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  JOHN KEYWe're nearly a fortnight into the election campaign and most of my old mates who have been watching politics for years can't figure this one out. One newspaper editor said to me today that it lacked colour; a veteran Press Gallery journalist just said it was weird --- but what appears to be happening is that there is no real debate between Helen Clark and John Key. That's understandable since National (who are obviously the front runners) have long argued that Ms Clark herself is the reason to get rid of the Government. There has been very little policy debate. That's because there is very little policy difference. Instead the Nats have simply campaigned on the politics of personality. "Get rid of her" has been the message, and with her will go the nanny state --- whatever that is. Usually campaigns give the Opposition Leader a chance to get some exposure. That's why leaders like David Lange, Jim Bolger or even Helen Clark piled on poll ratings during their campaigns as Opposition Leader. But John Key has not. Maybe that's because he was already so well exposed by the media before the campaign that there is nothing new to learn about him. Indeed ironically, it may be that it is new things that we are discovering about Helen Clark. She certainly has come out of the blocks running and most print pundits are scoring her ahead on points at this stage. But the problem National have made for themselves is that by doing a "me too" on virtually every Labour policy they have narrowed the room for policy debate. They are thus left with a comparison between Clark and Key as the main issue this campaign. We have Mr key on the programme on Sunday for what (for us) is arguably the most important programme of the year. What does he stand for --- how would a Key Prime Ministership be different? Those are the big questions. That they are still able to be asked two weeks out from the election raises an eyebrow on an old political hack like me. |
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