Thursday, October 05, 2006



No surprise

DPF is crowing that the latest UN Security Council straw poll suggests South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon will be the next Secretary-General - so there'll be no promotion for Helen Clark. But is this really a surprise? After all, there's been no evidence at all she was ever pursuing the job - only speculation. And who's been feeding that speculation at every opportunity? That's right - the National Party...

9 comments:

If one is a tad sensitive about allegations of corruption, the UN S-G job is probably not for you.

M'lud

Posted by Anonymous : 10/06/2006 01:05:00 AM

Oh people are taking my post a bit too seriously. A couple of months ago I did a serious post on Clark and the job and it was in fact complimentary of her skills.

I agree she has not campaigned for it, and I don't think I have said she has been. All I have said is she will not be getting a promotion to the UN job.

Posted by David Farrar : 10/06/2006 04:43:00 AM

Senior Foreign Affairs officials have privately described getting Clark this job as New Zealand's number one foreign policy objective. It is not a job you can overtly campaign for, but be in no doubt she was after it.

Posted by Anonymous : 10/06/2006 07:20:00 AM

Well, anonymous...how'd you like to name these "senior officials" so we can check to see this isn't a figment of your imagination?

Posted by Anonymous : 10/06/2006 12:58:00 PM

I find it really interesting that Dr Brash was willing to go on the record to back helen clark for the good of the country despite it only being speculation at that point.

Contrast that with the way Labour have attempted to brand him.

Posted by sagenz : 10/06/2006 07:50:00 PM

Brash was playing political games as per usual. Clark had no intention of leaving the position of PM, as he well knows, and it was intended make her look like she had her mind on other things. What a tosspot.

DPF seems to go down the same route.

Posted by Anonymous : 10/06/2006 11:51:00 PM

whatever they may say, almost any politician would at least pause to consider an offer of head of the UN.

Posted by Genius : 10/07/2006 08:33:00 AM

Nobody gets "offered" the job. You have to put yourself forward, even privately.

Posted by Anonymous : 10/07/2006 09:21:00 PM

almost any politician would at least pause to consider outting themselves forward privately

Posted by Genius : 10/08/2006 04:28:00 AM