by frog
Scoop has the TV3 clip of Don Brash’s equivocating on Iraq. I suspect it will get a lot of airtime between now and the election. What’s astonishing about it is that his performance just gets worse and worse the more you watch it. Here’s a transcript of the interview, as screened:
TV3: Would you have sent troops to Iraq?
Don Brash: I say this is a diversionary tactic by Helen Clark that’s not relevant today.
TV3: Would you have sent troops to Iraq?
Don Brash: The basic issue, right now, today, is about Labour’s wasting hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money.
TV3: The question was: would you have sent troops to Iraq if you were the Prime Minister?
Don Brash: And, I’m telling you, that the real issue today is not that issue in the past, that’s essentially gone.
TV3: It is the question I’m asking you today, though.
Don Brash: And I’m saying to you, The key issue today is the fact that the Government is wasting hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ money. That’s the issue the media should be focussing on.
TV3: What about answering my question? As Prime Minister, would you have sent troops to Iraq, given some of the flyers that are up today by the Labour Party?
Don Brash: The Labour Party is desperately harking back to issues which are no longer relevant, at all.
TV3: So are you saying you’re not prepared to answer that question about whether you would have sent troops to Iraq or not?
Don Brash: That’s not the issue today.
TV3: But it is the issue because I’m asking you.
Don Brash: Well, I’m sorry, I want to focus on the issue that is important now to taxpayers, and that’s waste of government spending, to a huge degree.
By my count, that’s seven times he was asked for his position on Iraq, and seven times he failed to answer. The arrogance with which he thinks he can set the media’s agenda – that is, tell the media what it should be asking about, and then refusing to talk about anything else – is absolutely breathtaking.
Meanwhile, someone has done an attack ad using the footage from that interview. It ends with the following words:
In 2003, he would have invaded Iraq.
Now he’d rather not talk about it.
It’s about trust. Trust him?
Touché.
Published in Campaign by frog on Sat, July 23rd, 2005
Tags: environment
on the trolls and those who are unable to keep on topic
It is my humble opinion that Don Brash, well used to be The Man in the secure confines of the Reserve Bank, will not handle the rough and tumble of a political campaign. Joy.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
Like the U.S. neocons, whenever something inconvenient comes up, he calls it irrelevant history. Heh.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
Joy:
Well, it look like it’s Labour who can’t hack a competitive campaign. And like sleaze merchants everywhere, when Mallard is asked to front with the evidence he suddenly loses his voice.
And with all due respect, when you and Jordan don’t actually disclose the source of your *attack ads* I think you have credibility and honesty issues to address much closer to home.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
You joking right? Brash can’t answer a straight question and it’s Labour’s fault??? Hehe, right-wingers have always had a problem with responsibility from my experience. I’ve always assumed that’s actually the reason why it’s so much a part of their rhetoric.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
Excuse me Craig, but who are you accusing of attack ads? And what attack ads are you refering too? I am mystified. Joy.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
I THINK Craig was trying to make the point that the campaign was (from National’s point of view) about taxes. The Iraq business brought home their shocking problems on that score, instead of the not so shocking problems labour has on the topic of tax. IMHO this is a winner for Labour.
I don’t think however, that the tax thing will go away as much as they wish. Labour still needs to make the “spent” nature of the oberac number clear to the population, possibly in the context of paying down overall debt, of which we have plenty. This would take away the Nats most potent weapon.
respectfully
BJ
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
BJ,
Yes, I think perhaps the size and nature of the o’seas debt does need clarification. The emphasis in the media has been on personal debt. I recall a political campaign, long ago, when the level of o’seas debt was a highlight. Not that I necesarily think it needs undue attention, but if it exists and if the so called surplus is real, then the voters deserve to know the facts. Joy.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
Joy:
Do you follow links? Frog links to an “attack ad” (Frog’s words not mine) at Jordan Carter’s blog above – whose source is not disclosed. Um, what was Frog saying about trust and credibility and transparency folks?
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
BJ:
Well, I think Labour (and the Greens) have grossly over-estimated how useful Iraq and anti-Americanism is as a vote shifter. I’ll keep saying this until you folks on the left get a clue, but if you’re going to go for the jugular it helps if you’re smears have some foundation is fact. Yesterday, Mallard was repeatedly challenged on Agenda to front up with evidence of his allegations that National is funded by Yank sugar daddies, our policy is written in Washington not Wellington etc. etc. etc. He repeatedly declined.
Want to talk about trust? Get your attack dogs sedated.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
Craig
Perhaps you will describe it to me, as I have no Windows Media Player and will not let the MS malware on my boxes, and my TV is in a box in the garage until my little girl decides to be a tad better behaved
respectfully
BJ
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
Craig
I don’t know whether Iraq and anti-Bush sentiment is a big vote shifter. I think it might be big enough.
We’re talking about a 3% shift in the electorate. There will be people who will have to think hard about the two issues and decide on balance. How many I don’t know…
I’d like to see the tax and budget issue explained better by labour. The “surplus” that isn’t and all the rest. That IS the Nats big issue and it looks like a winner if it isn’t addressed by labour or cancelled by Brash being unable to admit a mistake. Infallible, just like Dubya. I have to wonder where these people come from.
I don’t think anyone wants Mallard anymore. I voiced my sentiments earlier, he either has proof (and I note that he neither presented any nor denied he had it) or has a serious problem with his big mouth not being big enough to accomdate his shoes. I am reserving judgement but I can’t imagine why he’d withold supporting evidence if he had any.
respectfully
BJ
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
um..craig..new zealand soldiers coming home in bodybags, nervously waiting for a possible/probable bomb attack/s on our public transport systems, and american warships in our harbours, are very potent images..that most new zealanders (hookers and bar-owners and ancilliary industries excepted for the latter), don’t want a bar of…
this national will find..to their cost…
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
The media are doing a disservice to the NZ public. When they “say” there is anger at not declaring a date for the election, it is only a talking point for the politicians and the media to beat up a non story. The “mainstream” (whatever that is?) does not care.
Same thing with this issue over Iraq and Brash. National don’t want to have it as an issue because they know the majority of NZers would not support being shrub’s lap dog.
Sheer arrogance for the media to say it is not an issue the public care about. Especially when they are the ones who repeat the talking points of the political parties and are too lazy to be journalists.
Funding is a real issue too, and if National are going to be cagey about their supporters and if they use a trust fund to wash the identity off then be careful.
We deserve transparency. That said it would have been nice if Labour carried these new found ideals through their last six years.
Don reminds me of Bill Rowling, A shiver looking for a spine to run up, heh heh heh
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
Rantz,
My mother said she hated Muldoon for saying that about Rowling, but I think Rowling was too nice and, lets face it, too weak for politics. The jibe was cruel, but……
I think you may have a point. No, not about cowardice, but that Dr Don may be not quite cut out for the toughness required to lead a political party.
Transparency of party funding, yes, definitely, and transparency about how the tax cuts will be funded. If people are to get more of their wage/salary back in their pockets they deserve to know what service cuts will be made. Hip hops and singalongs do not add up to a meaningful reduction in tax to “the mainstream”. Joy.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)
Craig: I have no idea where the attack ad came from – I just saw it on Jordan’s site, and linked to it. I have also linked to many of the retreads of National’s Tui-style billboards without knowing who made them up. I don’t actually regard that as all that important – so long as what I’m linking to remains in the bounds of good taste, and I certainly think the Brash/Iraq ad did.
All this amateur ad stuff was fun while it was National allies doing it… Are we to take it from your comments that when Labour allies fight back that it becomes less fun?
Like or Dislike:
0 
0 (0)