Keeping Simon Bridges
May 10, 2019
By NZB3
Simon, you’re going to be OK. I mean, clearly you’ve got this. Hope you don’t mind if I tell some people how clever you are at keeping your job as leader of the Opposition.
“Simon Bridges will be the next National leader.
“To defeat a reigning Pop Princess it takes a Prince, or Princes. That’s how the Nats have always done it before too, with ‘Young Turks’ or ‘Brat Packs’.”- Me, 31 January 2018
Bridges became Leader of the New Zealand National Party and Leader of the Opposition on 27 February 2018. By October of the same year it appeared to be over, that Jami-Lee Ross’ scandal would take both men down. They’re both still here thanks to Jedi Political skills I didn’t know any New Zealanders had.
Last month, April, Bridges’ leadership rivals again made a move. Bryce Edwards and Richard Harman put shark bait in the water around poor Simon and Newshub took the opportunity to stab him in back back with a pencil pathetically..
A perfectly proper target, Labour 5.0’s low rent slushy rort, is contrived to backfire on Bridges (see image above.) Likewise, his face is made the poster for the “shocking” Kiwi accent!- Ousting Simon Bridges
During the following week (last week) both the Speaker of the House and now the Deputy Prime Minister have attacked Bridges.
Winston Peters calls National Party ‘leaderless rabble’ during pointed Parliamentary address– TVNZ
The trivial conclusion is that the Government want Bridges out too, that Simon is being primed for an ousting during the Nat’s Annual Conference at the end of July in Christchurch. But we’re not possessed of trivial minds, are we?
Mallard and Peters are not hurting Bridges, they’re helping him. To hurt would be to ignore him, leave him to Nat’s in-fighting to consume. Let all the poisons that lurk in the mud hatch out. Instead of doing that these very experienced politicians are attacking Bridges as if he’s their worst enemy and appointed rival! Importantly, they have put the Nat’s leadership in the position of having to defend their leader and stick up for him.
Peters put favourite to replace Bridges, Paul Bennett, in that position in last week’s debate. Of course, she’s a Jedi too so responded not by defending the incumbent but by spinning an attack back upon Peters himself. “Boring….boring…boring…”
Note also the line in Peters’ speech about “even an inmate deserves a last meal.” The writer of that speech has had their logical premise adjusted to deliberately go lightly on Bridges. Inmates don’t get “last meals,” those condemned to be executed do. Winston has deliberately changed the speech to go more softly on Bridges knowing that the headline, had he not pulled back, would certainly read Peters Calls Simon Bridges a Condemned Man.
The Government is helping Simon Bridges. They’re recognising him, they’re giving him a fight so he can prove his worth, they’re positioning his party to have to publicly defend him. And, they’re making Simon a sympathetic figure in the lead up to his leadership vote. In exchange for a week or so of being set upon, Simon’s popularity will reap sympathy and support during the time it counts. If a guy can survive being smashed about in the eyes of New Zealand he will emerge an Under Dog, a battler who doesn’t quit. New Zealanders are not sociopaths, there comes a time when the Zeitgeist determines Bridges has suffered enough. Then he wins.
“My last comment is that Mr Bridges has brought to parliament all the excitement of a confabulation of undertakers.” – Peters attacks Bridges’ internal rivals
Well played Simon, advance to election 2020. Why does the Government want to help Simon? In my opinion, Simon has a some kind of Dead Man Switch meaning that if he goes a scandal will break out that takes much of the Government with him. Besides, he’s a good politician they can work with, a known quantity, and that’s what matters most to the Machiavelli Club not what party you’re in.
Like Comment Share
