Post by Rich80105On Tue, 28 Apr 2020 18:55:05 -0500, Tony <lizandtony at orcon dot net
Post by Tonyhttp://karldufresne.blogspot.com/2020/04/only-new-zealanders-can-judge-ardern.html
The comments are worth reading also.
Feel free to disagree with what du Fresne writes but it would make a nice
change to do that without attacking the man.
He is one of the few real journalists left.
I agree, it is a good article
https://www.facebook.com/LateNightSeth/videos/956081238146513/
(look after about 9 minutes)
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12327959
“The coronavirus pandemic may be the largest test of political leadership the world has ever witnessed. Every leader on the planet is facing the same potential threat. Every leader is reacting differently, in his or her own style. And every leader will be judged by the results.” - Uri Friedman
April 19, 2020
Exactly. 100% on the nail.
What then follows in du Fresne’s article can be interpreted in any way the reader chooses. But truth remains truth, however expressed and howver du Fresne may twist and slant it for his own purposes. Of course, The Atlantic is instrinsically liberal-leaning and doesn’t have to be told so, so it’s no surprise that many views published in it will be largely if not wholly of the same or similar persuasion. So those with even the faintest smidgeon of commonsense will read the article with the usual caveats. No harm done.
But in the case of Ardern it is the very opening sentence of the article that is so potent and so germane in that it delivers a truth yet to be effectively or credibly challenged.
In this regard, then, Ardern can justly be regarded as more than a little remarkable.
Still not wholly versed in the arts of politics and politicking, and never before having been exercised or seasoned by the multiplicity of condundrums and dilemmas she now faces, she has nevertheless withstood and handled whatever has been thrown at her, be it some operational error, or minsterial lacuna, or tricksy semantical definitions, or media and political houndings; all of them coming at her from all directions and many of them out of left-field.
To show such forebearance and such consistent dignity and comportment under such unimanginable pressure takes 100% Pure Guts and then some, and don’t anyone - including du Fresne - ever forget it.
Furthermore, when it comes to so many “choruses of approval” such as as that given in the Atlantic article, does it go to Ardern’s head? Well?
And when did you, the reader of this post, or du Fresne, last watch or hear Ardern doing a Trump, pinning blame an opprobrium on the nearest-to-hand functionary or body for some failure or inadequacy on her own part having occurred or later come to light? Well?
Or, likewise, Johnson, he of blethering, waffling hubris and tragically little else? Well?
Ardern is neither saintly nor infallible; in truth, the reader and du Fresne both know she’s the last person in this world ever to think herself anywhere near the embodiment of perfection.
So attack the author of the article by all means; but at least do so with rather less naked cynicism than that shown by du Fresne, while allowing Ardern (New Zealand’s “accidental prime minister,” no less) to continue making her and her administration’s progress on their Mission Near-Impossible...
...a Mission Near-Impossible that both you the reader and du Fresne know perfectly well neither of you would have the faintest talent or ability even to begin to handle in the way that she must, and has so far, managed.
And this, as always, with outstanding fortitude and good grace.
(Just a thought: does du Fresne actually believe that to be installed on the Stuff roster is any kind of recognition for a "real journalist" jealously to covert?)