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What do the Kursk, Katrina and a Tsunami all have in common?

by Whaleoil on September 30, 2009

From Wikipedia on the Kursk

While the tragedy of the Kursk played out in the Far North, Russia’s then President Vladimir Putin, though immediately informed of the tragedy, waited for five days before he broke a holiday at a presidential resort house in subtropical Sochi on the Black Sea before commenting publicly on the loss of the pride of the Northern Fleet. A year later he said: “I probably should have returned to Moscow, but nothing would have changed. I had the same level of communication both in Sochi and in Moscow, but from a PR point of view I could have demonstrated some special eagerness to return.”

Hurricane Katrina was a PR disaster for George W. Bush. He didn’t take enough interest, left the details to FEMA who were useless and suffered as a result.

The lessons are there to be learned.  Putin was was on holiday at the Black Sea and couldn’t see why he should not stay on holiday which really hurt his reputation amongst the Russians. George W. Bush fucked up royally with Katrina, but did Bill English and Murray McCully learn the lessons that leaders need to lead?

Nope they didn’t. The first two politicians on the plane out to Samoa this afternoon were Chris “Cruising” Carter and Winnie Laban, dispatched by the Co-Leader of Labour Phil Goff.

Where the fuck were our guys? Why wasn’t Nikki Kaye, Simon Bridges, Aaron Gilmore and every other available back-bencher especially the 2008 intake all put on the bloody plane complete with gumboots and “We Care” t-shirts and some shovels and spades bloody first. Oh no….the first support Samoa gets is from bloody Labour oiks! It is shit like this that really gets my goat with National sometimes.

Bill English is acting-Prime Minister and acting is all he seems t be able to do and Murray McCully is responsible for MFat. There are two heads right there that should roll. This really should be the final straw for Bill English.

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  • Henry Sewell

    All I can assume is that Labour cares more about the situation and how we can help than National cares about holidays abroad.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/The_Grizz The_Grizz

    WTF Whale. With respect to politicians, they have limitations.

    Samoa needs medical supplies, emergency shelter, assistance with clean-up. People with technical skills to help with repairs. McCully has staff to tell him whats going on. A civil defence consultant would achieve more than a whole parliament of politicians. In fact politicians will only get in the way. Someone needs to co-ordinate and organise the aid which Samoa needs to be sent. Perhaps the MFAT needs to stay behind to get things sorted from NZ.

    Winnie and the old Fruit may broadcast a few sob stories and cajole the NZ government to provide the impossible, but I cannot see them swinging a hammer, bending over with a spade, providing medical assistance, putting bodies into body bags etc.

    The test for the MFAT is being able to co-ordinate the aid effort and ensure that NZ is doing enough. At this stage, 1 hercules and 1 orion and a few blankets is a token effort. I await more very soon.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/thor42 thor42

    English and McCully are both complete f**king morons and no-hopers.
    I agree that both should go, and the sooner the better.

    Also agreed that the Nats desperately need a lesson in P.R. Although it's true that politicians sent up there would probably just get in the way, ***sometimes it is necessary to make an effort to at least LOOK as if you care***. Sometimes, appearances do matter. The Nats have yet to learn that lesson.

  • twr

    Realistically, how many Samoan residents vote in NZ elections? And of those, how many are likely to vote National? And how many will remember in 2.5 years time the race to be the first politicians poncing up and down and getting in the way in Samoa?

  • MT_Tinman

    Strangely I thought Samoa was a foreign country and the only thing visiting "dignataries" could do was to big note it while real people did the bloody work – probably why the commynists were so quick to attend.

  • http://oswaldbastable.blogspot.com/ Oswald Bastable

    Comparing apples with oranges. The two named were not elected in Samoa.

  • Inventory2

    Given that it is the school holidays, did Carter travel alone or accompanied?

  • Guest

    Carter just loves a good holiday, did he take his wife by any chance?
    The whole Labout party should go, they do bugger all else here.
    I watched English on the news last night and he does come across as a bit of a drip.

  • Pingback: Samoa Tsunami could be John Key’s Katrina « Life and Politics

  • Andrew Carrot

    As Agi's has been taken over by MFAT to house the shirtless/passport-less/cash-less NZeders, and all other hotels in Apia are, gosh ohh dear, of a MUCH poorer standard, and all the OTHER hotels have been wiped out (hence the shirtless/passport-less kiwis) where would Carter be forced to stay? Presumably at Agi's. If it's the only place in town with clean linen it's the only place in town.

  • TonyC

    Cupcake boy has grabbed the opportunity to get a bit of fa'afafine action…

  • mediafart

    Could it be that Cruiser Carter is diverting to Sydney, then boarding a direct Emirates flight to Dubai ?

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