Americans in NZ urged to vote

[62_Kiwi]

Hey, here's a shocking piece of left wing propaganda from the biggest newspaper in NZ, telling NZ based Americans to vote for Kerry. Worse - it's the lead story today (Sunday).<br /><br />We all know that most journalists are left-wing fanatics, but you'd think they would at least try to give an "appearance" of giving both sides of the story. They don't seem to even bother with that these days. <br /><br />I'm ashamed and disappointed with the NZ Herald. They used to be a decent paper. I never buy them any more. They did similarly bad coverage of a recent Auckland mayoralty election too. <br /><br />

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<br /><br />17.10.2004<br />5.00pm - By JONATHAN MILNE <br />It's not like casting a vote on the day at one of Florida's controversial chad machines, but Americans in New Zealand are flocking to be counted in next month's whisker-tight presidential race. <br /><br />With an estimated 15,000 Americans living here, Democrats Abroad international chair Rachelle Jailer Valladares has travelled from London to get her fellow citizens out to vote. <br /><br />Fresh off the plane in Auckland, she told the Herald on Sunday votes from the seven million Americans living abroad could be critical in deciding whether Democrat challenger John Kerry knocked President George W Bush out of the White House on November 2. <br /><br />"Americans seem to be flocking down here," she said. "Their vote is absolutely vital. This is going to be one of the tightest elections we have ever seen. <br /><br />"We saw what happened in Florida last time. This time there are a lot of battleground states that are running neck and neck." <br /><br />She had mailed her own District of Columbia ballot paper from Changi Airport in Singapore the previous night. <br /><br />"I shouldn't have any finger-nails left at all. It's a nail-biter - they are running neck and neck. I hope it's not like four years ago when the count goes on for weeks but it will certainly go all night. <br /><br />"Senator Kerry is known for being a very strong finisher," she said. "Bush comes over as being homey, hokey, the guy next door. But he's not stupid: he's actually quite shrewd but just not particularly polished." <br /><br />Wellington-based New Yorker Sophie Richardson, a human rights worker, mailed her ballot paper on Friday, with a tick next to the name John Kerry. <br /><br />"The Florida race got decided by 537 votes last time. Now there are 537 Americans in the central business district of Wellington alone, let alone the rest of New Zealand," she said. <br /><br />"It's especially important for Americans overseas, who I think live daily the consequences of what the Bush administration has done for America's profile over the world. New Zealand is one of the most incredibly hospitable places in the world, yet the amount of crap I get ..." <br /><br />- HERALD ON SUNDAY <br /><br />

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3601348&thesection=news&thesubsection=general

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Americans in NZ urged to vote

Gee, they found a Democratic party spokesperson and put up a few quotes that would seem to favor her candidate. Did they look for a Republican party spokesperson, or isn't there one down there to quote?

 

[12Footer]

Re: Americans in NZ urged to vote

It's one of the reasons I switched parties back in the 80's. Such tactics are not new here in the states. I have to admit, I'm shocked to learn of this long-distance assault on the electioons process.<br />In my experiances, the liberal party (democrats) usually have by far the lowest moral stand on the issues, and it must say something about the moral fiber of thier voter base.<br />We have mostly liberal newspapers and TV news networks here in the states, so last-minute republican bashing reaches a fevered pitch in the last 4 weeks, by these operatives in journalists' clothing.<br />It often has a strong effect on the outcome....And to think, they are to this day, still saying that "Gore won the presidential election in 2000".