The “skin-deep trappings” of politic salvation

For those who don’t understand folk who seek salvation in politics, read and despair at Chris Trotter’s love letter to an empty man, posted at Chris’s blog this morning and in The Press last week. It begins:

IT’S ONE OF THOSE PICTURES that freeze-frames a political leader in the making. Half-turned from the enthusiastic crowd of Prince Edward Islanders he is addressing, Justin Trudeau’s upraised arm acknowledges something beyond the image’s point of reference. A pale sunlight lightly gilds the palm of his outstretched hand and highlights the features of his face. Taken in 2013, Canadian Press photographer Andrew Vaughan’s photograph captures to perfection the same political magic that swept the 43-year-old Trudeau to victory in last Monday’s Canadian general election.
    Inevitably, those New Zealanders favouring a change of government in 2017 are scouring the ranks of opposition parties for a Kiwi politician capable of bringing some Trudeau magic to our own political arena.

Head to Chris’s blog is you too want to worship in the reflected sunlight if the golden one.

Now, I won’t spoil it for you by telling you how the eulogy ends. Except to remind you that the “Trudeau magic” has been well-characterised by more cogent commentators than Chris as “The Triumph of Drivel.” And it is in this that Trotter seeks salvation.

** Oh shit, yes I will spoil the ending for you. Trotter argues there are “just two names for [NZ-based] Trudeau-seekers to play with: Stuart Nash and Jacinda Ardern.” Because and unashamedly because of their “skin-deep trappings.” His words.

But can either of them boast a photograph like Andrew Vaughan’s? Has a photographer ever frozen Nash or Ardern in that magical political moment when anyone with a beating heart knows – just knows – that this is the one to watch?

Sheesh!

Here are The Stranglers.