Dr Cullen shoots some more messengers

I couldn’t blog this last night due to blog problems, but for those who have not seen it, you should click on this link to TVNZ and then click on the “Cullen attacks press over tax cuts (2:22)” related video.

Cullen loses it talking to TVNZ’s Guyon Espiner, accusing the media and press gallery of biased reporting because they personally want tax cuts for themselves.

You hear an incredulous Espiner ask him if he really truly believes that all these reporters are reporting negatively on the budget just because it is a “personal” issue for them.

Probably still unable to believe what he is hearing, Guyon names four senior members of the gallery – himself, Colin (Espiner, Vernon (Small) and Tracy Watkins and specifically asks Cullen (or Dr Sullen as he currently is) if he really thinks those four are reporting on tax cuts, because they personally want one, and not because it is a matter of public interest and Cullen says “absolutely”.

The hilarious thing about this exchange is that Guyon hasn’t just named any four journos, but four people who, well let me just say would not qualify for membership of the Vast Rightwing Conspiracy. For the record I’m not casting any aspersions on their work (overall I think our gallery journalists are pretty good), just saying that if I had to rank the leanings of the press gallery, they wouldn’t be too close to me (which many may say is a good thing :-). So this is what makes the exchange so delicious – Cullen is attacking the very journalists who are least open to criticism on this score.

What this shows is a very pressured and angry Minister of Finance, and also Prime Minister. Earlier in the week you have the PM do a disgraceful attack on Colmar Brunton because she didn’t like a poll result showing 63% think tax cuts are affordable, and now Cullen claims the press gallery is full of greedy journalists who just want some extra cash themselves and have invented this issue.

I think it shows how out of touch the Government is getting. Another highlight was as Dr Cullen almost shouts at Guyon about the Dom Post headline of a $8.5 billion surplus and still no tax cuts, demanding to know what the connection between the two is. Well hello, trying to argue the level of surplus has no relationship to the affordability of tax cuts is almost comical.

What a pity the House is in recess. WIth Dr Cullen’s current mood, I suspect John Key would be able to get a Cullen eruption in the House, which always provides such good future quotes asuch as “We won, you lost, eat that”.