If a "key" point in the post is that Key is "equivocating" (on the tour, on civil unions, on drugs etc), then the radio interview is probably consistent with that....(be that savy or gutless) ....but as for the Tour posture, I am not much younger than John, and, as with Mark above, I remember the whole thing very clearly - Minto, Chants, red squad etc....and in hindsight I firmly believe that the anti tour movement was "right", but if asked to honestly say if I was for or against at the time I don't have an answer. At the time I wasn't into the idea of taking to the streets waving placards, no matter what the cause, and I probably leant "intellectually" toward the anti tour movement (on the grounds that it was "immoral" to play sport with the South Africans...i.e. it wasn't about politics but about principles), but I didn't support their methods and really didn't have much enthusiasm for arguing about it with either side - it was polemical at the time and the question put assumed that - but John, like me, might not have been polemical about it. I could easily have answered as he did - and those who know me generally see me as having firm opinions frankly expressed.

This negative perception of Key for not being sufficiently doctrinaire or idealogically driven is curious. I think perhaps the "not right" will be able to always criticise a "not left" leader for either being too doctrinaire or not having firm principles - (s)he can't win with the "not right" really. I never saw Bolger or Shipley as being any more driven by clear principles. Indeed I was always disappointed in that National "pragmatism" that became arrogance, inertia and lack of initiative. I think that our expectations of intellectual crispness (brittleness?) have gone up hugely now we have seen Helen Clark in the job, but it isn't necessarily the best style of leadership: intellectuals and idealogues don't build concensus or unity. There are aspects of having a kind of pragmatic wishy washy leader that appeal - I think it is silly (childish really) to want a strong heroic figure in Parliament - how about an honest, efficient, reasonable one that respects his or her electorate, realises that issues are often not balck and white ("ha!") and does their best along with others elected and otherwise.

Sorry 'bout all the "speach marks" and bung spelling.