that there was an almighty cockup when it came to disclosure of costings for their policies

I'm still puzzled as to how the revelation that his party's budgetary proposals had billions of dollars worth of holes in them wasn't a dealbreaker all round. SRSLY?

Craig Y

...off to print "the bourgeoise and their stupid dogs"
on a T-shirt.

Borzois or Oi Boyz?

The bleeding neck stump, jesus ya gotta stop watching I Claudius.

I should, but the sight of Patrick Stewart with a full head of hair keeps drawing me in...

How soon we forget when the conventional wisdom was that Gillard would rip off Abbott's head and fuck the bleeding neck-stump with the honeymoon period strap-on.

The bleeding neck stump, jesus ya gotta stop watching I Claudius.

Yes, but come on, CR...Tony Abbott is probably a goner after this

Wishful thinking, namesake o' mine. How soon we forget when the conventional wisdom was that Gillard would rip off Abbott's head and fuck the bleeding neck-stump with the honeymoon period strap-on. We all know what happened — and…

Yes, but come on, CR...Tony Abbott is probably a goner after this, and will be replaced by someone more palatable to the electorate.

No way is he a goner. The feeling is that he almost pulled off a massive upset. He's come out of this looking very good. The first…

Still, as I said two weeks ago, isn't it ironic that Julia Gillard doesn't believe in two people of the same gender being allowed to marry, but is now finding political polygamy well inside her comfort zone.

Yup.

Yes, but come on, CR...Tony Abbott is probably a goner after this,…

Craig Y

Digressing briefly across the ditch...bluidyhell. Does anyone believe that this Bob Katter bloke isn't an utter tosser outside his native Far Right -oops, Far North- Queensland?

Possibly not, but since I don't get a vote in the federal Division of Kennedy I don't expect anyone who does to give a…

Digressing briefly across the ditch...bluidyhell. Does anyone believe that this Bob Katter bloke isn't an utter tosser outside his native Far Right -oops, Far North- Queensland?

He's a classic Australian politician and a reasonable proxy for many far north Queenslanders. He certainly odd, conservative, protectionist and Christian. But he's also…

I know which version of Banks I consider closer to the real man and it ain't the "New Improved" version.

His focus groups have shown that the people want sincerity, so that's what he's giving 'em.

OTOH, that doesn't disqualify him from being good and decent in some settings, and I do think he's changed a bit over the years.

I presume Smith also conveniently 'forgot" to tell listeners that Churchill was dumped as PM by the British electorate in the first post WWII election?

Then decided five years later that he wasn't such a bad egg after all. Randolph and Jennie's little boy had a life that resembled a…

Hush, kiddies. Can you hear the sound of a hundred desks splintering under the impact of a thousand Liverpool kisses?

Tee shirt gold

I presume Smith also conveniently 'forgot" to tell listeners that Churchill was dumped as PM by the British electorate in the first post WWII election?

Post WWII?

That's a very euro-centric view of the major event of the 20th century =)

And at some point, closer to Decision 2011, I'd love to be on one end of a mike pointed at McCoskrie and asking him some searching questions about real family needs as opposed to FF's version of them...

Goodsex and Sexcrime, anybody?

And at some point, closer to Decision 2011, I'd love to be on one end…

I just got robocalled by John Banks.

You too — I've been trying to convince the campaigns of Banks and Brown to take me off their mailing lists and getting no joy. Unsolicited mail/robo-calls/spam strikes me as a rather perverse way to court voters.

Good grief. Those questions are an illustration of quite how weird Family First is.

Their sole definition of an acceptable view of "afford housing" is "get rid of zoning restrictions".

Except when it comes to brothels, apparently.

And I wouldn't be surprised if they're party to the [[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/features/4045718/The-supersized-homes-puzzle|McMansionisation of housing…

Now people who used to get the full body fire and brimstone treatment just make me sad and snarky.

Hmm, you mean the CraigSlap™ is on hiatus? Methinks it will be back.

Here's some Kim Deal to help save your desk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_l4ZOVJ-ts

I know a guy who knew Muldoon very well and said he could never quite reconcile the pugnacious politician and the rather sweet man who was his friend.

My Irish nana loved Muldoon. She lived in G.I which was part of his electorate and he was very helpful to her…

I don't think she's ever eagerly agreed with the suggestion that homosexuals should be sodomised with barbed wire — or, indeed, said any of the hateful things that Banks has chosen to say in public. In that sense, there's not really a comparison.

My point, and one I didn't make…

Will you lobby the government to clarify offensive behaviour under the Crimes Act in order to prevent parades involving nudity and/or offensive behaviour eg boobs on bikes, beach nudity

I wonder if this includes breastfeeding ?

And you know something, I don't like Helen Clark politically but I've no reason to doubt mututal acquaintances who say that she's actually a really warm, funny woman who doesn't come across in public that well.

I don't think she's ever eagerly agreed with the suggestion that homosexuals should be…

Any R-rated events should not take place in publicly owned buildings owned/operated/controlled by the Council.

So, taking that at face value I assume The Edge would be required to cancel their liquor licences, break the lease of Stark's and tell the New Zealand International Film Festival they've just lost their…

...Parker's ease in the media...

That's putting it mildly! I guess all provincial mayors like the opportunity to front national media, but Bob does seem to be particularly relishing his moment. Perhaps his retirement from TVNZ wasn't exactly voluntary? You get the impression he feels that now he has been…

Helen Clark has never even remotely come across as the vile person that Banks has in the past. However,…

Craig Y

The mooted…

I hear Brian Edwards has become a born-again Banks supporter after the latter's recent heart-on-his-sleeve events.

Hillary: It's generally good form to link to people when you're slagging them off, and I don't actually think you're being fair to Edwards there or accurately reflecting what he said.

And you know…

Also, the Wellington election seems to be proceeding in an atmosphere of total media blackout. I know very little about the candidates.

So the blogosphere steps up! We've been quizzing the candidates over at Wellingtonista...

* Bryan Pepperell
* Jack Yan
* Kerry Prendergast
* Al Mansell
* Celia Wade-Brown

If I were an Auck, I would have some major concerns about Andrew Williams and Colin Craig...

http://www.valueyourvote.org.nz

Craig Y

Good grief. Those questions are an illustration of quite how weird Family First is.

Their sole definition of an acceptable view of "afford housing" is "get rid of zoning restrictions".…

Craig Y

I hear Brian Edwards has become a born-again Banks supporter after the latter's recent heart-on-his-sleeve events.

So, it's working! ;)

I hear Brian Edwards has become a born-again Banks supporter after the latter's recent heart-on-his-sleeve events.

Yes-ish, here: http://brianedwardsmedia.co.nz/2010/09/john-banks-a-personal-reassessment/

I'm not sure if one good human act suddenly makes him not a twit the other 364 days of the year.

...right after he compared Parker to Churchill...

I presume Smith also conveniently 'forgot" to tell listeners that Churchill was dumped as PM by the British electorate in the first post WWII election ?

I hear Brian Edwards has become a born-again Banks supporter after the latter's recent heart-on-his-sleeve events.

And yet, Banks' performance in a setting which might actually have something to do with the mayoral job — the World TV debate — was, I have been told, that of a "thin-skinned and…

Also, the Wellington election seems to be proceeding in an atmosphere of total media blackout. I know very little about the candidates.
Bryan Pepperell is campaigning on "living within our means" which seems eminently…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Katter

Craig Y

If I were…

even if Leighton Smith made his preference clear yesterday morning (I'll let you guess) — right after he compared Parker to Churchill and John F. Kennedy.

Newstalk ZB = Fox News Wannabees. Leighton is such a simple man

Efeso Collins

Yay.

I do have to wonder how hard the job of looking like the mayor is that diffcult. You need to look calm and collected when the cameras role. I would have though looking reassuring would have been a basic part of the job.

And yet, both Banks and Brown have…

I do have to wonder how hard the job of looking like the mayor is that diffcult. You need to look calm and collected when the…