Further Kapiti interviews – Scott, McCaffrey, Collins and Pagani
Peter and Mike we did inside the blogmobile, with two cameras. Sadly this means you get to see a bit of me, as well as the candidates. Big kudos to Cameron for providing the gear and getting them trimmed and put onto You Tube.
A reminder the questions were:
1. What is the biggest issue for the voters of your electorate?
2. When did you first stand for election of any sort – was it at school?
3. McCain/Palin or Obama/Biden?
4. What will you do with the tax cuts you just got?
5. Goff or Cunliffe?
Peter McCaffrey was our first interview. He cited the economy as the biggest issue. For the question about whether he ever stood for election at school, I checked that Peter had in fact left school 🙂
Peter went for McCain/Palin. He was doubtful about McCain until Palin came along, but agrees with her on economic issues. Peter is not working at the moment so sadly gets no tax cuts. And in the final question he goes for Goff.
Mike Collins was next up. He agrees that the economy is the biggest issue – even more than law and order. On the US bailout he says it is good in the short term but in the long term may lead to more risky behaviour if people think the Government will bail them out.
Mike stood for VUWSA President a few years ago, and says he was lucky to be the only person on his ticket not to get elected. He also plugs for McCain on the basis of his free trade policies and support for NZ getting a real free trade deal.
His tax cuts are good for a dozen beer he reckons and like Peter opts for Goff.
Third up is David Scott, NZ First candidate for Otaki. He says the biggest issue for Otaki voters is to keep Winston and NZ First in Parliament and not leave it to the two big parties.
On the US front he has problems with both candidates for supporting the bailout but finally says “Not McCain”. David’s tax cuts are less than a $1 so he said no big change to his lifestyle. And on Cunliffe vs Goff, he says stay with Helen.
The final interview from the trip is Josie Pagani from Jim Anderton’s Progressives. Josie explains she was happy to have Pagani as her surname as her maiden name of Harbutt saw her called “Hard Butt” all through school 🙂
Josie picks transport as the biggest issue for Otaki voters, and also health. She says she has been unable to get a GP since returning from overseas. Josie also relates how she campaigned at university for a student exec position and finished with “Vote for me, I am more left wing than him” and it worked as she got elected. I suggested it could become the Progressive’s campaign slogan.
Josie surprised no one by going for Obama/Biden. Respects Sarah Palin as a working mum, but she does not have the experience to be VP. Her plans for her tax cuts involve a new pair of shoes, and she said not to tell her husband John. Whoops.
Big thanks to all the candidates for taking part. As you can see we’re not exactly doing hard news, but we do think it is nice to allow voters to see a bit more of their candidates, and give them some opportunities to talk issues. Most of it, we’re enjoying doing it. When you are not getting paid to do something, you only do it if it is fun.