Sometimes during a by-election the truth comes spilling out, and one's initial view is proven ill-founded. And thus I've realized this time - though my 'hearing' of this political battle is few and far enough between...but sometimes what appeared all glitz and glammer proves a baser quality, and the authentic if rather boring and uncharismatic rises to the surface...and so it has well and truly proven on this occasion. Yes, this is an occasion where all I can add is: may the better person and not the slicker politician win...and win handily.
Aftermath (two days, and 'an eternity in politics', later): What a thumping victory to write home about, and I mean really! And yet, Mr Little's days (as head of NZ Labour Inc) may well be numbered after all. But how can that be, you ask, in light of the result Saturday? For surely that was the obvious prognosis that I myself - alongside Pundits Anonymous NZ Inc - were suggesting if the very opposite had happened on Saturday, and Mr Wood had gone down to defeat (especially at Dr Palmer's hands)? Hang on a mo, yes I'm indeed intimating that, apart from National no longer (feasibly) grooming an Indian as another potential future female National Prime Minister, as far as Labour is concerned, well it may itself be looking for a new leader.
Though I've long since taken a liking to Napier's Stuart Nash - grandson of another (one-term, Labour) Prime Minister - I respectfully suggest that at this stage the party needn't be looking too much further than a certain Michael Wood (only a distant relation, I understand, of Dunedin's own present-day National List member and cabinet minister Michael Woodhouse!) Yes, Mount Roskill's new Member of Parliament turned in an exemplary performance yesterday, for what had - even under the long-serving popular Labour M.P., former leader and one-time high-profile cabinet minister now turned Mayor of Auckland Phil Goff - distinctly become a marginal Labour (even party vote National) electorate over recent elections. And a socially conservative seat at that, alongside the electorates/traditional areas of Mount Eden and Mount Albert evidently 'possessing' Auckland's 'Bible Belt'.
Original (pre-election day thoughts), not posted till now due to (unforseen) time considerations Friday:
the 'authentic' person came to the fore and won handily, simply because people saw he was who he claimed to be, not a mere clone or yes-man for his leader or party, whereas his opponent sadly evinced the very opposite. Though I'm not quite sure about some last-minute rumours/rumblings about 'stigmata' etcetera (much less who they're specifically associated with, let alone what they'd even signify if accurate) - and am even aware (intuitively) that Dr Palmjeet(?sp) Palmer's ethnicity may well have actually counted against her (sadly enough) despite what political pundits were early on claiming - in the brief clips after unruly meetings and various incidents and media 'conferences' etc, what struck Yours Truly were the following things.
Here we had someone with a clear sense of entitlement, scornful of any accountability whatsoever, even deeming/deigning ever so reasonable questions put to her as clearly beneath her, as being only worthy of typical political obfuscation and fudging...and oh, that oh so typical province and peccadillo of aspiring politicoes, not giving a straight answer to a simple question. And being no more than a soundboard to her leader (and/or parliamentary party), that when confronted with an issue upon which loyalty to her electorate would be demanded over against her own party colleagues, she dissembled once again. Correction: she failed to confirm that she would indeed support her locals over her political superiors, thus leaving one to naturally enough draw the conclusion I myself inferred. Overall, the sort of stuff that in decades not all that long ago would have seen a candidate booed off the stage if not actually pelted with some rather unpleasant materials.
And to think she had the gall to try to rough up Michael Wood's good wife, then instantly call foul when challenged for the personal affront and dragging family into the fray; all showing she obviously had neither the temperament nor the character to win the seat Saturday. And apparently Mount Roskill's good citizens saw likewise. And Mr Wood's Q & A interview this morning saw him deftly parlay the el typical questions on his party leader without equivocating or hesitating a second and without being (essentially) dishonest. A nice and notable contrast to the P.M. (on the latter score, anyhow), someone who immediately evidenced he was having a bad face day!
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