In defence of Christine Rankin
Rankin slams 'vicious' marriage critics
Christine Rankin last night vowed to stay on as a Families Commissioner, despite her suitability being increasingly questioned after it was revealed she married her fourth husband soon after his previous wife committed suicide. Ms Rankin went on television to deny having an affair with Kim MacIntyre before Wellington real estate agent Margo McAuley died in October last year. She described Ms McAuley as a friend, and said her marriage to Mr MacIntyre at the start of this year "may seem unusual to outside eyes". "Many think there was an affair. There was not," she told TVNZ's Sunday programme. She criticised the "left" and the "gutter press" and said she would continue with the Families Commission role because she had "a great deal of knowledge, compassion and understanding".
I’m no fan of Christine Rankin, but sweet Jesus I think the latest media mauling of her is just out of line, and as much as it pains me, someone should put their hand up and say ‘enough’. Look, I find it ironic that a triple divorcee is on the Family Commission, it appeals to the black humour side of me and gives me a giggle, but the latest allegations about her marriage and holding those allegations up as the reason Christine shouldn’t be on the Family Commission border on the spiteful and I think don’t serve any purpose beyond character assassination. Don’t get me wrong, there is no way I think Christine should be on the Family Commission and think National are either intending to use her as a way of creating social policy they know they can’t get through the Ministry of Social Development (we’ll know if there is any truth to that by checking any budget increase for the FC in next months budget) or it’s an example of a gross arrogance and poor political management on National’s part. Either way Christine shouldn’t be on the Family Commission because last time she was running a Government Department she oversaw a bizarre culture of self help motivational extravagance that was totally out of line with running a department for the poorest NZers, she went onto front a conservative values family rights group that used the word ‘Family’ to alienate rather than include that supported smacking kids in direct contradiction to the position the Family Commission took AND she blurted out that violence was a Maori problem when it is a society problem – THOSE are the reasons she is unsuitable for the Family Commission – dragging her personal life into it however is deplorable. What she did do or didn’t do in her marriage SHOULDN’T have any bearing on her ability to do a job, her previous record and what she has publicly gone on to argue SHOULD have a bearing on her ability to do the job.
Mauling her for her private life with this faux moral outrage is just bullshit and more demeaning for those using the tactic than it is to her. There are legitimate reasons to question Christine’s appointment to the Family Commission, the private details of her marriage, sure as hell aren't one of them.
posted by Bomber @ 8:48 am
23 comments
23 Comments:
Well said Bomber.
Agreed, but always nice to see how well someone who deals in other peoples personal lives without a second (or first) thought, deals with it when it is dished out to them.
As 60minutes opened with the rally and Christine talking of Aunty Helen as Childless.
To deal in the dirt. Christine says there was no affair but that her now husband left his then wife for her. I would be interested in what constitutes an affair. This is very Clintonesque. I did not have sexual relations with ...
really well said.
Rankin has worked for an organisation that mouths on about family values and was in the forefront of the fundy attack on Section 59 repeal. I have no sympathy for her. Self serving, self-centred, selfish, self promoting, incompetent and a hypocrite.
Chritine Rankin is now discovering old testament biblical justice can cut both ways.
It may be that the Rankin thing is a media smokescreen for the simultaneous passage of the Auckland dictatorshiip law.
Looking at the way the Herald treated the two stories today, it's hard not to think there may be some truth in that. The Auckland law passage was an NZPA story at the bottom of page 3. The herlad seems determined to not let the Opposition have any "air" on an important issue for well over a million people.
But Irrelevant Rankin? No end of air.
This says diversion to me.
That women is a waste of space!
Her private life is very important considering the role at FC. Marriage wrecker and her actions contributed to someones suicide!
eg someone who has a drinking problem shouldnt be working in a bottle store!
With all the crap thrown at Helen Clark over the past 20 years i think its a bit rich to say "poor christine"
Set the dogs on her!
Well said.
However, i find myself having no sympathy for her.
No person who fought against the real of section 59 should be in a position to be influencing policy on Familes or violence against children. Full stop.
No person who fought against the real of section 59 should be in a position to be influencing policy on Familes or violence against children. Full stop.That's exactly right BBB - 85%+ of NZers SHOULD NOT have there veiws represented on the Families Commission.
I'm not sure whay we should care either way, had anyone figured out what the FC actually does?
BETTA WATCHIN HER STATEMENT THAN MIKE KING AND THE PIGS!
try tvnz.co.nz if mike king put yer off watchin sunday, ya don't hav ta watch his bit, rankin's separate, and turn it off afta her statement as that macintyre bitch said, "it means nothin"...
Great instead of recognising it as a issue which affects Maori NZ prefers to simply put its head in the sand.
Unfortunately it's Maori children who are going to pay the price for this politically correct delusion as they're beaten, tortured and starved to death.
Nice.
"Don’t get me wrong, there is no way I think Christine should be on the Family Commission"
There shouldn't even BE a families commission. What has it ever achieved other than to cost money? The Families Commission was a sop to Dunne by the last government in exchange for his support. The fact that Dunne couldn't come up with anything more sensible to bargain with speaks volumes for his incompetence and stupidity. The Families Commission should be disbanded forthwith.
Bill.
http://www.picamatic.com/show/2009/05/18/10/29/3675922_164x182.jpg
Is this the type of image we should be portraying though as a commissioner?
Does Dunne actually have any political beliefs?
You gotta respect Winston though, at least he delivered to his constituents and 'special interests' in the form of the gold card and xenophobia to elderly geriatrics and racing subsidies to the millionaire Vela family. Can anyone point to quantitive improvement that Dunne has accomplished.
I agree the moral outrage bullshit Bomber. But don't feel to hard done by having to support her on principle: she has none, so why should you!. I read with sadness, and with some cynicism the latest proclamation by Rankin - the media mules pressing her on moral grounds on how unPC it is to skive off with some bloke whose wife recently topped herself.
With the benefit of children schooled alongside those who's father is her latest victim, do not feel any guilt Bomber about any feelings of duality.
The woman is about as unPC as you could possibly get and she and her latest should cut their losses while they can, well before the media circus gets them.
As much as Crussy wants to portrey herself as vuctum, not only can she afford to, but she ain't! Nor is the newly captured.
Stuff her and everything she stands for. It's all a bit like that revisionist history that tries to tell us how wonderful Piggy Muldoon was. Well he wasn't: he was a cunt - pure and simple.
Rankin is a cunt! pure and simple
What I find completely sickening is the hypocrisy of Rankin's supporters who proclaim Rankin's life is private and irrelevant but are the same people who spent most of the last 9 years accusing Clark of being a childless lesbian in a sham marriage. And worse. Chief among them this afternoon was John Tamihere on Radio Live, a person who has never disagreed with the most outrageous comments about Clark from his callers. Bomber I think your defence is misguided. She doesn't have any moral ground to stand on.
Can't help myself
The Families Decommissioner just strode into town - Lock Up Your Unhappy Husbands!
One thing she does have is a compassionate ear for unhappy husbands.
wtf?
A counsellor that says I'm the answer to your unhappyhusbandproblems?
No no no this will not do.
The woman is a cultless leader and now we watch as we pay her to do the whole shenargle again.
I made that up Shenargle.
what Tim said !!!!
Best reply i've read in YEARS !!!!
I don't think the tired old slapper is worth discussing. Anyone who uses PC in that way that means "anything you say that I don't like", isn't worth considering anyway.
They don't know the true meaning of the term which was always ironic when used by the people who first coined it. Those who use it nowadays are inevitably conservative and have twisted into a spiteful cliche designed to allow them to practise their prejudices.
The only thing that interests me about her 'marriages' is that she can find blokes silly enough to get involved with a thing like her. Tho now I think about it there always were those thick as pigshit types around.
As for the campaign from the left against her, apart from the fact that 'the left' appears to be in no condition to run a chook raffle, let alone a co-ordinated campaign against someone who is about as important to humankind as the pimples on Bill Ralston's ass, it hasn't even been 'the left' whoever whatever that is, that has been tipping the slops on the dust motes that remain of Rankin's reputation.
It seems to have come from the dregs of wellington's real estate industry. They, having lost their awful, at one time seemingly permanent fixed smiles, and the little signs that pointed out how many less muscles it took to smile rather than frown, and all the other accoutrements of shallow opportunistic salespeople, are now blaming Rankin for their depressed demeanour. That rather than the boom bang bust cycle of a speculative economy which would require the sort of critical thinking ability that real estate persons tend to lack.
The media lapped it all up because a/ some peeps like that stuff with their Sunday brunch so it sells fishwraps, and b/ if it all turns to shit, their columnists and senior journos can fix it Monday by writing leaders blaming 'the left' - that term again, for being un-ethical, for using ad hominem attacks on political rivals rather than debating the issues.
Even better if the whole deal can really be dragged out, then it can be turned into a debate about the non-existent anti-smacking bill thereby cranking up the public.
Now that would move fishwraps for lotsa Sundays.
Such spite and hate directed at one person is a sorry sight. Leave that to the right, come on guys we are better than this!
Im'm with Tim. We have a chance to drive Rankin back to the shit hole from whence she same. People like her represent the hatefulness of this country. No mercy.
Anyone who uses PC in that way that means "anything you say that I don't like", isn't worth considering anyway...for using ad hominem attacks on political rivals rather than debating the issues.
WE ALL HAVE FEELINGS FUCK-FACE.
As 60minutes opened with the rally and Christine talking of Aunty Helen as Childless.
AND WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE NOW.DONE A RUNNA AND LEFT DIDDUMS BEHIND?
Ouch! Nice lot on this page. I'm off.
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