Labour leadership contest

[Ab]

Political commentator Bryce Edwards told TV3's Firstline today that Mr Cunliffe would be a better public choice.

"Amongst the public he's the most appealing. He's kind of charismatic

Cunning troll is cunning. Well played, Mr Edwards.

[MrTTTT]

He's apparently teaming up with Nanaia Mahuta. I'm not a huge Cunliffe fan but Nanaia seems like a very nice and genuine person. The combination would certainly better than anything with Goff.

[fixed_truth]

I would really like to see Cunliffe as Leader. He's one Fulbright Scholar, Harvard educated bad muthafuka.

[ilk]

I like what little I've seen of Shearer

[StN]

Nanaia Mahuta - married her first cousin, or was that someone else?

And as far as Mr Parker's consideration, I think that's not given lightly...

[Ab]

Of the aspirants, the one I would most like to see as Leader because I think he has a lot to offer the country is David Shearer. The one I'd like to see as Leader because I think it would guarantee another National victory is everyone else.

[doppelgänger of someone]

Nanaia Mahuta... is she hot? YES SHE IS!

[Ab]

Her list of achievements seems to be

• Is related to Sir Robert Mahuta (TEH MAARIS love it when you're related to someone important)
  
• Did Social Anthropology at university
  
• Got into Parliament as a Labour List MP
  
• Has done sweet fuck all since getting there

That's leadership material right there, Labour!

[CCS]

Cunliffe looks like he's been chasing parked cars. Just sayin'.

[adonis]

Any of the people being talked about have the ability to do the job, the question is whether they have what it takes to win a popularity contest.

Cunliffe - Definitely has the qualifications for the job, probably front runner. Pretty good public speaker on average. I can imagine some people thinking that he sounds a little too much like a politician. It's like a skill that he's learned, I can't imagine him talking that way in a normal conversation. Definitely has a politicians smile.

Little - A bit wooden, maybe with a little coaching he'd be a decent candidate.

Mahuta - A bit too unemotional.

Parker - Too quiet to be leader, would be a good 2nd in command though.

Robertson - The only other contender IMO. Good public speaker, easy going, doesn't sound rehearsed like Cunliffe. Maybe a little soft for the top job but his likability factor might end up making attacks of this nature look spiteful. Sounds more genuine than Cunliffe.

Shearer - Good amount of life experience, but not a great public speaker by any stretches of the imagination. Unless he gets some coaching I can't see him taking it. Takes ages to get small statements out unless it's something rehearsed.

it's interesting that with some speech coaching this lineup would look a lot different.

[doppelgänger of someone]

Ab why are you ruining my Liz roll?

I haven't heard of David Parker until yesterday. I guess that is a plus rather than a minus, considering how bad Labour had been.

[Ab]

Originally Posted by adonis

Any of the people being talked about have the ability to do the job

If you have some evidence of Nanaia Mahuta having the ability to do anything other than draw a taxpayer-funded salary I'm interested in seeing it. Come on, she's not a serious contender. She's just in there to make sure the TANGATA WHENUA and HAS A VAGINA boxes are ticked.

Cunliffe - arrogant, comes across as entitled, suspicion abounds that he set Goff up to fail by withholding from him the figures that Key skewered him on in the leaders' debates. Does not look good on camera.

Little - not a snowball's chance in hell. Couldn't even win a seat with the backing of the EPMU. If you can't win an electorate you don't get a seat at the big table.

Mahuta - next.

Parker - got smashed in Otago, got back in on the list. Jumped to Epsom, got smashed, got back in on the list. If you can't win an electorate you don't get a seat at the big table. He was Attorney-General while the Labour Govt was stomping all over god-knows-how-many laws. Fucked Chris Knox's wife while Knox was paralysed after a stroke, classy, good luck getting the media to forget that one. Oh and he squints when he smiles, can't stand people like that.

Robertson - gay, bright, gay, one of Helen Clark's pets, gay, and inexperienced. And gay. His pitiful performance in the House when Heather Roy sidestepped them all on the VSM bill will hang around his neck for years. Don't get me wrong I think he might make a good leader, but not for at least another term.

Shearer - the ONLY one of the present Labour crop who has a life story that can match Key's and better it. The ONLY one of the contenders who can credibly claim to be a New Guy and not one of the same old hacks.

[xor]

Originally Posted by Ab

Shearer - the ONLY one of the present Labour crop who has a life story that can match Key's and better it. The ONLY one of the contenders who can credibly claim to be a New Guy and not one of the same old hacks.

/dons tin hat.

So Shearer took over Clarks Mt Albert seat. He also came from 12-14years with the UN where Clark and Carter have since gone to.

Conclusion: DAVID SHEARER IS HELEN CLARK'S SPAWN

[adonis]

Originally Posted by Ab

Robertson - gay, bright, gay, one of Helen Clark's pets, gay, and inexperienced. And gay.

Oh he's gay? Well that changes everything. I've never heard him use his sexuality as a boon and I doubt anyone who's homophobic enough for that to be an issue would vote labour anyway. As for his debating performance I think that's a fair call and one of the draw backs of his nice guy persona.

I also think it's weird that people who have dedicated their lives to politics are somehow at a disadvantage to those who haven't.

[crocos]

Originally Posted by adonis

I also think it's weird that people who have dedicated their lives to politics are somehow at a disadvantage to those who haven't.

IMO not so strange: They've got no real-world experience with what the implemented policy actually does. After all, even back-benchers are on a good wicket.

[Furry Crew]

Dunno if NZ is ready for a gay PM. Probably but you never know.

[Savage]

Originally Posted by Furry Crew

Dunno if NZ is ready for an openly gay PM. Probably but you never know.

[cyc]

Cunliffe would probably do a good job and is certainly intelligent. But he'll have no traction with the anti-intellectuals in a country where a significant portion of the population pride themselves on being stupid. Shearer is intelligent, has a hope of winning the popularity contests, and has a nice life story....

... which probably means neither of the above two will win, since David Parker appears to be most popular with his colleagues. Labour =

[Ab]

Originally Posted by adonis

Oh he's gay? Well that changes everything. I've never heard him use his sexuality as a boon and I doubt anyone who's homophobic enough for that to be an issue would vote labour anyway.

It's a perception thing. Do a forum search for the phrase "Helen's Rainbow Kingdom".

Originally Posted by adonis

As for his debating performance I think that's a fair call and one of the draw backs of his nice guy persona.

That wasn't a debate, it was poor widdle Grant Robertson looking like a dumb fuck. Did you even see it? He was dithering about like someone doing a Frank Spencer impersonation and his best attempt at objecting to a piece of procedural business was to complain "um, I'm a bit new at this, see I haven't been in Parliament long and I don't know how these things work, ooh Betty Parliament is so hard". THIS YEAR. I look forward to the National ads featuring that bit of parliamentary lollage should Robertson get the nod. But he won't because he's gay.

Originally Posted by adonis

I also think it's weird that people who have dedicated their lives to politics are somehow at a disadvantage to those who haven't.

See here's the thing. People who bust their arses to pay the bills resent having their taxes raised by people who have never had a real job. People who have children resent being told how to raise their kids by people who don't have them. People who have started businesses resent being told who they can hire and fire by people who went into Parliament on a party list straight from university. Et cetera et cetera.

[MrTTTT]

Originally Posted by Ab

Her list of achievements seems to be

• Is related to Sir Robert Mahuta (TEH MAARIS love it when you're related to someone important)
  
• Did Social Anthropology at university
  
• Got into Parliament as a Labour List MP
  
• Has done sweet fuck all since getting there

That's leadership material right there, Labour!

I could be wrong here but didn't she get in as an electoral MP on a Maori seat for the Waikato etc. region?? (I could be wrong (?))

[Ab]

She's won an electorate seat since getting in to Parliament on the list in 1996.

[MrTTTT]

So I guess she hasn't done 'sweet fuck all' since getting there, seeing as she's won an electorate...

[CCS]

Whoa, she won an electorate seat 14 years ago? Outstanding! Real salt of the earth stuff!

[spigalau]

Damien O'Connor

* Slightly right leaning, so will appeal to current NAT voters
* Speaks his mind
* Not a Union Hack
* Only LAB MP to win a seat off National

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...-says-O-Connor

[MrTTTT]

Originally Posted by CCS

Whoa, she won an electorate seat 14 years ago? Outstanding! Real salt of the earth stuff!

She won this year too did she not (and last election too)?
I believe she's also done a shitload of community work in Hamilton/Waikato. Would love to see her as a deputy prime minister come 4 years time!
Also she doesn't seem like your classic sycophantic politician (unlike most of the rest of labour).

[CCS]

Yeah my bad, I misread what Ab said. Still, I'll always think of her as Nanaia Mahooters.

[Furry Crew]

So I meet up for coffee with a friend who works for parliamentary services today. Interestingly enough, the "joke" about Mr. Cunliffe around parliamentary services is "...the "T" is silent"

That made me LOL for a good minute.
So yeah...not a great start when parliament staff thinks you're a cunt.

[Ab]

Originally Posted by MrTTTT

So I guess she hasn't done 'sweet fuck all' since getting there, seeing as she's won an electorate...

Being elected in the Maori electorate of Hauraki-Waikato when you're a Tainui Labour candidate named Mahuta who lives in Ngaruawahia is about as much of an achievement as a white Irish Catholic male named Kennedy winning something in Massachusetts.

She coasted in to Parliament on the Labour list then coasted in to an electorate thanks to local connections, and since getting in to Parliament she's done nothing. Her CV features titles like Co-executive Deputy Junior Assistant of whatever.

She is utterly unqualified for the role of leader of anything and has been included as part of a hypothetical Cunliffe-Mahuta team to garner support among brown and female groups, nothing else. Standard Labour operating procedure - all about the internal Labour factions, nothing about ability.

[Furry Crew]

Originally Posted by Ab

Being elected in the Maori electorate of Hauraki-Waikato when you're a Tainui Labour candidate named Mahuta who lives in Ngaruawahia is about as much of an achievement as a white Irish Catholic male named Kennedy winning something in Massachusetts.

LOL Shot bro.

[Ab]

Parker blinks, joins Team Shearer:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...eadership-race

[ChaosWulf]

That could work.

[Ab]

RNZNews: "Parker was also concerned about forthcoming Sunday paper reports on his relationship."

pwnd

[CCS]

So how is the decision ultimately reached? Caucus votes on it or something?

[adonis]

Originally Posted by crocos

IMO not so strange: They've got no real-world experience with what the implemented policy actually does. After all, even back-benchers are on a good wicket.

I'd be skeptical as to the benefit of personal experience considering the complexity to which policies affect society, I'd prefer a scientific approach. Not that the study of politics (or economics) always translates to science, though they really should.

[xor]

Originally Posted by CCS

So how is the decision ultimately reached? Caucus votes on it or something?

11 days time unless one pulls out before then.

[ChaosWulf]

Never had much time for Tamihere, but this was amusing:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...ty-pick-smarmy

[adonis]

Extended interviews by Bryce Edwards

David Shearer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMu30...eature=related

David Cunliffe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OgeRxqXAFI

[doppelgänger of someone]

IMO Cunliffe's interview was really dry. Maybe because people know he is the #3 in Labour they asked him all sorts of dry questions. Shearer's was much more interesting.

[Golden Teapot]

I'm in favor of Cunliffe. He stands for everything that is labour, has the credibility of having been there through both recent regimes, and has the support of Mr Goff.

[adonis]

Originally Posted by Golden Teapot

and has the support of Mr Goff.

No He doesn't, but I agree that he's the better choice.

Shearer... stutters, and it seems like foreign policy is the only area that he outstrips Cunliffe's knowledge. Cunliffe is no slouch, he has private and public sector experience and a very impressive set of academic qualifications. Quite frankly I think he'll slay Key three years from now unless he fucks up badly, or if his caucus doesn't get behind him.

The latter is actually quite likely, since he represents a far greater degree of reform than Shearer. Shearer is being touted as a fresh face, but actually it's Cunliffe that isn't liked by the old guard.

http://tvnz.co.nz/q-and-a-news/david...-4588692/video

This is the best head to head I've seen of the two, Shearer only looked more confident on Afghanistan. Actually I think Shearer should be foreign affairs spokesperson. My only real criticism of Cunliffe is that he's very American in his approach to making speeches.