53 Comments
User's avatar
Josephine's avatar

Morena Nick.

Bloody hell. Christopher Luxon is an absolute embarrassment. His presser was a complete trainwreck. I mean, how difficult is it to stand up and say that bombing a school of 200 girls is a bad thing. Jesus wept, I was appalled by that.

It makes me wonder what Trump and (I'm going to get the spelling wrong) Netanyahu have over our pathetic Prime Minister.

Thank god for Chippy and Marama Davidson for showing what real leadership is.

Have a great day, and I hope you are continuing to look after yourself.

John Farrell's avatar

There is a Substack post about America's religious motivation for attacking Iran

https://jonathanlarsen.substack.com/p/us-troops-were-told-iran-war-is-for?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email&triedRedirect=true

Perhaps this explains Luxon's attitude? He is, after all a member of an American fundamentalist sect.

Nick Rockel's avatar

Absolutely nuts. The military leaders must be appalled.

Kirsty's avatar

Yep 144 complaints and climbing

Jeremy Coleman's avatar

I’m Australian and I’m lost for words. Most of you would agree that this never happens. Gobsmacked, incredulous, stunned? None of these suffice. I found it not only one of the most unbelievable things I’ve ever read, but also one of the most disturbing. I have for some time wondered how long it would be before Trump declares himself God incarnate. I truly wish I was kidding. It’s incredible that nobody anyhow involved with him hasn’t had the courage to challenge or otherwise stop the manic rage which has become the most dangerous feature of our time and holds sway over our entire existence.

Kim Shaw-Williams's avatar

Jeremy, only a Canadian can know how truly crazy so many Americans are....it is an effect of Hollywood Hype and Corporate Cynicism. Trump is merely yet another Ronald Reagan, who was the first attempt, a second-rate ham actor who was supposedly Christian, and also supposedly 'nearly got assassinated'..AND INSTIGATED NEO-LIBERALISM!! Which is why we are politically under the the thumb of the 1% Techbro/Corporate Autocratic Oligarchs in 2026.

Diana Coleman's avatar

This is absolutely appalling, and extremely dangerous. How are these insane people still in office? As a Christian, this aggressive fundamentalism has always greatly worried me. It certainly isn’t Christianity.

Surely there must be something in the US Constitution that would enable the removal of those blatantly ignoring it to be removed from the positions of power they are abusing?

Alma Rae's avatar

There is, but the Republicans in Congress are preventing its use.

Diana Coleman's avatar

Hence people in the US worrying he’s creating a crisis which will allow him to postpone the midterms, I guess. I hope it doesn’t come to that.

Darien Fenton's avatar

Unbelievable huh? Armageddon?

John Walker's avatar

Even more unbelievable and ironic when you consider that Iraelis don't believe in the new testament. Sure makes a nonsense of the yank drivel.

Summerhaze's avatar

Thanks for the link. Whew!

Febes62's avatar

And these nutjobs think the extremists like Isis are cray cray with their 40 virgins & shit????

rainbow brute's avatar

Bone chilling. I thought I was already scared enough

Kim Shaw-Williams's avatar

John...speaking as a Canadian immigrant who came here in 1965 at 14 because my mother decided to get her children as far away from the madness of America when her hero JFK got assassinated in 1963. I was 12, and knew my Welsh father had wanted her to come here well before, when the mill in BC he worked in got taken over by an American corporation back in 1961, and he was quietly warned by the mill's original Canadian local owners NOT to try to start a union....! I am not at all surprised by your excellent info....we used to get cars full of zealous young American Fundamentalist Evangelicals coming to try and convert us Canadians every spring, just after another long hard cold winter...even as a kid I knew they were batshit crazy, just from the fanatical gleam, in their eyes and their crazy David Seymour-like smirking "I know something you don't know" smiles. Luxon is just a yes-man corporate creation with a vacuous mind and a ludicrously embarrassing political style...and if Winston had an ounce of integrity left he would oust this Coalition NOW!!!

Summerhaze's avatar

I hope the paying subscriber numbers pick up, Nick. Aotearoa so needs your point of view.

Nick Rockel's avatar

Me too, unfortunately, if not, I'll need to bring back the paywall for a while, which I don't like doing.

Neil's avatar

Luxon and Seymour, really don't care about this country. They can only be in this for themselves. And are such lazy thinkers.

Seymour; “I hate to say it, but the world is not waiting for New Zealand to cast its judgement.” should never be anywhere near a seat of power.

Brian's avatar

Eggscruciating eggsplosion of eggscrement from Luxon - he really is an Egg. He makes jelly look firm, resolute and upstanding. If he had any moral fibre ( he doesn't ) he would resign ( à la Muller ). I hope he won't - he's the lefts best asset going.

Jeremy Coleman's avatar

Eggstrordinary Brian! Perhaps you’ve uncovered Luxon’s secret. As a child he would have been a great fan of Batman, (the series on TV) and familiar with the bad guy Egghead, who rings a vague bell with me. Luxo, (or should it more accurately be Cluckso) probably decided that Egghead would be an eggsemplary role model, (egg roll model?). He certainly looks the part and his character is somewhat scrambled, so I think you’ve cracked it Brian!😀

Brian's avatar

Eggsemplary and eggsquisite eggcursion Jeremy. I do however think Luxon's large eggo will keep him from eggxiting the scene. To his credit he has stopped digging directly down and is now madly digging sideways.

Jeremy Coleman's avatar

Scrambling for shelter perhaps?

Brian's avatar

Or collecting campaign dirt??

Jeremy Coleman's avatar

Either way he has a yellow heart🙂

John Blyde's avatar

The "Bald Ego's" ploy of 'Fake it till you make it', just makes him look like the tosser he is, when Shit gets real.

Darien Fenton's avatar

One of the things we have to think about is the response from some Iranian NZers. I saw an opinion piece this morning from one criticising Helen Clark. We have to be able to convey our solidarity with Iranian people who have suffered under the regime, and find a way to communicate that to those who are happy that the Ayatollah has been killed. I can understand this but we all know that Helen Clark is right ; attempts by the US at regime change have ended in disaster ; and the risk of ignoring international law is a risk to all of us ; eg look at Trump's punishment of Spain for disagreeing with him and he and Starmer have fallen out. It pays to remember that the rules based order was set up after WW2 where millions of lives were lost. There is a bully in the White House. Some even think he is the Messiah appointed by God to progress the Armgeddon. That's how mad this is. We have to stand strong.

Cindy's avatar

Indeed... More than one thing can be true at the same time ie Iran people are oppressed & being killed by their own govt so Yay! the figurehead leader is gone, but many civilians will die from US & Israeli attacks as well AND there is no guarantee or even liklihood that they will end up with democracy or a kinder govt because the regime has a deep bench ready to step up who enjoy power 🤷🏻‍♀️

Mac Stevenson's avatar

The countries that are undertaking a regime change are the same ones that have committed genocide and in one case have a police force (ICE) that kills its own citizens. The USA changes of leadership in the other countries where they have "helped" the population have not exactly been a signal success. Historically this also includes Iran.

Darien Fenton's avatar

I totally agree. We all know this to be the truth, and what I dont want to see if those of us who oppose America's illegal war to be framed as anti Iranian people - a bit like being called anti-semitic with the horrible Israel Palestinian conflict when we stand up against the atrocities in Gaza.

Febes62's avatar

Yes I worry how my extended family whom are Iranian (married to my niece & nephew) & Bahai - so their parents have already fled Iran & their persecution of non Muslim citizens are dealing with what is happening. It must be so conflicting for them

Phil Malpas's avatar

What should a country do when attacked by another, just role over and take it? Would we in Aotearoa just accept? Should the world in 1939 just have surrendered? I very much doubt we Kiwi's would just role over! Does trump expect that killing of civilians will subdue a country, or the opposite? trump the peacemaker has started more than one war in the last year - we will see if this develops onto WW3?

Annie Blackwell's avatar

The world may not be waiting, but our country is. We want to know, do we have a spine, or not? ...This US/Israeli incited war puts economies around the world at risk, even if we choose to ignore the moral principles of law. We are impacted by it and in no good position to withstand the pressure. Did anyone else read about the higher-than-usual number of business failures (driven by debt)? High fuel costs are an impediment to many. e.g. We have two local refuse collection trucks and a very small margin. This is personal. The state of the economy - job losses and reduced employment opportunities - means that numerous people can't pay their bills. Can you still afford $12.20 a week? Lucky you if you don't have to say 'not really'. What happens when that has to go up?...

Andy's avatar

When Jacinda stood strong during covid and led and then coped the flack from people who were only concerned about their own supposed freedoms and were happy to put at risk those who were vulnerable we now have a spineless cretin who can't show an ounce of leadership with any of the important issues, no matter how big or small.

Maxine's avatar

AND he says "nucular"!

Darien Fenton's avatar

I knowww! Annoys the hell out of me.

Maxine's avatar

Good to know it's not just me - feel bit shallow, but... you know... it's the last straw!

Alma Rae's avatar

That's cos he's Amerikan at heart.

Mac Stevenson's avatar

So how will this numpty handle a greater challenge when this war impacts our economy or when any other challenge arises. Chippy certainly looks a class act alongside this apology for a PM.

Russ Sewell's avatar

I think this interview might be the moment that not only the left see what a useless twat Luxon, but also the right wing media do as well.

Defending the indefensible cuts it for so long and then becomes impossible

Lynette's avatar

Luxon should have been able to walk into that press conference with a clear mind, a clear perspective and a commitment to a point of view. But I have yet to see him approach anything with clarity - talking points of a sales pitch, yes, but there always seems to be a track running in the background where he is more worried about how he appears, with regard to his future prospects, than doing his actual job, right now. His cosy exodus to the US becomes increasingly shaky if he is on record wavering from the script. His future relies on who he knows and how to appease them, not what he knows, or what is best for Aotearoa.

John Walker's avatar

I note that the 'slash and burn' party is making a real effort to slash and burn our independant foreign policy. Well done spud head.

Denise Davis's avatar

Excellent work Nick! I'm glad to be a subscriber.