But for a state broadcaster to run a free party political broadcast like this is outrageous.

Although I will add “fuck off Labour”

For nine long years, I reconciled myself to the unpleasant fact that Governments tend to be considered more newsworthy than Oppositions. That’s not “bias” but reality. If John Key visits London or Washington as Prime Minister, that’s going to get a damn sight more attention than any visit he paid as Opposition Leader.

As Teddy Roosevelt famously said high office is a “bully pulpit” (in the sense of ‘very fine indeed’) when you want to be heard.

Ha,”Plain English” is a very apt description.

Cause he is Plain, boring and lacking in imagination unless of course its to his advantage.

But who knows for how much longer

I don’t know about Plain English, but it certainly isn’t the Queen’s!

I’m sure they would’ve. Otheriwse, why did this government give incompetent Cullen a NZ Post sinecure?
NZ politicians are members of a cozy club and are all “mates”, despite their shallow differences.

Might I suggest you realign your blog

Might I suggest that trying to realign a blog could be about as effective as trying to realign a comb-over outside in Wellington tonight.

Having said that, I do have some sympathy for Labour’s concerns.

As you are already aware David you have been tossed from the VRWC for previous rules and prtotocol breaches, there may have been some redemption at some time in the future but now after that egregious statement possible reconciliation is impossible.

Might I suggest you realign your blog from Right wing to lily-livered pinko trougher.

[DPF: If TVNZ started running promos every hour of Cullen and Clark, many on the right would have complained.]

Of course the same people who are screaming blue murder thought nothing of Labour doing the same for the last nine years.

Once again, whether its right or wrong or Liabore did the same (and in fact much worse) isn’t the point. English just doesn’t get it. Just like he didn’t get the point over allowances. He is becoming a liability and is trading on unprecented goodwill that will evaporate pretty smartly if this sort of rubbish continues. He was lucky this time in one respect in that this follows recent embarassments for Liabore and the meolns. On the other hand, it just drags National a little closer to the same sandpit in terms of perceptions.

And Pete, that line is not in the least bit fuzzy. One is a bribe; the other a donation

do you know the difference between a donation and a bribe? Or are they the same thing to you?

The line between donations and bribes is pretty fuzzy. I’d say it’s up to voters to decide where the line is. In order to do so, they need to be aware of the donation/bribe in question.

What would that make a meeting where large amounts of money are put into a bowl and become mixed up, so “we can’t tell who donated”. Would those donations also be bribes?

You compare bribery to agreeing to do a promo for a TV show.

Don’t be disingenous. I was making the point that wanting to do something doesn’t make it right.

99% of MPs will turn down bribes.

Not if the bribe is in the socially approved form of an ‘anonymous’ donation to the Waitemata Trust.

The one Labour MP who didn’t is serving six years in prison.

The one MP who got caught, because he wasn’t receiving his bribes in the socially approved manner.

These idiots *still* haven’t got why they lost.