Obama and Key

The media are unable to resist the quote from a Financial Times interview in which John Key compares himself to Barack Obama!

But before people get worried that Key seem himself somewhat immodestly, it is useful to put the quote in its full context:

“I’m a bit like (Barack) Obama,” Mr Key, 47, told the Financial Times in an interview published today. “I am not institutionalised in Wellington”.

“I had 18 years in the commercial world and I will be quite pragmatic,” the old former Merrill Lynch investment banker said.

Key was pointing out that like Obama, he was relatively inexperienced in capital politics, which has its pluses and minuses. He wasn’t suggesting the same oratorical ability and I don’t think National are planning on 80,000 for the campaign opening 🙂