Boy have I upset some people. perhaps I have hit too close to the bone.
Today has been full of hurly-burly, lies and bullshit.
I applied to go to National’s conference as Media. I used the same accreditation that has seen me registered as media for two Daivd Tua fights and a number of other functions. It was rejected, I then registered as an observer member, which I am entitled to do.
When I was asked to go on The Nation again this weekend I called the new General Manager to enquire as to the broadband facilities that were available for the media. I was then told that I wasn’t media and therefore any facilities that were provided to the media were off-limits for me. I told him that I was appearing on The Nation, blogging from the conference and they could be helpful or not, and pointed out that not wasn’t going to be a good look for anyone, but I didn’t care about my look so it was up to him. The ban was re-iterated to me.
Today I went to the conference venue, before registration had even begun to test my own provision of broadband. While I was there I received a phone call from the producer The Nation to say that Kevin Taylor had rung him and asked whether I was appearing or not. He took this to be pressure not to have me on. After all why would you ring in the first place. Not only that a message was sent to me in person via a nice staffer from the new GM that I had been warned and was being warned again that I was not permitted entry to designated media areas, and that I wouldn’t be warned again. WTF, I am appearing on nationwide television tomorrow, live from the conference and I’m not allowed in the same area as the guys who are going to be filming me or broadcasting the signals or arranging the timings. Muppets!
In sales and it applies as well to politics, you never ask a question you don’t already know the answer to. So Kevin Taylor already knew I was going to be on The Nation, plus I had blogged about it this morning, so only the stupidest of people wouldn’t know that I was going to be on. So then, why on earth would the Prime Minister’s SPS ring the producer of the programme if it wasn’t to put pressure on to pull me from the show? There is not a single reason for Kevin Taylor to legitimately ring the producer about me, not one, I dare any commenter to give one. I don’t work for the party, or with the party, nor the Prime Ministers office, I am simply a member with a loud mouth.
I confronted Kevin Taylor about his attempt to spike me appearing and he flatly denied it. Unfortunately for Kevin Taylor we have had words before when he has erroneously tried to get me to shut up. I was fortunate to be blessed with parents who encouraged open debate and questioning of weaselly politicians and a SPS is a flea compared to them.
I also had words with another Key staffer who joined in on the Taylor spin that they weren’t interfering. I got no answer to the question as why did they bother to ring in the first place. These two muppets have now contributed to their being a story about the PMs office meddling in the private commercial arrangements of an independent media production company in order to attempt to shut down discourse.
They of course will all be described as un-named sources in the PMs office because these weasels never put their names to anything. I don’t play by those rules, and those rules died with the advent of bloggers. I tell it how it is and too bad if you don’t like it. The best disinfectant is always sunlight. I say always because politicians hate it, therefore it must be good, so do vampires and gingas, again excellent reasons to use sunlight to kill of the old ways.
In case Kevin Taylor, the PM and the other meddling caucus members like Nathan Guy and Gerry Brownlee (yes boys, you are the un-named strategists and ministers) this is a party matter not a matter for the paid plebs of the Prime Minister. We also live in a democracy and the National party used to be known for the fine traditions of democracy as well. Except it looks like I have got too close to the truth and now I must be hushed up. Unfortunately for them I have a blog, and a big mouth.
For delegates make no mistake that caucus is trying to take away your constitutional right to vote for board members as you please. It is an affront to democracy that they are even trying to suggest that the PM might get embarrassed.
What is worse is that during my discussion with one of the muppets, he explained that I couldn’t be media because I wasn’t part of a media organisation. I pointed out that they had the pinko Damien Christie roaming around door-stepping delegates and that he was a blogger. I pointed out that Tracy Watkins, who is also accredited has a blog on the Stuff website, that Pedro Gower also has a blog and he is accredited. The answer, they work for media companies. So it appears that the criteria for being media now is that you get a salary and have a title with a MSM media outfit. It is a bullshit excuse and they know it.
One thing is for sure, if they wanted to hose this down, then they played the wrong way. I have a favourite saying, if you wrestle with pigs two thing are for certain. The first is that you will get dirty, second is the pig enjoys it. I’ve been playing in politics since I was in nappies, I’ve got 40 years on these fools. No flea bit, second rate, muppet, repeater with a jumped up job in the PM’s office is going to fuck with me and get away with it.
Oh and they can call off the lobby fodder txting me too, I know what went down, I’m in the middle of it and, another of my two favourite lines, I’m telling this story as I see it and they are going to be famous for all the wrong reasons.
If delegates didn’t believe before that caucus was meddling to keep a useless president, then they can be rest assured that caucus and the PMs office are heavily involved in running Goodfellow’s spin. For the record I think that John Key is oblivious to all this and the muppets have dropped him in it big time.
The game in the media has changed, unfortunately for National their muppet show that runs communications haven’t grasped that.
