This Person Votes National
It’s my turn this week and I’ve chosen the most worrying of all the backbenchers - Mr. Bob Clarkson MP CNZM.
Born in Gisbourne, 1939…(insert 1939-2005 here)… His election was one of national significance because he was contesting the Tauranga electorate, the seat which Winston Peters had held for 21 years.
So lets do a review of Burqa Bob’s more memorable moments during his term in the 48th Parliament.
First of all, why is Burqa Bob called Burqa Bob? Here’s an excerpt from The Herald to answer that:
The outspoken National MP was reported yesterday as saying that Muslims wearing burqas in public should “go back to Islam or Iraq”.
Of course, he was quick to try to remedy his faux pas by saying he’d be happy to meet with Javed Khan, president of the Federation of Islamic Associations. Though Bob had an opinion on him too, saying he needed to “thicken his skin up a little bit”.
Within day’s of that quote Bob decided he’d have yet another rant, this time about the nations homosexuals.
“If you walk up and down the street picking your nose, you’re a bit different, aren’t you? You’re going to offend somebody.
“Take that gay parade. They flaunted themselves out there that they’re all different than us, and to a certain extent, in my mind, they’re trying to make out that we should be the same as them.”
The idea of gay couples being allowed to adopt gave him “the guts ache”, and even small-scale displays of homosexuality, such as two men holding hands, made him feel strange.
“You can’t convince me that’s normal.
Interesting, Bob. You’re quite the statesman.
Now let’s remind ourselves of an interview by TV3’s Sarah Gregory, which luckily didn’t include a camera.
“They declined to speak on camera but at one point Bob Clarkson, amazingly, said to me ‘I’m having to stand up, my crotch is so sore’, and actually grabbed his crotch.”
To which the party leader, Judy Kirk, promptly gave him a ‘ticking off’ and said, “He is a hard case but I do think it was unwise. I’ll be talking to Mr Clarkson.” The result of said talk has made his time in the House a rather quiet one, and he is no longer the praised candidate but the silenced National MP. Here are a few of his words which formed when he opened his mouth while the wind blew his tongue around.
- (12 Dec 2007) Interjection: “You’d better hurry, this is under urgency.”
- (6 Dec 2007) Interjection: “Pay it back.”
- (5 Dec 2007) Interjection: “Whoo-hoo!”
- (17 Oct 2007) Interjection : “Bureaucratic!”
- (10 Oct 2007) Interjection : “Tell us the end of the story.”
- (19 Sep 2007) Interjection : “Force?”
- (22 Aug 2007) Interjection : “A bit like the Labour Government.”
- (21 Aug 2007) Interjection : “Yes, I did, actually.”
So remember, when you get to the polling station and you’re wondering which party deserves your vote, think to yourself, ‘what would Burqa Bob do?’ Is it really your intention to make him your comrade, or God forbid your MP?
After all…
“I’m Bob Clarkson and I’m not going to change.”
January 14, 2008 at 1:53 am
Unlike Trevor Mallard, Bob actually built a stadium, from his own money as well, (a crime under the ‘look at me’ act). May not be the National Stadium, but hey, what the fuck.
As a first term MP he has kept out of the limelight, highlight, he won a high court challenge from Bauble man. Bob is not that bad at all really, a lot more PC than your other 2 ‘This Person Votes National’ candidates’.
Running out of ideas perhaps chaps!!!!
Go Bob for 2 sucessful attemps at Parliament. (He probably won’t need cheap spouse airfares like other former parliamentations as as he would pay his own).
January 14, 2008 at 2:22 am
No, not running out of ideas. We’re still well out of the election. Every month or so we’ll take it up a notch in terms of the importance of the subject. We’re currently focusing on minor cases, so I thought, ‘who’s more minor than Bob Clarkson these days?’
I can promise you, we have many more planned for further weeks. Some already waiting in drafts. Honestly Kiwi, you don’t give us enough credit!
January 14, 2008 at 2:26 am
Don’t worry kiwikiwi66. I’ve got a real cracker for you next Monday! Just you wait
.
January 14, 2008 at 7:51 am
I look forward to your version of “This person votes Labour”, with a nice portrayal of how Ashraf Choudhary Labour MP has disgraced himself and failed the local Muslim community with his absetntions allowing legalisation of prostitution and civil unions.
A greater joke, and a bigger let down to the Indian/Muslim community could not be found.
The only unity Mr Choudhary has created was the impression that he was totally inadequate to the task of being a principled member of Parliament. This guy is presumably well for the chop on the Labour list this year.
January 14, 2008 at 9:33 am
Oh dear, yet another taxpaying citizen has broken the Political Correctness Enforcement Act. Whatever shall we do, send him to jail for having an opinion and not being afraid to say so?
Seriously though you guys, perhaps if you want to take a position on social issues such as gay rights then you should actually say so, rather then trying this backdoor method where you take a bellow the belt swing at the other side. Im not sure what you are trying to do but if it involves proving that National supporters opinions are incorrect then please be more open about it.
January 14, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Notwithstanding its abhorrence, we [the public] should at least be happy we know were Bob Clarkson stands on the issue of homosexuality - and can be voted against accordingly.
However, how the National Party is dealing with the difference between its generally accepted position as an economically neo-liberal party among political pundits, (excluding DPF as he is there to obfuscate) , and it’s public attempt to ‘innoculate’ perceived differences between it and the government is of more interest to me.
Strategy at HQ has drifted from whether to let the cat out of the bag slowly, or to say absolutely naught on areas seen as unpopular even among a majority of general membership (obviously not the members who have the most influence).
Even this fact alone, that the National Party listens more to its richest members and non-member donors than its actual membership (often stated to be around 30,000 - yet I see little influence on that number curbing the power of the select 200), should be cause for concern amongst the wider population.
Why? Because, they might run our country in the same manner in which they have been running their party (i.e. money buys influence, expediency over democracy - e.g. Selwyn). This is a manner in which New Zealander’s decisively rejected in 5 elections before the government actually listened and stopped (and reversed) the tide to unfettered capitalism. Voters in 1999 preferred a tax increase to tax cuts simply to vote out hated policies.
While, Labour after 1993 learned its lesson and abandoned neo-liberalism, National has never disavowed it, and all of its other apparent other concerns (i.e. crime, and social conservatism) would be relegated to the back of the agenda, just as it was in the late 80s and 1990s so that it could fully focus on neo-liberal reform. (except dredging up an occasional issue close to an election - i.e. John Howard style).
If you are voting National because you are socially conservative, especially if you are young, you will be ashamed of your vote within 3 years if National achieves government, not because that your issues will have received exactly zero attention, but the country we know now as closer to meritocracy than it has been since the 1980s, will be long gone.
January 14, 2008 at 1:31 pm
PP, are you a National insider? Perhaps the man who leaked the emails to Nick Hager? Because you talk as if you know exactly what is going on in the National party. In any case this fairly standard anti-national rant is way off topic other then the first and last paragraphs. While its true that National could not be called a socially conservative party any more they certainly could not be any worse then Labour in that department. They did not vote to ban smacking and get innocent parents who “flick their childrens ear” in public sent an official police warning. With any luck they will not try to intorduce gay marrige either.
Also in your cynical rant jaded by the hatered of society that is ever present in socialists you grossly misjudge the character of National, the people running it and its members. Believe it or not us righties are not all cynical, selfish wealth hoarders who only care about money. Infact the people who always seem to be obsessed with money are on the left. I believe that the people running National are good people (and dont do a sing and dance about the hollow men, the book is crap). If National wins the general election by a large margin as polls suggest then their members will call on them to address social issues and they will do so.
Finally I will reiterate my previous point; If you want to take a stand on social issues then please do so, dont just take some quotes and try to smear conservative opinions on social issues.
January 14, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Are you going to tell us what Dianne Yates, Anne Hartley and Lesley Soper have been up to in Parliament.
What about Taito Phiip Field, maybe you can elaborate on his acheivements as a labour MP, why he was selected as a candidate and defended by the Party. I am sure he is a strong defender of gay rights. Maybe you can outline his voting record on conscience issues
January 15, 2008 at 8:37 am
Sure Clarkson is a buffoon but he is not as bad as other one termers like David Bennett and John Hayes. Don’t forget that Clarkson (along with Connell)led the charge that saw Brash ousted as National leader.
[James - WOW - Your a star!
You have just agreed that my useless MP John Hayes is a one termer. You rock!]
January 15, 2008 at 9:43 am
Just to let you know, http://www.nzdebate.blogspot.com will not be posting a “this person votes Labour” post each week.
[redbus: A true pity, I must say]
January 15, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Bob Clarkson has done nothing for his constituents since being voted as our MP
Is is too much to ask for a decent candidate at next election? (at this rate, any party will do - Tga has a history of crap choices for whole political spectrum)
January 15, 2008 at 6:00 pm
I empathise with you Max, my MP is the most useless MP that would inhabit Parliament.