Theories about Winston

Foreign Minister Winston Peters can't talk about trade, since that's Phil Goff's job. That's just one theory for Winston's dummy-spitting yesterday: he needed to cut off McCain before they got on to a 'prohibited' subject.

And since Our Phil is also Defence Minister, presumably Winston can't talk defence either. The two important foreign policy issues for any government of New Zealand: free trade and defence. Both of the agenda.

So what did Winston find to talk to McCain and Condoleezza about? Did they swap drinking stories? Recipes?

Another theory for Winston's behaviour, one suggested by the Foreign Minister himself, is that the journalists gate-crashed his meeting with McCain (who in fact gave his permission for them to come in - "anything for New Zealand," said McCain) and were rude and pushy. Well, sorry Winston, that one doesn't fly either. American Senators learn at their mother's knee how to handle a rude and pushy press.

Perhaps it's Winston himself who needs lessons.

TAGS: Politics-NZ, Politics-World, Politics-Winston First

Photo Credit: Photo by Bettman/Corbis shows a classic press conference given by Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. Those two never had any difficulty handling a rude and pushy press.