading Phils posts.
Is this guy for real??
I bet he is actually an avid Act supporter on a huge salary with a perverted desire to take the piss out of right thinking bloggers on a daily basis.
He may even be Rodney in disguise to ramp up resentment with comments so inane that the howls of protest are heard in Wellington!!
September 22nd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
so..inventory..your ‘reasoned’ political-analysis of this..has the greens either not getting into parliament again..
Can you not comprehend the written English language? Maybe someone should traslate it to Jamaican for you.
September 22nd, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I believe that historical analysis suggests Inventory2 is at least partly right.
The voters who polls pick up as undecided are often the ones who don’t know because they don’t especially care and don’t listen. These are the people who say “Oh! Is there an election on this year? I didn’t know that.” Because they don’t especially care and are not especially interested, a large proportion do not bother to vote.
Those who do vote tend to break in much the same proportion as decided voters.
I cannot cite actual research or analysis to back up this claim (maybe someone else can?), but it sounds about right.
September 22nd, 2008 at 12:25 pm
“I cannot cite actual research or analysis to back up this claim (maybe someone else can?), but it sounds about right.”
Hey, do you work for StatisticsNZ by any chance?
September 22nd, 2008 at 12:34 pm
The chance of them all being rouge polls? About 1 in 20 to the power of 50. Hey, it could happen! You just need to believe…
September 22nd, 2008 at 1:04 pm
“I would no more think that National’s polling over 50 percent than I thought there were fairies at the bottom of the garden, that is not reality,” Miss Clark said.
Denial of objective reality (the poll results are objective reality) is delusional behaviour, a charcateristic of mental illness. Delusional behaviour arises when people contruct a reality that suits themselves, eg “Miss Clark told TVNZ that those numbers did not match her experience as she met people across the country”. Any sane person would realise that Helen primarily meets Labour supporters and sycophants.
I am reminded of the words of Robert Mugabe:
“And I don’t make enemies, no. Others may make me enemies of theirs but I make no enemies. Even those who might do things against me, I don’t them enemies at all. No”.
Both Clark and Mugabe consider themselves to be the centre of the universe, around which everything else revolves: this is a common problem with despots.
http://www.kiwipolemicist.wordpress.com
September 22nd, 2008 at 1:18 pm
“…………..I thought there were fairies at the bottom of the garden, that is not reality,” Miss Clark said. ”
and with one(more) stupid comment Clark alienates the pagan/wicker/new age/crystal loving/esotheric vote.
There goes the greens support.
September 22nd, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Not a touch of humility. Not a touch of “Yes we are behind and need to convince people”, just King Canute routine.
Got it in one. She is a complete Cnut.
September 22nd, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Knut was demonstarting insanity as an illustration, Clark is demonstrating insanity as a belief system.
Hence “Knut the Great” and “Dear Leader” are the labels that history has applied to them.
September 22nd, 2008 at 1:51 pm
“and with one(more) stupid comment Clark alienates the pagan/wicker/new age/crystal loving/esotheric vote.
There goes the greens support.”
Exactly Craig, she’s now pissed off the Celtic vote as well as everyone else. How ridiculous – if there are no fairies in the garden, who the blue fuck was I talking to at 4am on Sunday morning as I measured my length along the lawn after a night of advanced refreshment? There’s as much evidence for the existence of fairies as there is for God and there is far more evidence for either than there is for the existence of a functioning ethic in the current government.
September 22nd, 2008 at 3:14 pm
“Dock”, I suspect that “philu” is a paid stooge of the socialists, with the aim of provoking rightwingers into extreme statements that will one day be used by the said socialists as justification for draconian internet regulating and surveillance legislation……
September 22nd, 2008 at 3:35 pm
PhilBest
I suspect that philu is really Herr Helen: that would explain the illiterate, insane and nonsensical rants.
But the best thing is to ignore him/her/it.
http://www.kiwipolemicist.wordpress.com
September 22nd, 2008 at 3:37 pm
GJ, you are mad if you think the ‘Family Party’ can win a seat in this election or get anywhere near 5%. Talk it up!
September 22nd, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Hulun can’t seriously expect us to believe that she’s never seen any fairies in her garden? Pull the other one Hels!
September 22nd, 2008 at 3:45 pm
So… that wasn’t George Michael I saw lurked in the shaddows?
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:30 pm
glubbster: I am not sure if you have done any research prior to making your comment, or if you are just speaking off the top of your head. However I have.
I was one of the very few that predicted a good result for UF in 2002 (and I am not a UF fan) In 2002 there was just a combination of factors and a target market that they (UF) hit a cord with. (and have now deserted them.)
The Family Party have a very well thought out strategy, are smart and well organized. They are planing to win an electorate, eliminating the need to cross the 5% threshold.They have been working very hard in the Mangere electorate for about 10 months. Just visit the electorate and look at their presence.
It will certainly be a three horse race between Filipina (Family Party) Fields (Pacific) and Sio (Labour)
Again there are circumstances in that electorate and a mood in the country that The Family Party may well produce the greatest surprise of the night.
Glubbster, I am not always right, but I get enjoyment in looking for the underdog that may produce a surprise. Currently The Family Party comes close to ticking all my boxes, no others minor party outside parliament in this election is getting even close!
Time will certainly tell. I believe my advice to National voters in my previous blog above was good advice as if we are operating in MMP let’s vote wisely.
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Shouldn’t Clark be less worried about the polls at this stage and more worried about writing a speech about graciously accepting defeat on 8 November? The TV camera will be briefly on her that night before crossing to the star of the show, John Key.
September 23rd, 2008 at 7:07 am
Given our concern for Helen Clarks mental health.
HERE IS A WARNING FROM HISTORY.
Her cohorts have been able to foist some really proposterous legislation on Kiwis.
What would a 4th term bring?
Forget about Published policies (Whenever they are ratified for publication or not)
The real issue is what is in her head for the 5th Term and onwards?
Identity Cards? Restriction on Movements without official passes? State control of all media and a huge gate on the Internet?
Lots of official pictures of our great leader in all prominent places.
Cessation of political parties except the State approved one.
It’s all heading towards Totalitarinsm.
Even more threatening phone calls and career blocks on the relentless march towards a situation beyond ‘Absolute Power’
Total Power in its purest and nastiest form.
A society living in permanent fear, and with all personal options deleted.
A vote for Labour or Winston First is a vote for ‘The Total removal of Personal Liberties’, and the end of any Fun unless you are part of the Elite, or One of the sick little sub cultures the Elite have a huge fascination for!