Humble Pie

John Armstrong Faces Reality

We have blogged recently on the absurd media-induced brouhaha over Prime Minister John Key's private conversation secretly recorded.  The media, smelling sensation, circled like sharks.  Gone completely was any commitment to the law, to ethics, to morality.  The media overnight showed their dark, smelly side.

The self-important provocateurs proclaimed that the "scandal" would change the election outcome; a real contest was suddenly before us; the media had uncovered some dirt.  Meanwhile the police served search warrants upon the media.  Suddenly everyone involved on the media side became very tight-lipped and circumspect, except for the cacophany of demands from them for John Key to release the tape "in the public interest"  Sadly for them, the public was not interested.  It smelt a dirty rat. 

Leading Herald political correspondent, John Armstrong, initially a cheerleader for his colleagues, now starts to eat the inevitable humble pie.  He acknowledges there has been a complete disconnect between the media and the people.  Not surprising, since the media are the most arrogant and elitist amongst us.

 Public clearly backs PM's claim to the right to privacy but his refusal to let teapot tapes be released shows him as just as inconsistent as any other politician.  For John Key, this has been the best of weeks and the worst of weeks.  It has been the best because public opinion has clearly swung in behind him in his quest to defend his right to privacy.  There is a strong and widespread feeling that the Prime Minister's conversation with John Banks should not have been taped without the pair's permission.

Many people see this as so fundamental, the argument stops then and there for them. Such is this feeling, National's support could conceivably start rising again, sweeping Key to an emphatic victory next Saturday.  There has been little fuss about his lodging a complaint with the police. To the contrary, many will see that decision as a positive measure of how tough and determined he can be. It is about leadership - and leadership matters in election campaigns.

Armstrong goes on to tut-tut about Key doing the wrong thing, losing control of the debate, showing he is just one more politician ducking and diving the hard questions, etc.  Blah, blah, blah. 

"Hello, kettle ", says the pot.