Jim vs Mike

Like an ageing Rocky, Jim Anderton has jumped into the fray to defend Helen against Mike Moore.  Anderton, who obviously still has unresolved issues from the 80s, exhaled:

“One reason Labour failed so badly in the Moore era was that they were poll-driven fruitcakes who believed coups were some sort of management plan for a political party. Now he wants to start another coup.”

Mr Anderton said all Mr Moore every wanted was the limelight and he was a bitter failure.

Yes Helen of course is famous for taking no interest in the polls.  And Helen has never been involved in coups, except the last two.  What Anderton is actually referring to is the Lange/Rowling coup – he still isn't over it 25 years later.

Moore responds with:

He said Mr Anderton was the failure and cited his own achievements including heading the World Trade Organisation, getting closer economic relations with Australia and exporting education.

Mr Anderton was creating a diversion; “as for failing how many seats has he got in Parliament? I took us within a couple of seats of Government once.”

He wrote a book that went to three editions; “when was the last time Jim Anderton had an idea that wasn't forgotten in 1950?… there is one thing I do envy him and that's his hair.”

Mr Moore said he was a more staunch supporter of Labour than Mr Anderton every was and had always voted for the party.

Meanwhile in a break from the fun, Audrey Young looks at why Moore spoke out after so many years of diplomatic silence.   One theory is:

It is possible he was sickened by the recent Labour attacks on John Key – and Clark's “plausible denability” over them.

Indeed.  Or:

Moore's breach of his own rigidly enforced discipline is not a joke gone wrong. It is part of a longer-term game.

It makes the Opposition's criticism of Clark more credible and it makes internal criticism of Clark a little easier to raise – when Goff's time comes.

So Moore spoke out either because (a) he was genuinely disgusted with Clark's behaviour, or because  (b) he is trying to help phil goff roll Clark.  My god, what a choice.

I choose (c) – both of the above!