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Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Phil Goff – Prime Minister?


Goff switches on the clobbering machine
Would-be Labour leader Phil Goff has fuelled unwelcome speculation about his party's leadership and the possibility of losing the election by making untimely public comments during one of the most critical weeks of the Government's term. Mr Goff, with 25 years as an MP, is usually a highly disciplined member of a caucus that is the most disciplined in 15 years. Yet in his Alt TV interview last night, he canvassed the prospect of defeat - "sure, there's a prospect we might lose the election" - and contemplated the possibility of replacing Helen Clark, "if I felt that I was the best person in that position and that Helen had stood aside voluntarily." Asked if he wanted to be Labour leader after Helen Clark he said "it's not an overwhelming ambition". There is no suggestion that Helen Clark's leadership will be under threat before the election and Mr Goff said he was "100 per cent" behind her. But the controversy over his comment, made before tomorrow's tax-cutting Budget, is bad news for Labour, which is accusing the media of "a beat up". Mr Goff did little yesterday to make amends for his public admission that he wants Helen Clark's job if Labour loses the election. "There is no question about leadership at the moment," he said yesterday when questioned about his pre-recorded television interview. A seasoned politician who wanted to end discussion about leadership would usually give such an answer unconditionally, without qualifications such as "at the moment".

When I talk to a lot of people about politics, there are few who don’t get angry with Helen Clark – for many reasons she has become a personal target, she is seen in very unflattering terms and as the economy has taken a hit people have turned their anger on her. If Labour want to win the next election in an electorate that is yearning change, then you better present with some change – and what change could be better than at the top? I’m sure that the mainstream media right now are polling to see if Phil Goff has any support – what if he suddenly makes a 20 point bounce in the Preferred Prime Minister poll? By removing Helen, a lot of the anger with Labour may dissipate – one could hope for the intelligence of NZers in an election year to realize that National don’t have any policy – OR one could remove the inflammation to the Party and woo back recent supporters of National who are more disgruntled than believers in the National Party manifesto.

So why bother with all of this? Because as desperate a gamble that it is, the risk of National gaining power is much more extreme – we don’t know what their policies are, look at how Bill English just wouldn’t answer any question on Agenda in the weekend, after reading the Hollow Men we know they were focused on implementing a secret right wing agenda of privitisation and their desire to push for change of MMP to a democratic system that favours the elites of society are not the actions of a moderate party, but are the actions of a wolf in sheeps clothing – look at the intelligence Goff used in answering questions on a whole range of issues during the interview with Oliver on Alt Tv last night – he certainly sounded like a Prime Minister.

21 Comments:

At 21/5/08 8:19 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

THE ONLY THING I HEARD ON AGENDA WAS BILL ENGLISH CALL THE RAILWAYS "A DOG".

 
At 21/5/08 9:21 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm supporting Helen Clark because I'm taking a stand against women hating politicians and journalists.

 
At 21/5/08 10:09 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's the principal of it all. I'm really disgusted and angry at Ian Wishart and others like him. I think people want to get rid of Helen Clark because she's a woman so she has my support. I know lots of young women who think Helen is OK and they don't like the blatant women hating that's going on at the moment. I showed some young women Ian's site the other day and they were really angry.

I get the impression that anything that goes wrong in the world will always be traced back to the Evil Daughters of Eve as portrayed by Ian Wishart.

 
At 21/5/08 10:19 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

helengrad, you ought to either calm down or stop getting on the piss so early in the morning (maybe it's the weed you smoke).

Less rant and more work, dear proletarian sister.

 
At 21/5/08 10:36 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

You've got a serious chip on your shoulder. Get over it and move on! You're not helping women by bleating on about how hard done by we are. Do something to prove you're better than the men you know, who sound like a very, very sad bunch indeed so it shouldn't be too hard.

Voting for Helen because she's a woman is not only sexist but very stupid.

NS

 
At 21/5/08 10:44 am, Blogger Bomber said...

...
Helengrad has a point - Helen Clark has been very roughly treated and has carried a lot of crap that she wouldn't have as a male - that said she doesn't help herself at times. The Zaoui fiasco was disgusting and she should have known better than to play to the anti-Islam sentiment being whipped up by the usual suspects. After the Maaaaaaari get too much speech she has over compensated and played to the lesser pasrt of our nature to keep the good ship NZ balanced.

Her decision to confiscate Maori land under the foreshore and seabed legislation was a step so far to the right, it birthed a new political force within Maoridom that is now on its way to take all 7 Maori seats - the injustice and outright racism to pass law that a unanimous Apeal Court panel had just declared had a case to hear was naked power in it's most shamefully blatent.

The passing of the TSA was a lowpoint for the entire Parliament, but it was on her watch.

And the decision to never put benefits back to where they were slashed under Ruth Richardson left those on the bottom to actually go backwards - if that was possible.

Now I'm not saying Labour under Helen hasn't done some amazing things - keeping us out of Iraq was a moment of true determination and test of her as a person one would imagine, America doesn't take no lightly. And her running of the economy has seen the lowest unemployment rates, the working poor and the middles classes benefitted - but at crucial times she has leaned to the right with a readiness that never sat well with me.

Publicly she has unfairly attracted a loathing from groups fairly shrill in their thinking - civil unions, anti-smacking and prostitution law reform added a ferver against her that is unhealthy in a Democracy, she has had to bear a level of personal character assasination that muddies the assassin as much as the target.

All that said - the idea of National winning with no policy so that they can claim any radical agenda as a mandate forces me to suggest that all the alternatives are put on the table - if Helen stepped down to allow Phil to become leader - would a change at the top scratch the yearning for change from an electorate already personally hostile towards Helen as opposed to Labour?

I don't know - but I think it should be discussed - if elected, National intend to hold a referendum on MMP back to a system less democratic, more repressive of public opinion and favours the elite - that's not the actions of a moderate party.

 
At 21/5/08 12:01 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

But could they switch them last minute? The campaigns are about to get into full swing.

The day Key wins the election will be a sad day for New Zealand - it will also be the day that I take myself and my degree out of the country. I will not stand by and see health and education privatised, mass firings in the public sector and beneficiary numbers needlessly cut (because whether you like it or not the majority on the benefit have perfectly legitimate reasons to be on it). Am I naive to suggest the latter two will send crime rates sky rocketing?

I do not want my children to grow up in a hard right society where me is valued over we and the poor are exploited for John Key's personal gains.

 
At 21/5/08 12:29 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Helengrad, Bo ber and illuminatedtiger - the future for the left.

Bahahahahahahahahaha

Shit, you guys are going to be out of power for 2 decades at least if anyone actually listens to what you're saying.


Helengrad's fantasies about 'womanhaters' are laughable and of course there's no evidence to back up her claims. Oh and we can add sexism to the list of 'ism's' which Helengrad believes makes up 'decent' people like her.

Bo ber meanwhile sees Right wing conspiracies under every bed. Must be the truth cause Nicky says so.

Flakey, flakey, flakey.

And little Tiger, the baby of this wild bunch, doesn't want to live in NZ so he's going to run away overseas to Utopia, which as far as I can make out is somewhere to the east of Sibera.

Tiger my boy, when you grow up and actually have children you may realise that 'personal responsibility' is one of the key values you want to instill in them , for them to live a happy and successful life.

But anyway, you three just carry on. You all are doing a fantastic job of sending more people into Nationals arms this election.

Keep up the good work.

xxx

Legio X

 
At 21/5/08 12:33 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Unfortunately Phil Goff, as personable as he may be, is even more unelectable that Helen Clark. In my experience people see him as an bumbling careerist politician (like Cullen), he needs some good PR - maybe his Alt TV interview was the start.

National are going to win the next election on a platform of low tax and being tough on crime. Also there is a general consensus that "its time for a change". Anyone sensible knows that National are going to get elected and stuff up the country even more than it currently is for the average man or woman on the street. Only the fatcats will be better off under National.

I don't think National will win by as much as the polls are suggesting though.

I wonder what Tims thoughts on this article are?

- TSA

 
At 21/5/08 12:34 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The day Key wins the election will be a sad day for New Zealand -

Amen

 
At 21/5/08 12:40 pm, Blogger Nepenthe said...

Personal responsibility what about Corporate responsibility?

 
At 21/5/08 1:05 pm, Blogger JonL said...

With Helen at the helm - Labour are gone! Sad but true. Woman or not, she has displayed an arrogance towards the populace, worthy of any rabid right winger, regardless of her laudable stand on Iraq and some other initiatives.Of course the anti women protagonists are milking it for all it's worth - I'm amazed by the amount of rabid, non thinking loathing, there is for her amongst mates who I would consider reasonable and rational thinkers.The worry is, that that hate has blinded the general populace to the fact that National has nothing to offer except vague, insubstantial appeals to their baser wants, which will hide another great leap backwards for most sectors of the population. In a way, I'm glad I currently live in Australia, because what National will do to the country won't be pretty! - and - like last time - I'm voting Maori Party!

 
At 21/5/08 2:36 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

jon said: "I'm glad I currently live in Australia"

Very convenient to chastise Helen, praise Labour and blame National from your comfortable spot in Australia.

Would you be saying the same had you been overtaxed by this scoauilist government over the past few years? Of course, not.

You're another Chardonnay socialist.

 
At 21/5/08 3:18 pm, Blogger Barnsley Bill said...

A desire to see the back of Clarkula has certainly made strange bedfellows.
I have found myself praising Bomber on the blogoshere over the last couple of days. I fear 2 hours in the shower scrubbing my soul may not rid me of the stench. Who was it who said "my enemies enemy is my friend".

 
At 21/5/08 3:38 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

There is not a dog's chance in a Vegas Casino that Labour will win next elections.
Helen Clarke will be remembered as the PM who reduced NZ to Slovenia status. Our worst ever PM.
Bomber you have a political mind set and I hope you can get out of it because your other credentials give you high awards, like the esteemed MQ, see my site dudes ..

http://peterquixote.blogspot.com/

May God have mercy on Helengrand, but I would send her to perpetual rowing slavery on Spanish War ship against the Turks.

With any luck we will have NZ NAT Govt for a decade or longer,
NZ GOVT 2008 NAT prosperity and hope,
retire now Phil Goff ..
peterquixote

 
At 21/5/08 3:40 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

A very good performance from Goff last nite, Driver was a bit too " patsy" for my liking, but Goff has what it takes to become next leader of the Labour party.

Still think he will be waiting a LONG time before he gets the PM title. labour are about to implode like they did under Mike Moore.

 
At 21/5/08 4:15 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Helengrad, Bo ber and illuminatedtiger - the future for the left."

Lego lover - I'd go with them anyday if patronising wankers like you are the future of the right.

RJ

 
At 21/5/08 7:55 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why is that RJ?

Is personal responsibility a concept you have difficulty understanding?

I'll explain it to you if you like?

 
At 22/5/08 6:30 am, Blogger Bomber said...

...
Anon - Legi is a troll, we try and not feed the trolls

 
At 22/5/08 6:59 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bo ber always comes up with something like


'Anon - Legi is a troll, we try and not feed the trolls'

when I'm right (which is most of the time).

Any word on Exxon/Mobil s donations to Greenpeace yet Bo ber?

Nepenthe - You want me to instill 'Corporate responsibility' in my children?

How very right wing of you.

 
At 22/5/08 8:00 pm, Blogger Nepenthe said...

Nepenthe - You want me to instill 'Corporate responsibility' in my children?

You know what I meant. National won't touch the rights of companies to put profit over their social responsibilities. Why? Because national won't bite the hand that feeds it.

when I'm right (which is most of the time).

Like here
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=12465152&postID=8459324877338587331&isPopup=true

 

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