Yes but... a "real" leader wouldn't see that as an obstacle.

Indeed. Doesn't the US have a Prime Minister?

But you are aware that Bill Clinton couldn't run in 2000 because of term limits;

Yes but... a "real" leader wouldn't see that as an obstacle.
;-)

If a candidate was English, that wouldn't affect my vote – although if they went under the name of The Honourable Montague Smyth-Smithson-Smithe, Hereditary Margrave of Little Funtingdon that would probably count against.

Ah, you see – personally, if I had a chance to vote for the heriditary [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_Haden-Guest|Baron Haden-Guest…

It's almost a form of racism to insist that we must have an MP that "represents" an ethnic group

Wouldn't go that far, Rich, but it certainly seems to speak to a certain laziness in the media-political complex. :)

However, I'd question why Taito Philip…

Clinton would, more than likely, still be president. Think about it.

No GW Bush, No Afghan or Iraq wars, maybe no bank crash. Not a bad idea.

But you are aware that Bill Clinton couldn't run in 2000 because of term limits; he was *acquitted* by the Senate?

and be sent to Coventry (or whatever the Aotearoian equivelent is, Timaru?)

Shades of an old Fifties radio skit I heard once about a British couple moving into a new house – naturally the place needed a suitable name, but nothing seemed to fit. In desperation the lady of the…

and be sent to Coventry (or whatever the Aotearoian equivelent is, Timaru?)

I'm hoping that in Field's case, "the Aotearoian eqivalent" will be the full stretch of jail time — seven years, I believe.

And yet I'm sure Ingram found some consolation in the $479K he charged.

Scotty: I've got a sneaking suspicion Ingram could have racked in a damn sight more in nine months of billable hours as a QC specializing in commercial law — and without the gallons of virtual froth spat…

|There was no transparency in the decision to dump Field either.

At least when Field was shifted quietly out the back door we had a basic understanding of the reason why, even if it was not absolutely transparent. With Worth we've heard lots of rumours, but still have no clear…

We all now know that some normalised Pacific Island practices are – rightly – judged as corrupt in this country.

I wonder if it actually might not have been so bad for Field without all the obstruction of justice stuff. You could argue custom on the "help" and subsequent recompense,…

Personally, I suspect the poor bastard isn't going to be taking any more calls from the Beehive. :)

And yet I'm sure Ingram found some consolation in the $479K he charged.

I'm not sure that's limited to any particular end of the political spectrum either:

No it isn't — and while I'm not holding my breath waiting, Noel Ingram is owed apologies after being accused of — depending on which direction the froth was coming from — drawing things out to…

And, personally, what really pissed me off was the people who ran a frankly disgraceful play of the racist card (you bigots just don't understand the "Pacific way" of doing things).

I'm not sure that's limited to any particular end of the political spectrum either:

However there has also been…

The likes of DPF are now feigning righteous indignation

At the moment, I think DPF is rather pissed off about being accused by The Standard of fabricating a quote — and I don't blame him, but that's by the bye.

And, personally, what really pissed me off was the people…

There was no transparency in the decision to dump Field either.

At least when Field was shifted quietly out the back door we had a basic understanding of the reason why, even if it was not absolutely transparent. With Worth we've heard lots of rumours, but still have no clear…

Meanwhile any person who thought Labour was for the small man can...

The likes of DPF are now feigning righteous indignation, which doesn't surprise but isn't justified. At least there was an enquiry over Field's behaviour. How about Richard Worth's? I'm not suggesting Worth's done anything criminal. But there was no transparency in the decision to dump Worth.

There was no transparency…

I don't think Labour's guilty of anything other than political expediency in not dumping Field immediately. They no doubt hoped there was nothing to the allegations…

This morning's Herald article on the Field family's reaction made me cringe

Depressing but not surprising, don't you think? Still, one might think if Labour was running a vast white conspiracy to do the man in, Noel Ingram wouldn't have been hobbled from the start (and found what was supposed…

"We were good to them, we let them stay and look what they have done," she said.

Yes, look at all the tiling work they have done. Isn't it fabulous?

Dr Cullen especially should be feeling very very sorry about the comments he made after the Ingram report came out.

He has been found guilty of eleven corruption charges and not guilty of one other corruption charge.

The former MP was also convicted of 26…