Judith: think it possible you may be mistaken [updated]

It’s true that both a person’s and a politician’s emails should be private. But what might have been revealed by the reaction to the illegal @Whaledump was more than just some ill-considered repartee.

How Judith Collins has reacted to media pressure about her behaviour – leaving her Prime Minister to bat for her when she should be fronting herself – has been revealing. It turns out Entitleitis isn't just for corporate cronies and lowly-paid beneficiaries. Cabinet ministers get it too.

But then, they are the country’s highest-paid beneficiaries.

Irony, then, that Collins’s biggest crime according to this document dump was revealing the name of a former Helen Clark staffer she thought might have revealed Sir Double Dipton’s double dipping.

Nonetheless, Judith Collins is once again embarrassing her party, her cabinet and her Prime Minister – this time in the middle of what should be a campaign, when she is already on her third last warning.

And by refusing to front, she not only allows the story to continue until she does, she reveals again her overweening sense of Entitleitis.

Yes, she has Entitleitis, just like most ministers do in a second-term government: she thinks she is entitled to her ministerial position and baubles*, and anybody or any questions on any subject suggesting she might not deserve them should be ignored until they go away.

If it’s not Entitleitis, then it’s a severe case of cowardice. Not a good look for a woman who likes to revel in the name ill-named moniker ‘Crusher.’

In either case, she would do her colleagues, the campaign – and, let’s face it, the country -- a power of good by pissing off.

Now, would be good.

* Baubles? Not sure what she costs us now, but back in 2009 the pint-sized power luster was racking up $46,000 plus rorts for accomodation and $188,981 a year in flights and limos. And all we got in return for that was “asset confiscation; suspension of your right to silence; expanded search and surveillance powers for an extraordinary range of government departments.” You know, stuff she did right out in the open.

UPDATE 1: Nice to  hear Leighton thinks the same. (Although more politely.)

UPDATE 2:  Interesting to see that Cameron calls his “former Beehive contact” Jason Ede “gutless” for not fronting up. If he means it for his other mate, he obviously means it double for this one.

UPDATE 3: An emailer pointed out Collins was bearded at the airport wearing a carpet. Not a great looks, but she does answer questions.

RELATED POSTS:

• A postcard to “Crusher” Collins
• Getting “tough”