Comments on: How to look like a winner when you have lost big time

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:00:46 +0000

I would hardly consider that piece from Rosemary McLeod overly positive about Helen. And big suprise she makes an offensive remark about gay people at the end of her piece – again.

By: Krystal

Krystal — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:54:37 +0000

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4759697a1861.html <– here’s an example of what you’re saying Jane; story on Stuff – “I’ll enjoy Helen’s lasting gifts”

By: Lefty

Lefty — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:52:32 +0000

For a minute there I thought I was reading David Farrar’s Kiwiblog…

I won’t try and guess the motives behind Helen’s announcement to step down on election night. However my initial feeling would be that after two terms and an extensive career she realises that we are now in a different era in politics. By stepping down now it gives Goff and King the chance to launch headfirst into rebuilding and rebranding the Labour party for this new era in politics. I disagree that there has been little criticism of the ads run by Labour. The NZ Herald (big surprise) ran items on the ‘Two Johns’ ads and constantly criticised their ad spend. I don’t see anything wrong with negative ad campaigning, it is proven to work in narrowing election gaps in the US, hence why John McCain ran so many ads about Bill Ayers in the lead-up to their election. Labour did manage to close the gap slightly before the election possibly due to these ads.

Helen deserves a hefty amount of post-election coverage. She was New Zealand’s first elected female Prime Minister, her government presided over many positive changes for New Zealand – civil unions, prostitution law reform, Kiwisaver and not to mention free trade agreements with two of the world’s super powers.

Geoff, I don’t think Helen is trying to control the agenda at all. The biased right-leaning mainstream media are absolutely gushing over John Key and have already started to lampoon Labour’s new leadership. We can count on them to direct the agenda firmly to the right over the summer during the honeymoon period of the new government. I’m sure we will see many more front page kitten photos in the Herald.

Helen has certainly not gone from hero to zero, already there are several Facebook groups setup dedicated to remembering and even bringing back the legend that was Helen. I hope to see her remembered in same vein as David Lange and Michael Joseph Savage.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:57:50 +0000

We each see things through different eyes. It’s inevitable that losing politicians try to write their epitaph before other people do, but no amount of trying by Helen Clark will succeed. There is nothing more “ex” than an “ex-Prime Minister” and Helen Clark has gone from hero to zero in no time at all. A credible legacy takes about a decade to form. Look what happened to Ronald Reagan, or in contrast “The Great Helmsman” Jim Bolger! One gained in stature with years and the other diminished. One or other of these things will happen to Helen Clark. We shall see which it is.

In the meantime Labour’s activities are largely irrelevant, though interesting as a mild curiosity. The big show in town is who will be in the Key Government and how it will operate? John Key is taking us into new territory of coalition government (Helen Clark was supposed to be the past master at this – remember?). The other focus of interest is the “real” state of the economy.

Helen Clark may be trying to control the agenda, but she’s not where its at. that is how politics is a cruel business!!