Another VRWNLLWC endorsement for Shearer
December 4th, 2011 at 1:50 pm by David FarrarMatt McCarten writes in the HoS of his support for Shearer and mentions others also supporting Shearer. Off hand I count the following endorsements:
- Matt McCarten
- Matthew Hooton
- John Tamihere
- Willie Jackson
- Michelle Boag
- Deborah Coddington
- John Pagani
- Jon Johansson
- Chris Trotter
- Cameron Slater
- Phil Quin
- Lew Stoddart
Now that’s just members of the VRWNLLWC who have endorsed Shearer. Add to that the apparent support of Phil Goff, Annette King, David Parker, Grant Robertson and Trevor Mallard. Has any leadership candidaate ever had such a wide variety of people endorsing them?
However for Shearer to win, he will need more than endorsements. He will need to pick up his game substantially from his performance on Q+A today. Being unable to even name your Climate Change spokesman is embarrassing.
Related posts:
- Pressure on Shearer
- Media on Shearer
- Small says Labour leadership challenge in February if Shearer flops at conference
- And the winner is David ……. Shearer
December 4th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Why do we need a “Climate Change spokesman” in the firstplace? I can guarantee you the climate will do what it likes regardless of what the spokesman says.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
Being unable to even name your Climate Change spokesman is embarrassing.
Yes, the UN will be horrified. What the hell?
Seriously, I find it difficult to imagine that even though Silent-T says he’s been talking to Hulun that such means she supports him. I mean why would she out of those two? And Hulun’s endorsement is a critical key here.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
Indeed reid, whatever Aunty Hulun wants she gets. It’s all her fault labour are a sinking ship. Rats always jump overboard first.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
What on earth is VRWNLLWC?!??!
[DPF: Clare Curran discovered it. It is the Vast Right Wing and Non Labour Left Wing Conspiracy. This has superseded the previous VRWC]
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
It is not true that John Pagani is part of the VRWNLLWC. He is Labour. Also, John Tamihere says he will be signing up as a Labour member again if Shearer becomes leader so he can’t be considered true VRWNLLWC either. Every one else you mention is of course fully paid up and in on it.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
Shearer was a very very poor performer in the House…and obviously that was NOT facing question time…Anyone who thinks he is the great white hope of the Labour Party (it’s just an old expression kiddies) is in cuckoo land…
Although it takes up only a fraction of a PM’s/ Leader of the Opposition’s time, if you can’t perform in the House and handle the scum who pass for political journalists this century, you are toast…
But for our sake I hope to God they pick him!
DPF: I have just had a brilliant idea! Since Mallard et al. think you ( and the VWRC) are so influential in the minds of Labour Caucus members, why not start promoting Cosgrove! The little carpet inspector makes a lot of noise in the House, is ethically as well as follicularly challenged, and is very popular among the working men at the Belfast Tavern…a perfect choice!
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 2:33 pm
I thought Shearer was a refreshing change from standard polispeak but I think it’s too soon for him, he needs more time.
Cunliffe doesn’t do it for me either, seems to be too much of a self interested schemer.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
PG: if he is to be the leader of a major political party in 2012 – or sadly of ANY party – he is going to have to learn poli non-speak PDQ….Sadly that is now apparently what the punters want…
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
The VRWNLLC promote the best candidate, then Labour will select the opposite. It is just a ploy to keep Labour old and tired.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
“and is very popular among the working men at the Belfast Tavern…a perfect choice!”
Yeah right! Cosgrove sips raspberry and cokes in the carpark, far too frightened to join and drink with real blokes.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
There were signs on close up last week that Shearer appeared to be lost when answering some questions. It is a nice warm fuzzy idea that Shearer can become leader of the Labour party, but it would be prudent if someone with a mke could give him the answers directly to his ear.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 2:45 pm
Ha ha@David Farrar; thank you for filling me in.
What Curran and all the others need to realise is there is no conspiracy – we lifelong National supporters, far from conspiring, are actually upfront and in ya face about it!
Plenty of people are quite upfront about wanting to destroy the Labour party and have the left permanently in opposition.
It is Labour who has to get all sneaky and create front organisations because they are too embarrassed and on very shakey ground to let people know what they are upto.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 2:46 pm
Talking of non poli speak…I recall Bob Tizard’s reaction to the death of the Emperor of Japan in the late 1980′s…while Lange and all the other prominent pollies of the day (Bob’s star had passed, even by then) were fawning and expressing polite condolences, Tizard said somethign like “Better late than never; at the end of the war he should have been cut up, not restored to his throne!”
Brilliant….now some poli suggests gingerly that gays adopting kids – or ranking those on Labour’s list – might not be such a brilliant idea and all hell breaks loose…
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 2:55 pm
Fuck yeah, war criminals are just like list rankings and gays who adopt kids.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 2:57 pm
joe90: unless you were politically aware in the late 1980′s just STFU….
Edit: Just STFU anyway; you are clearly too stupid to get my point….
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
A fraud, a thug and a liar. Oh, and you’re a failure too Garrett.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Oh you brave anonymous boy Joe90 !! You have deeply wounded me…Actually Joe90….that’s one of SEJ’s alias’s isnt it?? sure I have seen misspelled texts from you sent in the early hours of the am….
or did your mummy send you to another computer which is not such a giveaway?
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 3:10 pm
[Can you two calm down a bit?]
So with all these endorsements for Shearer who is backing Cunliffe? to be in the running there must be some people in the Labour caucus supporting him; any idea who?
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 3:17 pm
JamesS – I think Whaleoil and Martyn Bradbury are now backing Cunliffe, along with Helen Clark of course.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 3:18 pm
Ha ha I meant in the caucus; any actual Labour MPs in his corner?
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 3:20 pm
Horomia and Mahuta have declared for Cunliffe. Heavy-weight support.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Helen discussed Politics and leadership with Cunliffe last week. Shearer made every endeavour to contact her when she was in New Zealand but he always got the ‘too busy’ reply. Shearer also saw ‘Green Jobs’ as instrumental in rescuing the NZ economy as well as Cunliffes idea of wealth redistribution.http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/42115 ..God defend New Zealand.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 4:33 pm
Seriously, i just don’t get it.
What has Shearer done or said that makes him a contender for leader ?
Some say he’s a nice guy. Is that it ?
What does he bring to the table ? What skills, experience, track record, anything ?
There must be something. What is it ?
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 4:55 pm
@bereal Would you believe pole dancing or leap frog.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 5:10 pm
He’s NOT Cunliffe??
Whatever DID happen to that money at the Officers’ Mess?
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 5:18 pm
bereal, stop being a dumb ass as usual and look up his wiki page.
Vote:Enlighten yourself before you are deemed completely stupid and without merit.
December 4th, 2011 at 5:46 pm
If the labour central committee used their brain.
Vote:They would delay the upcoming Goff bye election. There is no hurry as what is left are just cheap seat warmers.
Take the opportunity to find another Kirk, Lange, Savage.
Because they don’t have one now.
Which is what labour should have done when the haughty one did a runner.
Then again it is much more fun watching the disintegration of Labour.
December 4th, 2011 at 5:46 pm
Viking2: I cast no aspersions on Mr Shearer’s record of good works, but you do realise that Wikipedia is hugely open to manipulation, and cannot be regarded as anything like a reliable source? When the shit storm around me was in full flight about 50% of my page was inaccurate…after a while we just stopped bothering correcting the bullshit….Just as interested parties can write scurrilous and untrue stuff about public figures on there, they can just as easily “talk them up”….
I believe the current expression is “just sayin’…”
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Oh dear Viking2 what a nasty piece of work, sad sack you are.
i should enlighten myself. Kind of like you have, eh ?
Try and be nice. “Dumb ass, stupid, without merit.” Surely you have more about you
than just infantile name calling. Then again, probably not.
David Garrett has put his finger on it, “He’s NOT Cunliffe??” thats it.
He is… an ex school teacher who has worked in aid camps in Somalia. End of story.
Viking2, you can tell us how, in your mind, that makes him a contender for leader of Labour and
possible prime minister of New Zealand.
Have a go mate, be keen to hear your reasons.
Bet you can’t.
Also, what did happen to the money at the Officers’ Mess ?
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 5:54 pm
Liberty: point well made….but a couple of practical problems…you cant have a party without a leader, and to leave Phil there “because we have no-one we think is any better “(however they would spin that) would be an even bigger disaster surely?
Wasn’t there some convoluted theory that Hulun’s supporters had some master plan under which Goff would be left to make a pig’s ear of this election and then the She Devil would come riding over the horizon to rescue them?
Stranger things have happened: almost 7% of voters ignored the fact that Peter’s has been decreed by his peers on the Privileges Committee to be a liar; that there’s a large sum of public money still unnaccounted for and returned him and seven others to the House….
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 6:05 pm
Viking2
Vote:His credentials are not being questioned.
It’s that leadership X factor that counts.
Hoyloake,kirk,lange,Muldoon,Key had it
Marshall,Rowling, Bolger, Shipley,English,Brash, Clark, Goff didn’t
December 4th, 2011 at 6:07 pm
All those who have endorsed him, including John Tamihere & Jon Johansson in the Q+A panel this morning (after witnessing his poor performance compared to the clearly more experienced Cunliffe), must believe that he can be groomed for leadership and fronting with the media. Like a lump of clay at the potters wheel. Well, can he?
Goff definitely improved as a vocal opponent to Key over the course of his term as leader. I just didn’t like his message, and neither did the majority of the rest of Nu Zillund. But can an inexperienced MP and a mumbler, be a good leader and articulate a vision? I’m just concerned by the obvious – Shearer has such a LOOOONG way to go before being a contender for Leader of the Opposition and Prime Minister.
Right now Winston would kick his ass in a debate, let alone Banks and Key. Cunliffe is the clear choice from that standpoint, I’m sad to say.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 6:16 pm
The real VRWC conspiracy revealed:
A ha – but then again the VRWC might be playing a double bluff – secretly wanting Cunliffe to win so they promote Shearer in order to get Labour to do the opposite.
Or they could playing a triple bluff as the VRWC think that Labour will see through a double bluff and so want to secretly see Shearer in but think the best way to do this is to promote Shearer thus making Labourites vote for Shearer as they think that secretly that the VRWC want Cunliffe to be leader.
Or……..they could be playing a deeper, more cunning plan where the VRWC promote both candidates (Farrar -Shearer & Whale-Cunliffe) thus confusing the average Labourite as to the VRWC’s sneaky plans and promoting suspicion and mistrust towards both candidates and thus allowing an unnamed third party to become leader (Mallard springs to mind)
So if I was a real labour conspiracy nut I would see a deliberate campaign by Mallard and the Whale to help Mallard to be the next leader – this was planned deap under cover under the pre text of organising a bike race earlier this year – then Mallard worked himself into the position of campaign manager for Labour and deliberately sabotaged it so a leadership challenge would arise.
The ongoing sledging between the Whale & Mallard is further evidence of this collaboration as a public disguise for their cunning plans.
So the only real answer for Labour’s leadership question:
1 Kick Mallard out of Labour all together.
2 Throw a real curve ball and go with no Leader for the next 3 years.
Think – there will be no rumours about leadership coups’, no chance of losing leadership debates (no leaders = no debates), no questions about no leaders mugshots on bill boards.
If the media question the merits of this the correct answer would be: We are all leaders, everyone in Labour is a leader, we will share a joint Prime Minstership when we get elected, and we will all share a joint leader’s office payments – in fact when we become the government, we will all get our own PM’s salary and BMW. I mean who loses out of this plan? Take that you scummy sceaming VRWC’s – you’re going down!
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 6:18 pm
Almost as much fun as the election this.
Cunliffe comes across much more polished than Shearer who does seem to bumble a bit but maybe that’s the point as Cunliffe can come across as a bit smug and Shearer more like Mr Normal.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 6:51 pm
David Garrett 2:46 That brings back memories David. At the time, I was visiting an elderly relative in hospital. The other visitors were talking about it. I broadly agreed with Tizard. Their opinion was the opposite.
cheers
David Prosser
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 6:56 pm
Cunners confident performance on Q & A got replayed on TV1 news tonight especially the part where Shearer could not name their climate change spokesperson, though Cunliffe did. I suspect Brian Edwards will be brought in to lift Shearer’s skills asap.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 7:27 pm
Pray tell … just what are all these oblique references to the ‘Officers Mess’ meant to imply. Neither David nor David, to the best of my knowledge, ever held the Queen’s Commission. What gives?
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 7:43 pm
Ross Miller, me too.
Also, where is Viking2 ? Shearers cheer leader.
Then again, 2nd thoughts about Viking2
Don’t bother.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 7:52 pm
Maybe it’s just David having a gutsfull of inuendo and puke sent his way so he sends a bit back.
Vote:Thats understandable.
But really.
What did happen to the money ?
December 4th, 2011 at 9:50 pm
@tvb – Shearer needs more than a session or six with Brian ‘n’ Judy could impart.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 9:59 pm
Shearer did an appalling job on Q&A this morning – he was fumbling over his words and could hardly get a coherent sentence out. Cunliffe did cart wheels around him. He didn’t seem to have any key messages – it was a disaster. Sure, I don’t necessarily want the PM to be arrogant – but I do want to have a sense that they know what they’re talking about and have a degree of confidence in them – Shearer didn’t know what he was talking about, he turned up unprepared and faced an opponent with more experience than him and paid the price – by coming off looking very green. It’s only people that don’t know what they’re talking about that support Shearer. Cunliffe is up for the job and is, frankly, the only person up for the job in the Labour caucus at this time. It’s time to let bygones be bygones and for the naysayers in the Labour caucus to move on and think of what is best for the party. There is no doubt that Cunliffe looked like a leader in waiting – he’s confident, authoritative and can match it on the world stage. Shearer is not ready yet and I think this morning proved it.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 10:20 pm
…who do you reckon Labour’s old guard will put forward once they realize that Shearer can’t deliver?
Vote:There’s no way they will support Cunliffe now. Cunliffe’s appeal to Labour’s new blood is interesting also. The new blood numbers are simply not there. What a mess!
December 4th, 2011 at 10:38 pm
Are we now so stupid in this country (see America) that politicians, who speak fluent empty words, wave and smile are preferred over good deep thinkers coming up with most needed visionary ideas ?
Most people don’t know about David Shearer, but make all sorts of negative assumption. In contrary to Key, obviously he was a valuable contributor to the world community, a front person, even risking his life.
Vote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Shearer
So – why not leave it there and judge him and comment later on his political performance during his carrier as a parliamentarian ?
December 4th, 2011 at 10:41 pm
Yes Shearer gave me the impression that the emperors new clothes could certainly describe him in Q+A.In fact he was mutton dressed as lamb except he was raw and green ,didnt know which way was up.He was putty in Cunliffes gaze and answers ,made Cunliffe sound and look better than he is.In fact i thought and always perceived Cunliffe is a big mouth blouse.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 10:57 pm
Most of New Zealand’s politicians are “Sheep in Wolves clothing” — most of the world’s.
Vote:They are bureaucrats posing as leaders, which is why they fumble around so clumsily trying to remember the party line in procedure book 37A25 until they can patter it all out and hold their faces still like Cunliffe now can.
He can have his mouth crammed full of bullshit and keep his smirk right where he wants it.
Throughout the world people have been given Pavlovian aversion therapy against charismatic leaders which has been reinforced by bankster-owned media who either pick apart and twist things to sideline those who aren’t following procedure, or else ignore them altogether.
The answer could be to increase regional self-determination and get politics framed in terms of what is going on where people live, but this system of making democracy appear too boring to bother with is dug in pretty deep.
Crowds briefly cheer as autocrats replace the bumbling elected officials.
They’ve screwed the third world, they’ve screwed the developing world and now they’re screwing us and we’re not going to enjoy it.
Climate change spokesman . . . why did that matter a shit?
Because it is the pinacle of the party line . . . the eye on top you might say.
I passed the anger phase and joined George Carlin as an observer a while ago now.
December 4th, 2011 at 11:01 pm
kunst5, agreed David Shearer may have done some wonderful things, but that doesn’t mean he would make a great leader, someone with the leadership x factor. Labour desperately need a circuit breaker. Maybe there isn’t anyone actually in their current small team. They then need to look outside, then have one of their current old guard from a safe red seat, fall on their sword to allow them to be elected.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 11:41 pm
tintintom – not only Labour need desperately a circuit breaker – the nation does. As far as the x factor concern – e.g. – looking into current developments on many fronts – the world will never recover again, simply because among the powerful in societies ethic and moral requirements and standards don’t prevail. It seems to me Shearer has certain qualities/ qualifications willing to reverse the trend.
Vote:December 4th, 2011 at 11:48 pm
Does “Silent T” ever open his eyes, or does he sneer at us through his eye-lids? Just wonderring.
Vote:December 5th, 2011 at 3:03 am
Whatever happened to Phil Twyford anyway? Wasn’t centre-Left blogger David Farrar just going on about what a great leader he’d make (along with the unmerited praise he gives to other Labour MPs such as Robertson, Arden, etc) only a year ago?
Vote:December 5th, 2011 at 7:15 am
I see the Union activists have been mobilised, Dick.
Vote:December 5th, 2011 at 7:16 am
I see the Union activists have been mobilised, Dick…
Vote:December 5th, 2011 at 8:31 am
Cunliffe’s policy on the hoof statement that he would look at buying back the shares of the companies national is about to list says a bit to me. To be fair I did not hear or see the context of the question put to him but it was a political slip that he could not afford to make at this point in a leadership selection process. I expect Cunliffe is not the most measured politician when the blow torch is applied.
As an impartial observer Shearer seems to be a bigger threat than Cunliffe. I suspect that the National leadership team would prefer Cunliffe leading labour.
It is interesting however that there a number of posters on here who are probably too young to recall the 2002 election where National were completely routed under the leadership of Bill English. It made labour’s performance in this election look strong. Out of that came a rebuilding of the party support, first under brash then Key. Politics is a fickle thing and I would not be so cocky as to suggest labour cannot win back there support and come back at National even in the next election.
Whoever wins this leadership battle has a huge job to do both at Caucus and party level. National on the other hand have a few things to think about as well. At 48% is a hard road to improve, ACT is probably gone permanently, the Maori Party has to navigate its way through a major leadership change, Dunne cannot defy gravity forever. So National needs to develop some friends and it has a short time to do that.
Vote:December 5th, 2011 at 11:13 am
Actually you are all wrong. H1 is soon to return from N.Y. with freshley sharpened fangs, in the meantime the leadership sideshow is a clever distraction to disguise this inevitability. If Winnie can return from the dead then H1 can.
Vote: