tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post228295619248066445..comments2024-03-29T17:12:19.648+13:00Comments on Bowalley Road: The Lazarus OptionChris Trotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09081613281183460899noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-41813063937021555862013-01-19T09:39:10.238+13:002013-01-19T09:39:10.238+13:00Cunliffe is toast. And for Chris to have a go at D...Cunliffe is toast. And for Chris to have a go at David Sheaer for being assertive and taking action is quite loathesome. It wasn't that long ago, that we have Helen Clark at the helm, for whom was more assertive, but a more more dictatorial foprce t reckon with, and commonly known as a 'bully'. When she handed Goff the leadership, that was the death nell of the party, at least Shearer is a far removed from her legacy. Sharer ain't that bad, and it is time to let go of those sour grapes and move forward as a party.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-83058294425534447482013-01-09T10:41:50.030+13:002013-01-09T10:41:50.030+13:00What you have pointed out very deftly is the deepe...What you have pointed out very deftly is the deepening of the rift between the cadre tendencies of key players in the Labour caucus and the social democratic wishes of the Labour membership. What these key players have tried, and so far failed to achieve is a cadre party machine operating under a social democratic brand; a strategy that has failed to garner consent and has fuelled a lot of anger. <br /><br />There is a sense in which you cannot blame them. The core Labour constituency has systematically been robbed of real power, so that representing it now requires something of the conviction of a Martin Luther King, with little beyond moral outrage to bring to the bargaining table.The other side of the coin however, is that failing to represent it leaves this constituency to the mercy of a merciless system and opens up the path to political irrelevance.Olwynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-26882967728894817642013-01-08T22:24:05.887+13:002013-01-08T22:24:05.887+13:00Of course Cunliffe is not dead, though he'll n...Of course Cunliffe is not dead, though he'll not be back in February. But it is very naive to think a politician can choose not to answer a question about a leadership challenge. The only possible answer is to express full support up to the moment of the coup. Anything less and the media will focus on nothing else. Cunliffe was stupid to think otherwise and has blown his chance for now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-14527874432622150502013-01-02T11:18:07.646+13:002013-01-02T11:18:07.646+13:00I couldn't believe how well the media picked u...I couldn't believe how well the media picked up on this at the time.bevanjsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-81045677191175926472013-01-02T09:22:43.832+13:002013-01-02T09:22:43.832+13:00Mr Shearer confirmed this at the media conference ...Mr Shearer confirmed this at the media conference announcing the reallocation of Mr Cunliffe’s shadow portfolios and his demotion to the back-benches. His colleague’s “repeated failure to quell speculation about the leadership,” said Mr Shearer, “means that I no longer have confidence in him. He has lost my trust.”<br /><br />What Shearer obviously did not see, or hear, was Cunliffe's repeated comments to TV reporters that he wasn't going to comment on their (TV reporters)own speculations. Shearer used an extremely flimsy excuse to demote Cunliffe, one which had no basis to it.<br /><br />But more importantly, Chris Trotter, you said you were working on a post about who was backing Shearer. When will you be printing the answer to that question, please ? ?JKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-51342061401166026522013-01-01T20:00:58.127+13:002013-01-01T20:00:58.127+13:00Shearer is still in bullet proof UN peace mediator...Shearer is still in bullet proof UN peace mediator mode.<br /><br />Silly man.<br /><br />Politics in NZ is open warfare.<br /><br />Always has been.peterpeasanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07258344040688251441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-61263219372020405532013-01-01T18:40:50.613+13:002013-01-01T18:40:50.613+13:00Whatever happened to the Chris Carter,(im broke)te...Whatever happened to the Chris Carter,(im broke)tell all, fly on the wall expose of the machinations of the new Labour Parties front bench caucus.Bought off by a position aided by a past Labour leader.<br /><br />Cunliffe, has to bid his time, as the parties whip, like a school boy prefect telling on the bike shed smokers founders like his leader and cabal as they struggle to manage their new broad church.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-51102965258038336012013-01-01T14:28:23.981+13:002013-01-01T14:28:23.981+13:00Excellent Post Chris. I dont know if Shearer is ar...Excellent Post Chris. I dont know if Shearer is arrogant or stupid. His decision on the Tuesday after the conference was an affront to our decision as members to absolve some of caucus's responsibility on the Saturday of the conference. Meanwhile John Key has clearly demonstrated in 2012 that he is not interested in governing the country, most of his supporters recognise it but they simply do not have any faith in Shearer and Labour...hence why Key/National continue with 46% support. I, like many people over the Christmas/New Year period have been talking to people who I dont normally speak with, and it is clear that Shearer is not highly thought of. This is a frustrating predicament for Labour party members. Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14931458944485834874noreply@blogger.com