Defending the PM

The behaviour of the PM in Doonegate has been so hard to defend, that it has been significant that the ‘left’ bloggers have almost all been silent on the issue.

However Jordan has now waded in. Sir Humphrey has already done a rebuttal, but I will also comment.

Jordan is careful not to defend what the PM did (who could) but says right wing bloggers have been hysterical in comparing Clark to Nixon. He overlooks that the NZ Herald have also compared her, as have the leaders of National and ACT. He also overlooks that people have not been comparing her actions so much as her attitude, and to be honest the quote she used about by definition not being able to leak is so perfect a fit for what Nixon said, that it is more than fair game.

Jordan then attacks those critical of police performance, putting aside that the Police’s own inquiry into 111 calls was brutal with the failings of the current system. Obviously Jordan feels that the Opposition should not point out when the 111 system is broken.

Then Jordan pushes the Labour spin line that the right are defending Peter Doone. For God’s sake I have stated half a dozen times I think he should have resigned. It is puerile to suggest that by being critical of Clark, one is defending Doone. It is not a bi-polar choice.

Then Jordan pushes Helen’s latest conspiracy theory that the Doones are co-operating with centre-right parties by leaking stuff to them. Does the absence of a shred of proof count at all?

Finally I love how Jordan calls criticising the PM over her having spread lies about the Police Commissioner as gutter politics. How then does he characterise Helen Clark’s attacks on Jenny Shipley over whom she had dinner with?

The interesting thing is not once does Jordan defend the actions of Helen Clark, he just says that it is unfair that the Opposition criticise her for her actions.