Was the “Don’t shout like you do at home” remark deliberate?
October 21st, 2008 at 7:33 pm by David FarrarNZ Herald Political Editor Audrey Young looks at the attack ad run by Labour against John Key. SHe blogs:
The pictures chosen did get me wondering though. Having chosen such an aggressive photograph of John Key for the first picture in the ad, I wondered whether the Labour leader’s attempt to portray Key in last week’s television debate as aggressive at home was quite the error it appeared to be at the time.
Perhaps it was part of a wider strategy to try to convince the public the John Key you see in public is not the real John Key.
I think Audrey may be onto something here. Clark may well have tailored her comments in the debate to support the theme her attack ads were going to take.
Adam Smith at The Inquiring Mind comments:
… was the Helen Clark attempt to portray Key as some sort of tyrannical figure at home part of a wider strategy as suggested by Ms Young above. Was Helen’s tantrum part of some misbegotten plan? Has Labour embarked on a dirty tricks campaign?
Adam then looks at how after losing the debate Clark accussed Key of losing control and having a tantrum. He concludes:
Perhaps there is something in what Audrey Young is suggesting after all. …
it is fascinating that Audrey Young thinks Clark and Labour fully capable of such a strategy.
Now remind Adam which party is supposed to be employing evil spin doctors. Who is going on about trust all the time?
Personally I have no problem with the TV advert Labour are running. May they keep running it. I do still have a problem with the PM’s suggestion that John Key shouts in anger at his wife and children, and the only thing worse than her saying such a thing in the heat of the moment would be her saying such a thing as part of a deliberate campaign to paint him that way.
Related posts:
- What a sore loser
- Media on Leaders’ Debate
- PM will not rule out push polling
- Hermetically sealed or not?
October 21st, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Interesting theory.
At the very least the new add is a bizarre mistake. Anyone remotely familiar with how human beings absorb information will know that the only thing the punters will remember is JK’s face.
The original adds were a little better, although I found the closeups of Helen’s face creepy, not to mention the almost Big Brother 1984 style of the whole thing. But they at least focused on Labour and it’s supposed achievements.
The new adds reek of desperation.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 7:54 pm
They are truly deperate!
Nothing like a bit of polygamy to keep the home fires burning? Eh Helen.
This alien death stare is there for all to see!
The most corrupt and vindictive politician in the free world. Shame on you Helen!
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Have you noticed how Clark is back peddling as hard as she can go, only 24 hours after these foolish ads were launched? She’s trying to pass them off as ‘just a little attempt at humour.’ Well bugger me days! That alone tells you the story of the latest focus groups. Another flawed strategy from the Grand Strategist who has lost the plot.
Watch for these ads to be pulled by this time tomorrow.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Miss Klark is obviously self destructing and totally unfit to be Prime Minister. How sad – haha
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:00 pm
10 dollars to the first person who can provide proof that anything Clark has said in the past nine years has been off-the-cuff or unscripted. Just read a cross-section of attitudes and postures from the VDS to see that there has been an orchestrated strategy to fight this election in the dirtiest manner allowable under (present) law. You really think that ‘this election is about trust’ was scribbled on the back of the same ‘sixty dead from Iraq’ envelope?
it was created at the same time the VDS was launched – the whole deal is a plan.
FFS Wake up people.
Anyone who thinks she ad-libbed it is in la la land.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Good to see you join the tin-foil-hat brigade DPF. Keep this stuff up and Wishart might ask you to write an introduction for his next government destroying best-seller!
[DPF: What is tinfoil about thinking that the PMs comments during a debate may be linked to campaign ads she knew were about to be run?]
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:19 pm
She is the consumate actress like Eva Peron!
How nasty can a person actually be?
It is all deliberate.
I just love the false laugh. She was probably a child catcher in a previous life!
At least they can make use of the catch?
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Nome
Don’t be a pillock, Audrey Young postulated the theory not me.
Then your leader back pedals
Then you appear
Why should we not join the dots
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:23 pm
roger nome, the soon to be unemployable spinmeister from the 9th Floor.
You are going to lose big time, with the buck teeth wicked witch of the South!
Going to so enjoy your demise.
Fancy a wager?
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Ah roger nome – so Ian Wishart has destroyed thiis government. Good!!!!
By the way I am with those above who say Clark is so conniving that she does not ad lib – it was a calculated slur, reinforced by the follow up the next day.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:25 pm
I am reminded of the old saying “there is no bad publicity in politics”- I think these will backfire in NZ as we don”t as a nation like this type of behaviour.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Just like the “o we didn’t mean to electioneer with our Over 60′s brochure”
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:25 pm
I think Richard Long summed it up totally in the Dominion today:
It seems that the ‘attack ads’ were her idea as well and as others have said, they aren’t going down too well.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:27 pm
The Herald website poll was great today. “who would be most likely to change a nappy?”
Key was the clear winner, but 5% of the population is deluded enough to think Clark would.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Go to my blog for my view (longish) why Clark is getting it all wrong
Labour’s campaign is stuck in the mud now and they don’t seem to know how to get out. The stuff that Audrey is waffling on about means little. It may be of interest to some of us who are political junkies but to the average joe trying to make ends meet it doesn’t matter a toss.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Hey Nome! Long time no see! Taking a break from the thesis and horny freshers down in Dunners eh? Good on ya, all work and no play makes Roger a very dull boy.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Roger
Even you must find Labour’s desperation to hold onto power somewhat concerning.
If it were the other way around I would be looking at the Nat’s after nine years and starting to wonder why they are so desperate and vicious about the probability of losing power.
In circumstances such as that and faced with a (hypothetical) competent and honest Labour party as the other option I think I would switch camps for the good of the nation.
Now I know you are a troll but even you must admit that any party (irrespective of their political leaning) who shows such a desperation to hold onto power should be a very real concern for us all.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:34 pm
“She was probably a child catcher in a previous life!”
Ahhhh YES!!!!!!
I have been racking my brain trying to remember who Clark reminded me of and you have hit the nail on the head!
The creepy child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!
I grew up with that film and that character always creeped me out!
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:38 pm
“5% of the population is deluded enough to think Clark would.”
Oops. Deluded or not that means about 30% of Labours hardcore base do not think she would. Ouch!
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:39 pm
The polls are going terrible yet even in the Herald today a journo was trying to spin that the polls are reflecting the true sentiment in the electorate and that this is going to be very close.
People at my work are still pissed about the showers and Labour tried to close this down last week.
Then I see the head of NZ Greenpeace on Alt TV at the moment already talking about the next round of Kyoto commitments saying that unless they are even more stringent than the current ones the planet is going to blow up. Watch it its live at the moment and a real laugh.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Hulun is desperate – the bunker must seem to have walls that are closing in, the air must be getting cloying, ‘they’ are out to get you Hulun.
Anyone know what “afforestation” is? Apparently, according to Mikhaels press release (as noted on Whaleoil.co.nz), by doing a whole lot of it NZ will avoid recession. Alongside building some roads and stuff thats already been announced.
Don’t ya just love Bernard Hickeys (interest.co.nz) parallelisation (see Mikhael I can make up words too!) of the 2008 Labour campaign and the 1984 Muldoon campaign – egomaniac sociopathic power nazis screw economy.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Everything Helen does is planned and calculated….that’s because she has NO life other than being PM…it’s all she lives for and that is why she is so desperate to cling to power. It’s her whole life, it’s what she’s always wanted, it’s what she has compromised her entire life for, to such an extreme as orchestrating a fake marriage to achieve her personal, selfish, ego driven power crazy goal.
Her latest ads reveal she’s had lousy advice…. all brand communications research confirms most people don’t listen to what ads are saying but rather look at the picture = 1000 words. Therefore most people will only see John Keys photograph in the ads (and not LISTEN to what is being said) and think Clarke is actually endorsing John Key! Certainly the majority of her supporters, who aren’t blessed with intellect simply WONT get it but be confused.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Adolf F spake thus:
Dead right Adolf, that’s precisely the point I make in my blog that I linked to in my earlier post in this thread. Labour know they’re all but rooted so now they’re desperate to find the big opening to knock Key over with.
Sounds to me like the Labour’s focus groups are getting a bit too rough for them!
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Labour, as I postulated months ago, should have knocked off Hulun and Mikhael, and gone in with a new team to this election. It would have been a gamble but one worth taking to a) get rid of deadwood b) cement a more vibrant party c) avoid being in power for probably the worst term or two in modern history.
No doubt Hulun has got the SIS phone tapping the opposition inside her own party.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 9:02 pm
“and the only thing worse than her saying such a thing in the heat of the moment would be her saying such a thing as part of a deliberate campaign to paint him that way.”
Soldiers died in two world wars to preserve our democratic freedoms, and Klark and her gang of crooks reduce elections to this kind of worthless crap. Nauseating.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 9:03 pm
i think the labour party think all men are assholes at home and yell at their wives and children.
ya gotta remember – leftists are all victims.. damaged goods.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 9:05 pm
In fact, the disgusting Klark was right there, fighting alongside the nazis to take away our freedoms and enslave us in her communist utopia. Even though the nazis were actually fighting against the communists. And even though Klark couldn’t even walk on her hind legs at that stage. Shut up!! Filthy corrupt socialist knuckle-draggers…
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Once I had respect for her, but now, and regardless of whether HC’s outburst’s are orchestrated or not, I simply do not want this woman to head the society I live in, a moment longer.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 9:10 pm
If National wanted to do an attack ad against Labour, I can think of a few beauties.
How about an ad that starts with:
“Here is a message from Labour’s greatest ever donor”
Owen Glen: “I wouldn’t want to be in the trenches with them”
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Just watching one political review where they are picking Green votes to drop away as some supporters do not want another Labour government.
When is the next poll due?
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Southern Raider,
The Herald, TV3 and Roy Morgan must all be due sometime soon to release new polls. Colmar Brunton seem to release their new poll data every Sunday currently.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 9:21 pm
I wonder…
If the reason Clark is so desperate to win this election, is because if National take over, they might find the bodies whilst she is still around. Possibly then being able to drag the contemptuous bitch in front of a court and throw her in the slammer.
I suspect her grand plan was: To win this election, and then hand over to Cullen mid term, leaving him to dispose of the bodies, whilst she trots off to her cushy job at the UN……
Her plan right now is obviously in tatters, hence the bitterness and the underarm bowling type tactics.
Paul Marsden, You have summed it up perfectly, and echo my sentiments: “I simply do not want this woman to head the society I live in, a moment longer”
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Mattyroo thats why we now have The Hague.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Southern Raider
“Mattyroo thats why we now have The Hague.”
You called? Although when referring to me in the third I prefer The Haguester.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Even Barry Soaphead said tonight that he thought the John Key ads were a bit rich
considering that they ask you to Trust Labour and then follows with a photoshopped
photograph of the PM
Ah from paintings to photographs – why is the PM so graphically challenged?
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 10:47 pm
I would like to quote something I found on John Ansell’s brilliant blog today – it relates especially to this advert:
Entirely apt, methinks.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 10:59 pm
What is the sound of one hand flapping? Labour are toast. In a few short weeks I skip off to the polling booth. There, I place my vote to consign these wretched numpties to the wilderness; thence I hive off to a place where I can buy an adult beverage or two in quiet celebration. I don’t know what time they open on polling day but I will time it right.
Time’s up Team Left! Strike three, game over.
Vote:October 21st, 2008 at 11:17 pm
For all the paranoid stuff above saying “nothing she says is unscripted”, I see nothing to suggest Clark’s comments are part of some complex and cunning plan.
Vote:Fact is, Clark and Labour have shown hardly a scrap of political judgement since they rammed the Electoral Finance Act through the House. A much simpler theory, consistent with the evidence that the wheels are falling off, is that Clark stuffed up with her comment, and Labour stuffed up with the ad.
October 22nd, 2008 at 4:27 am
This theory is interesting. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Helen was out to paint Key as an agressive bully, in fact, I think it’s quite likely a deliberate stragtegy.
Vote:Labour is losing many female swing voters to key, and I believe that these ads (and other campaingning strategies) are trying to reverse this trend by painting Key as a bully at home, as a macho, angry bully, in the hope it will scare women away. Clark is going to great efforts to paint herself as a softer, more empathetic leader this campaign, which is funny to watch because it’s clearly not natural for her. The white clothes, softer photos, carefully applied makeup and (strained) less aggressive behaviour in interviews and debates illustrates this change in tone.
It’s a cynical, disturbing approach, but this new passive-aggressive attempt at smearing Key’s personality (which is definitely more compatible with average joe kiwi than the elite, socially awkward Clark) while trying to appear softer and cuddlier herself seems to be a subtle yet pervasive theme for Labours dishonest campaign. A new low.
October 22nd, 2008 at 5:23 am
Two words to why Labour’s strategy is a busted flush.
TREVOR MALLARD
Vote:October 22nd, 2008 at 6:08 am
and the OECD report showing growth in income disparity (lo to hi) has new zealand battling finland for greatest disparity growth. well done hulun!
Vote:October 22nd, 2008 at 6:10 am
speaking of statistics, where is rob salmond these days? fingering some focus group stats for the great strategist i imagine. LOL.
Vote:October 22nd, 2008 at 7:14 am
JohnMacc:
Her guest commentators, you know the ones that run that paid Labour Key attack blog at the Standard, have shown us that this venal type of politics is part of the greater Labour plan. You can see the way the Labour supporting commentators create new aliases the closer we get to the election and spam abusive, off topic comments. (Ratbiter, anyone?)
Helen Clark is not suddenly going to go to pieces after 9 years of being one of the more astute politicians NZ has seen. I’d bet there is something going on behind the scenes – even if it is simply a desire to throw this election so they do not have to deal with the fall out of the economic crisis and so they can shift the blame onto National for it.
Is it a complex and cunning plan? I think so. They’ve realized they’re out of ideas and that the general public would prefer a government that is honest and trustworthy. Their one hope is to make the public think John Key fits their 1873 image of a Capitalist, complete with a cigar and child labour slaving away in his factory.
That in itself is perhaps not complex and cunning, but the way they use the media, how they control what is said in this country and their viral spread through the internet is what makes it complex and cunning.
Vote:October 22nd, 2008 at 9:45 am
The so called ‘attack ads’ are a legitimate tool in an election campaign.
They do however run the risk of rebounding and you generally see them used when a Party is that far behind in the polls that really they have nothing to loose.
If National wanted to (and I suspect they won’t play the card) they could respond in kind with a picture of Helen Clark uttering her immortal words “there is no underclass in New Zealand” alongside a photography of Nia Glassie.
Vote:October 22nd, 2008 at 10:47 am
IMHO Crazys attack on JK during the debate was scripted. The line was deliberately designed to paint him as a bully.
Problem for Crazy is that is just served to highlight that JK has a wife and children at home and a domestic arrangement that is like the majoritys
Crazy on the other hand has well lets be charitable and call it an interesting domestic arrangement.
She just reinforced the contrast in their lives and reminded the voters of the John Tamihere interview with Ian Wishart about Crazy.
Vote:October 24th, 2008 at 5:27 am
John Key won the debate. Hels just looked like a deranged sore loser.
A good display of how people will remember her once she is gone on 8 November.
Vote: