Monday 19 February 2007

Smarm doesn't sell, it seems

Political pundits (and John Armstrong) argue that Don Brash frightened the horses far too much, and that in order to attract more support "from the centre," John Boy Key needs to outflank Helen on the left in order to attract more support from those outflanked -- to which I've pointed out that at 49% under Don Brash in the last TVNZ poll before he was ousted, National already had plenty of support, and for policies that weren't just warm and squishy and insubstantial. (Samples from John Boy: "I believe in the welfare state and I will never turn my back on it" ... )

How's John Boy's team doing in the latest TVNZ poll then? After a serious media honeymoon, a summer full of smarm ("An empty stomach, and an empty lunchbox, sets kids up [pause and voice waver] for an empty life"), lots more people who say they "like" John Boy, and a Government who stole an election and now have a a programme for the year that doesn't go much beyond buying Skodas to replace government limos ... the National Socialists are now at 46%.

46% under John Boy, compared to 49% under Don. That would be a downward trend, then.

So how about them pundits, eh?

[PS: Thanks to Teenage Pundit for the Key quote].

LINKS: Labour gains support but trailing Nats - Stuff

RELATED: Politics-NZ, Politics-National

1 comment:

Insolent Prick said...

I don't agree that John Key needs to move further to the Left.

What he needs to do is better sell the Right to the centre, than Labour is selling the Left.

With all due respect, Peter, I think you're jumping the gun assuming he's doing the former, rather than the latter.