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Clifton has some advice for Labour

by Whaleoil on January 30, 2012

For some reason I missed this but Jane Clifton has some good advice for politicians, and in particular labour politicians addicted to social media:

STEP AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD: MPs’ command of the social media is a fine thing – up to a point. Alas, too many have made themselves look uncharacteristically boorish and petty through ill-considered cyber-blurts. Labour’s usually good-natured Darien Fenton slagged the much-loved Sir Peter Leitch for being too friendly with the evil Tories and even suggested a boycott of his butcher shops. It’s a tragically short hop from Twitter to twit, but the lure of instant gratification is dangerously over-stimulating for most MPs.

Another victim was Trevor Mallard, goaded into a bike race by right-wing blogger Cameron Slater. Mallard won comfortably, but as Slater cheerfully characterises such encounters, the trouble with wrestling with pigs is that you get dirty, while the pigs absolutely love it. Repeat to self before posting: These golden words will be public and permanent. Do I really want history to record that I called someone a weasily little scrote?

This pig had fun last year.

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  • Hakim of Phut

    Of course you say that ….now. If I recall werent you much more optimistic at the time.
    “I bet he is too chicken,” Mallard said.Well, he did accept.And Slater – known for obsessively hounding issues – has turned his compulsive nature to the race and cycled about 15kg off his framehttp://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10746348 

    • Euan Rt

      HoPy, I think the best test here is who laughed loudest and longest?

      • Hakim of Phut

        ‘The Cripple ” won. How is that a SMOG ? He came back from a major accident using this as motivation.  probably hasnt given the race  a thought since.

      • Euan Rt

        This blog is not about who won, but is rather about unwise use of keyboards by politicians. Keep it relevant HoPeless

      • Hakim of Phut

        Read the story it refers to the ‘challenge between WO & the Duck’
        JC just doesnt want competition as she would look down her nose at WO- when she isnt getting info that they NEVER  credit back.

      • Euan Rt

        HoPit, I think  y o u  should read the story. These paragraphs quoted are about the use of social media and how it can get politicians into trouble. Add to that whale’s only contribution to the post to whom he rightly credits JC, is “this pig had fun last year”.
        As an avid follower of the whale, you know this to be true, as do the rest of us, as it has been raised mirthfully by whale and others often.  So your ramblings remain totally irrelevant, as ever. ‘Square peg, round hole’ syndrome. Stay around and we’ll happily help you get rid of your obnoxious corners.

  • Jester

    The cripple won did he?

    Perhaps on face value yes, but lets dig a little deeper…..

    3 months training for a race he was always expected to win.

    Giving WO oxygen by allowing himself to be goaded into it. AKA Wrestling with Pigs!

    Spending 3 months as a bike racer and part time politician during election year when he was Labours strategic election advisor. And we all know how that panned out.

    Sorry Phut but a SMOG in any mans language!

    • Hakim of Phut

       He had a bike accident while riding, he spends a lot of time on the bike. 
      He issued a challenge -on SM- and won. ( And like a lot a desk bound people  he finds cycling  great for activity and  clearing the mind, and would have trained anyway)

      Where is the problem ?   
      Clifton could have written about a whole heap of  dubious stuff Trev wrote , but this wasnt one of them.
      Whale of course wants to make it all a ‘Dunkirk’, its his blog but Clifton  should know better than to be a ‘repeater’

  • MrV

    “Labour’s usually good-natured Darien Fenton”

    Am I living in the same universe?