A Person of Principle versus Pragmatism Personified: A Personal Perspective Upon Two 'Concurrent' Electoral Results (in diametrically opposite corners of the world)

Alex Salmond, First Minister of Scotland, versus John Key, thrice re-elected Prime Minister of New Zealand: Two Men of Diametrically-Opposing Character and Qualities. But, as the thoroughly thrashed cliche goes, first let me explain myself... How much better - and ultimately satisfying - to go down, as the noted Scots nationalist, *Alex Salmond, just has, in a blaze of glory (as it were), than to win however decisive and overwhelming, moreover 'comprehensive', an electoral victory - let there be **no doubt whatsoever - as his Antipodean 'first minister' (of Aotearoa, New Zealand), John Key, has/did...while unashamedly playing, on a consistent basis, as fast and loose with the truth as kiwis have seen (at least since Helen Clark herself; admittedly, Key's immediate predecessor!) As noted author of NZ election conspiracy-style thrillers, Nicky Hagar, remarked during the veritable slew of '(two) morning(s) after' interviews following thick and fast here in NZ, and which expressed this idea of mine even more forcibly and cogently: "We (i.e. the people-at-large) can make a mistake in politics, we can think that [political] success means that you've done the right thing" Amen! (If I can say, as I said, or at least attempted to articulate, myself.) And in response to another political commentator, the ever incisive, ***if often quite politically partisan, Newstalk ZB talkback host Leighton Smith, to refer to the Maori Party, post-Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia - as he then mentioned NZ First will be in the (coming) era following the inevitable, ultimate departure of the inimical 'Right Honourable' Winston Peters - as being 'a party of cult personality', is, quite frankly, to not see the wood for the trees, to strain out a gnat and swallow a camel, to miss the gigantic elephant in the middle of the room. (If you'll excuse my own rather shameless juxtaposing of three tried and well-used cliches within the one sentence.) Sure, who'd disagree? But then what about John Key himself? Surely if one ever wanted to identify, to highlight the closest thing New Zealand has politically ever come to a personality cult, simply look no further. And it would hardly be a stretch to say that, were it not for him, and his considerable political acumen and skills, the National Party's electoral fortunes from 2008 on would likely be a whole lot less impressive - and by a country mile or a million! *a man of rare integrity, grit and steely determination (to the sadly, rather bitter, end). **Some have said, not only since Sidney Holland's Waterfront Workers Strike snap election win in 1951, but even since that grand old gentleman of NZ Politics Inc, "King Dick" Seddon, in 1899. ***Though admittedly not even remotely in the same league as the likes of fellow broadcasters Larry Williams or Mike Hosking, who've made a virtual art from of that completely anti-journalistic 'practice'.