Judith Collins’ first media outings as the new National Party leader upset the happily roosting chickens and sent them fluttering around the ears of her tongue-tied and discombobulated hosts falling apart in the presence of a confident leader with all indications pointing at Collins becoming a great one.
How John Campbell weaseled his way back into prime time viewing after being painfully evicted by discontented viewers some years ago is another story. Desperation and well greased palms may have had something to do with it, after all $50M buys a fair bit. Campbell slithered through the back door of prime time viewing and eventually made his way back to the front desk. Clearly a stayer, he should ask himself why he returned to the scene of the crime as a recidivist offender. Doubtless, his previous embarrassment will be repeated in due course.
Campbell’s famous guest on the Breakfast show is also someone who stays the course and does not give up. Third time lucky and a successful Collins fronted for Breakfast armed with clear diction and considerable aplomb. Refusing to take Campbell’s obvious baits left him flustered and stuttering in her wake as she sailed past the anticipated gauntlet. Campbell dissolved into mixing up names until the urge to paste his elusive prey into a corner departed him. Collins 10 Campbell 0.
Not to be outdone, Duncan Garner was also in awe. After his fruitless search to uncover prospective dissidents capable of splitting the new-look party assunder, an awestruck Garner farewelled Collins referring to her as “the prime…” but pulling himself out of “minister” at the very last. Don’t feel bad Dunc, hopefully your little slip of the tongue is prophetic.
Prior to her leadership appointment, Collins was sometimes described as the “National leader in waiting.” A political slur designed to rankle but the intrepid Collins was having none of that. She squeezed herself into the passenger seat of a boy racer car to go for a spin, the stunt an introduction her new book released a couple of weeks ago. Always up for a challenge she instructed the driver “Right, let’s go!”
For a slightly more in-depth interview, the BFD transcript of the RNZ Collins interview with Corin Dann is found here.
If the voting public responds half as well as the media did to her outstanding leadership qualities we are in for a very wild and fun ride through the next election and I cannot wait. Drivers, start your engines!
If you enjoyed this BFD article please consider sharing it with your friends.
