q+a and The Nation review

The Nation

It's a Key special. His polls must be terrifying National to allow him on The Nation, usually he sticks to the Edge's Morning Madhouse. Alex from interest.co.nz and that lovely John Hartevelt are on to quiz Key.

It looks like a couple of school boys trying to question their lecturer. Key turns on the performance of his life and it should interest opposition strategists. To each question Key becomes the technocrat, it's no smile and wave waffle any longer, it's jargon heavy facts and figures that don't answer any question but gives the sense of authority. It's a fascinating watch and very clever.

Key's answers simply don't stack up to the reality he has brought about...

...and he looks most nervous on the connection center for pokies investigation, he slaps John down with faint praise but Hartevelt bounces right back at him saying 'flattery is fine, but it's a serious question'.

Key just doesn't understand the political values he is inadvertently showing NZ by continuing to back and support the convention center for pokies deal.

Our Optimist Prime plays the vacant aspiration game better than anyone else in the political spectrum and hoping fresh faced Alex and Hartevelt could put the acid on him was always an uphill task.

I love how Key never wastes a moment to attack the opposition. He's got the knock out power in his performances. He points out that National are the only incumbent political party that is still doing well in the Polls, he's lucky we are so dependent on deeply flawed landline political polls that are deeply biased in his favor.

Brilliant piece on Asian-NZers becoming the cultural bridge between NZ and China. As NZ tries to juggle the demands between the US and China as the Pacific becomes the new friction point in their cold war, we must look to ideas like advancing Asian-NZers to the front of that debate. Their insights will be vital in the new economy.

Congrats to the Nation - great interview with Key and it is good to see they are taking the issues around China seriously with unique stories that no else is covering.

q+a

I'm boycotting TVNZ this month in the countdown to the killing off of TVNZ7, so won't watch q+a, but I will review it based on what I think they will say and questions asked.

Tony Ryall is on to defend asset sales because his Tie and Shirt combination can dazzle millions.

Winston Peters live from his party's annual conference will be seeing off Key's challenge to him not to go into coalition with Labour. Winston will also bag the media.

The panel is Raymond Miller and Citizen A regulars Matthew Hooton and Matt McCarten. Raymond will be non-committal, Hooton will defend the entire sell off of every asset NZ has and claim it is beneficial for Maori while Matt will point out the structural flaws in such a position.

Did I leave anything out?

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