As previously noted, according to the NBR (article not on-line), Gerry Brownlee and other Ministers have christened the PMs Chief Press Secretary Kevin Taylor as “Captain Panic Pants” for his ability to make everything into a drama and crisis.
It seems the pressure is telling on him. Last night a reporter tweeted the following
how naughty! PMs press sec called Pete Hodgson a ”f**kwit” and then invited reporters to quote him.
Not a good look. Perhaps he should be re-christened Captain Potty Mouth?
Aye, the wheels are clearly coming the nat party bus.
Throw a few curves their way and wait for the wreck.
was he wrong? :p
Also, what does Trevor think of use of foul language?
fizzleplug, you seem to forget National is the party who were going to set their standards higher than Labour, so being the same as Trevor means they have failed.
every party/govt needs an attack dog. It should not however be the PM’s press secretary…
It’s a weird thing to do plain and simple!
Agreed Dorothy!
tracey, the PM’s press secretary isn’t an MP. Trevor is. I would expect higher standards than this from an MP regardless of party lines.
PM’s press secretary is a reflection on government like it or not!
Kris Faafoi wouldn’t have done that!
Faafoi for Mana! 
I guess your option of parties to vote for must be very narrow fizzleplug. I dont condone bad language or behaviour by MPs OR their employees. I dont elect the PM’s Press Secretary but I pay his salary and I dont delude myself about the amount of power he holds and his closeness to the strategy of a political party. You are nitpicking by trying to deflect from one person’s bad behaviour to another allowing the inference that you are dismissing the subject of this posts conduct.
Nicely put tracey
!
Kevin should send Pete Hodgson some flowers; these endless clumsy smears just make the opposition look desperate and weak, which is supposed to be KT’s job.
Danyl
Funny when National did it it led to them being in Govt.
Hey Spud, it’s great to be back. Nothing like good old NZ. Love it here. LOVE being able to see other places, other cultures and other ways to do things but in the end I already won Lotto when I was born here!
Frankly, it seems to me that Taylor is just doing his job by sweating the small stuff, micro managing the messaging, and by undermining the credibility of the opposition. Maybe there’s a lesson in there?
yea that’s what we need jennifer more negative politicking.
“Perhaps he should be re-christened Captain Potty Mouth?”
Or Captain Obvious…
@Tracey
“Funny when National did it it led to them being in Govt.”
You’re quite wrong. National smeared Helen for years, but only won (after 3 losses) when Nice Mr Key replaced Nasty Dr Brash, and the swing voters liked the change of tone.
Don’t confuse the base (Kiwiblog) with the people who decide elections.
@tracey
Grant – I think it is well understod that Kevin Taylor is 100% accurate in his description of Pete Hodgson – from all sides of the House
What Monty said…Petes a creepy guy…..ehhhhhhwwwwwww!
Pete is a great guy, not creepy, calm down!
The nickname I have heard for Pete is “the gift that keeps on giving”
He sure does, Labour really appreciates his skill and intelligence
This afternoon in the House: Goff nails English on the wage gap, Brownlee gets stroppy with the Speaker, not going well for National.
Then Pete Hodgson rides to the rescue. Bill English was very grateful.
The headlines should be the Labour party leader, and wages. Or maybe Steven Joyce and his conveniently cancelled meetings. But instead, we’ll get a story that won’t gain Labour a single vote, featuring a retiring MP.
What genius.
@ sammy, I fear you will be proven correct. The government’s proven tactic is to divert by shooting the messenger, and they fall for it every time. It’s just too easy. I guess they are just too PC to save themselves.
Trolling. Warning. Clare
OMG is Pete Hodgson still alive. I thought he died last year!
Its great that Farrar isnt on Petes side. Normally every campaign Farrar has been involved with has ended in a disaster.
Wellington/Lower NI Regional VP.- Down to one MP
Wellington Central CM.- The guy who couldn’t lose -did
And then there were Dons emails while he was the IT manager
sammy
“You’re quite wrong. National smeared Helen for years, but only won (after 3 losses) when Nice Mr Key replaced Nasty Dr Brash, and the swing voters liked the change of tone.”
I think you must have slept between the 2005 and 2008 elections. It was smile and cloud the truth beat too honest about intent Mr. Brash
Hence “tone”.
It worked.
“OMG is Pete Hodgson still alive.” that’s not very nice, didn’t you see him in Zombieland?
Idiotic. Deleted. Clare
Personal opinion – Why are we still back in the 60’s where a cus’ word at work is a sackable offense but offensive language (racist sexist insulting) is only worth a frown and brushed off as “inappropriate” or “miscommunication”?
(purely speaking as an employee)
As a voter, I find this use of time by Hodgson to be on a par with the H-Fee smear. A manufactured storm in a tea-cup.
If a party can’t even get the facts straight in opposition, how on earth do you expect to perform in government, should you take the treasury benches again?
Whats wrong with what Taylor said.
Dosent Labour believe in open honest Government any more
It’s not about getting facts right in Opposition it’s about getting the lies you tell and the mistruths you spun being accepted as Truth, no argument from me that National were great at this leading from 2005 to the election.
Is this Wong issue going quiet? Has panic pants counter-dumped on Pete & the Labour Party to keep this off scrutiny and Question Time?
Even though the matter doesn’t provide the mainstream media with multiple orgasms to keep the heat on, what is ethically wrong remains wrong.
Will Labour or any party pledge to make it explicitly clear in the Cabinet Manual that Cabinet Ministers should not sign off anything except if they are acting on behalf of the Executive Government; in other circumstances, that person shall sign as an MP or as an individual (ie private or professional capacity).