Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

I said yesterday that I worry we care more about having a Prime Minister who looks like someone you could have a beer with, than caring about leadership, economic responsibility or policies.  The electorate fell head over heels in love with a smiling friendly looking Jacinda Ardern, until her ideology started to bite, then everyone freaked out and she was gone. In came smiley friendly looking Chris Hipkins. “Just a boy from the Hutt!” the media exclaimed with glee, Chippy! Guy next door vibes. Innocuous looking. We seemingly instantly forgot and forgave all his time as Police Minister achieving nothing but a hike in gangs, crime and ram raids, all his time as Covid Minister running the MIQ debacle and overseeing no access to RAT tests, all his time as Education Minister overseeing the biggest truancy numbers this country’s ever seen.  All forgotten and forgiven - he looks like a mate you could have a beer with so surely he’s in. The polls show a surge in his popularity - based purely on visibility I guess, an