  |
|||
 
|
  WINSTON'S LAST WORD I ended up shouting at Winston Peters after he had appeared on this morning's show. First he refused to leave the studio. Only the apperance of Margaret Wilson and his own old fashioned manners made him get out of his seat. Otherwise he was intending to stay there till the end of the show and he had had his "last word". But trying to convince him that his interview was over was all but hopeless. That's when we started shouting at each other with me telling him to read the bloody run down. (That's the sheet which outlines what happens when on the programme) Shortly after, he suddenly departed the building apparently convinced that he was not going to get his "last word". Whether that has calmed him down I don't know --- or care. However what we saw is what I think we're going to see a great deal more of this campaign and that is parties trying to make the media part of the game. You see it today with a press release from the Greens whinging about Helen Clark and John Key not debating on TV with them. And we're having some convoluted negotiations with National about getting john Key on during the campaign. However I also have had enough. And if Mr Key doesn't want to come on on the day he has been invited we shall simply invite Helen Clark to fill in for him. The Nats are always hyper sensitive about the media --- though given the soft ride they're getting at presernt you'd have to ask why. In many ways it traces back to the Muldoon years when media bullying was their main campaign strategy. Not surprisingly that was when Winston learnt his political craft. Set all his huff and puff against the calm thoughtfulness of our second interview, Margaret Wilson. We've been trying to get her on the programme for the past two years so it was great that she finally came. She is a major New Zealand political figure who has enough self confidence to not demand the last word. |
||