Great minds think alike
August 8th, 2011 at 2:19 pm by David FarrarI was just about to sit down and blog about Labour’s pitiful rip-off of Whale Oil’s Texts from Helen, where Trevor did Txts from JK. I wasn’t sure what was worse – that it was unoriginal, or that it wasn’t funny, or that a man near 60 is doing teenage text speak or that it doesn’t even “fit”. It is well known Helen is an inveterate texter and keeps in touch with many of her former colleagues. While John Key and Jenny Shipley were never even in Parliament together.
But I don’t have to blog all that, as John Hartevelt has done it for me at Stuff:
Sigh. Another day and the Labour Party takes yet another turn for the cringe-makingly desperate.
The party’s chief strategist, their sharpest political mind and the chap responsible for winning the election campaign has this morning come up with this rather lame attempt at humour.
Trevor Mallard’s theft of an overused and not terribly funny concept from a right-wing blogger is just a bit sad.
If it was an isolated example of an odd attack on the PM, it wouldn’t rate a mention.
But ever since the intellectual excitement and esprit de corps that accompanied Labour’s tax policy announcement died down a fortnight ago, a steady drip feed of rather juvenile stunts – many of them played out unthinkingly online – has been issued from a few in the Labour caucus.
Mallard and the Dunedin South MP Clare Curran are the chief mischief makers. A missive from Curran last week seemed to subtly encourage readers to make some sort of a link between John Key and the 1991 US invasion of Iraq, on the grounds that a PR company hired by Tourism NZ to secure a spot for Key on the Letterman show was the same firm that had been criticised for its role “as mastermind for the Kuwaiti campaign”. Good grief.
These have got so bad, that even on Red Alert Labour MPs are getting a pasting for such idiocy. The response is for Clare Curran to do a poll asking people if they agree that Red Alert should be moderated more tightly, with no option for people to say that the censorship there is already way over the top.
Normally you would count on the campaign manager, being the one to tell MPs who are making the party look like idiots, to pull their heads in. But when it is the campaign manager himself leading the charge, well you really do have problems.
Related posts:
- Mallard on Finlayson
- Dissent will not be tolerated
- Labour’s latest campaign strategy
- Apology to Clare Curran
August 8th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
Heh, I always thought that Red Alert was a bad idea.
Politicians should get out and talk to people in the real world.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 2:40 pm Vote:
August 8th, 2011 at 2:45 pm
my god that was atrocious.
trev – just sad man. so so sad.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
I’d love to see a graph of Red Alert page view and comment stats. I predict they will have been steadily decreasing this year as the stench of unprincipled desperation drives away all but the most committed Labour supporters and the few right wingers who can still be bothered to point out how badly they’re failing.
Vote:Not having an equivalent forum is one of the smartest things National has never done.
August 8th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
“with no option for people to say that the censorship there is already way over the top.”
I tried to make a point on the thread about my experiences on Red Alert and copped a warning.
Having just come off of a 3 months ban and in moderation for a year – all for telling the truth – I did not pursue it further.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 2:56 pm
I did note that the Labour Government also used the same PR firm and, indeed, appointed its ex NZ CEO to be an ombudsman and then chief ombudsman. Not only silly – deceiptful as well.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 2:56 pm
It is not too hard to work out that “pure arrogance” pervades the Labour MP’s.
This pathetic effort at copied humour, linked with the disgraceful displays in the house by “senior” MP’s is evidence of the depths to which they have sunk, at the same time believing they are righteous.
Sepoluni’s childish and petulant outburst last week is indicative of the cloak that they wear.
I will say it again, never as long as my wrinkley coit points south will I vote for this bunch of deceptacons.
I yearn for the happy days when we had a true party of “reasonably principled members”, and not the straight out of uni type of sycophants, or arrogant poseurs that infest the once proud party.
What is to become of us with no effective opposition?
Jeeze the Mana party group of commies, has more credibilty than this lot.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 2:57 pm
When Clare “I just discovered this thing called the Internet” Curran asked what information policies people would like to see as part of the glorious OpenLabourNZ initiative, I posted that I’d like to see Labour propose the removal of parliamentary privilege so that MPs couldn’t defame private citizens with impunity from within the House.
Boom, deletion and permanent automoderation.
I wonder why?
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
Mallard has done the txt thing before but I can only suggest he was pissed when he did this.
Vote:where in Gods name is Goff .. I assume he endorses this crazy shit
August 8th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
I found it mildly amusing, but not as amusing as DPf criticising it because Key and Shipley were never in Parliament together!
As for stealing an idea from Whale. Ha ha – maybe he should go after Punch for the Diary of John Major, aged 47¾, or Slate for Barack Obama’s Facebook feed.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
Goff who?????
The red alert blog has a commentator who calls itself theghostwhowalks…could this be the missing Goff????
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 3:15 pm
Re: Clare’s poll, why don’t they just disable the commenting altogether or just write their own comments? surely the result would be identical, and it would free up all that time spent checking posts in moderation to do something important, like campaigning?
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 3:18 pm
This post DFP would be one of his best mia culpas…pot calling the kettle black. I remember all his Crosby Texter billboards from the last election! Look at yourself!
[DPF: No Crosby Textor billboards that I can recall. And I am not a senior MP, let alone the campaign manager.
Never mind, it is amusing to watch Labour turn off even its few remaining supporters]
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 3:21 pm
psst jacko, you may not have noticed but DPF is not a senior MP or dare I say the shadow leader of the house.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 3:44 pm
lofty (1047) ghostwhowalks is as I recall a greenie who has been around blogs. I haven’t had a look but think he might be banned from Kiwiblog for ongoing trolling over the years.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 3:54 pm
“ghostwhowalks” was banned. I remember that trool.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 4:15 pm
“ciaron (780) Says:
August 8th, 2011 at 3:15 pm
Re: Clare’s poll, why don’t they just disable the commenting altogether or just write their own comments? ”
They do for the most part (write their own comments that is)
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 4:39 pm
Amazing that labour in NZ, for all it’s talk of solidarity and being part of the international labour movement, can’t take a leaf out of UK labours book and start admitting fault and trying to open a dialogue to reconnect. The Labour UK mouthpiece labourlist.org has some clever posts up. not all of it is the head in the sand and “it’s all the media and publics fault we can’t get traction here” type of commentary we see from the intellectual heavy weights that currently make up NZ labour. it’s a pity the opinions of lefties like lew, danyl and chris trotter aren’t given more weight by the main cheerleaders, The standard, but those dickheads hate dissent amongst their team.
edit: forgot to add, long may the NZ labour party be as arrogant and stupid as they are. The only reason NZ is in such a good condition is because their rapacious hands were removed from the steering wheel.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 4:56 pm
What a joke of a poll! that final option about hateful right wingers was totally untrue and uncalled for, its usually right wingers getting blocked/moderated/jumped on simply for expression an alternative opinion!
And oh trevor! what a major cock up! did you not think you would be jumped on for this? you aren’t a popular fringe blogger, you are a member of her majesty’s loyal opposition you munter! you can’t pull this sort of thing and get away with it. no respectable political party should put out this sort of average as fuck humour/attack, especially in election year!
at least when whale does it, its slightly funny because it’s true (to an extent)
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 5:14 pm
Isn’t anybody else finding this incredibly awesome? I am just LOVING it. It’s truly a dream come true for me, just massive stuff up after stuff up from Labour. EVRYTHING they try just backfires, in a major way most of it. It’s almost worth putting up with Helen for 9 years.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 5:15 pm
I made a joke about mallard having the right worried then some moron called bbbbbbbbbbbfloyd followed up with:
Vote:wow!! direct hit trevor!! you should get an award for inventing a foolproof lure for tories/fascists
August 8th, 2011 at 5:20 pm
I have noticed in the past week that many facebook friends who are political types (right side) have become friends with Labour MP’s .. wondering if Labour are sending out the troops like Winny wants his oldies to do.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 5:22 pm
I’ve got a lot of time for Cam’s blog but the text message schtick is some of his weakest content. Partly because they are fake (truth hurts more) and partly because I find the humor hit and miss. So what possessed Trev to run with it? No real scandals brewing?
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 6:02 pm
If they want to avoid being a laughing stock on their own blog, they’d be better off moderating the bloggers than the commenters.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 6:16 pm
scrubone says:
Don’t confuse a bad idea with appalling execution. Politicians engaging online is an excellent idea (though you’re right to the extent that they must also do so in the real world). Done right it benefits both voters and politicians.
Hell, even Jesse “the Body” Ventura managed to pull it off when Governor of Minnesota. He ran a lively email list (blogs weren’t quite “there” yet as a communications tool) and, AFAIK, never said anything remotely as cringeworthy as this effort from Trev.
And Ventura had sustained any number of blows to the head in his previous career as a wrestler. I’m not sure what that says about Trevor…
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 6:25 pm
The Trevor V. Whale battle seems to rageing at the hugely entertaining level for a hile now, I am afraid that I let down my fellow Kiwiblog commentors today but I could have sworn at 10.30 am this morning I saw the Whale on a flash bike just before the intersection of Pigeon Mountain Rd. and Prince Regent Drive it took a couple of nano seconds to process and by the time it occured to me to get a photo he was gone. Not so sure DPF is correct in his predictions on the race.
I enjoy the HK texts on the Whales blog, and you are correct Mallard’s efforts were weak.
If you read this Cam. why can’t I log in to your blog ?
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
I have as many (if not more) reasons to despise the baby killer Helen Clark but you have to sit back and look at her tenure as a master class in keeping the lid on the nuttier elements of the labour party.
Vote:Many of us on the fringes of national politics knew they were a party of deviants, thieves, liars and self important talentless drones but she managed to divert our attention from their excesses time after time.
Clearly Phil Goff is an incompetent fool. Both as a strategist, people manager and mental health nurse.
The left whinge in unison about their perception of media bias. I would say that they are having another kid gloves year from the likes of garner, espiner and soper. Why we are not seeing these media boys mock the shit out of mallard et al every single night is a national disgrace.
August 8th, 2011 at 7:16 pm
Good grief that was fucking lame. Someone hand Trevor a brochure to ‘Sleepy Acres’.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 8:00 pm
@Barnsley Bill
Vote:While I totally disagree with you about baby killer your actual point is correct. The Nutter elements are driving me bloody mad. I wait and wait and dare I bloody say wait for Labour to renew. They won’t, they can’t and I suspect another couple of electoral failures awaits them before they learn this lesson.
August 8th, 2011 at 8:06 pm
I’ve thought for a while that Labour now are quite similar to National in 2002. Goff is obviously their Bill English. Who is their Michelle Boag and Don Brash, and who will be their John Key?
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 8:09 pm
Sorry HC texts
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 8:31 pm
mm
Vote:I spoke to their John Key last week. He was just going to preschool.
August 8th, 2011 at 8:58 pm
I have wondered why Phil Goff has done such a poor job of controlling his party and putting some discipline and real fire into it. I have come to the conclusion he is there only to take the can for the loss of the next election then to be replaced.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 9:46 pm
Just topping up his super by going out with a leaders pay packet Bob. His heart is not in it and hasn’t been since he supped from Clark’s poisoned chalice.
I could forgive his complete lack of effort if he did not keep making huge mistakes and then doubling down on the stupidity by telling bare faced lies to try and weasel out of it.
Furthermore.
Vote:IH Stewart, you may not agree with my using the term babykiller when naming Clark and that is your right, but perhaps you don’t know anybody that needlessly lost a child or wife because of her changes to birthing in this country that saw the family GP leave the birthing industry and allowed the midwives to take over. The system discourages the lead maternity carer from getting proper professionals involved when things go wrong. It costs them money. I have seen this cost lives.
August 8th, 2011 at 10:14 pm
Bill is right (in spite of his inflammatory rhetoric). I knew a midwife who actually went out and joined the National party because she saw the system being changed to force the poor out of specialist treatment. They had a brilliant business where women were getting quality treatment regardless of financial status and it’s all gone now, not a trace left.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 10:19 pm
I’ve thought for a while that Labour now are quite similar to National in 2002. Goff is obviously their Bill English.
Bit of a cycle of strong governments turning into weak oppositions. Not good for the country really. But interesting is the differences – National’s problems were Labour talking up how bad the 90s were, while Labour has no problem completely flipping on their former positions – much more a case of the same people trying to bring a refreshed face that is simply not.
Vote:August 8th, 2011 at 11:30 pm
Jeez – how pathetic.
Mallard can’t dream up anything original by himself and has to resort to flogging something from Whale Oil. No surprises, really.
No surprises either that the usual lefty apologists emerge from under their respective rocks to try and convert this into something nasty about the PM. What a bunch of complete losers – their comments should be enshrined as compulsory reading for any level headed kid – this is the sort of crap that needs to be avoided on the journey through life.
Vote:August 9th, 2011 at 10:39 am
I love Red Alert – it makes my day – I cannot get a better laugh elsewhere.
Vote: