Is the biggest winner out of the Sam Uffindell drama the Government?

Think of all the things they would have dreaded being talked about while we busied ourselves on the cock up that was essentially a two-fold mistake.

Mistake one: the lack of up-front honesty in putting it out there from day one. Select him, I have no problem with it, what you did as a kid should not be a life sentence.

But it was always going to get discovered Uffindell himself said so, so front foot it.

Mistake two: the idiots in the selection process, including the Party President, should have told the right people. And the right people is not a flunky in the leaders office, it’s the leader themselves.

Those simple things would have avoided all this.

This is a story of immaturity, hopefully left behind 20 years ago.  

And yet by weeks end, it's exercised us all more than it ever should. And oh, the irony, in a week when the poll for TVNZ confirmed the other polls this year.

National and ACT at 48 percent are the next government. Compare that to the Labour-Green combo at 42 percent, and the Prime Minister at record low personal popularity.

The issue of Three Waters. The Auditor General's report was not really covered. The economy, the inflation, the debt, the local elections with no candidates, and the firearms laws that will change nothing.

The Three Strikes abolition that further cements the Government's position as soft on crime. We can't forget the one or two shootings and ram raids rounding out another violent week. Plus, let us not forget the free passes on NCEA, because it's all been a bit tough.

On Uffindell, don't get me wrong, I spent as much time on it as anyone else.

For a while, it was a proper story needing proper answers. But, yet again, too much of the media got obsessed about it and let themselves down and displayed yet again their clear distaste for anything National Party.

And they love anything that even begins to sniff of personal tragedy. It turned by yesterday with the flat nonsense into character assassination. The media might at some point like to look at itself and wonder why its reputation is the way it is.

As for Uffindell, I don’t like what I saw of him when he was a kid. But I don’t condemn him forever. And I hate the way we look to destroy people who clearly have grown up and want to contribute to the betterment of the country.

Ultimately then by Friday morning, a shabby week. And if the Government are the winners, we also have an awful lot of losers.

Is the biggest winner out of the Sam Uffindell drama the Government?
Think of all the things they would have dreaded being talked about while we busied ourselves on the cock up that was essentially a two-fold mistake.
Mistake one: the lack of up-front honesty in putting it out there from day one. Select him, I have no problem with it, what you did as a kid should not be a life sentence.
But it was always going to get discovered Uffindell himself said so, so front foot it.
Mistake two: the idiots in the selection process, including the Party President, should have told the right people. And the right people is not a flunky in the leaders office, it’s the leader themselves.
Those simple things would have avoided all this.
This is a story of immaturity, hopefully left behind 20 years ago.  
And yet by weeks end, it's exercised us all more than it ever should. And oh, the irony, in a week when the poll for TVNZ confirmed the other polls this year.
National and ACT at 48 percent are the next government. Compare that to the Labour-Green combo at 42 percent, and the Prime Minister at record low personal popularity.
The issue of Three Waters. The Auditor General's report was not really covered. The economy, the inflation, the debt, the local elections with no candidates, and the firearms laws that will change nothing.
The Three Strikes abolition that further cements the Government's position as soft on crime. We can't forget the one or two shootings and ram raids rounding out another violent week. Plus, let us not forget the free passes on NCEA, because it's all been a bit tough.
On Uffindell, don't get me wrong, I spent as much time on it as anyone else.
For a while, it was a proper story needing proper answers. But, yet again, too much of the media got obsessed about it and let themselves down and displayed yet again their clear distaste for anything National Party.
And they love anything that even begins to sniff of personal tragedy. It turned by yesterday with the flat nonsense into character assassination. The media might at some point like to look at itself and wonder why its reputation is the way it is.
As for Uffindell, I don’t like what I saw of him when he was a kid. But I don’t condemn him forever. And I hate the way we look to destroy people who clearly have grown up and want to contribute to the betterment of the country.
Ultimately then by Friday morning, a shabby week. And if the Government are the winners, we also have an awful lot of losers.

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Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show. Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda. The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more. The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion,...

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