Simon ‘burning’ Bridges clearly had the same media spin drs Key had for his Campbell Live interview – deny, attack, deceive.
The strategy was devious, Simon came storming onto the show, declaring Campbell Live had attacked a decent industry claiming bias like a McCarthyist at a CTU meeting and shouting over the top of questions. He then proceeded to cleverly claim that the standards are rigorous and intense and that 2000 wells had already been dug. It was Bridges effectively throwing the concerns of deep sea drilling back in Campbell’s face and sneeringly spitting in the soy lattes of the intelligentsia.
It was genius right up until Campbell struck back with devastating precision.
“How many are deep sea” shot back John, Simon sensing where Campbell was going tried talking over the top of John, but it didn’t work.
“8” was Simon’s eventual answer. And of those 8 – what was the deepest well drilled?
1500 meters.
Bang. These new wells are twice that depth, and suddenly Simon was in trouble because the appearance of everything being fine with his 2000 wells spin started horribly coming apart because the reality is no well to date has been drilled at these depths.
What proceeded after he was so terribly caught out was an astonishing example of what must be Crosby-Textor style political tactics. Bridges started lashing out personally at John Campbell with a bizarre accusation that John owned shares in Anadarko and he repeatedly claimed bias like a petulant child.
He couldn’t guarantee a relief well or that the decision making would be made public while shrugging off the pittance in royalties NZ will earn – ON PROFITS – not total revenue.
Forget the dirty way Bridges cut this deal for a big oil company and the contemptuous manner in which he bypassed public scrutiny and effectively passed law criminalizing Greenpeace, what was truly astounding was the manner in which Simon conducted himself with John.
This was an extraordinary interview, because what it showed was a National Party Minister of the Crown turning up to an interview with no interest in being held accountable for issues of the day, this was a Minister intent to do one thing, and one thing only, attack Campbell and all the things Campbell stands for, because while us urbane folk will gasp in astonishment at the unnecessary viscousness and spitefulness of Bridges’ petty responses, there is an angry white NZ who are cheering him to bash that dirty pinko.
National are wounded with Cunliffe’s leap in the polls, they have lost the argument because there is no argument, just crony capitalism and corporate welfare. It’s policy for the rich, by the rich and in the interests of the rich, and the way National are going to hide this is by playing to the angry prejudices of their rump voter base.
This interview gives us an idea of the venom National intend to inject into the election next year, and the dark divisions within the NZ electorate psyche they intend to arouse and unleash.
A wounded National Party are a dangerous National Party, we have seen time and time again, from Muldoon to Don Brash that they are a Party willing to turn to the angry white vote and use it to rupture the political spectrum for their gain, damn the wider consequences of what unleashing that anger creates.
This interview gave real insight to that.
Very good Martyn. Well said.
I suspect once we start seeing this phenomenon it is a sign that it is already all over for the meat heads. They are losing their cool and revealing the ugly inside, throwing tantrums and making nasty accusations. Time to put the boot in. Clean up the mess. Throw out the trash.
it was some interview Bridges has been denying media requests for sometime we saw why tonight he has plenty to hide well done Campbell
There is also an angry white and brown New Zealand cheering John Campbell on for steadfastly practising journalism in a blizzard of BS.
Yeah, Simon the “Slimy Bridgeass”, he was fuming, lashing out verbally, like a demagogue on the loose, and Campbell did not allow him to do to him what John Key did many weeks ago. How highly entertaining this interview was, it was so enjoyable to see Bridges boil inside and desperately restraining himself from even worse embarrassment, which would have been him walking out.
This was the first time I watched Campbell Live from the edge of my chair, with great excitement and interest. I do usually not consider John Campbell the type of moderator or presenter that I would like that much, but this time he did a fairly good job in keeping Simon Bridges challenged, and in totally exposing his cheap attempt to dominate the show with his government propaganda.
The best part was towards the very end, when Campbell said to Bridges something like: “You know that Deepwater Horizon was (also) an exploratory well?” That was after Bridges was basically forced to admit, that during exploration no strict safety standards are ensured to be in place offshore near Kaikoura.
Good bye political career, Mr Bridges, others will soon challenge you further, and your temper will get the better of you. That will show all what kind of chappy you really are.
I like the expression ‘Rump National voter base’ – just a pack of arses.
Some time ago I emailed the Hon. Mr. Bridges about propective mining licences being awarded. Do you know what the Hon. Mr Bridges reply was? He had the cheek to draw a distinction between propecting and mining licences. As if, I pointed out in my reply to tth Hon Mr Bridges’s response, the holders of these licences weren’t expecting to be awarded full mining licences should their explorations come to anything.
I received no further response.
But thank you for this article. I didn’t see the Campbell live show you mention. But it looks as though I will shortly be availing myself once more of the opportunity to have an email ignored by the Government. (I never did get a response to my 7 questions in respect of the GCSB Bill).
Cheers,
Ion
There’s a few inutes on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLtUPNxWMHM
I’ve yet to get a reply from any national or labour MP
They are gathering. The sock puppets and the shills, stung as you say by the sudden realisation that these policy issues and asset sale dominoes are beginning to get really wobbly. Even the supposed politically apathetic are beginning to wake up more, and not become as easily pollstruck or diverted and bamboozled by the police or corporates’ not quite, or ‘not even close’ facts!
Let alone the hastily Crosby Textor clone trained Kindy ministers like SB, who interchanged his ad hominem with other kinds of prop 101, but failed to follow the dogwhistle type favoured by the PM Right wing Kiwi blog and piranha pool fans, all of whom have been practicing more
Those b/s radars are beginning to bleep louder than ever for me, and the coalition lot are starting to get a tad anxious. Anxious that even the middlers and centrists? if there are such things? a few in media trying to invent ‘them’ if there aren’t I note, now the local elections done and dusted?
Simple Simon definitely looked like he thought he had won against John..
Mind you his expression was similar in a pic on his f/book wall when Hasselhoff ran up the beach in front of him years ago..’_
Getting personal during a debate automatically loses the argument. A sure sign National is beginning to feel the heat and becoming uncomfortable. Good!
The thing though Bomber, would Labour hit back just as forcefully?
Where do Labour stand on Deep Sea oil and gas exploration drilling?
This is not very clear at all.
Not since phil Goff promised a moratorium and then
backed off the issue. A weak and vacillating position that hurt the Labour Party and crippled his leadership.
If Labour don’t take just as unequivocal and hardline as National, but in opposition, they will be depicted as weak and untrustworthy on this issue. (Even if they support it).
All the ammunition to blast this policy are there just laying around to be picked up.
And David Cunliffe’s credentials on the environment are strong, witness his Dolphin and Dole Queue speech. But we haven’t heard anything from Cunliffe on the subjects he touched on in this speech, for some time, even through the leadership contest.
Deep Sea Oil drilling could be New Zealand’s version of the XL pipeline. (that and Denniston).
Labour need to come out, and state clearly where they stand on Deep Sea Oil Drilling.
Are they against it?
Are they for it?
Are they somewhere in the middle?
The last two options will be electoral suicide for Labour especially for the tens of thousands who objected to mining schedule 4 land.
If Labour don’t clearly define themselves on this issue, then we may get a repeat of the local body elections. Where beige is the colour and low is the number, (of voters who turn out).
And as we all should know by now, low turnout favours the Right.
I’m in awe of how you can turn what happened last night into an attack on Labour – that’s just amazing. Seriously, standing ovation. Wow, just wow. Simon Bridges behaves like that and your comment is to attack Labour?
Honestly in open mouthed awe.
This is not an attack on Labour Martyn. (though you could say it is a criticism of Labour to date under the Goff, Shearer, administrations).
And I know we will see far better from the David Cunliffe led Labour Party.
It can’t be ignored Bomber. That if this is the way that National is going to going to conduct their electioneering that Labour is going to have to come out just as strongly. What I was trying to say is that we shouldn’t be intimidated by these tactics.
The Goff and Shearer days are both very much over. In the meantime, National’s power is real and their danger is clear and present. If the opposition splits, they win again, and we know what that means for the environment, just as we know what it means for working people. Let’s keep our guns pointed that-a-way.
I couldn’t agree more CJ. This is why it is vital that Labour dump their previously vague and confused position on Deep Sea Oil and Gas exploration drilling, that they held under Goff and Shearer, and come out strongly and condemn this madness.
The unhinged behaviour displayed by Simon Bridges, his mindless refusal to answer straight questions, or even engage with the interviewer, reminds me again, just how far the National Party have gone, beyond ever being reached by reasoned debate, for me to ever waste my time asking for change from these lunatics.
A Labour/Green government are our best hope for steering away from extreme fossil fuel technologies like deep sea oil drilling to more sustainable energy sources.
To counter the risk of staying at home on voting day. New Zealanders need to clearly understand where the political parties stand on issues like this. Tribal voting is a thing of the past.
Environmental issues like Deep Sea Oil, and the wider issue of climate change are polarising issues, issues, that can and should clearly delineate the parties.
If labour don’t come out strongly against Deep Sea Oil drilling, if they leave it solely to the Greens, then the Greens will become isolated and yes the opposition will be divided. This will leave the field free for the government to demonise the Greens and the Nats will have a field day. And they will play the divide and rule card for all it is worth.
But if all the opposition parties stand strongly together in opposing deep sea oil drilling, this will take the wind out of their sales, and confound the Nats divide and rule election strategy. With out being able to isolate and demonise the Greens, the Nats would have to play the ball, and not the man. The Nats would instead have to explain to the electorate why they support this craziness and the united opposition does not. They would have to argue their reasons why they support policies, that will condemn our children to a future in which the natural environment will be so degraded as to be unrecognisable to us today.
Cunliffe seems to have learned from their biggest mistake, which is that constantly equivocating the way they did made them seem feckless.
totally agree. they need someone to keep them honest and ask the hard questions – Labour that is.
Thank you! I am DONE with the politics of the lesser weevil. Labour is going to have to WORK for my vote in 2014. Kiwis need to realise that both of their political wings are equally useless.
Wow, just wow.
That was ‘an attack’ on Labour ?
Read like fair comments to me .
Open mouthed at your sensitivity
Typical of a Gnat supporter. When the going gets nasty or tough, turn it all back onto Labour! Can’t seem to help themselves can they? Oh well, I guess it’s a case of follow the Gnat leader!
A point I haven’t seen mentioned in this debate is this, if we used all the oil deposits we have already discovered our life on this planet is screwed. Surely this begs the question, why on earth are we looking for more?
Brilliant! I just love seeing National make fools of themselves. I’m hopeful, if they carry on like this we may well get the idiots out next election. Thanks for the great blog post Martyn!
Andarko Simon and the government are putting us all at risk wp.me/p3IRVb-C1
Yuk . How awful . I’ve just watched that Campbell Live piece and I now feel like having another shower . A small , rich , shouty man shouting . Uuugh .
At least we pay him hundreds of thousands of dollars to sit there and insinuate that we’re as dumb as he hopes we are .
The true agenda behind oil exploration and the eventual exploiting of any oil that may be here is clearly not for the benefit of New Zealanders .
In fact , and politically , not much has ever been for the benefit of New Zealanders during the entire period of our political history . New Zealand is so ripe in all good things that despite an all most non stop parasitizing of our beautiful country from the moment the first humans set foot here , NZ still manages a smile and keeps us safe , sheltered and well fed . We owe our Lands better than this . Better than a greedy , short arsed , shrieking he-banshee in a suit . But are they not all like that ?
Part of the true agenda is money of course but I think there may be another , more desperate reason for the urgency of finding oil in NZ .
What if ? And I’m only saying what if …
Imagine this ? ( Because since Bridges is lying about the oil thing here , I can take creative license and speed through his reasoning . )
Take the 0.01% er’s . Those few who live at 740 Park Avenue NYC . They’re the one percent of the one percenters who have 90 % of the earths numbers ( Money ) ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/740_Park_Avenue )
They use those numbers as a facile argument that we , in all sorts of abstract ways , owe them . We owe them ever more numbers and the numbers on their bits of paper say we do . But wait ? They already have trillions of numbers of their own so why do they want more ? The simple answers is , because they can .
And that’s proving to be their down fall . The 0.01%ers have so effectively filled their nests with shit , it’s time to find a new , better , more modern iNest .
New Zealand ?
Again , what if ?
What if those 0.01%ers are here . Now . Today .
What if they knew that the consequences of their actions is causing a terrible escalation in nuclear arms manufacturing and an increase in global climate temperatures . It’s argued that if temperature gets to , or goes beyond a 2 degree centigrade average , climate change goes over a tipping point and becomes an irreversible trend thus , we’re fucked .
What if the ensuing melee , perhaps as a result of a decent nuclear war , then starvation and disease means a disruption to oil supplies to the greater Continental EU , Asia and the USA ?
What if , once the 0.01%ers have settled in to NZ , have disguised themselves in Swandri coats , drive a Hi-Lux and have mastered the art of saying Gidday Mate , howeryagoin then relax , knowing they have sufficient domestic oil reserves to power an elite armed force to keep the bad people well out to sea ?
Preposterous , I agree . I’m not saying that , that’s how it is . I’ve just created that scenario based on putting two and two together , just like simon bridges invented his entire presence on Campbell Live . For us , you understand . He did all that for us . Campbell is the bad guy here . simon bravely weathered Campbells scorn for us .
It’s certainly true to say that where there are rats , there’s filth .
What I’ll not joke about however , is that we’re being groomed for a colonization process . We’re on the front line of a not so bloodless coup and we’re being disarmed , shackled then led to the enemy by traitors . It’s been a long and tiring process for them but their reward will be our safe little country while the rest of the planet burns .
Or , they could just be , being greedy little shits and could care less if they pollute our seas / fisheries / land .
Oh , and I saw on Al Jazeera that Indonesians are faced with an 87.5 % fuel price hike in a country with 220 million people , half of whom live on $2.00 US a day . And they’re Muslim . And they’re just up there , above Australia .
Your posts often almost channel this guy whose blogs I follow: http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article42677.html
Today’s was a solid read imo (despite numerous typos). As kooky as it might first sound, deep down he’s probably right.
It’s not really fair when a young politician has been told (and is convinced) that the media is solely for the purpose of making unchallenged PR announcements and some stroppy interviewer asks questions and seeks answers that are not in your script.
What is not fair, is a Minister who didn’t learn his basic manners as a child of not interrupting. In all of my interactions with politicians and in business, the basic manners of communication between human being’s are reflective of one’s intent.
The last question that the legendary John Campbell asked, ‘can you name one person in Kaikoura that supports the drilling’?. nails it. The minister’s respons, ‘no’. Is this reflective of the thought that National is not a true representation of the people of NZ. Is national for the people? After those poor manners and disregard for the concern of New Zealanders shown by the minister, one would have to say, ‘yes’. This minister is inadequate to say the least. John Campbell for PM.
We should be grateful to Simon-whatarichprickamI-Bridges because in one sensational media moment he has revealed the silver spoon born-to-rule fuck-everybody-who disagrees-with-us mentality that typifies this National government. The day that he and his ilk are booted off the treasury benches cannot come soon enough. Well done John Campbell.
I would love to see Bomber take a trip around Aotearoa and actually listen to people. He might find that the angry white Auckland hating baby boomers that he is so worried about are more a product of his own isolation than anything else. The people of Kaikoura are not urban liberals. The people of the North who stand against mining are not urban liberals. Elvis Teddy certainly wasn’t worried about spilling his latté as he stopped to do some fishing. I could go on, and on, and on, but I need to go and check my non-existent investment properties.
Yeah, he’s talking about blog-commenters on the right and talkbackers and the ones that stare blankly when you talk about anything other than sport. They exist, he’s not saying they’re in Kaikoura or whatever.
Thanks to JC and SB for an entertaining interview. I think it was very informative and illuminating. SB needs help with his lines and his attitude. Not to mention his analysis and comprehension.
that help would be wasted effort. The guy is a “yes man” and is as thick as pig shit! His arrogance is to be expected but his ignorance of the reality of drilling offshore wells ( of any depth)and lack of intellect are inexcusable. He must have licked so many arses to get where he is!
Thank you John Campbell for sticking it to that little creep Bridges. He was disgusting. Like the proverbial born with a silver spoon in my mouth I’m going to have a little tanty because I want my own way little creep that he is. How stupid does he really think New Zealanders are?! I’m just really pleased that ultimately it presented as an opportunity for people to see his true colours. Rock on 2014 elections – the sooner we get rid of this evil bunch the better. Watch out for Crusher Collins though. When National lose next year Key will go and she will be determined to take the top spot. God help us if that female version of Hitler is ever elected!
[…] courageous investigation into spending irregularities at Kohanga Reo & Campbell Live’s devastating deep sea drilling interview with Simon Bridges while giving us the worst examples of Journalism with Whaleoil’s drooling […]
If TPP(A) is signed we will no longer have a say in this . Oil Companies will sue the Government for lost profits in a Corporate controlled Tribunal .
Even thou this is a major issue (drilling and fracking) the TPP(A) is the greatest risk to New Zealand sovereignty since the countries founding .
Even our Honourable (sic) Trade Minister Tim Groser says giving up our sovereignty is a “trivial matter” !
There is little point in winning a battle if you lose the war ! And this is a war against well financed Transnational Corporations !
Absolutely agree: Bridges behaved absolutely disgustingly. We were shown in no uncertain terms a closed-minded, one-eyed zealot who was incapable of answering any of the questions that were put to him. He was there for one reason only – to push his agenda at all costs.
If this is the best we can do for a minister of the crown then heaven help us all. An understanding of the nature of democracy and the capacity to engage in reasoned debate on important issues seem to be fundamental aspects of normal behaviour in an interview that are way, way beyond Bridges’ limited capacity to comprehend the realities of political life.
Thank you, John Campbell for revealing these important truths to us.
This is a war. It is a desperate fight for all the animals and birds of the sea. This needs to be like the nuclear free issue, where we ban deep sea drilling here. It is unbelievable that anyone in their ‘right’ mind would suggest it, let alone put in place drills offshore from Kaikoura and the Otago coast. Are the national party all blinded by money lunatics? You are a hero John Campbell, and Martyn it is a relief to be able to pen a voice about this crime against life. We are doomed to endure global warming as it is, it is sick to watch these nuts destroy N.Z, and the very essence of what N.Z stands for. Since the national party have shown that they don’t care about N.Z they should be thrown out of the place!
[…] is far deadlier. The pressures of that power struggle popped up unexpectedly last week in the Simon Bridges vs John Campbell interview with Bridges fronting to attack John purely to arouse National’s rump voter base, not to […]
I have just seen the JC-SB interview for the first time. Campbell makes me proud to be a kiwi for his genuineness, Bridges just turns my stomach with his immaturity. Countryboy’s comments are possibly not too “out there”. A friend of a friend tells me that NZ properties are being marketed in the States as “climate change properties” i.e. when your own country is too ruined to live in you can bail out to your slice of paradise in li’l ole’ NZ which will supposedly still be green and untouched by all the badness. Except that Bridges demonstrates that badness is very much alive and well in NZ.
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