Mutch on Key

Jessica Mutch blogs:

On Friday I was in East Auckland covering the Labour Party Caucus meeting.

In the afternoon I travelled to West Auckland to an event the Prime Minister was hosting.

Note that it was in West Auckland – in fact in te Atatu. This is traditional Labour homeland territory.

It’s not unusual for a Prime Minister to be greeted warmly at such events and for a few kids to trail around after the PM and the TV camera… but this was unusual.

Key was barely a few steps inside before he was mobbed by both kids and parents.

He spent a good 20 minutes (maybe longer – we had to leave after 20 minutes) posing for photos, signing shirts and shaking hands.

The hordes of people grew – as did the nervous looks of the Diplomatic Protection Squad.

Young guys were coming up to the PM and putting their arm around him… and calling him John.

Heh the poor DPS.

He seemed to be loving the attention – and courting it. I wonder when John Key’s status moved from Prime Minister to celebrity?

Can he be both? And do we want him to be both? Is this just a sign of a popular Prime Minister or has he worked hard to appear approachable?

I think he is popular because he is just himself. There aren’t two John Keys. He is genuinely friendly and approachable, and hasn’t had his job go to his head.