Another Night in Politics

So the public thinks John Key was a 2-1 winner in last night's leaders debate. Perhaps thats because they expected Clark to spank him and she didn't gain that kind of superiority. There's no question Clark performed well - she is a past mistress at these debates. However, at times she seemed rattled in a very un-Helen kind of way. I think she has herself to blame - at the last election various news agencies reported the following:

Prime Minister Helen Clark has poured scorn on claims by National Party leader Don Brash that he took mercy on her in their TV debate because of her sex. "Sounds like an excuse for losing to me," Clark said yesterday. "I think after the event he's trying to work out what happened to him. I think in this day and age you don't treat women differently because they are female. "I've grown up in a New Zealand where girls can do anything and we expected to be treated as equals," she said. Clark said she found Brash's attitude "quaint, a little old- fashioned -- patronising".

Last night, a feisty John Key seemed happy to give Helen an equal opportunity spanking leading Helen to squeal in protest:

"You're not going to shout me down, John. You may get away with that at home..."

Did she really say that? Most of the news media are only reporting the first half - I thought the second was more revealing!