“I could explain it but I’m not going to.” Key’s train-wreck performance on Breakfast Television One, Monday 9 December 2013, 7:15 a.m.
The prime minister’s lack of integrity and his persistent dishonesty—he “can’t remember” anything of consequence—is finally starting to alienate even the tamest, most malleable broadcasters. Even those smiling, personable, government-friendly personalities on TV1’sBreakfast programme are now confronting him quite boldly….
PETER WILLIAMS: There is growing criticism of John Key’s plan to attend the funeral of Nelson Mandela, given some comments he has made about the tour in the past.
TONI STREET You said you “can’t remember” what your stance was toward the 1981 Springbok tour. JOHN KEY: Those comments were made on a regional radio station seven years ago. I could explain it but I’m not going to. TONI STREET: You can’t remember whether you were for or against the tour in 1981? JOHN KEY: I’m not saying I was for or against it. I was anti-apartheid but I didn’t go on any protest marches, and I didn’t go to any of the games. I was about twenty at the time and I had other things on my mind. [conspiratorial smirk] TONI STREET: But can you remember what your stance was on the 1981 tour?
…..[Awkward silence]…..
JOHN KEY: I’m not going to go into it. If I say I was for or against it, that will open up a whole new series of questions, so I am not going to comment on it.
…..[Awkward silence]…..
TONI STREET: But can you remember what your stance was on the 1981 tour? JOHN KEY: I’m not going to comment on the matter. Let’s just leave it at that.
Great that the lamestream are even holding Key to account on his “can’t remember” stance on the Springboks tour. This surprises me, they usually have selective memories when it comes to Key’s Dubious Moments.
(In the meantime as well as respectful musical tributes to Mandela since Friday Radio Active have gone hard out with their lampooning of Key all morning, putting together a collection of sound bites spliced in with a fake interview)
Will 2014 finally be Key’s undoing? The year he finally, can no longer slither away from the truth of his disastrous reign? With Bradley Ambrose suing him for defamation, Banks’ trial, Dotcom’s hearing, and fingers crossed, a powerful NO message coming the asset sales referendum will his star finally descend? Will the voters finally, finally see him for what he is, a con?
Great that the lamestream are even holding Key to account on his “can’t remember” stance on the Springboks tour. This surprises me, they usually have selective memories when it comes to Key’s Dubious Moments.
I suspect it’s because they can’t ignore what he’s already said on it as everyone remembers and thought it was BS then as well.
Initially i was, as usual, disgusted with key for saying he couldn’t remember but it is a blessing in disguise because that line will haunt him and thank the gods he didn’t say he protested – having a shallow fake as a prime minister is one thing but it would be worse to have him on our side of that anti-apartheid fight. Hopefully he’ll make an utter fool of himself over there by trying some 3-way handshake or something. He doesn’t represent me, he represents the exploiters and they are international.
“I’m strongly opposed to apartheid, but I’m not going to make up stuff that wasn’t the case 30 years ago and try and reinvent history because it’s inconvenient for the left.
“I’m strongly opposed to apartheid, but I’m not going to make up stuff that wasn’t the case 30 years ago and try and reinvent history because it’s inconvenient for the left.”
Classic mangled Keyism there – is anyone trying to pressure him to ‘make stuff up’ over this? And why on Earth would it be inconvenient for da left if he doesn’t?
My translation: “Lying and saying I was interested and involved in the protests isn’t an option for me, but I’m not going to tell the truth which is that I couldn’t give a flying fuck about either rugby nor the plight of the oppressed, because Labour would love that.”
I reckon your translation is spot on e.m. Let’s extend that out to “I don’t give a flying fuck about about anything except for advancing my mates and me”
And m.m. There’s bound to be some kind of etiquette cock up in S.A on His behalf, which in the past has arisen out of insincerity, ignorance and immaturity. We can just laugh when he does here at home, but when he does it overseas it’s cause for head in the hands moments. This is how it must have been for the Americans every time Dubya opened his gob in regard to world matters.
Mr Key told Newstalk ZB this morning that the protesters had not ruined the party.
“They’re the same people protesting about deep sea oil drilling, they’re the same people protesting about the convention centre, they’re the same people that protested about changes to the labour laws for the Hobbit, they’re the same people that protested about the 90 day probationary period.
“So yeah, they just protest because that’s all they’ve got to do all day.”
Talk about making shit up. And this guys our fucken PM.
I find it extraordinary the stance the pm is taking re protest.
He lost all credibility on the matter when he referred to the Law Society and the Human Rights Commission amongst others as ‘misinformed’ and ‘not understanding the law’ (GCSB concerns).
He is dealing with people lobbying on a daily basis – they are ‘all the same people’, they protest to get their interests upheld and could be described in the same way. That’s what they do all day. When they are paid to do it ‘protesting’ is called ‘lobbying’, however and that’s different. /sarc
Protest is an important part of the democratic process and I would like to see Nzers voting for politicians and political leaders that have some respect and understanding of democracy, unlike our pm who appears to have none.
Interesting 2011 report on the Counterfire website on the rising trend of protest and fall in public trust in government.
Two of the stated findings:
“There has been an unprecedented fall in public trust in government, the media, corporations and other central institutions in British society – with less than a quarter of Britons trusting national government, less than a fifth trusting parliament and fewer than 15% having any confidence in the press.
There has been a marked and significant rise in protest movements – twice as many of us are taking part in demonstrations compared to the 1970s and the proportion of the population describing themselves as ‘left wing’ has grown by over 2 million since the 1980s. – “
So perhaps Key and those who sycophantically repeat his mutterings marginalising protest need to ‘get over it’ and start dealing with the issues that these ‘lobbyists for public interest’ are raising.
Key’s train-wreck performance on Breakfast
Television One, Monday 9 December 2013, 7:15 a.m.
JOHN KEY: Those comments were made on a regional radio station seven years ago. I could explain it but I’m not going to.
TONI STREET: You can’t remember whether you were for or against the tour in 1981?
JOHN KEY: I’m not saying I was for or against it. I was anti-apartheid but I didn’t go on any protest marches, and I didn’t go to any of the games. I was about twenty at the time and I had other things on my mind. [conspiratorial smirk]
TONI STREET: But can you remember what your stance was on the 1981 tour?
JOHN KEY: I’m not going to comment on the matter. Let’s just leave it at that.
They say Liars must have fantastic memories. Or they “can’t remember”. Ho hum.